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!
Turkey day is just around the corner, and many ESL students get a kick out of their first celebration of an American Thanksgiving.
The following activities will give them a chance to learn about ...
Disciplinary issues are not uncommon in any classroom.
There are many things that can cause unruly behavior in children and most of the time, these causes are not originated in the classroom. How ...
Are you teaching advanced grammar?
Are you looking for a challenge for your students? Once your students have learned how to use adverb clauses in their writing and speech, move them on to this n ...
Teaching English abroad is a profession which frequently pits the teacher against local idiosyncracies and frustrations.
Our reactions to these peculiarities - matters of dress or speech, food an ...
If you work abroad, the chances are you’ll be invited to local schools, celebrations and other special events.
You might be asked to give prizes at an English competition, to give a model l ...
If I could give one piece of advice to every new teacher, it would be this: Have in your back pocket a few exercises which are very light and fun, which don’t take much time, which work with ...
Prepositions are primed with potential!
You can do lots of in class activities that review prepositions and engage your students at the same time. They don’t have to be complicated, either, ...
In my experience, the best language practice happens when students respect the learning process itself.
Having faith in the models and examples, the methods of practice, and the different exercis ...
I’m going to guess that the least enjoyable days of your whole time as a student were the exam days.
Perhaps you sat in silent rows with your classmates, or were interviewed one-on-one, but ...
One of the hardest things I have done in my life was travel to east Asia to teach English as a second language.
As it turns out, that difficult experience was also one of the most rewarding. What ...
At the end of a tough week of grammar or test preparation, it’s nice to allow a class to let off some steam while still practicing a good range of language skills.
My favorite way to reward ...
Whether your students are just beginning their English studies or have been students of the language for several years, chances are they can improve their spoken and written language.
Sometimes w ...
Did you ever have a teacher who was a bit scatty or hare-brained, who never seemed to know what was coming next? Someone who was well-meaning, and probably very smart, but whose classes seemed to ...
Think of those words which appear too often in your classroom.
For me, it’s ‘like’, that approximate, short-cut word which has become so popular, ‘fine’, which reall ...
Are you ready to review parts of speech with your ESL class?
Try one of these fun and competitive games to get their minds working and their spirits revved up.
Check Out These Games to Practic ...
As ESL teachers, we sometimes go out of our way to make students feel comfortable and to help them in language learning, as we should.
And those extra miles that we walk are worth every step. But ...
Part Two of Why Can’t We All Just Get Along- A Review of Subject-Verb Agreement with Exercises walks you and your students through more sticky situations when it comes to correct subject-ver ...
A new class of novice language learners enters the classroom to begin their journey to fluency in English.
With a whole new world and its lexicon in front of them, where does a teacher and an ESL ...
To teach is to be educated.
During my time as a teacher, I’ve learned as much as my students have, perhaps much more. Fourteen years in classrooms has given me rewarding insights into the t ...
It takes a special person to teach English as a second language.
It takes an even more special person to teach English as a second language to very young children. Besides the sticky fingers and ...
Fall is here in full swing.
The weather is getting brisk and the days are getting shorter for ESL students in North America. Everyone has lots of activity and fun to look forward to as the holida ...
Your students have come beyond the basics and are ready to tackle some more challenging aspects of adverbs in English.
Part two of All about Adverbs: Every Level Review with Exercises will ...
Adverbs, adverbs everywhere.
No matter what level students you teach in your ESL classes, you likely touch on the topic of adverbs. Beginning students are just learning how to use the descriptive ...
Have you ever found yourself frustrated by students who just won’t stay off their phones in class?
Well maybe instead of getting frustrated you should put them to work. We live in an age of ...
Are you looking for some discussion activities that embrace the spirit of the season?
Here are some great fall themed speaking activities to get your English students talking.
Use These Fall A ...
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