Digital Content SNAPSHOT & SUPPORT RESOURCES

Table of Contents:

BrainPOP ESL is now BrainPOP ELL!!!

Overview

BrainPOP ESL is a web-based English language learning program comprised of short, animated movies as well as games, quizzes, and interactive features. It encompasses the four main language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The movies feature the characters Moby and Ben, who model conversational English while seamlessly presenting the target vocabulary, language, and content.

BrainPOP ESL is a comprehensive English language learning program that uses highly engaging animated movies to model conversational English while seamlessly introducing grammar concepts and vocabulary words. The movies are leveled, with each new movie and associated features building upon earlier ones, thereby reinforcing vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, reading comprehension, and writing skills. The building block structure enables students to master the language in a step-by-step process, giving them the confidence they need to read, write, and speak English.

Bringing together the best of language-learning pedagogy and innovative interactive media, BrainPOP ESL continuously engages and challenges English language learners while remaining sensitive to their varying needs and learning styles. The movies range from simple everyday scenarios to more complex content-related stories that reflect what students are learning in the classroom. Idiomatic and cultural nuances, as expressed through the actions of the endearing and funny characters, model social cues and demonstrate how to use the English language in every day contexts.

Target Audience: BrainPOP ESL is geared toward students in Grades 4-10.

Content Connections:   BrainPOP ESL supports all content areas through English Language Learning.

Standards Alignment

• Content is mapped to the Common Core, aligned to state curriculum standards, and searchable with BrainPOP's online Academic Standards Tool. 
• Use the Standards dropdown menu in BrainPOP ESL to search for content by CCSS, or state curriculum standards, or use the other drop down menus to search by subject and grade.

Content & Features

• Each BrainPOP ESL movie offers Teaching Tools:
• Lesson Overview with specific lesson plans that support the movie’s grammar topics. Clicking on Lesson Ideas takes you to the Lesson Overview page.
• Lesson Plans with teaching and learning strategies, plus materials like graphic organizers and printable images
• Know More, which provides background information on the featured grammar topics
• Extra Practice, for students who would like an extra challenge.
• Word Lists provide access to all vocabulary taught in BrainPOP ESL. Word Lists are viewable by unit, alphabetically, and by category, in the appendix.
• Practice with a pre-quiz that allows students to review the vocabulary, language and content from the associated movie in an interactive game.
• Quizzes are offered to assess students' understanding of the featured vocabulary, language and the content of the associated movie. 
• Play It offeres engaging, interactive games with each movie, challenging students' understanding of the featured vocabulary, language, and content. 
• Grammar Index is an index of grammar topics covered in BrainPOP ESL. Topics are viewable by unit or alphabetically. 
• Flash Words are clickable flash cards featuring a new vocabulary word on one side and a visual representation on the flip side.  The interactive feature reviews 12-15 new words highlighted in each movie.
• Hear It, Say It is like a language lab in which students listen to a word or phrase from the associated movie, and then repeat it. They can also record themselves and listen back to hear their pronunciation.  They can re-record until they are satisfied. 
• Read It is a sound-letter correspondence and phonemic awareness activity that transitions to short reading passages with follow-up vocabulary and reading comprehension questions in later lessons. 

Navigation

• Closed Captioning is available on all BrainPOP ESL content by clicking the "CC" button below the movie.  
• See All Content allows teachers to see all of the lessons in BrainPOP ESL by Level and Lesson. Includes the lesson focus/ skill, lesson title, short summary/ description and a list of the learning items along with a link to the lesson. 

Learning Supports & Tools

• Placement Tests allow the teachers and students to determine a level to start with and 
• UDL:  Features are designed to address and appeal to different learning styles through multiple means of representation and expression.   

Tutorials & Guides

• Webinar: BrainPOP ESL- Supporting English Language Learners
• BrainPOP ESL FAQ 

Educator Resources

• BrainPOP ESL WorkSHOP Outline: a guide to the key points and features of BrainPOP ESL if presenting a workshop.
• Direct Linking: Directions for creating a direct link to a specific article or resource for curriculum materials or digital learning environments.