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!
Once after teaching a lesson in an adult level ESL class, a student approached me, looked at me quizzically, and asked “What is this ‘let’s see’?”
I didn’t und ...
You feel you need a little pick me up and head on over to the hair salon to get a super chic haircut.
The following day, you walk into your classroom – what will your students say? Nine tim ...
Taking on a beginning-level ESL class can seem overwhelming: the students seem to know be able to produce such little language.
They may have very limited vocabulary and numerous individual speec ...
The world around us is filled with interesting inventions.
Some have changed the world so much that many of us could not live without them. This exercise gives your students a chance to talk abou ...
Though some ESL programs have general classes that address all aspects of language learning, my experience has always been separate classes designed around particular language skills.
Reading, wr ...
Asking questions in English is pretty basic for ESL students.
Even beginning level students are familiar with how to ask yes/no and informational question in English. Direct questions, those that ...
No matter where you teach ESL, culture will always find its way into your classroom. It’s to be expected.
So many things vary from one country to another and one people group to another, an ...
To an ESL teacher, the lesson plan is as essential as the course materials, maybe even more so.
Think of the coursebook as the vehicle, the tool you will use to take your class on this journey th ...
Have you ever noticed how some ESL students put their teachers on a pedestal? They seem to think we can do no harm.
But we’re far from perfect, and we make mistakes – though, thankful ...
Being a teacher, you perfectly understand what skills your students should get in order to become successful.
Their college life is impossible to imagine without paper work, and that is why it is ...
Can you? Could you? Would you? Should you? If you are asking about modals in the ESL classroom, the answer is yes.
You should review these unique verb combinations with your students, and you can ...
What is a reading buddy program?
A reading buddy program is a fun, personal and effective way to introduce the pleasures of reading to younger readers, especially if they are ESL (English as a Se ...
So you have just been assigned your first pronunciation/accent reduction class.
In a way, this is great: students in such classes are usually advanced and motivated. But this is also the problem: ...
It takes a certain type of person to be an ESL teacher.
By nature, we have adventurous spirits (especially those who teach overseas). We are good communicators and have a knack for understanding ...
Are you looking for some fun activities for practicing alphabetical order with your ESL class?
Do your students like learning that gets their bodies moving while their minds are working? Here are ...
You have just been assigned your first ESL listening class.
Yes, you heard right (pun intended): a focus on listening, just listening, not conversation and pronunciation as well, which is usually ...
Transportation is a common subject in ESL classes.
Not only does a unit on transportation have practical applications, like vacationing in a foreign country, most ESL students who study in Englis ...
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
It’s something I heard often from my grandfather, and generally it’s a good policy, I think. But the English language can sometimes be uncoope ...
If you teach ESL students, there’s a chance that they will be sitting for an international examination, like any of the Cambridge ESOL exams or the TOEFL.
Each test is different, but most o ...
I’ve always admired those people with a strong set of personal boundaries—you know the type, the ones that others almost never make ridiculous requests of, never take advantage of, and ...
English is full of prepositions, and they ESL students nearly always benefit from a quick, creative review of these important little words.
Here are some activities you can use with almost any cl ...
How do ESL students communicate most of the time? In spoken language.
Most ESL students (particularly adults) will recognize the importance of improving speaking skills. But what about writing sk ...
Language can be very subtle.
English is peppered with nuances that communicate respect, disbelief, sincerity and certainty (among other things). For students of English, it is easy for these subt ...
Teaching English for specific purposes (ESP) involves so much more than just teaching language – by giving language practice for a specific field, you are helping them to learn more about th ...
One of the banes of a teacher’s existence is those students who are always right.
They are never wrong, and if you think they are wrong, and produce evidence that they are wrong—well, ...
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