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!
Occasionally a student will turn in a paper that the teacher, no matter how she tries, just can’t understand.
The instructor will try to focus on it in different ways, puzzle over it, read ...
Though most of your ESL students’ reading will probably happen outside the classroom, there are times when reading in class can be very valuable for students.
Reading centers are an easy wa ...
All of us give plenty of thought to what we do and how we do things in our ESL classroom.
We carefully plan things like, content, techniques and even what material to use in each lesson. However, ...
Who hasn't been in a tough spot at one time or another?
I know I have. Sadly getting into a mess is rather easy, but getting out of one, not so much. Now let's consider our ESL students. Many of ...
Every instructor in the United States--and beyond, for the matter--has probably had student approach her near the end of the semester to say he didn’t know regular attendance was part of the ...
Teaching about the beach can be a lot of fun.
After all, most people enjoy going to the beach, so your students will probably be happy to learn how to communicate about it. Use the activities bel ...
Writing centers are a great addition to any ESL classroom.
They give students some control over their own learning, increase student motivation, and give you a chance to work one on one with indi ...
Whether your curriculum designates the vocabulary you teach or you choose your own essential word lists for your ESL students, your goal is the same.
You want students to learn, recognize and pro ...
One question many ESL teachers struggle with is whether to include timed writings as part of their class planning.
It can be a difficult question to answer because, as with most things in teachin ...
For those who teach young learners, assessment is one of the things you give a lot of thought to.
We want our young ESL students to truly learn, especially from their mistakes and we want them to ...
Don’t let funding issues, transportation costs, or busy schedules keep you from having an EFL summer camp!
Teachers know that language retention over long breaks is one of the most importan ...
Learning centers are great for encouraging students’ ownership of their own language learning.
These centers, designed especially for vocabulary class, are easy to set up and will give your ...
Multiculturalism is becoming a reality for almost every country in the world and building awareness and sensitivity to this reality is a very valuable part of having a Native English Teacher in th ...
I don’t know about where you teach, but here in the northeastern U.S. it has been a COLD winter.
Finally the grass is growing and flowers are starting to bloom. The only problem with the sp ...
Whether it is the first day of school or your students have been studying together for most of the semester, get to know you activities are very valuable for the ESL classroom.
For ESL students, ...
The most rewarding part of language learning, for many students, comes at that moment of spontaneous, unrehearsed production.
They’ve learned the vocabulary and the structures, and can pass ...
Kids are a true joy to be with.
So sweet, and painfully honest at the same time. They can single handedly make us drool over them and then end our patience from one minute to the next.
Though ki ...
Most people do not like doing household chores, so teaching or learning about them is not usually first on anyone’s list.
However, household chores are an important part of our daily routin ...
What had you already planned when it was time to review the past perfect?
If your answer is nothing or you aren’t sure what to answer, maybe you need these activities that do just that. Mos ...
Is it preposition time again in your classroom? These little words can be the source of big struggle for some ESL students, so they frequently turn up in every ESL teacher’s lesson plans.
T ...
“I have a particular group of ESL students, whose weak point seems to be listening comprehension. I have to play the audio recording several times before they’re able to answer any que ...
Problem solving skills are absolutely essential and it is something that most kids do not start to learn until they are well into their education.
The majority of children’s lessons focus o ...
One plus one equals one?
Though your math teacher may cringe, that’s exactly what you get with compound words. It’s not logical, someone might say, that two (often unrelated) words co ...
Do you have teacher’s block when it comes to inspiring your students to write?
After all, you can only write (and read) so many essays about your family, how you got to the U.S., or what yo ...
"The benefits of using video in the ESL classroom to boost listening comprehension are obvious. But I’m curious to know if we can also practice specific language points with videos. Can you ...
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