100 Esl Activities For Teachers

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Here are four fun Easter activities for ESL students.   Grab this printable ESL worksheet with four Easter-themed activities for your ESL students.   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas The following activities may be adapted for use as warmers, engage activities, structured practice or free practice style activities. They may also be adapted for level and age. Watch the video about this topic Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! The first one is really simple but can be one of the best activities to improve grammar. Some students even at the higher levels are lacking automatic habits, which are really important for grammatical skill. Basically this activity is a grammar drill and it is supposed to be used as a warmer or as an ice-breaker activity. The main objective is to help your students automate some grammatical...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas When teaching young learners, it's important not to spend too much time on any one activity as they can soon lose interest. It is also a good idea to have activities that give younger learners the chance to move about and use the boundless energy they have at that age. Below we present a list of short activities suitable for young and very young learners of English. Listen to this blog post: What's the Time Mr. Wolf? Telephone Basketball Volleyball Bingo Can you …? I Spy Odd One Out Stand Up Please Mastermind Blindfold Obstacle Course Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This is a good activity for practicing time with small classes. Clear a space in the center of...  [Read more]

  Online ESL Activities: Are you an online English teacher? Do you want your students to enjoy and have fun? Then, this live stream is for you! Our TEFL/TESOL expert, Liza, will share five interactive activities that you will be able to use at your next class. Great news that these games will suit any age group and level. Don't miss! #TEFL#BestTEFL #TeachEnglishOnline 00:00-00:48 Mic was off 00:48-01:00 Intro Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Click here and get started today: https://bit.ly/37gs5vO What is TEFL Certification? Where is it valid: https://bit.ly/36ma2Fg Check out our wide range of TEFL Courses: https://bit.ly/3ltqt73 Teach English online from anywhere you want: https://bit.ly/3ltqEPL Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Laura Payne Teaching Ideas Much of language learning comes through language experimentation; steering away from examples and formulas and attempting to arrange your own ideas into words. No matter what a student's goal may be in learning English, they will eventually have to do this by leaving the classroom and using English on their own. Activities like creative writing are one method to encourage the practice of experimentation and expression in ESL students. In this post, we're going to look at five different activities students can use to put their thoughts into writing. Listen to this blog post: 1. (New Year's) Resolutions 2. Letters to the Future 3. Cultural Ambassadors 4. Travel Itinerary 5. Reactions Take a TEFL course and start teaching English around the world! Related...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Teaching new tenses to students of a foreign language is often not as easy as you might anticipate, especially when the tense you are trying to teach them does not exist in their native language. The following 7 activities for teaching the present perfect for the ESL classroom will help your students pick up the tense in no time! Listen to this blog post: 1. Great Accomplishments 2. Have You Ever? 3. How Many Times Since? 4. Great Ambitions 5. Most Deprived 6. Bucket Lists 7. Since or For? Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This is a great warm-up activity to make your students understand what the present perfect is all about. After teaching the structure of the...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas ESL teachers often encounter difficulties when teaching grammar patterns to students abroad. The following 7 activities for teaching the simple present for the ESL classroom will help your students pick up the tense in an easy and efficient way. Listen to this blog post: 1. Daily Routine 2. Cultural Norms 3. Classmate Interviews 4. ESP (Extraordinary Sensory Perceptions) 5. Where am I? 6. Present Simple BINGO Mingle 7. Weekend Party Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This is a very good activity for when you start discussing the simple present and how it's used for routines and regularities. You can place the students into groups or pairs and have them discuss their...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas The simple past is one of the most important tenses in the English language. As it describes past actions, it's quite an easy tense to teach using a variety of fun and interactive activities. Here are 7 activities for teaching the simple past for the ESL classroom. 1. Preparations 2. Good Days and Bad Days 3. Charades Series 4. Dear Diary 5. Get Out and About 6. Accurate Endings 7. Double Duty Review Listen to this blog post Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: For more activities check out: 10 Exciting Activities for the Past Simple For this activity, the students think of significant accomplishments in their lives. After sharing with the class what they have accomplished, the students should describe what they did in order to achieve...  [Read more]

  Online ESL Activities: Are you an online English teacher? Do you want your students to enjoy and have fun? Then, this live stream is for you! Our TEFL/TESOL expert, Liza, will share five interactive activities that you will be able to use at your next class. Great news that these games will suit any age group and level. Don't miss! #TEFL#BestTEFL #TeachEnglishOnline 00:00-00:48 Mic was off 00:48-01:00 Intro Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Click here and get started today: bit.ly/37gs5vO What is TEFL Certification? Where is it valid: bit.ly/36ma2Fg Check out our wide range of TEFL Courses: bit.ly/3ltqt73 Teach English online from anywhere you want: bit.ly/3ltqEPL Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas One of the great things about teaching conditionals is that once you discover some classroom activities that work well for one, they can be adapted to suit any of the conditional patterns that you may be asked to teach. Here are 7 fun activities for teaching conditionals for the ESL classroom that you can easily adapt to help your students understand the correct structures and usages. Listen to this blog post: 1. Pass the Pig 2. Chain Conditionals 3. Pelmanism ("Concentration") 4. Mill Drill Questionnaire 5. Group Discussions 6. Board Game With Prompts 7. Using Songs Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Tell your students to stand up and form in two lines (teams) and...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Teaching Ideas One of the first things you should learn during a TEFL certification course is that delivering interesting lessons goes a long way to keeping your students happy and motivated in the classroom. And, if your students are stimulated by your lessons they are likely to progress quicker, which also makes the teachers job that much more satisfying. Listen to this blog post: Silent Movie The Prediction Game Vocabulary Match Guess the Dialogue Guess My Movie Are you ready to take your students to the movies? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! So what exactly makes a TEFL lesson interesting? There are many things you can do to make your lessons stand out, but one of the main ways to pique the interest of your...  [Read more]

1. What is CELTA certification? 2. Benefits of Online CELTA Certification 3. How to Choose the Right Online CELTA Course 4. Global Teaching Opportunities with Online CELTA Certification The CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is an internationally recognized qualification for teaching English as a foreign language. It is awarded by Cambridge Assessment English, part of the University of Cambridge. The course provides practical training for individuals looking to start a career in English language teaching. It covers essential topics such as language analysis, teaching methodology, lesson planning, and classroom management. Online CELTA courses offer flexibility and convenience for individuals who may not be able to attend in-person classes. The online...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas When teaching reported speech the potential for mistakes, errors, and the general difficulty is enormous due to the number of changes that are made with verb tenses, patterns, pronouns, questions, time expressions etc.. It's important to cover the subject slowly with lots of verbal practice at every opportunity. There are plenty of standard 'change the direct speech to reported speech' activities, but your students will soon tire of these if you overuse them. Here are some ideas which have worked well in the EFL classroom and will give your students a good amount of talk time in a variety of ways. Listen to this blog post: The Go-Between Game The Lying Game Pelmanism ("Concentration") Guess Who Reported Speech "Tennis" Who Asked What? Find Someone...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas You will find the web full of ideas for teaching vocabulary and, although most of them are undoubtedly good activities, some are only suited to a particular level. Here are some tried and tested activities that can be adapted to suit any level of student and a variety of class sizes. Listen to this blog post: 1. Hot seat 2. Beat the clock 3. Crosswords 4. Board games 5. Slow Pictionary 6. Vocabulary tennis 7. Pelmanism ("Concentration") Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This is a great activity that can be used as a warm-up at the beginning of a class, or as a game at the end of a lesson. It's suitable for any class size over 4 students and requires minimal...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas In a previous post, we looked at various teaching ideas for future simple and here we're going to describe some fun ideas for teaching three other future tenses. There are a wide variety of usages for future tenses and it's always important to make sure your activities focus on the usages that you've taught in your lesson. For example, future continuous can be used to talk about an ongoing action at a point in the future, a fixed future event, polite enquiries or to predict the future or the present. Predicting the present is one that students often have trouble conceptualizing, so we might as well start from there. Listen to this blog post: Predicting the present Ongoing action at a point in the future Expected achievements at a point in the future...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas There are a myriad of ways to talk about the future in English, so it's important to have a variety of activities for students to practice what you've taught them. Here we're going to focus on various usages for future simple and describe some fun teaching ideas that match them. 1. Spontaneous decisions 2. Predictions (no evidence) 3. Facts/certainties 4. Assumptions/deductions Listen to this blog post Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: One of the most common ways we use future simple in our day to day lives is to make spontaneous or unplanned decisions. For example, when choosing food from a menu, (I'll have the fish please), or if you have to make a change of plan (a friend calls to say they can't pick you up to go out and you might...  [Read more]

1. Innovative Teaching Strategies for Virtual ESL Lessons 2. Interactive Tools and Resources for Engaging ESL Lessons 3. Creating a Dynamic Learning Environment in Virtual ESL Classes 4. Conclusion Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in a virtual setting can present unique challenges and opportunities for educators. With the rise of online learning, it is essential to adopt innovative teaching strategies to engage students and enhance their language acquisition. One effective approach is to incorporate interactive activities that cater to different learning styles and abilities. By integrating a variety of engaging activities into virtual ESL lessons, teachers can create a dynamic and stimulating learning environment that motivates students to actively participate and develop their...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Passive voice is something native English speakers can use without much thought but it can be difficult for language learners to master because the switch from active to passive voice is quite an involved process – as many EFL teachers find when they first attempt to present it. Here are some fun activities that you can use in the classroom to help your students practice using this tricky language pattern. Do remember when you adapt these games that not every verb or tense in the English language can be used for the passive voice! Listen to this blog post: Change the Room Quiz Describing a Process Relay Tennis Game Jenga Roleplay; Blame it on Your Sister Mill-drill (mingling) Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen To This...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Teaching Ideas Let us imagine. How if English teachers only conduct English lessons inside the class? Will the students have fun all the time? Many English teachers reflect on that so, in reality, they try to conduct English lessons not only inside the class but also outside the class. They think that conducting English lessons outside is also needed and important. Therefore, English teachers use some outdoor activities to help when teaching English. By doing so, English teachers believe that they can help their students to increase motivation. They also believe that outdoor activities can give students fun and joy. Here are some interesting activities that English teachers can use to teach English outside the class. Principles of Motivation What I can do Look around and...  [Read more]

Simon ITTT Teaching Ideas The number of combinations of modals and usages is enormous, so TEFL certified teachers often spend a lot of time trying to find an activity that suits their particular teaching point. Here, we give you some adaptable ideas which should save you time thinking or searching, assuming you already have good grammatical knowledge of the subject and a little bit of creativity. Listen to this blog post: Language Tennis Mill-drill/Mingling Group Discussions or Debates Board Games Information Exchange Draw the Sentence Marked Up Dice Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! It's often better to spend a bit of time creating your own material rather than looking fruitlessly on the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas What outdoor activities can help to teach English? I would like to say that there are plenty of outdoor activities that are effective to teach English. However, many teachers prefer indoor activities rather than outdoor, as they think that it might distract the students. Nonetheless, outdoor activities can increase their motivation for learning. Also, it helps to decrease their stress level, as they do not have to stay in the classroom as usual. Freewriting time Flashcard game 'Stand up if you've ever' game Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sarosh Z. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The teacher...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas If you teach English to Young learners, then you will know that flashcards are one of the best tools a teacher can take with them into the classroom. So here I want to share five activities with flashcards. I hope you like my flashcard activities in this essay. What are flashcards? The following are these five activities with flashcards: 1. TRAIN RIDE 2. MEMORY MASTER (How many flashcards can you remember?) 3. VOLCANO (Don't touch the lava!) 4. GO AWAY RAIN! 5. RINGS Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ma M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. But before I share these activities, I want to write...  [Read more]

In the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), incorporating games and activities is a popular and effective method to engage students and enhance their language learning experience. Games and activities can range from simple word puzzles to more complex role-playing scenarios, all designed to make the learning process more interactive and enjoyable for students. By integrating these fun elements into lessons, teachers can create a dynamic and stimulating environment that motivates students to actively participate and practice their language skills. There are numerous benefits to using games and activities in TEFL teaching. Firstly, games make learning enjoyable and can help alleviate the stress and pressure often associated with language learning. They provide a break from...  [Read more]

1. Introduction to ESL Classroom Activities 2. Speaking and Listening Activities 3. Reading and Writing Activities 4. Vocabulary and Grammar Activities One of the most effective ways to improve English language skills is through speaking and listening activities. These activities help students practice their pronunciation, fluency, and comprehension. One popular activity is role-playing, where students act out scenarios to practice conversational English. Another useful activity is storytelling, where students take turns sharing a story or personal experience. Listening activities, such as watching videos or listening to podcasts, can also enhance students' listening skills and expose them to different accents and speech patterns. Reading and writing activities are essential for developing...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Having to organize and hold a winter camp is a daunting task, especially for new teachers who haven't done it before. For these kinds of English camps, teachers typically create up to 10 lesson plans for the duration of the camp. Winter camps can last anywhere between one week to a month or even longer. The main goal of an English camp is to have a fun and memorable time with the students while practicing their English. Listen to this blog post: It's all About Fun… and Props! Making Sock Snowmen! Making Christmas or New Year's Cards Have Handouts Ready Powerpoint/Computer Games Board Games When Your School Doesn't Have a Budget or Supplies Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video...  [Read more]

Sarah Jennings Teaching Ideas As we approach the end of another academic year, it's an ideal time to celebrate achievements, build connections, and reflect on the shared journey. Whether you're teaching in a multicultural classroom or navigating diverse educational systems, this guide is here to inspire you with innovative ideas for end-of-year activities that will leave a lasting impression on your students. Ignite Creativity with End-of-Year Projects Reflect with a Memory Board Cultivate Gratitude with Thank-You Notes End-of-Year Activities Foster Connections Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Give students the opportunity to showcase their creativity and talents with end-of-year projects that reflect their interests and passions. Whether it's multimedia presentations,...  [Read more]

The activities listed below are a combination of ideas that are physically and/or mentally stimulating. Games such as ‘What’s The Time Mr. Wolf?’, ‘Basketball’, ‘Volleyball’, ‘Can You …?’, ‘Stand Up Please’ and ‘Blindfold Obstacle Course’ all encourage the students to use English while moving about. They are great for getting the students using English while expending their energy in positive ways. Activities such as ‘Odd One Out’ and ‘Mastermind’ are mentally stimulating and are excellent ways for the students to use and think about the language creatively. The majority of these ideas have a competitive element to make them more exciting and they can be completed in a short amount of time to ensure students don’t get bored by the end of the...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Holding a summer camp can be an intimidating challenge for new and experienced teachers alike. For these kinds of English camps, teachers typically create up to 10 lesson plans for the duration of the camp. Summer camps can last anywhere between one week and a month or even longer. The main goal of an English camp is to have a fun and memorable time with the students while practicing their English. Listen to this blog post: It's all about fun… and props! Water Balloon Toss The Flyswatter Game Have Handouts Ready Powerpoint/Computer Games Board Games When Your School Doesn't Have a Budget or Supplies Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! While this might sound easy,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas 'Teacher, Can we please have a class outdoors?' this question was asked by a lot of my students, and 'No' was my typical answer. Why do students want to have an outdoor session? Is it really useful? What outdoor activities could be done to help when teaching English? These questions ran through my mind every time one of my students asked me to have a class outdoors. So, I decided to find answers to these questions. Reasons to have classes outdoors Choice of activities World around us Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ahmed A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Why teach outside at all? It is...  [Read more]

In the world of English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching, the Advanced ESL class holds a special place. It is here that students who have already grasped the fundamentals of the English language come to hone their skills and deepen their understanding. The Advanced ESL class format is designed to challenge students with more complex linguistic tasks while providing opportunities for them to express themselves fluently and confidently in English. In this article, we will delve into the structure of an Advanced ESL class and explore some engaging activities that can be incorporated to enhance the learning experience. In an Advanced ESL class, the focus shifts from basic vocabulary and grammar to more nuanced aspects of the English language. Students are encouraged to engage in...  [Read more]