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ESL Articles
View our latest knowledgebase articles that will help you become a better English teacher. Learn from
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You are probably familiar with the scenario: you at the front of the room, in the middle of lecturing on some important grammar point, when someone raises his hand.
“Excuse me, Teacher?&rdq ...
Writing is intimidating enough for second language learners, so why not simplify the process for them.
Using mind maps to organize thoughts, brainstorm ideas, and synthesize information will sure ...
Pronunciation is an immense issue for every language learner no matter their age or their level.
It is a constant issue that students struggle with, and it is imperative to have focused practice ...
Learning any language in an immersion situation by its very nature offers endless opportunities to pick up new vocabulary.
In fact, sometimes the volumes of new vocabulary can be utterly overwhel ...
Teachers are the head of a classroom, and with that responsibility comes a certain amount of authority. Remember that all teachers have bad days and make mistakes.
This list of 10 things never to ...
Vocabulary instruction is a part of every ESL class. Whether you are teaching reading, speaking or listening, your students will encounter unfamiliar words.
As an ESL teacher, part of your job is ...
The process of reading, being able to connect semanticc input with the letters on the page, does not mean much if language learners cannot understand what they have read.
The following exercises, ...
Whether the kids in your ESL class enjoy reading or it is the class they most dread, you can inspire them and give them a love for reading, and it is easier than you think.
These few simple tips ...
Younger learners can be both fun and frustrating depending on the time of day, the cycles of the moon, and the distractions that almost every new day can bring.
Students have a lot on their plate ...
When reading class is just on the other side of the bell, it is not too late to incorporate the following activities into class. They take very little preparation (some take none at all) and can m ...
There is no need to be tense about tenses. One of the best ways to ensure that students are progressing is to provide occasional review of several of the tenses the students have been learning.
I ...
Present Perfect tense is a big turning point in a student’s language learning.
Once they have gotten to this grammar point, they have mastered a lot and are moving into more and more complex ...
This tense is reserved for advanced learners for good reason. Students can pretty easily get around using the tense altogether by just using two past tense verbs with some time markers. It is stil ...
Reading is paramount to language learning, yet, much to the disappointment of teachers, it can be a difficult skill to teach.
How do you teach students to become better readers, especially with a ...
The topic of gerunds vs. infinitives is a notoriously confusing one among students of all levels.
To native speakers it comes naturally, and we don’t really ever think about why we use one ...
Teaching little kids can be fun. They have energy and a fascination with the world that only comes from the innocence of childhood. Adult students, on the other hand, have a higher cognitive abili ...
One of the topics ESL learners really enjoy is describing people. It is a universal need and want to be able to talk about the people close to us.
I adore teaching this topic because students are ...
As with any classroom setting you may encounter problem students in ESL classes.
Problem students are challenging because they may disrupt the learning environment, make your job more difficult t ...
Reading is one of the most essential skills to teach language learners; however, if you’ve ever been in a reading classroom, you know that reading can also be one of the skills students are ...
For ESL students, reading and writing have a tendency to occupy most of the teaching time, but listening and speaking are just as valuable, if not more so, in helping your students reach English f ...
Teaching advanced language learners is very different from teaching any other level.
Every teacher should have exposure to all different levels, but just like beginners, advanced students require ...
The topic of -ED and -ING adjectives can be a refreshing one as it gives you the chance to introduce a higher level of new vocabulary as well as open up a whole new world of expressing opinions an ...
Some people might consider themselves friendly: others might consider themselves shy. Either way, your students should be encouraged on a daily basis to use their language skills to interact with ...
The longer you have been teaching, the thicker your files are getting, but it is never too soon or too late to add to your pool of resources.
You may already be familiar with the following websit ...
There is nothing wrong with having a little fun as we learn. One of the advantages with teaching English is there are many different fun and funny things you can do with the language as you teach. ...