If you are looking for free readings of newer, picture book type stories for young children, here are my top 3 free websites.These sites are not aimed specifically at those learning English, but just young children generally. However, children with some English will be able to enjoy them and improve their English with them. They are an excellent classroom resource and are even good listening, vocabulary and grammar practice for adult learners!
1. Storyline Online
http://www.storylineonline.net/
A marvellous website produced in America by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. It has videos (between five and fifteen minutes long) of published story books being read by professional actors and celebrities. It also has resources for primary level teachers to use with the stories, which could easily be adapted for the English as a foreign language classroom.The videos have subtitles which can be turned on by clicking the cog wheel in the bottom fight corner of the screen. Excellent!
2. Storynory
http://www.storynory.com/
Storynory offers a great selection of professionally read stories to listen to, or download and put on a CD, computer, or other device. They also provide a text of the story, so kids can read and listen at the same time. Teachers could also use these texts to make quick and easy activities to go with the stories.There are stories for all ages of children. They include very short, traditional stories and original stories written just for Storynory, as well as longer classics.
1. Storyline Online
http://www.storylineonline.net/
A marvellous website produced in America by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. It has videos (between five and fifteen minutes long) of published story books being read by professional actors and celebrities. It also has resources for primary level teachers to use with the stories, which could easily be adapted for the English as a foreign language classroom.The videos have subtitles which can be turned on by clicking the cog wheel in the bottom fight corner of the screen. Excellent!
2. Storynory
http://www.storynory.com/
Storynory offers a great selection of professionally read stories to listen to, or download and put on a CD, computer, or other device. They also provide a text of the story, so kids can read and listen at the same time. Teachers could also use these texts to make quick and easy activities to go with the stories.There are stories for all ages of children. They include very short, traditional stories and original stories written just for Storynory, as well as longer classics.
3. YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/
If you know a particular book or story you want to listen to, don’t forget YouTube. The chances are that someone has posted a reading on there. Although posts on YouTube frequently appear then disappear, making links unreliable in the long run, it’s often possible to find what you are looking for at any time with a simple search.
Here are two links (working at the time of writing).
The first is to a nice reading of the preschool classic ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMy7mqjaWNc
The second links to Michael Rosen performing his famous picture book ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gyI6ykDwds
For more support or ideas to help your child improve their English, or on how to use story listenings in the EFL classroom, please contact me at www.BrianElliston.com.
https://www.youtube.com/
If you know a particular book or story you want to listen to, don’t forget YouTube. The chances are that someone has posted a reading on there. Although posts on YouTube frequently appear then disappear, making links unreliable in the long run, it’s often possible to find what you are looking for at any time with a simple search.
Here are two links (working at the time of writing).
The first is to a nice reading of the preschool classic ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMy7mqjaWNc
The second links to Michael Rosen performing his famous picture book ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gyI6ykDwds
For more support or ideas to help your child improve their English, or on how to use story listenings in the EFL classroom, please contact me at www.BrianElliston.com.