Will my English Learners be able to understand the stories?

Listenwise provides authentic podcasts and videos to teach academic content and language together across the curriculum for grades 2-12. The Listenwise instructional approach empowers teachers to scaffold lessons for students at a range of language proficiency levels, including newcomers.

Our ELD lessons are designed specifically for English Learners at lower levels of English language proficiency (beginner and low intermediate). This curated collection of lessons features podcasts and videos designed to develop academic language, build background knowledge, and provide exposure to authentic language in context. Explore the lesson collection here. 

We recommend that teachers of newcomers use our ELD Lesson Library to provide extra scaffolding and multiple exposures to content through different modalities, as well as suggestions for differentiation depending on students’ skills. Learn more about the ELD Teacher's Guide here for recommended implementation pathways for newcomers. 

For students at higher levels of English proficiency (intermediate to advanced), the general education lessons and current events are great option. Explore our general education lesson here.

Additionally:

• All ELD and general education lessons have English Language Learners standards. Explore more here.
• All lessons include built-in scaffolds on the platform, such as interactive transcripts, slowed audio, and on-demand dictionaries.
• ELD lessons also include native language support on lessons and quizzes. More information can be found here.