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!
Phonics is sometimes a controversial subject among ESL teachers.
I know my linguistics program taught that phonics was not a good choice for ESL students. Then I worked at a school where phonics ...
A professional writer once said that writing is rewriting.
It may feel great when we put the final period on the last sentence in a paper or composition, but we are really only part of the way do ...
All of your ESL students can write words in English.
Most of them can even write complete sentences. But they can’t really write. Writing, and I mean good writing, whether it is in your nat ...
When I studied French in high school and college, one of the most difficult aspects was remembering noun genders.
I remember thinking, “Is book feminine or masculine? Does a book even have ...
It’s been a difficult year, replete with demanding students.
Let’s see: there was the one who wanted to make up the whole term in a week and then the student who did nothing right all ...
If you have taught for much time at all, you have encountered this type of student: she will come in, throw her books down, and sprawl in her desk.
She will sit just close enough to you for you t ...
Picture the perfect ESL classroom with young learners, if you will.
You are probably imagining a happy, smiling group of children who are dancing and singing. Or probably playing with flashcards ...
As global tourism increases, the need for taxi drivers to speak English is especially important.
After leaving the airport, taxi drivers are the next people that tourists meet in order to get the ...
Writing might be my favorite ESL subject to teach.
I haven’t always been confident, though, when it came to teaching writing. I learned from my peers, from my teachers and from my colleague ...
So, you’ve been asked to teach a class for English for specific purposes designed for construction workers.
Where do you start? Here’s some tips for getting started on an excellent cl ...
Teaching an English for specific purposes class for students going in to the tourism industry can be one of the most fun classes to teach!
Combining learning English with ways to be a good tour g ...
Thailand offers such diversity in terms of landscapes, history, food, culture and traditions.
It is a fascinating country to get to know, and the best way to begin to understand this magical coun ...
My first reading class was a challenge.
I was filled with questions on how to apply the instructional methods I had studied, and I found that my fellow teachers were my best resource in getting m ...
Are you getting ready for your first teaching job? Are you picking up new subject areas to teach?
Here are the questions (and answers) about teaching vocabulary that I have been asked most during ...
Regardless of the vital role of grammar in learning a language, many learners tend to look at grammar as something boring to acquire.
Any devoted teachers, therefore, can’t turn a blind eye ...
I remember one of my college professors, an ESL instructor and bilingual herself, telling our class that bilinguals always revert to their first language when counting.
Numbers, she said, are ...
Don’t give up on the future just yet.
Here are six more fun and fresh activities you can use to review future tenses with your students.
Check Out These New Inspiring Future Activi ...
Pick-pockets. Purse snatchers. Scam artists.
Unfortunately, these are some of the included risks when we travel. Fortunately, police are the people you can go to for help when these incidents hap ...
Teaching English for specific purposes differs from teaching ESL in many ways, however the most significant is that your students typically will have a basic working knowledge of the English langu ...
Teaching ESP (English for Special Purposes) can be a challenge at times because the English you are teaching is very specific to the field of the lesson.
There are always things you can do to mak ...
When someone gasps and says “...Math is just so difficult”, and “Who on Earth invented Mathematics?” it doesn’t sound one bit surprising any more. Many people, when a ...
In recent years, online tutoring has really gained traction as an alternative to traditional, in-person tutoring.
However, many adults still doubt whether online tutoring is effective enough to m ...
People working in the aviation industry without a doubt encounter the most diverse languages, cultures, and speech.
They also frequently come into contact with the angriest of people due to the h ...
Whether you are teaching a vocabulary specific class or another ESL standard, vocabulary instruction is sure to be part of your instruction.
When you are teaching English as a second language, vo ...
When you think about language learning, maps probably aren’t the first thing to come to mind.
In fact, most people would probably be surprised to hear that maps can be quite useful for stud ...
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