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"Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day…" - 5 new articles
Ed Tech Digest
Ten years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “Ed Tech Digest” post where I share three or four links I think are particularly useful and related to…ed tech, including some Web 2.0 apps. You might also be interested in checking out all my edtech resources. Here are this week’s choices:
Country Recall is a simple geography game that challenges you to name as many countries as possible. I’m adding it to The Best Online Geography Games. UNESCO has an interactive online museum of lost and stolen cultural objects from around the world. Ripple is a new aggregator from The Washington Post. I’m adding it to The Best Visually Engaging News Sites. Hot Water is an impressive interactive from National Geographic about rising ocean temperatures. I’m adding it to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Oceans. However, NG doesn’t have a good track record of leaving their interactives online for very long. Deep Time is a cool interactive about the history of Australia’s aboriginal peoples. I’m adding it to The Best Sites To Learn About Australia. I had never heard of Google’s Pinpoint tool, but it’s now open to all and you learn all about it here.      Four Interactive Maps Highlighting Books With Authors Or Plots From Each Country
Here are four free sites that let users explore books by either the countries their authors are from or by plots taking place in those countries: Read Around The World Challenge
I’m adding this info to The Best Places To Get Blog, Website, , Book, Movie, & Music Recommendations.  Classroom Instruction Resources Of The Week
Each week, I publish a post or two containing three or four particularly useful resources on classroom instruction, and you can see them all here. You can also see all my “Best” lists on instructional strategies here. Here are this week’s picks: The Lethal Mutation of Retrieval Practice is by Carl Hendrick. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About Retrieval Practice. 
5 Strategies to Deescalate Behavior When Students Are Dysregulated is from Edutopia. I’m adding it to Best Posts On Classroom Management. Why the “Promoting Metacognitive Talk Practitioner Tool” is already “my go to” resource? is from Research Schools. I’m adding it to Best Posts On Metacognition.  High Accountability Teaching is by Dylan Kane.
Using Secondary Sources in High School History is from Edutopia.  Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
Eight years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in all my Best lists on teaching ELLs. Also, check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language Learners. In addition, look for our latest book on teaching ELLs, The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox 2.0. Here are this week’s choices: Unveiling Complex Trajectories of Multilingual Adolescent English Learners is from The Peabody Journal of Education. Key Word Connections: How the Snow Globe Was Invented is from OnTheSamePage ELT. My YouTube channel is from The TEFL Zone. How to Teach Natural Sciences with David Guetta (And Why We Are Entering a New Era) is from Song Activity Factory. How to Create Safe Spaces in Early Care and Education for Children in Immigrant Families A Joy-Centered Tip for all Content Area is from Helping Multilingual Learners Thrive. The Multilingual Learning Toolkit has tons of resources for teachers of K-3 ELLs. 4 tips for making multilingual assessment decisions is from Teach Learn Grow. The 10 Behaviour Hotspots in the MFL Classroom — And What to Do About Them is from The Language Gym. How to Teach Online, Step by Step is by The Barefoot TEFL Teacher. Author Keith Folse on Teaching, Learning, and Living Fully Federal Grant Cuts for English Learners Face Lawsuit is from Ed Week. Not all California districts define English proficiency the same, holding many students back is from Ed Source. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About The Ins & Outs Of Reclassifying ELLs.  To No Ones Surprise, Researchers Find That That The Key Principles Of Self-Determination Theory Find That It Applies To Language-Learners’ Motivation, Too geralt / Pixabay
I’ve written constantly about how the tenets of Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, relatedness, competence, relevance) are key to creating the conditions where student intrinsic motivation can thrive in the classroom – for language learners and for everybody else. Now, a specific study on Self-Determination Theory finds that to be the case for language learners. Self‑Determination Theory and Language Learning: A Multilevel Meta‑Analysis is the study’s title, and it’s not behind a paywall. Unfortunately, though, it’s pretty dense. Here’s ChatGPT’s summary of it (I’m adding this info to Best Posts On “Motivating” Students): Here’s what matters most for classroom practice based on Alamer, Robat, et al. (2025) (a study grounded in Self-Determination Theory and L2 learning motivation): 🔍 Key Practical Implications for ELL Teachers1) Autonomy support boosts ELL engagement and learningThe study found that when teachers support student autonomy — giving learners choices, opportunities for self-direction, and meaningful participation — ELLs:
Classroom application:
2) Competence support increases ELL confidenceThe research showed that constructing learning experiences so that students feel successful and capable is strongly linked to positive outcomes. That means teachers should:
Rather than saying, “You did X wrong,” feedback should be:
This builds perceived competence, which motivates more learning. 3) Relatedness matters for language acquisitionA core finding: ELLs learn better when they feel connected to others in the classroom. Strategies that help:
Because language learning is social, strengthening relationships supports both language growth and motivation. 4) Autonomy + Competence + Relatedness = more self-regulated learnersThe study confirms the three pillars of Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, competence, relatedness) are not just theoretical — they predict student engagement and achievement in L2 contexts. Practical scaffold:
ELL teachers can build routines around all three to boost motivation holistically. 5) Use tasks that are meaningful and purposefulMotivational outcomes were stronger when tasks:
Examples:
Relevance transforms tasks from “language practice drills” into authentic language use, which is far more engaging. 6) Teachers’ interaction styles impact motivationThe way teachers talk to students matters:
So instead of:
Try:
7) Assessment can either support or thwart motivationThe study highlights that assessment matters not just for grades but for learner self-belief. Avoid:
Favor:
These practices help ELLs feel capable and in control of their learning. 🧠 Summary — What Teachers Should Take Away✅ Build autonomy by giving choice and voice✅ Scaffold for competence with clear targets and feedback✅ Foster relatedness with collaborative, respectful interaction✅ Use meaningful, authentic tasks that feel purposeful✅ Make feedback supportive, not just correctiveTaken together, these approaches create motivational conditions that help ELLs: ✔ engage more
That’s exactly what the study argues motivates second-language development most effectively.  More Recent Articles
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