ERIC Digest, Thematic, Communicative Language Teaching in the K-8 Classroom
http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/0004thematic.html
Foreign language instruction for children can be enriched when teachers use thematic units that focus on content-area information, engage students in activities in which they must think critically, and provide opportunities for students to use the target language in meaningful contexts and in new and complex ways. The use of manipulatives is incorporated into the sample lessons.

Linking Second Language Instruction with Content Instruction
http://www.nwrel.org/msec/just_good/8/chapter2.html
By organizing key concepts, or big ideas, into theme-based units, teachers can create extended learning experiences that give students more time to become proficient with the language used to discuss and explore those larger concepts. The use of manipulatives is incorporated into teaching with "inquiry activities" and a problem solving approach.

Methodologies in Foreign Language Teaching A Brief Historical Overview 
http://www.linguatics.com/methods.htm
Cites the appearance of manipulatives as part of The Silent Way in the 1960s-1990s.

• Culture Boxes, Cleveland Council on World Affairs
  http://ccwa.org/culturebox.htm
• Education Curriculum Library Manipulatives, Language Arts
  http://w3.byuh.edu/library/curriculum/LangArtsMan/LangArtsMan.htm
• Ethnic Boxes, Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand
  http://www.tki.org.nz/r/esol/esolonline/classroom/starter_packs/ethnic_boxes_e.php
• Gunn Education Materials Center, University of Southern Mississippi
  http://www.lib.usm.edu/~gunn/gunn_site/ed_materials/realia.shtml
• Realia Boxes, Melbourne Center for Japanese Language Education
  http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/affiliates/mcjle/materialsrealia.html
  The MCJLE makes available to teachers and students, 9 Realia Boxes.

Paper Dolls
http://members.aol.com/derru/toybox/dolls.htm
Teachers can create paper dolls for printouts around seasons, holidays and cultural topics.

Pictures for Language Teaching
http://www.langpix.com/

Free photos to use in your language lessons.

Realia in English
http://www.columbia.edu/~ljl17/engrealia.html
Choose a country (USA, Nepal, India) and see if you can guess what the cultural objects are.

Virtual Realia
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Smith-Realia.html
Virtual realia: (in language teaching) digitized objects and items from the target culture which are brought into the classroom as examples or aids and used to stimulate spoken or written language production.

DMOZ
http://dmoz.org/Arts/Education/Language_Arts/English/English_as_a_Second_Language/Teacher_Resources/

Google
http://directory.google.com/Top/Arts/Education/Language_Arts/English/English_as_a_Second_Language/Teacher_Resources/