ESL Top Tips & Ideas

As part of their outreach time after English conversation activities, a church-based English café in Berkshire followed the 2:19’s  So Lord, Speak series.  The stories were accompanied each week by six beautiful images which helped the learners to visualise the events and learn vocabulary. Together with the discussion time afterwards the series was well received … Read more …

A mixed ability or multi-level ESOL class is a group of learners who have various levels of language proficiency (note that there is natural learner variation in any one class – even within the same level – and this should be seen as normal). Factors Contributing to a Multi-level Class There can be many and … Read more …

For those who haven’t done a CELTA or any ESL teacher training and are confused by what they find when searching for lesson ideas and especially how to write a lesson plan (PPP, TL, LL, SS, MFP, CCQs ????), rest assured, you will find here a simple lesson framework to help you on your way.  … Read more …

Ever found yourself teaching ESOL to learners of all abilities? You may have learners who are quite comfortable chatting in English, albeit with some grammatical errors and one or two questionable vocab choices. Alongside could be learners who know a lot of words but can’t string them together meaningfully. There may be those working on … Read more …

In early March, during the two weeks leading up to Newroz, why not try some of the following in your English classes. Set them to the back-drop of some Kurdish, Afghan or Persian music playing as students come into class (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcJfgsPqYUA) Festival and celebrations – Pre-Intermediate and above If you have students from countries … Read more …

Adam Simpson from the British Council explains, “One of the big problems we all face, whether teaching English to children or adults, is maintaining learners’ interest throughout our lessons. Consequently, we often have to be very creative in the techniques we use. What makes music such a great teaching tool is its universal appeal, connecting … Read more …

We have put together some suggestions of how to present the Easter story to your learners. Using…So Lord Speak 2 If you have used So Lord, Speak …If your students are ready and waiting to hear how God will finish His plan of salvation…If you are ready for God’s big story to continue to touch … Read more …

There is something about observation and feedback that generally makes us feel nervous, unsettled, and distracted. Even when we welcome it, the adrenaline kicks in as we become vulnerable, fight our corner, and try to be teachable. Even so, it is uncanny how the atmosphere in the classroom changes and our learners pick up on … Read more …

You can find our vocabulary activities on Quizlet, where we have uploaded vocab sets for each chapter of So to Speak and Start to Speak.  These have corresponding tests, flashcards and other learning activities which you can share with your students, so that they can learn the vocabulary from each lesson. Head over to Quizlet and … Read more …

Did you know that the grape press and the coin punch were combined to form the printing press? Back in the 15th century, Johannes Gutenberg blended the flexibility of a coin punch with the power of a mechanized wine press to invent mechanized printing and the printing press which, as many historians have argued, led … Read more …

Is it a bap/ barm/ bread roll/ bun/ bread cake/ cob/ muffin/ batch or a teacake? Is this one a cuppa/ a brew/ builder’s tea or a simple cup of tea?  Do you have it at any time of the day or with your elevenses? Or with ‘afternoon tea’?  Oh, and while we’re about it, … Read more …

Many of you are teaching English and doing outreach on zoom but some of you may have the privilege of actually being with real, live students albeit in a socially distanced and rather restricted environment.  Recently I attended a Cambridge Live Experience on zoom and I would like to share with you some ideas for … Read more …