Web Resources for Students and Teachers

Prepared March 2007

 

General Topics     English     Mathematics     Social Studies     Natural Sciences     References

Getting Ready for Work                                                            Resources in Sinhala and Tamil

 

For Young Learners                  Fun: Puzzles and Games

 

Teachers' Corner                       Parents' Corner 

 

 

General Topics

 

http://www.brainyyack.com/

Ask and answer homework questions in many subjects.

http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm&CFID=79701343&CFTOKEN=79216831

A fantastic site for kids – packed with information on animals, history, social sciences and many more.  It also leads you to other links which give you more information on a myriad of topics.

http://www.triv.net/users.htm

How good is your general knowledge?  This site will lead you to hundreds of free general knowledge tests you could chose from.  While it scores your points, it also leads you to the correct answer, so that you learn in the process.  The questions cut across many different fields, along with some fun questions.

http://www.how-to-study.com/

Although the site is designed for children, adults too will enjoy the experience.  You will learn how to deal with day to day issues: Are feelings important? Dealing with friends, and peer pressure and bullying. The site is packed with power point presentations on many different subjects such as math, arts and social sciences.  It also includes free tutorials.  The website has been designed in a manner which is appealing to children.

http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/howtostudy.html

A detailed guide on how to manage your time and actually enjoy studying,  Watch out for the cartoons!!!

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page

This website is full of learning materials and activities that add to what you know, in areas such as: humanities, mathematics, sciences, engineering and practical arts.

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/

An excellent site for children – covers just about everything kids need to know in a simple and appealing manner.  Recommended for parents and teachers as well.

http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/anger.html

An excellent site for health issues related to the teen girls.   It also covers the very important area of emotional health.

http://www.goodcharacter.com/BCBC/SayingNo.html

“Saying no to alcohol and drugs”

http://www.acde.org/educate/78plan2.htm

The official website for the American Council for Drug Education.  A significant number of Sri Lankan youth are battling with drug addiction and parents, teachers, social workers and the addicts themselves are thirsting for answers.  You will find some useful facts, including the influence of peer pressure, that will help you deal with the issue in a effective manner.

 

English

 

http://www.world-english.org/generalquiz2.htm

‘One stop resource for English Language and more with many other areas of study, including general knowledge.  You could learn English on-line as well as teach.  Find out how you can volunteer to become an English teacher.  English teaching resources are also available for your use.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/srilanka-library-services-elz.htm

This is the official website for The British Council.  It provides surfers with access to much material related to learning, with particular emphasis on English Language.

http://www.1-language.com/audiocourse/index.htm

http://www.ego4u.com/

http://www.learn-english-online.org/

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_skillinv.html

Here is a simple exercise you could go through to analyze your skills.  By doing so, you may discover skills you never realized you have.  So go through this site before you apply for the next job – an accurate evaluation of your capabilities will assist you in determining which jobs you are best qualified to apply for.

http://www.voanews.com/english/portal.cfm

International news in American English can be listened to and read. Podcasts and music

http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.php

Free topical English podcasts specifically for English language learners with learning guides for each podcast. For intermediate to advanced English learners.  Many topics related to business or functions/purposes for using English.

http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.shtml

Improve your writing with free grammar lessons emailed to you Monday through Friday, with quiz on Saturday.  Their service is completely free! 

 

Mathematics

 

http://www.mathsnet.net/

Bryan Dye is one of the pioneer developers of educational websites. His fantastic MathsNet website is a tremendous resource for all teachers and students of mathematics. Features include: Interactive, Articles, QuizBank, Magic Grid, MathsNet Art, Puzzles and Maths Links. The website also contains reviews of software and books for mathematicians.

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/dr-math.html
Ask Dr. Math is a question and answer service for K-12 math students and their teachers. A searchable archive is available by level and topic, together with a FAQ.

http://www.enc.org/

The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (ENC) is located at The Ohio State University, and is funded through a contract with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement.

http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fib.html
Information about the Fibonacci series, including a brief biography of Fibonacci, the numerical properties of the series, and the ways it is manifested in nature. Fibonacci numbers are closely related to the golden ratio (also known as the golden mean, golden number, golden section) and golden string. Includes: geometric applications of the golden ratio; Fibonacci puzzles; the Fibonacci rabbit binary sequence; the golden section in art, architecture, and music; using Fibonacci bases to represent integers; Fibonacci Forgeries (or "Fibonacci Fibs"); Lucas Numbers; a list of Fibonacci and Phi Formulae references; and ways to use Fibonacci numbers to calculate the golden ratio.

http://www.borenson.com/
Hands-On Equations is a visual and kinesthetic teaching system for introducing algebraic concepts to students in grades 3 to 8. Developed by Dr. Henry Borenson, this patented teaching system (U.S. Patent No. 4,713,009) enables young children, as early as 3rd grade, to gain access to algebraic concepts normally presented in the 7th, 8th, or even 9th grades.

http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/
The material presented in the following pages are for middle school students, high school students, college students, and all who are interested in mathematics. You will find interactive programs that you can manipulate and a lot of animation that helps you to grasp the meaning of mathematical ideas.

http://mathforum.org/

The goal of the Math Forum is to build an online community of teachers, students, researchers, parents, educators, and citizens at all levels who have an interest in math and math education. Areas of interest include: Ask Dr. Math, Forum Internet Mathematics Library, Math Search, Problems of the Week, Public Discussion, Teacher2Teacher, and Web Units.

http://www.c3.lanl.gov/mega-math/welcome.html
Mathematics is a live science with new discoveries being made every day. The frontier of mathematics is an exciting place, where mathematicians experiment and play with creative and imaginative ideas. Many of these ideas are accessible to young children. http://standards.nctm.org/The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards for math education. http://archives.math.utk.edu/popmath.html
A list of math related sites maintained by The Mathematics Archives. In their own words: Did you ever wonder what made your teacher get so excited about some topic in Mathematics? On this page, we will try to collect items about Mathematics one of which hopefully may explain this weird behavior. http://education.ti.com/educationportal/sites/US/homePage/index.html
Texas Instruments calculator resources: product information; program downloads; classroom activities; discussion groups; news items; and calculator history. Many resources to incorporate TI calculators into the classroom are provided: educational resources for calculators include training opportunities; math and science associations; supplementary workbooks, newsletters, and videos; and other WWW resources. Product information, accessory store; customer support and services; free downloads, and international information.

 

Social Studies

 

http://www.asoka.de/photogallstart/

Breathtaking photos of Sri Lanka by Bernhard Kern.  The photos have been taken in different parts of the country and cover a wide range of topics.  This site also contains great wallpaper.

http://www.lanka.info/Sri_Lanka/ancientKings.jsp

The site consists of a listing of the ancient kings and rulers, along with ruling period, years and name of capital.  This will be extremely useful for students, teachers and researchers in particular.

http://www.worldandischool.com/worldgallery/main.asp

This is great assortment of pictures from different countries all over the world. You can upload pictures from your country as well. Linked curriculum and classroom activities require a paid subscription for use.

http://www.historyforkids.org/parents.htm

Kidipede-History for Kids -A lot of parents come here also for homework help.

 

Natural Sciences

 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/index.html

On the National Geographic web site you can learn about many different animals, people & places, history and photography. The music section features a free song download each week featuring different places in the world.  It also has an excellent interactive world map.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/

The official BBC website on animals.  The site will lead you to many more interesting topics, such as the Human Body and Mind and Prehistoric Life.

http://wonderclub.com/AllWorldWonders.html

A brief account of the wonders of the world, including the seven underwater wonders of the world and the seven wonders of the modern world.

http://nsdl.org/

The National Science Digital Library has high quality scientific and technical materials that are accurate and appropriate for use in educational settings including primary, secondary, and university classrooms.

http://animal.discovery.com/

The official Discovery website on animals.  Children will find this particularly interesting as it includes many photos and descriptions which will be useful in complementing what they learn at school; and games, such as Animal Solitaire.

http://www.epa.gov/kids/

A colorful website with lots of fun activities related to protecting the environment. Activities for young learners and secondary students on air, water, garbage & recycling, plants & animals, and art.

http://www.kidsforthebay.org/

Lots of hands on conservation activities for primary student living in a bay area.

 

Personal Development/Getting Ready for Work

 

http://www.managementhelp.org/prsn_dev/prsn_dev.htm

The Free Management Library includes the basic resources from which to get started in cultivating personal development and leads you to volumes of resource material on the subject.

http://www.quintcareers.com/job_search_portfolio.html

Are you a job hunter, tearing your hair out wondering how you are to create an impressive CV?  This website gives you a new insight into a tool that was popular a while ago, but is making a come-back in a big way.  “What are job skills, job-search, and a career portfolio? It is a job-hunting tool that you develop that gives employers a complete picture of who you are -– your experience, your education, your accomplishments, your skill sets -– and what you have the potential to become -– much more than just a cover letter and resume can provide. You can use your career portfolio in job interviews to showcase a point, to illustrate the depth of your skills and experience, or to use as a tool to get a second interview.”  Check into this site and learn you can develop your career portfolio.

http://spider.ukc.ac.uk/PDP/sitefiles/Keynote_PDP-sitefiles/index.htm

Personal Development Planning will help you to define and explore your goals and map out ways to turn them into reality. It will enable you to articulate the skills you are developing now in order to open up opportunities in the future.

http://www.more-selfesteem.com/selfdiscipline.htm

Self-discipline is extremely important because a lack of it leads to low self esteem and confidence.  This is an excellent site which studies the subject in detail and shows you how you can help yourself to manage this area.  It also includes a free self-confidence course.

http://www.learn4good.com/jobs/language/english/list/country/sri_lanka/

http://www.smallbusiness.lk/edocs/index.asp?xp=114&xs=Sinhala+Articles

This is an excellent resource for those seeking information/guidance on business in Sri Lanka.  The site also carries several articles in Sinhala.  Access to some very interesting articles from the e-magazine “Ezine Athwela” – on varied topics also.

http://www.homebased-success.com/2007/01/success-through-goal-setting.html

Self improvement articles and a free e-book

http://www.school-for-champions.com/life.htm

‘School for Champions’ is an excellent site that guides you through on what self-confidence is, how to gain it & keep it.  It takes you through many interactive lessons which are sure to build your self-confidence and make your realize so much about yourself that you didn’t think of.

http://science.uniserve.edu.au/projects/skills/jantrial/interpersonal/interpersonal.htm#mentoring Have you had trouble looking for a job?  Or are you still a student who will be seeking employment in a few years?  ‘Match your talents with your employer’s expectations’ is an amazing site which will answer all those questions you have been wondering about – What will my employer look for?  What should I do to get a good job? etc.

http://www.presentationhelper.co.uk/Essential_Presentation_skills.htm A must before your next presentation.  A great site taking you through the different types of presentations, the skills you require and many free templates you will find extremely useful.

http://www.jobsnet.lk/ This is the national employment sourcing and delivery system, sponsored by ILO and SIDA.  The information is available in Sinhala and Tamil as well.  The site includes job vacancies, success stories and training programs.

http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000006.htm 

“Remez Sasson is the creator and owner of the website SuccessConsciousness.com, and is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of Mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power"……. This website has grown to be one of the most visited websites about positive thinking, self improvement and spiritual growth.”

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/job-satisfaction/WL00051 Are you unhappy at work? – Here are Job satisfaction strategies to make your job more satisfying. 

http://www.quintcareers.com/job_satisfaction_quiz.html If you are frustrated at work, answer this quiz to find out whether you have job satisfaction.  The questions asked will make you think about what you do – Do you really like what you do? / Is your work appreciated?

http://www.recoverymedicine.com/developing_a_positive_attitude.htm

http://www.successconsciousness.com/positive_attitude.htm

http://lucymacdonald.typepad.com/positive_perspective_quot/

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Best-Anger-Management-Tips-For-Controlling-Your-Temper&id=203183

Temper! Temper! Temper! Don’t we all lose it at some point or the other?  However, some people lose it more often than they should and others have absolutely not control over it – and age really is no barrier.  So, if you are looking for answers to ‘Anger Management’ either for yourself or for someone else; or if you are interested in the subject, this site will lead you to many interesting solutions and view points.

 

Further Education

 

http://www.mysrilanka.com/travel/lanka/education/

Along with an article on the Education System in Sri Lanka, this website will give you access to the official websites of some of the universities and schools in the country.  While some of these links contain very interesting information, others are still ‘under construction’. 

http://www.ou.ac.lk/#online

The official website of The Open University of Sri Lanka

http://www.sdp.slt.lk/national_institute.html

The official website of the Ministry of Skills Development Vocational & Technical Education

http://www.wannalearn.com/Business_and_Careers/Accounting/

http://www.businessbookmall.com/Accounting%20Internet%20Library.htm

This site leads you to free sites on other study areas as well.

http://www.docnmail.com/learnmore/accounting/general.htm

Includes information on distance learning courses.

 

References

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

A free encyclopedia with both current and historical topics included.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

http://www.dictionarylink.com/

“Free online dictionaries, thesaurus, language translators, encyclopedias, crossword solvers, quotes and other language resources.”

http://www.m-w.com/

Merriam-Webster provides a free online dictionary, thesaurus, audio pronunciations, Word of the Day, word games, and other English language resources.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/ Cambridge Advanced Learners’ Dictionary online, top 40 words, the word of the day, idioms and translations English/French or Spanish.

http://dictionary.reference.com/

Look up words and use the thesaurus to find other meanings too.

http://tamilelibrary.org/ 

http://www.sinhaladictionary.com/ English – Sinhala Dictionary online.

http://www.sinhala-online.com/sinhalese-dictionary.html English - Sinhala Dictionary with pronunciation guide for Sinhala.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~lkawgw/index4.html

Sri Lankan genealogy website.

 

Resources in Sinhala and Tamil

 

http://www.info.lk/slword/swdowns.htm Looking for Sinhala & Tamil fonts?  This site has many different fonts which you could download conveniently.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/  http://www.bbc.co.uk/tamil/ 

This site is designed to give you access to BBC news in Tamil and Sinhala as well.  However, the Sinhala site seems to have a problem and cannot be accessed yet.

http://www.lanka.info/smail/mailClient/clientFrontPage.html http://www.lanka.info/smail/mailClient/tamil_EmailFrontPage.html Set up a Sinhala or Tamil email account.

http://www.saadhu.com/sinhala/

Do you know the name of the first electronic novel in Sinhala?  Look in here and find out.  What is more you can read the story on line and print it too if you wish.

http://www.priu.gov.lk/

The official website of the Government of Sri Lanka. The site includes articles in Sinhala and Tamil as well.

http://webapps.uni-koeln.de/tamil/

IITS Online Tamil Lexicon (ITL)

http://www.tamilvu.org/

Tamil Virtual University

http://www.notam02.no/~hcholm/altlang/ht/Tamil.html

Alternative Tamil Dictionary

http://www.lanka.info/dictionary/EnglishToSinhala.jsp

Sinhala Tamil Online Dictionary

 

Young Learners

 

http://www.kidsites.org/search/primary/

A wonderful site for primary school kids.  Parents, you will find many activities to keep your children busy.  Teachers will find this site very useful in finding creative teaching methods.

http://pbskids.org/

Games, music and coloring activities that can be printed for young learners are on this website. Parents will need to help read the instructions for the games in English. Some favorite characters are featured such as, Teletubbies, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Sesame Street and Jakers.

http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/

Sesame Street TV show is well known. This website has games, stories, art, music and coloring pages featuring the Sesame Street characters. Excellent for young learners of English to practice the basics of counting, color names, telling time and the alphabet.

http://kids.yahoo.com/learn/

The Yahoo Kids site has been designed to educate a child’s mind by making the information appealing by way of pictures, games and jokes – a very useful site for students and teachers alike.  The information is based on varied fields, i.e., Nature, Science, Maths, Arts, etc.

http://www.eslgold.com/

This website gives you the opportunity to practice your English language skills in many ways. If you're a beginner, you can start by checking out our vocabulary pages, where you can see, hear, and say new words in English. If you need some help with grammar, listening, or reading, you can look through hundreds of pages of explanations, examples, and exercises or browse through the quiz links section.

http://www.eslpartyland.com/students/inter.htm

These web pages are designed to help you study English with popular topics like movies, dating & relationships, music, food and travel. 

http://www.1-language.com/

Free sequenced lessons for intermediate and advanced English learners. With headphones you can listen to conversations and answer questions about the conversation. Lots of games to practice using English.

 

Fun: Puzzles and Games

 

http://www.bigfishgames.com/index.html

Many games for school age youth to either play online or download. Some word games in English for all ages.

http://kids.yahoo.com/

Games, music, current events, homework help and jokes; lots of fun and interesting activities.

http://www.manythings.org/

A study site with fun activities for learners of English, including easy things for beginners and advanced activities, e.g., idioms, spelling, poems and proverbs.

Also portal to http://www.manythings.org/voa/rss/ which has Voice of America podcasts about many different topics, e.g., agriculture, health care, study in the US, wind farming.

http://www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_en.htm#

“Free online colorful activities for teachers and parents” – Just and print and give the kids.  The activities will keep young children enthralled for hours – extremely creative, colorful and engaging.

http://www.aimsedu.org/puzzle/index.html
The goal of the AIMS Puzzle Corner is to provide teachers with a variety of interesting puzzles that can be used to create a learning environment where students engage in doing mathematics just for the fun of it! With the proper encouragement and enthusiasm on the part of the teacher, students can learn to enjoy puzzles and the mathematics behind them.

http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/NATIONAL/SL/SLC/

The official website for Sri Lankan cricket. 

 

Teachers’ Corner

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education If you are interested in detailed information on ‘education’, this is the ideal site to surf.  This website engages in a detailed study of the field of education, inclusive of discussions under several topics, such as, Formal education internationalized, and prominent educationalists. http://www.eslcafe.com/

Dave’s ESL Café has information for both English teachers and activities for students, such as pronunciation power, phrasal verbs, idioms and hint of the day.

http://www.sitesforteachers.com/index.html A really great website for teachers – complete with worksheets, lesson plans and clipart related to Reading, Mathematics, Social Science and many more fields.

http://www.kaganonline.com/Newsletter/index.html

Kagan online magazine features ideas for teachers to implement cooperative learning activities in subject classrooms.

http://www.intel.com/education/Design/index.htm

Intel has interesting links for those interested in mathematics and sciences. A Design and Discover curriculum provides hands-on, inquiry-based experience in problem solving.

http://www.moe.gov.lk/ This is the official government website for the Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka.  The site gives you access to some powerful photographs of tsunami affected schools. You could download school census data, and even Sinhala and Tamil fonts.  If you are interested in finding information on the Education system in Sri Lanka, this is an excellent website to look into.

http://www.statistics.gov.lk/education/index.htm This site contains official data compiled by the Department of Census and Statistics

http://www.lifeskills4kids.com/

“On this website, you'll find life skills and character education resources for teachers, parents, counselors and home schooling parents working with elementary school children in Grades K-6 (ages 5-12), including Free sample lesson plans / Complete life skills lesson collections/ Educational links.” 

http://aplawrence.com/Misc/cgcareergoals.html

This article by Claudia Garcez studies the effects of career goals on students.  It analyses why some students drop out while others go onto higher studies and greater things in life – with self-confidence and determination.  Those in the education field will find this a valuable tool.  Students could also examine their attitudes and approach towards their education

 

Parents’ Corner

 

Do you have children you find difficult to discipline?  The information here will make you understand your child better and in the process, yourself.

http://melin.typepad.com/lcpm/2005/12/enjoy_learning.html

Do you have problems enjoying learning?  Or as educators and parents you are frustrated that your kids don’t.  Well this site does not deal with book knowledge alone; it deals with the entire process of learning and how to deal with it.  Not recommended for small children as it is heavy reading.

http://www.sunerafoundation.org/#

The official website of Sunera Foundation – a local NGO which works with the differently abled in the field of performing arts giving those directly affected, their families as well as the general public much hope and a brand new perspective in dealing with the differently abled.

http://www.weread.org/parents/sessions.htm

To help you plan your daily reading, here are some guidelines to assist you with organizing for reading sessions with your children.

http://www.ipl.org/kidspace/browse/tcn0000

Resources for parents & teachers to use in helping their kids to learn, including the subsections of resources for parents and teachers found in each of the main sections of Kidspace.

http://www.ops.org/reading/parentscorner.html

A Parent's Calendar for Language/Reading Development

http://www.writeshop.com/parentscorner.htm

Writeshop: Parents’ Corner-Articles, resources, and information to make it easier for parents to teach writing

 

Compiled by Janet Orr, TEAL Services