A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL

PCC OER: A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL is digital content created for beginning and intermediate students learning English as a second language.

Video grammar lessons were gathered from popular YouTube teachers, and self-correcting exercises were created to extend learning. There are ten units grouped in three different levels:

• Beginning
• High Beginning
• Intermediate

Three original readers with self-correcting vocabulary and comprehension exercises accompany these materials:

• Home and School – Beginning
• Portland People and Places – High Beginning
• Seven Wonders of Oregon – Intermediate

All efforts have been made to make this book as accessible as possible to all learners.

Read more here about how and why this book was made.

This book originated in Portland Community College’s PCC ESOL 23 curriculum, which is a language lab course for students in Levels 1, 2, and 3. These materials can be used by teachers or students as-is or edited.

Exercise 3: In, On, Under

This exercise has three questions. The first two exercises might be extra difficult with a screen reader.

Question 1: Drag pictures to the correct drop zones in the picture. There is a bookcase and three cats. Read the instructions. Drag the cats to the correct drop zone on the bookcase picture. The bookcase has three shelves, a top, and space under the third shelf. The cats are different colors. Click the check button, then click the next arrow to go to the next question.

Question 2: There are three drop zones: in, on, and under. Drag the pictures to the correct drop zone. The picture will not stay unless it is correct. Click the check button, then click the next arrow to go to the next question.

Question 3: Read the sentences. Type the correct preposition in the blank box.

Overview for Teachers

Context

PCC OER: A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL was designed to be used in many different ways, including:

• as part of a self-directed course at a community college in North America
• during Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) computer lab sessions
• in small group or one on one tutoring
• to supplement grammar instruction in a class (as homework or in a flipped classroom model)
• to supplement reading in a class
• for self-study by independent learners

A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY 4.0) license, which means it is shared freely and openly. As long as the original work is attributed, A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL can be used in almost any way imaginable with no additional restrictions.

multimedia A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL includes a mix of multimedia content in order to engage learners and provide multiple methods of instruction and practice. The instructional videos let learners see and hear teachers explain grammar points (also, most of the videos have closed captioning). The interactive exercises let students drag and drop, fill in the blank, answer multiple choice questions, and more. The readers combine text and interesting pictures to help learners develop reading skills as well. The content is also screen-reader accessible, which is crucial for those with limited vision or anyone who wants to hear a computerized speech version. Finally, the range of important topics in the videos and readers means that it is easy to create in-person speaking prompts and activities in a class or group setting.

multimodal The workbook works well on laptops, desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. In our experience, many learners have embraced their phones for learning English. The site has been designed to work equally well no matter what size it is being viewed on. The videos and interactive exercises only require a modern, up-to-date internet browser and an internet connection.