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!
Discourse markers are those parts of the language that connect one piece of discourse, or extended speech/writing to another, such as an introductory phrase or one that raises a new point or count ...
Getting ESL students to participate during group discussions can be one of the most difficult things an English teacher has to do.
For some students, nothing will give them the push they need to ...
If you are teaching English as a second language, the odds are that your students have done some international travelling.
Many students, though they have studied English in their early education ...
Imagination is one of the most remarkable qualities that the human race possesses.
Over time, humans have seen needs in all areas of life and have taken the steps necessary to meet those needs th ...
In many K-12 schools, technology has become an integral part of the classroom.
The days of treating technology as a separate subject and relegating it to weekly sessions in a computer lab are ove ...
Often students are reluctant to write because they don’t perceive the value of writing: they think their papers are only read by the teacher for a grade.
In general, there is in most modern ...
For years, 'Survivor' has been one of the most popular programs on television.
It redefined, and some might say created, reality television giving us a perfect blend of action and drama. Yo ...
For some time it was unknown to what extent technology would be beneficial to ESL teaching methods, but recent studies have painted an overall good picture of the newest techniques being used in E ...
Does it seem strange that an activity that is as visually based as a puzzle can be used for communicative activities in the ESL classroom?
With some preparation, you can use puzzles for a series ...
One of the biggest challenges of the ESL educator is teaching the multi-level class.
And all ESL classes are multi-level, even those not officially designated as such: for example, one student ma ...
Sometimes when reading the essays of beginning composition students, I’ll read an entire page and then realize I didn’t really process any of it because it’s filled with vague, a ...
I admit it: I’ve taught in classrooms where the Smart board sat to one side while I wrote everything out on the whiteboard - not because I don’t know how to use a smart board but becau ...
Have you ever longed for a tool that you could use in your ESL class that would add a spark of interest to any area of your curriculum?
Something you could use for speaking, listening, reading an ...
Some people have got to have it. Some people really need it. Some people love it, and some people hate it.
It is lost and gained and wasted and earned every single day. It is money, and it is a p ...
This is the third part of the series. Part One: What You Can Do With Writing Prompts Part One: Idea Generating Part Two: What You Can Do With Writing Prompts Part Two: The Writing Process
H ...
Music is one of the magical things that can bring together nations.
People all over the world find pleasure and enjoyment in listening to music. Because music is something to which you and your s ...
Nothing speaks to a region’s food like the spices used in its cuisine. From cinnamon to cumin, the world’s nations have a lot to share when it comes to the spices.
Though you probably ...
Once or twice a semester, teachers will sometimes get the idea of “Let’s watch a movie!”
Often the movie happens to be a personal favorite of the teacher. (I’m a big fan o ...
How many people on how many nights have gazed up into the endless night sky and been taken in by the stars?
We humans are fascinated by the gaseous wonders whose light may take years to travel fr ...
This is the second part of the series. View Part One here: What You Can Do With Writing Prompts Part One: Idea Generating.
How to Proceed
1
The Writing Process
No matter what writing c ...
The word ‘twitter’ has not always been associated with status updates and social media.
Although it was not that long ago, it feels like an eon has passed since twittering had to do w ...
With students - undergraduate and graduate level alike - there is a basic confusion of what is a fact, what is an opinion, when they should be used.
A young student approached me recently, for ex ...
It doesn’t take long for the issue of race to come up in the American classroom, especially the ESL classroom.
Delve very far into U.S. history, and you come up against segregation, slaver ...
Sometimes nearing the half-way mark of a composition course (and an ESL composition course goes by very quickly), I’ll slap myself on the forehead and say, “Oh, no! We’ve been so ...
This year saw uprisings around the world, from my own local “Occupy Sacramento” movement to the overthrow of the president of Egypt.
Indeed, “The Anonymous Protester” was ...
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