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 donts 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!
Try These 8 Perfect Activities for Practicing the Present Perfect
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Great Accomplishments
What are some of the things your students have already accomplished at this time in their live ...
It may seem like a contradiction, but there’s nothing “passive” about learning the passive voice.
Students need to be as “active” as ever and fully engaged in their ...
There are teachers who are new to this ESL teaching gig and there are those who’ve been doing it for years.
But no matter if you’re a novice or an old-timer, nobody wants to look unpr ...
You might not think so, but giving and asking for directions is a basic language skill that is essential for your students.
Directions can be challenging to teach, however, its practical uses ...
Try These Simple Activities for Teaching the Simple Past
Simple Past tense: What is it?
When speaking or writing English, we use verbs in the simple past tense to talk about actions, states ...
No ESL teacher is perfect, no matter if you’ve been teaching for 20 minutes or 20 years (present company included!) Anyone can make mistakes, most of which are the results of our trying too ...
Did you know that you put in a comma in your writing whenever you take a breath? (I assume that means while reading aloud.) How about a period? Well, I guess that’s a deeper breath.
You mig ...
June is a great time to enjoy fresh air and sunshine.
While getting out is great for teachers and students alike, don’t forget to keep language learning moving forward. Here are some activi ...
Even the best students have days when they are not motivated for classroom learning. With a little nudge from you, you can turn those dreary days into successful classes in their ESL careers.
We ...
Listening is the gateway to understanding and communicating and, therefore, is absolutely critical for language learners of all levels.
If students struggle to listen carefully, they will miss ...
The way you talk to your class is extremely important for your success as a teacher and your students’.
As young children they remember more about their surroundings; what was said or done ...
Your students have better things to debate than whether Ariana Grande is a better singer than Rhianna. By introducing structured, formal debate to your ESL classroom, your students will benefit w ...
Verb tenses receive a lot of attention in English instruction—in fact, they receive perhaps more attention than any other aspect of grammar.
And with good reason: there are 13 verb ten ...
Try as you might, careful as you are with your planning, sometimes what you plan to cover in class does not work with the clock.
When you are ready for the bell but the bell is not quite ready ...
Bigger, brighter, better, best…comparative and superlative adjectives are all around us in English.
We use these adjectives to compare items, express preferences and give value judgments ...
We're often told we should put the past behind us, not dwell in the past, etc…However, ESL students must do just that…to learn the simple past tense. As they learn that regular ve ...
All the technology available at our fingertips and the way information travels at lightning speed on the Internet is great to have, but let’s not forget the basic tools like our trusty wh ...
Being able to distinguish between fact and opinion is an important skill for both reading and listening comprehension, especially as students delve into the complexities of a new language.
As stu ...
Celebrated on 1 April every year, April Fool's Day is a tradition enjoyed by many around the world. And nothing helps an ESL class relax more than some good old-fashioned laughter. And isn't tha ...
As an ESL teacher, one of your many functions is to equip your students with language skills for navigating daily life. One of these unpleasant but highly important parts of life is an emerg ...
Maybe at some point in our youth we wondered, 'Is there really a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?' Although pots of gold are hard to come by these days, we can offer our ESL students a les ...
Saint Patrick’s Day on March 17 is a holiday celebrated around the world. It's also a fun way to explore Irish culture through activities and lessons.
When you think of St. Patrick's Day, t ...
Controversial topics make many teachers want to run away from the curriculum screaming, but for ESL teachers, they offer an unequaled opportunity to foster discussion in the classroom. Th ...
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