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 donts 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!
One of the most important necessities in ESL teaching is, of course, the textbook. To put it simply, after many years of teaching, you instantly develop a sense of knowing that there are three typ ...
Practicing listening skills in class can be a real drag to a student, marking the correct answer in their workbook, while listening to repetitive dialogues voiced by the same people, over and over ...
Not feeling very productive lately?
You might have read Top 5 Productivity Tips for ESL Teachers and as a follow up to this article, we’ll provide you with some specific technological tools ...
Do you often find yourself strapped for time? Ever get the feeling you have spent way too much time on something that should have been easier and faster to do?
Have you ever thought “there ...
I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues. – Dr. Seuss
Arbor Day is an observance that is celebrated throughout the US the last Friday in April with the purpose o ...
As educators and students, we hear the term plagiarism often, and guaranteed to come along with any mention of plagiarism is a warning against it. In some schools, expulsion can be the result of b ...
Collaborating with your colleagues in any work environment can help guarantee success for everyone involved.
When working together, people can contribute their unique skills for a better overall ...
Some countries and schools rely on team teaching to make their ESL classes more effective. Team teaching is where two instructors work together to teach lessons. This arrangement usually, but not ...
Children learn by example. Although it may sound like a cliché, it is absolutely true.
As their ESL teacher, like it or not, you’re also responsible for setting a good example. If yo ...
A good way to view the ESL job interview is to compare them with clothes. They come in all shapes, sizes, lengths, fittings, colours…
I could go on forever really. But fact of the matter i ...
The description of strong writing varies in different parts of the world. Just as values for many other topics change from culture to culture, what constitutes good writing also changes. It is the ...
Although tremendously rewarding, teaching English to children ages 3 to 5 can be a daunting task.
These little learners are full of energy and enthusiasm, which you may put to good use, but to ke ...
When teaching abroad, keep in mind that your students have been brought up in a culture different from your own and thus you may notice that students respond to materials in unexpected ways.
This ...
Homework is a good teaching tool. In order to be used effectively you need to make sure it is helping your students and that the exercises you assign are not just busy work.
Students will know if ...
It is always great to see your students enthusiastic about learning and the activities you so carefully prepared for them but once they have gotten all riled up, it is time to bring them back down ...
One the best things about Easter in the northern hemisphere is that it happens in spring.
The main theme behind the religious celebration is rebirth, and spring is the one season where we see reb ...
Easter is that fun cultural holiday lesson that often falls sometime in April. The date varies from year to year so be sure to check your calendar when laying out your schedule for the term. Much ...
While ESL classes should encourage students to speak English, you also need to maintain an environment in which everyone can be heard. Depending on the activities you choose to do in class and the ...
As springtime rolls around the two words that pop into mind are “fresh” and “colorful”. Fresh flowers. Fresh air. Fresh opportunities. And with all of this surrounding fres ...
Most ESL teachers at some point have come across a certain grammar point that they struggle to find activities to liven up the class or add some life into it.
Mine personally is the dreaded &lsqu ...
It happens to even the best teachers: a well thought out, carefully planned lesson goes horribly wrong and you are stuck in the middle of class with confused, frustrated, and disengaged learners. ...
Having worked around the ESL traps for a while, I often hear stories of people who find it near-impossible finding a job. Whereas, in my own experience, I have walked in, been given a 40-second in ...
With adult learners, teachers face a unique set of challenges. Unlike with younger students, discipline and motivation are generally not a problem. For adult classes one of the major concerns is a ...
During the course of your own studies, you have probably encountered numerous teachers whose teaching styles did not serve you, the student, well or that you simply did not appreciate. Obviously t ...
Have you ever wondered what you need to have a successful pronunciation lesson? Do you ever question whether what you are teaching is meeting all of your students’ needs? It’s time to ...
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