Teaching adult ESL with no materials or time? Here’s what works when nothing else does.
4 Easy Long Vowel Activities for Adult ESL: Spelling Patterns & Pronunciation
My long vowel activities were a labor of love for my students. When I first taught a “true beginner” class, it was full of Saudi…
Teaching /b/ and /p/ Pronunciation to Adult ESL Students
If you’ve ever taught adult ESL students whose first language is Arabic, you already know what’s coming. The b and p sounds. They sound harmless…
Three Destructive Myths About Digital Devices in the Classroom
Your students are scrolling. Right now, someone in your class is checking their phone while you’re mid-sentence. You know it. They know you know it….
5 Steps Proven to Make Causative Verbs Relevant to Your Adult ESL Students
You are prepping for an upcoming grammar lesson on causative verbs when you notice that the grammar textbook you’re using pretty much throws students into…
Minimal Pairs for ESL Pronunciation: What They Are and Why They Work
Afaf threw a pencil at me once during a pronunciation lesson. She missed on purpose (I think), but still. That’s what minimal pairs can do…
Commonly Confused Words: 3 Reasons English is Ridiculous
Do your students ask for your advise in learning vocabulary? Its a common question, right? You might want to take a brake in your lessen…
Three Grammar Games Guaranteed to Get Them Speaking
I’m standing outside my classroom door, pretending to check my phone while I eavesdrop on my adult ESL students, and I hear Subin telling Ahmed,…
Task Cards: Why Aren’t More Adult ESL Teachers Using These?
Talking about Hygiene in Adult ESL Speaking Classes: Helpful Tips, Fun Activities, and Cultural Considerations
Hygiene isn’t glamorous. I get it. Talking about it can be really uncomfortable. But it’s super practical, especially for adult ESL students who are still…
3 Ideas for Inspiring Shared Gratitude in the Classroom
Have you ever worked at a place where people had genuine (not coffee-induced) smiles in the mornings? Where people asked about your weekend and listened instead of…
5 Quick Tips for Engaging Days of the Week Activities
Wondering why you should incorporate days of the week activities for adult ESL classes? Yes, the days of the week are such a simple concept…
Teaching Frequency Adverbs: Strategies for Adult ESL Success
I will ALWAYS love… grammar. Okay, that’s a lie. I don’t always love grammar. Sometimes I love it. I often tolerate it. Rarely did I…
5 Health-Themed Activities That Won’t Make You Want to Fake Being Sick
If you’re looking for a theme that won’t make your adult ESL students groan and check their phones, try “health.” I know, I know. It…
5 Smart Ways to Use Music in Adult ESL
Music is one of those magical classroom tools that almost everyone reacts to. Even the grumpiest student with their arms crossed and their hood up…
Stop Teaching English Like It’s Only For Exams
Somehow, in every Intensive English Program I’ve taught in, practical English gets shoved aside. We rush through it, almost dismissively, trying to hurry students into…
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