IRA Newsletter Project: Effective Literacy Website #5

            5 Minute English @ http://5minuteenglish.com/ is a free literacy website designed to provide short and easy explanations and exercises, especially for those who are ESL learners. This website is a very effective literacy website as it combines reading and writing. There are lessons with great activities on grammar, reading, vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, and slang/idioms. There are also reading articles along with comprehension questions, quizzes, or activities that follow each reading passage. For each passage, there are selected vocabularies listed from the passage with meanings that are easier for ESL learners to understand.

            Additionally, there are even grammar exercises that students would find and correct the errors. Furthermore, it even explains the contents very clearly with examples that are highlighted. It also provides checking for understanding activities. Another great thing about this website is that there are answers in the drop-down menu, but they only show after students answer the questions or exercises. This way, students do not cheat their ways. Instead, they receive immediate feedback based on their work. Users can also find answers to questions that other students have had about confusing things in English under the Question and Answer section.

            This website promotes literacy especially to English language learners. According to website, it teaches English to children and adults with its free online service provided for both amateurs and professionals. Professionals can practice their skills and explore deeper oceans of the English language. It even provides links to ESL books, which users can download in audio version. These resources are helpful in improving the diction of people engaged in the process of learning English. Learners can quickly master the language with convenient schedules. Therefore, this is not only great for younger students, but it is also great for an adult employee who is too busy or cannot afford taking classes to learn or improve their English. Since English is the language used for people to communicate across the globe, this website is relevant and efficient. Learners are not only learning about the stories, but they are also engaged in reading and writing activities throughout each provided lesson.