PBS has created two new resources that will be helpful to English Language Learners.

The first one is PBS Kids Island. Once parents/teachers sign-up their children/students, users can practice many of the literacy activities on the PBS website and parents/teachers can monitor their progress. It’s designed for three-to-five year olds now, and will be expanding to those six-to-eight soon. It would be a good site for Beginning English Language Learners. I’m also adding this site to The Best Sites Where Students Can Work Independently & Let Teachers Check On Progress.

The second new resource is a television program that begins on September 1st called Martha Speaks. It’s about a talking dog (and who can’t love a talking dog?) and designed to assist in vocabulary development. I’m assuming the website will provide a number of online resources.

These activities are part of PBS’ Raising Readers Initiative.