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!
Do your ESL students struggle with English punctuation? Do all those little symbols look the same to them after a while?
Are they frustrated (or are you) that such little symbols can cause so muc ...
Every professional teacher will, at some point, find their classes being observed.
This might be when applying for a new job, teaching a model lesson for the benefit of trainee teachers, becoming ...
I’m so certain it’s true that I’m going to state it as a fact: Everyone hates being tested.
It’s a time of stressful uncertainty, self-doubt and anxiety. It means facing t ...
Teaching business students can be a daunting task.
Business people desperately need ESL lessons in order to ensure an advantage in the sometimes cruel business world. Though there are some challe ...
Have you ever been offended by the directness of a question either from one of your students or from someone else?
It’s possible that the question made you uncomfortable because it was a di ...
I’ve always found that ESL students contribute more in class when we’re discussing issues which apply to everyone.
Debates on the environment, education and taxation tend to work well ...
We’ve all felt it.
Oftentimes, it strikes on a Monday morning. That slow, lethargic response to the very idea of dragging ourselves to the classroom yet again. Perhaps you’ve worked w ...
Don’t let your ESL students get tripped up by these easily confused word pairs in English.
Here’s why they can get confusing and what your students need to know to keep them straight. ...
Telephone role-plays are a great activity to do in your ESL class.
Most of the time, they take little to no time to prepare, and they challenge both your students’ listening and speaking sk ...
If you teach abroad, you’ll often need to find ways of working with your local ESL department or school.
This is sometimes difficult and occasionally very challenging; cultural and language ...
Everyone enjoys a change of scenery, especially during a long semester spent largely in the same classroom.
Field trips break can helpfully break up routines and inject a new enthusiasm into your ...
If you are looking for a fun way to slip new words into your students’ vocabularies but are tired of the same old same old, why not try one or all of these not so typical strategies for uppi ...
As ESL teachers, it makes sense to have a good plan.
We need to plan each day’s activities well in advance and anticipate all kinds of setbacks. Without a solid lesson plan in place, our cl ...
Every language learner needs practice, and once the rigors of a degree or diploma course are over, many seek less formal ways of using what they have learned.
A great method, and one which is bec ...
Think of the classic image of a classroom full of bored students.
They’re slumped over their desks, leaning on elbows, half asleep, or causing trouble at the back. And where, in all this un ...
English grammar can be complicated, especially to second language learners.
And some students struggle with sentence structure so much that they opt to use the most simple construction they can t ...
In our hurry to ensure that our students can say more of what they want to, we sometimes forget to encourage them to think about how they are saying it.
Many of the textbooks I’ve worked wi ...
In some colleges or language schools, there is the opportunity to create a week-long ‘Intensive Course’ course for new students.
This challenging and enjoyable course has the aim of q ...
What would you say is the difference between someone’s ‘work’, their ‘job’ and their ‘profession’?
If you teach, which of these words describes your teac ...
The best way to lay a solid foundation for your students’ understanding of grammar points, from the simple to the most complex, is to provide a clear and well-organized model, right at the b ...
Few professions can claim to be as demanding as teaching, especially first thing in the morning.
Whether I the Public Schools system or working for a private language school, we’re often re ...
Picture what your perfect ESL classroom would be like.
My perfect classroom is learner-centered, a place where students develop the communication skills that will enable them to become increasing ...
What is the real purpose of student surveys?
Have you ever given thought to this? Well, it depends on the point of view. For students, surveys are important because they are a great means to comm ...
English vocabulary is a beautiful thing, but it can be confusing when two words seem so similar.
Help your students get their ideas and their words straight by pointing out the difference in thes ...
The journey from beginner to proficiency is a long one, but I’ve always felt that, once students begin to make friends from countries other than their own, they’re making a giant strid ...
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