As a ESL educator for the past 15 years, my peers and I have found the most effective way to build a foundation of spelling and basic vocabulary enrichment for most of our students is to allow them to engage in online word games (Scrabble, Words With Friends, etc.) as a supplement to worksheet and book learning.

These games allow our students to challenge their skills in a fun environment while engaging with other ESL students across the country. Learning becomes fun and gamification of basic spelling tasks now becomes interactive and fulfilling.

This petition is to ask the TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and NABE (National Association for Bilingual Education) to recognize these online resources as beneficial for teaching the master of spelling and vocabulary to ESL students, and to officially add online word games to the current teaching curriculum.

• National Association for Bilingual Education
• Teaching English as a Second Language
• Word Unscrambler
• Scrabble Word Play