Teaching adult ESL with no materials or time?
Here’s what works when nothing else does.
Most recent posts:
- 6 Reasons to Switch Off the Slideshow and Pick Up the Flashcards.
I know…I know. You went through all that trouble learning the new apps. You’ve got your Canva templates, your carefully curated Google Slides, those PDF presentations you purchased from your favorite adult ESL seller↗ on TpT. And here I am, telling you to go back to…gussied-up index cards. Made of paper. Don’t click away. Hear… Read more: 6 Reasons to Switch Off the Slideshow and Pick Up the Flashcards. - The Vocabulary Game that Flopped and How I Fixed It
You know that game where someone shouts out a letter and a category, and you race to think of a word that fits? My family used to play a version of it, and we loved it. Competitive, fast-paced, lots of laughing when someone blanked on an obvious answer. So naturally, I tried it with my… Read more: The Vocabulary Game that Flopped and How I Fixed It
Older Posts:
Short I and Long E Sounds: 4 Engaging Activities for Adult ESL Pronunciation
Look, we all know why we teach Short I and Long E sounds. Nobody wants their students accidentally talking about going to the “b*tch” when…
Tag Questions: 2 Fun Activities They’ll LOVE!
I had this all-male class once. Boisterous didn’t even begin to describe them, and their energy was exhausting at times, but also something I looked…
3 FUN Vocabulary Games for Adult ESL
“GAME.” When I say “game” in my adult ESL vocabulary classroom, the air crackles. Spines extend, eyes brighten, pulses increase. “GAME” they repeat to each…
6 Fun Simple Present Activities for Adult ESL
Why is the simple present so danged hard? For reasons I still can’t fully explain, my students almost always struggled more with the simple present…
Stop Selling Academic Vocabulary. Start Selling This Instead.
My co-workers and I used to hash out the same problem over and over: How do you convince students that passing the TOEFL or IELTS isn’t…
My Bad! Teaching Apologies: Adult ESL Apologizing Role-Play Activities for Real-Life Situations
Apologies can be uncomfortable, right? Different cultures apologize differently. Some are known for apologizing for everything (looking at you, Canada). Some barely apologize at all….
Teaching Color Vocabulary to Adult ESL Students
Way back when, in my high school German class, we were learning colors. Pretty basic stuff, right? The teacher was going around asking students what…
Teaching Body Vocabulary: Why It’s Not as Basic as You Think
So there I was, day three in a hospital in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language. Nurses kept asking me questions I…
Future Perfect: The Future is Now, But the Past is Also Now
Future perfect activities require no time travel. I promise. Though for real, wouldn’t a time machine make this whole thing easier? You could just zip…
How Role Plays Help Adult ESL Students Survive the Dentist’s Chair
A trip to the dentist can be a nerve-wracking experience when you speak the same language. Now imagine sitting in that chair when you don’t…
Teaching Home Vocabulary to Adult ESL Students: Why It Matters More Than You Think
I once had a student who labeled everything in his home with sticky notes to learn vocabulary. Not unusual, right? Lots of language learners do…
Free Talking with Low-Level Adult ESL Students Without Dying Inside
I’ll never forget my first attempt at a “free talking” session with my A1 class. I had twenty questions printed out. TWENTY. I’d spent the…
Practical Pet-Themed Activities for Adult ESL Classes: Tips and Ideas
Pets are everywhere in your students’ lives. Dogs on Instagram. Cats in memes. Coworkers talking about their rabbits. Neighbors complaining about barking. Rental applications asking…
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 ESL Grammar When You Don’t Know Grammar
“Teacher, why is past participle here?” I stared at my student, then at the textbook, and then back at my student. I had no idea…
New? Start here.
Need lesson ideas now?
Teaching Specific Groups
Browse by Skill Area
Need Ready-to-Use Materials?
Browse my Teachers Pay Teachers store for printables, activities, and resources that save you hours of planning.
