Simple English Wikipedia is similar to the Wikipedia we know and love, but it uses Simple English words and grammar. This is great for some of the people we support who have literacy difficulties or for people who are learning English. There are over 82 000 articles on the website – so heaps of topic areas relevant to your classroom!
They suggest that the authors create Simple English articles using only the 1 000 most common and basic words in English. It also has a short guide on how to write Simple English pages.
But now for the fun part!
There is a feature on this website which allows you to create a PDF book of articles in just a few simple steps.
- Search for the topic you want to make your “book” about.
- Once on that page, select the “Make a Book” menu option on the left menu.
- Start the book creator and add the page to your book.
- Add more pages to your book by using links or the search box to search for more pages, it will even suggest pages for you.
- Then click on “Show Book” and this will take you to where you can “Manage your book” by adding a title, re-order the pages, and then, choose to download in different formats.
Once downloaded, the book not only displays the articles with diagrams and images, but it automatically creates a contents page and list of references!
These PDF books can then be saved onto your computer or emailed, and read using various software programs such as Texthelp Read&Write GOLD or ClaroRead for students who struggle to read.
So Easy!!!

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