Teachers call students who have a non-English primary language English Language Learners (ELLs). Usually ELL students get referred to the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at their school. The Internet offers resources that can be utilized by ESL teachers to help ELL students practice the English language. These resources bring the meaning of words to life in highly visual, interactive ways.

Vocabulary Practice
Vocabulary is a basic component of learning any language. An exercise that ESL students can do is basic flashcards with a visual component that allows that student to see the word and connect the meaning to the word in their native language. The Internet has provided many tools such as VocabGrabber and Vocabulix, both of which teach vocabulary words using a variety of assessments. They also present the vocabulary words in visual, auditory and kinesthetic ways.

What's the Question?
ESL students need the opportunity to practice speaking English. In the game "What's the Question?" students practice asking questions as opposed to answering them. Form two teams, with members providing questions to your answers one at a time. First read the answer to a question. The student who responds first with the grammatically correct way to ask the corresponding question gains a point for his team.

Chain Spelling
ESL students take turns spelling words in "Chain Spelling." The teacher begins with the first word, for example "bag." The next student spells a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word. In this case, the student would need to spell a word that starts with a "g." The game continues until someone incorrectly spells a word or repeats a word. The teacher can also increase the difficulty of the game by requiring a type of word or limiting it to a certain category.

Bang Bang
"Bang Bang" allows students to practice connecting words in their native language to English words. Students are divided into two teams of cowboys set to duel. The teacher may want to show the students a clip of an old western duel to help them understand the concept and teach them about this American tradition. A representative from each team comes to the front. The teacher asks the students how to say an English word in their native language. The teacher can also describe something or show a picture to ask the question. The students draw their fingers in the shape of a gun and respond first with the corresponding English word, followed by "bang, bang." Whoever is first, wins that duel. The winner remains in the game while the opponent sits down. The game can continue until the last man is standing or teams can be given points.

Sketching Game
A sketching game helps students practice vocabulary in a fun and meaningful way but also allows for creativity. Assign the students a category of words such as community places, animals or foods. One student will draw while the others guess for approximately 30 seconds. With practice, students become more comfortable saying things out loud. Whoever wins gets the chance to draw next.