Do you have a favorite adjective?
It’s hard for me to pick just one.
Adjectives are, by far, the best part of speech!
When used correctly, they can turn any regular old sentence into something special. Look at the two …
So, you’ve decided to become an English teacher.
Congratulations! Welcome to the world of ESL teaching.
Teaching English is an incredibly rewarding job. As a teacher, you’re in a position to help students achieve their dreams by learning a …
Do your ESL students seem bored or uninterested in your lessons?
There’s an app for that!
Do you have scraps of hastily written notes and half-baked lesson plans scattered across your desk?
There’s an app for that!
In the …
Hey, want to go on an adventure?
I know what you’re thinking. You can’t, because you’ve got to work. Right?
What if I told you that you can visit a region rich in history, where modern and ancient cultures collide…
Have you been feeling stuck in a rut with lesson planning lately?
Are you having trouble coming up with interesting ESL activities?
Do your students seem bored and uninterested in your lessons?
If you answered yes to any of the …
If you’ve been an English teacher for some time, you’ve probably noticed one thing: students always go into a frenzy at the start of 12th grade.
But why?
Probably a little bit of hormones, but mostly it’s because they’re trying …
Did you know you can get paid to sip espressos and snack on chocolate croissants?
Well, not exactly. But if you’re interested in teaching English abroad, that’ll be a perk that comes with being an English teacher in France.…
Five, four, three, two, one!
Happy New Year!
Doesn’t it feel like the New Year’s Day always seems to sneak up on you?
How is it possible that another year has come and gone already?
Seems like it was just …
Ever have one of those days where you just want to eat potato chips and watch TV?
Don’t worry, everyone does. Nobody operates at full capacity 100% of the time.
But when it’s students having a blah day, things …
How advanced is your classroom?
Are you still teaching the old-fashioned way, with whiteboards and markers?
If so, it’s time to get with the program and take full advantage of the latest, greatest educational tech.
Kiss smudged sentences written …
Christmas isn’t just a holiday—it’s a lifestyle.
It is the time of the year when people decorate their homes, cook holiday treats and listen to Christmas music.
And best of all, Christmas is the time of year we get …
Can you feel it in the air?
It’s the sound of sleigh bells jingling.
The smell of peppermint and eggnog.
The feeling of joy and happiness everywhere.
It can only mean one thing—it’s Christmastime.
The time of the year when …
Are you itching for a change of pace and scenery?
Maybe even feeling bored and uninspired at your current job?
Try flexing your teaching skills on the other side of the world!
The island of Taiwan has everything a potential, …
Pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce!
And, don’t forget the turkey!
Isn’t Thanksgiving great?
It’s one of my favorite holidays, and not just because of the delicious food.
We gather with friends and family and share what we’re all grateful …
Do your students ever seem a little bored or sleepy?
As a teacher, there’s nothing more frightening than standing at the front of the class and having at a bunch of despondent faces staring back at you.
When my classes …
Dude, what’s up?
Nothing much. Just chillin’!
For a native English speaker, the above exchange is easy to understand and is pretty common in everyday casual conversation. But for ESL students, this type of informal English might as well sound …
Sit down, please!
Stop talking, please!
Everyone, take out a piece of paper.
If your students can’t understand these and other simple classroom commands, you may find yourself in a very chaotic classroom situation.
In some cases, you might even …
Mama said, there’ll be days like this.
There’ll be days like this, mama said.
As you can see from the above example, reported speech is used to summarize or convey what was said in the past. An important part of …
S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G
C-A-N
B-E
F-U-N!
You read that right. When taught correctly, spelling can be fun for the whole class!
Even if writing isn’t one of your main classroom objectives, it’s still important for students to have a firm grasp on …
Are you tired of staring at an empty summer calendar?
There’s a way you can turn your summer into the adventure of a lifetime—and even get paid for it!
If you’re a native English speaker who enjoys interacting with interesting …
Ever feel like the passive voice is one of the hardest concepts to teach ESL students?
Many students find it to be both confusing and frustrating—and for good reason.
You’d be surprised how many learners don’t even have a passive …
What gets broken without being held?
Bet you can’t solve this riddle!
Stumped? Read this read this article to find the answer.
If that put your brain to work, consider this: riddles and brain teasers are a blast in the …
Roses are red, violets are blue.
Adult ESL students can benefit from learning poetry too.
Did you know that poems are a great tool for teaching English?
Poems come in all shapes, sizes and moods, so you can find a …
I bet you can remember at least one of your favorite childhood nursery rhymes.
Even if you haven’t heard it in years, could you sing it start-to-finish right now?
Nursery rhymes are catchy, easy to memorize and fun, so …
I could smell the peppers. It was dinner time. I washed my hands.
Sure, the sentences above get the point across. But how about this:
The sweet, burnt scent of roasting peppers hung in the air. I knew dinner was …
Don your green apparel!
Ready your wishes for that four-leaf clover!
St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner!
This is a fantastic opportunity to explore vocabulary and culture with your ESL students. Some of the biggest and most spectacular …
Speaking is a lot like investigating, isn’t it?
We use language to convey ideas and information. We also use it to ask questions, gather details and solve problems. Every time we speak we are acting as amateur detectives, …
Just breathe!
Are you feeling stressed?
Can’t think of a new, exciting lesson for your ESL students?
Or maybe your students are stressed out and having difficulty expressing their feelings?
Sadly, stress is pretty much an inevitable part of modern-day …
As it turns out, role play is not just for Comic-Con.
Dressing up and playing pretend can actually be a powerful tool in the hands of the ESL teacher. From young students to professionals, role play a great way …
Chestnuts roasting…
Eggnog brewing…
Holiday lesson plans frantically getting written by busy ESL teachers between exam preparations and end-of-semester evaluations…
Here’s a little Christmas gift for you this year: fun, festive vocabulary and activities that are ready to be used …
A modern ESL teacher doesn’t have to follow a set path.
Being an up-to-date ESL educator these days might mean using all the latest technology to make classroom learning more exciting for your students.
Or it might mean teaching …
Ever used a Trojan Horse in your teaching?
While there’s really not much about the Trojan War that you’d want to emulate in a classroom, the old story of the Trojan Horse can be a helpful metaphor.
Just like the …
