Online resources [631754]

Online resources
and digital tools
for improving your
language knowledge
and language ability

Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 2

Handout: Useful digital tools and online resources
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 3 Handout: Useful digital tools and online
resources

USE ONLINE TOOLS TO ASSESS YOUR LANGUAGE SKILLS

 Test your English
Which Cambridge English exam level are you?
cambridgeenglish.org/test -your-english

 European Day of Language s self-evaluation
Use this tool to self -evaluate your English against the Can Do statements of the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) .
goo.gl/2BeYLW

 Cambridge English Teaching Development Tracker
Self-assess your teaching competencies using this tracker . Save the results and review them later.
tracker.cambridgeenglish.org/

Handout: Making a plan
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 4 Handout: Making a plan

SET CLEAR LEARNING O BJECTIVES AND PLAN H OW TO
ACHIEVE THEM

 Popplet
Create a mind map of your learning plan.
popplet.com + app

 Get inspired
Get ideas from other language learners , e.g. L ýdia Machová ’s talk on ‘The Power of Setting
Priorities in Language Learning’ on YouTube.
goo.gl/yeuZyR

Handout: Developing your language ability
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 5 Handout: Developing your language ability
RESOURCES FOR LANGUA GE INPUT
 BBC News
World and UK news.
bbc.co.uk/news

 BBC Learning English: 6 Minute English
Listen to or read topical discussions with vocabulary.
bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6 -minute -english

 LyricsTraining or LyricsG aps
Fill in the lyrics of your favourite songs and do gap -fill activities.
lyricstrainin g.com
lyricsgap s.com

 MOOCs , such as FutureLearn or Coursera
Take a massive open online course.
futurelearn.com
coursera.org

RESOURCES FOR DEVELO PING YOUR LANGUAGE K NOWLEDGE
 Cambridge Dictionary
Get information about words and their meaning, pronunciation, collocations , etc.
dictionary.cambridge.org + app

 HASK collocation databases
Find out which words collocate .
pelcra.pl/hask_en/Home

Handout: Developing your language ability
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 6  English Vocabulary Profile
Find out about the levels of words .
englishprofile.org/wordlists

 English Grammar Profile
Find out about grammar known at different levels .
englishprofile.org/english -grammar -profile

 English Grammar Today
Clear explanations of language with real -life examples.
dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/english -grammar -today/

RESOURCES FOR HELPIN G YOU MEMORISE LANGU AGE AND GAIN
CONTROLLED PRACTICE
 Memrise
Memorise and be quizzed on new words .
memrise.com + app

 Quiz your English
Be quizzed on vocabulary and grammar .
cambridgeenglish.org/learning -english/games -social/quiz -your-english/

 Quizlet
Make flashcards and then memorise the words/phrases .
quizlet.com + app

 Learning English
Use this site from Cambridge Assessment English to practise grammar, vocabulary and the four
skills .
cambridgeenglish.org/learning -english

Handout: Developing your language ability
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 7 RESOURCES FOR USING LANGUAGE
 Blogger or Word Press
Create a blog .
blogger.com
wordpress.com

 Vocaroo or SpeakPipe
Recor d messages , save them in the cloud and share them with others .
vocaroo.com
speakpipe.com

 Flipgrid
Create an asynchronous online private discussion .
flipgrid.com + app

 Screencasts such as TechSmith Jing or Screencast -O-Matic
Create a video of your screen and your voice .
techsmith.com/jing -tool.html
screencast -o-matic.com

 MOOCs (see Resources for language input section above)

 Social media such as Twitter or Facebook
Create a personal learning network via:
facebook.c om + app
twitter.com + app
Participate in #eltchat twice a day each Wednesday on Twitter .

Handout: Developing your language ability
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 8  Discussions such as ELTjam
Read and respond to blogs .
eltjam.com/blog

 Professional body such as IATEFL
Join a professional organisation .
ltsig.iatefl.org

Handout: Monitoring your learning and getting feedback
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 9 Handout: Monitoring your learning and
getting feedback

 Evernote
A digital notebook where you can add photo graph s and audio .
evernote.com + app

 Cambridge English Write & Improve
Get immediate feedback on your writing .
writeandimprove.com

 EnglishCentral
Copy fluent speakers ’ English and get feedback .
englishcentral.com + app

 Cambridge English Teacher Development Tracker
Self-assess your competencies again to see if you have improved.
tracker.cambridgeenglish.org/

Notes
Online resources and digital tools for improving your language knowledge and language ability 10 Notes