In this section there are 2,124 articles that cover essential ESL topics such as how to teach grammar, use realia, and teach young learners. There are also a lot of lesson ideas and fun activities included in the articles. This ESL article, for example, is about teaching grammar and describes five great activities. It has been given five stars by other busy teachers so it obviously has useful content. Check it out for yourself or take a look at other articles that relate better to your questions or teaching situation.
There are a lot of dos and don’ts and tips and tricks that many teachers learn through teaching.
Our ESL Essentials section will help you master the basics of teaching English and will help you start teaching like a 'pro'. Every ESL Essentials article provides clear, to-the-point instructions that can be used with the students right away.
At the moment we have 2,124 ESL Essentials.
Sometimes that is the best way to learn but the experiences of others can also help you develop your teaching skills without having to make the same mistakes. If you have a great story or activity, feel free to submit your own article so that you can share your knowledge with others. We would love to hear from you!
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ESL Articles
View our latest knowledgebase articles that will help you become a better English teacher. Learn from
professional teachers and put a bit of your own creativity into it!
We all get tired.
I’m not talking about the stayed-up-too-late-binge-watching-the-Walking-Dead kind of tired. I’m talking the I-love-my-job-but-I-just-really-need-some-time-away-from- ...
Class discussions can be rewarding, lively, resulting in changed perspectives.
This, however, takes planning. Too often, however, class discussions fizzle into boredom and students chatting on no ...
The sun is shining.
The sky is blue. You hear birds outside your window calling you…come outside. Come outside. But you’re the teacher. You can’t just blow off your responsibil ...
Advanced students aren’t your typical ESL students.
They have been studying the language long enough that they are probably quite proficient at it by now. That presents a special challenge ...
Not all classrooms are created equal.
Every teacher has challenges and advantages particular to their situation. One such challenge is integrating nonnative English speakers into a standard class ...
Have you heard of the relatively new concept of flipped classrooms?
They are a break from the traditional instructional model, and they can be quite effective for students in the postmodern era. ...
If your students are planning on taking an English proficiency test such as the TOEFL, they will want to do everything they can to get ready for test day.
Your students can spend lots of time stu ...
A perennial problem of writing—and writers—is its solitariness.
It is an interaction of a writer’s thoughts and the paper. Many people don’t enjoy it—indeed even pro ...
The sooner you get behind, the more time you have to catch up.
While it may make logical sense, there’s still something not quite right about that way of thinking. And while I have done my ...
When you hear the words cooperative learning, you might be excited to implement it for your EAL students.
After all, working in groups requires communication and language use. It also builds rela ...
They say they will never be able to get it right. They may put so much pressure on themselves that they become paralyzed in the English classroom. They may be so frustrated they may be on the verg ...
Planning lessons for my ESL class has not always been an easy one.
Although formal training provided me with the basic tools of teaching, I have found that understanding the needs of my students ...
"I am a new teacher, and I need advice on how to teach Grade 1 grammar in a fun way like other teachers".
Let’s clarify one big important point.
No ESL teacher should aim to teach like oth ...
Rapport between the teacher and students is important, but equally important is rapport between students. In a classroom with students from many cultures, this can often be a difficult feat.
Many ...
It’s happened again.
You are in the middle of a class discussion, and students are engaged, raising their hands, and volunteering ideas. Or you have the lights dimmed, a film clip showing, ...
Classroom discussions can be difficult in general: getting the students’ attention, engaging them in the topic, getting them to work together… the problems are multiple.
These proble ...
One of the perennial problems of an ESL class is their multilevel nature.
ESL classes are diverse in every sense of the word—not only in the students’ cultural and language background ...
Are you considering teaching English overseas?
Here are six things to think about before boarding the plane.
Six Tips to Make Your Overseas Teaching Experience a Success
1
Learn How to Tea ...
I’m not the teacher that I used to be.
I used to think that if I pushed my students really hard, if I was tough on them, they would learn better, faster, and more.
I used to think that if ...
It can be surprisingly difficult to get students even at a relatively advanced level to engage in a discussion.
First there is the problem of getting their attention, then directing them to the t ...
Beginnings are always the hardest. Ask any teacher who walks in at the beginning of the class session and finds Casy text-messaging someone, Katie and Sam chatting, and Tom snoozing.
This behavio ...
Bonding with your students is essential not only to the success of your class, but also to your students’ learning.
When you effectively bond with them, you create a unique connection betwe ...
Icebreakers are important in any classroom, and even more so in your ESL classroom.
Your students will be working together for the rest of the semester, and the sooner they get to know each other ...
So you got the job, the ESL teaching job you’ve wanted for so long! That’s the good news. The bad news is that class begins on Monday.
In addition, you aren’t really prepared, a ...
You can quickly learn more about your ESL students by asking them the right questions.
Unsurprisingly, your vocabulary matters more than theirs, so paying attention to what you ask and how you fo ...
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