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Sorry, this resource isn't free, but if your ESL program decides they can spare just $5-6/week, then both students and teachers can use the same password to access news stories as well as features such as audio recordings of stories, exercises, crossword puzzles, and definitions of key vocabulary. I taught a weekly current events ESL class for adults, and students loved News For You. Each week there are 7 new stories, and several students would read/listen to all the stories before coming to class. I would pick one or two stories to focus on during the 90-minute class. I made my own activities, but students who wanted to could do the online exercises at a library or community center computer. However, because the stories are written for adults who are learning to read (either ABE or ESL students), the content is not as authentic as a regular newspaper. But the fact that it is motivating and accessible to students and encourages lively discussions in class makes it a nice resource.

Here is another adult education newspaper. It includes grade-leveled articles (ranging from 3-12) written by adult students on topics relevant to adults. I have not personally used this resource, but I know it can be challenging to find relevant and engaging reading materials for adults who are learning to read. Like News for You, this newspaper provides audio files, which I have found to be a nice feature for literacy classes. The site suggests having students listen to short sections and then read them aloud to improve fluency. The newspaper is produced by the New England Literacy Resource Center.

ProLiteracy has lots of student and teacher resources, but I'm posting a link to the page on using technology. I clicked on a few links and found some ideas for projects that incorporate technology. If you're looking for project ideas in an ABE or ESL program, you may find these links useful. There are also some basic "how-to's" with step-by-step instructions and screen shots that both teachers and students could use to build their technology skills. I have found creating "how-to's" for my students pretty time-consuming, so it's nice to have these available. Finally, there are audio downloads on topics such as using authentic materials and using everyday technology. For a teacher who feels a little uncomfortable using technology, I think these resources would offer some helpful suggestions.