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Bek sent out this link that explains why Ells should use learner dictionaries rather than dictionaries written for native speakers. The presentation could be incorporated into a high-intermediate listening and speaking class.

Longman's online dictionary of contemporary English provides simple, understandable definitions and example sentences for ESL learners. This online resource is free and has some other nice features for students who want to dig a bit deeper or expand their vocabulary. Many entries contain a word web of sorts with related terms for students to click on and explore. Students in my class can use electronic devices for looking up words- I plan to suggest this site and provide students with the link. If you make your own glosses for reading guides, this site would also be good for grabbing some learner-friendly definitions.

I use this learners' dictionary frequently when I am trying to come up with a simplified definition for a new vocabulary word for my students. This website's definitions are almost always better and simpler than anything I can come up with. And quicker. It also includes daily words, quizzes, and activities for students.

This is a quirky website that I used in my high school creative writing class. I think that ESLers could use this page to talk about syllables, pronunciation, and of course rhyming. Through a simple search, students could discover a very wide variety of new words from the suggested rhymes on this site. The attention to phoneme-grapheme association (spelling vs. pronunciation) will reinforce emerging literacy skills. Overall, I just find this to be a fun site for generating ideas and word knowledge.

This is my favorite online dictionary for L2 purposes. It contains several translation dictionaries between English and Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and several other languages. It also has conjugation charts (when you look up words), translations for phrases, and forums. The website also has plenty of examples. I have used this website for years when working in Spanish, and I have found the forums particularly useful when trying to translate something tricky. Also, when searching for a multi-word phrase, I recommend using quotation marks.

Words With Friends is a game that is an online (unofficial) version of Scrabble. Players create words using the tiles they have, and the goal is to play words with high point values strategically in order to obtain more points than the opponent. In a language classroom setting, this game seems most appropriate for high-intermediate to advanced learners, as it definitely helps if players have strong vocabularies. With that in mind, the game can be useful as a vocabulary builder, though it can take some patience on the part of the student because there is no built in dictionary. Another limitation is that the game is currently limited to smart phones and Facebook, so some students may need to sign up for the latter or work in pairs in order for any Words With Friends activity to work.

Who doesn't love a game? We're creating language games that make some of the trickier aspects of learning English fun. They're equally addictive fun for fluent English speakers.

A complete website for learning and learning about English words. You can test your vocabulary level, then work on the words at the level where you are weak. Use wordlists, online concordancer and dictionary, texts, and a database to store your work and view the work of others.

Students can go to this website for extra practice with reading. First, they should click "register" then they will create an account and should click "continue reading" which will send them to a quiz to place them. The quiz is very advanced and students may need to use a dictionary to take the quiz. After the quiz is done, students are placed and can begin reading!