Social Icons

.

Friday, September 21, 2018

September Topic: Autumn Equinox



It's that time of the year again when the hours of daylight become shorter if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. For those of you who enjoy cooler days and nights, the changing colour of leaves, and wearing warm fuzzy sweaters, you don't have long to wait. 

This year, the Autumn Equinox is on September 22nd, or depending on where you live, September 23rd. Many of us recognize this time to welcome the change of seasons with traditional celebrations, symbols and festivities. And with that, comes plenty of vocabulary words and activities you can do with your ESL students. >>>

WARM UP CONVERSATION QUESTIONS BY ESL MADE EASY:

1. Does your country recognize the autumn or spring equinox at this time of the year?
2. What is your favourite season and why? Has your preference changed over the years?
3. Do you think people are affected emotionally, mentally, or physically by the change of seasons?
4. What are some things in people's lives that change with the change of seasons?

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS ON THE TOPIC OF AUTUMN:

ESL Printables: Autumn worksheets *lesson sharing site

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

September Topic: Positive Thinking Day!


For those of you who don't know, Positive Thinking Day is on September 13th. An American entrepreneur started this day in order to concentrate on all things positive. Thinking positively is not always an easy thing to do, but if you train your brain to know when you are in, or entering a negative state of mind, then the shift to positive thinking might just become a habit! I do believe that positive thinking in general is an excellent topic to be sharing with any ESL learner!
Here is a list of ten ways to create a positive day from the website www.positivethinking.com. This list could be turned into a group discussion. Have students give some examples that could reflect the points and also share experiences on how their own personal thinking has shaped their lives.


10  WAYS TO CREATE A POSITIVE DAY

1. Use affirmations - Read and listen to affirmations so that you can begin to change your self-talk.
2. Intention - Set your intention each morning to have a positive day! Remember you choose your attitude!
3. Mindfulness - Keep your attention in the present moment.
4. Link to think -Pick something you do frequently (perhaps making a phone call) and let that be a reminder to think a positive thought.
5. Gratitude - Develop an attitude of gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal.
6. Inspiration - Read and watch inspirational and motivational material to lift your mood.
7. Positive people - Surround yourself with positive people. They will help you stay focused on the positive.
8. Kindness - Be kind to yourself and those around you.
9. Applied faith - Trust that every situation has the seeds for growth and opportunity.
10. Smile - Smile when you see others. Smile when you are talking on the phone. A smile is contagious.


RECOMMENDED LINKS ABOUT POSITIVE THINKING FOR ESL STUDENTS:

Huffington Post: A reading on the science of positive thinking -  *DOWNLOAD COMPREHENSION WORKSHEET by EslMadeEasy
Breaking News English: A lesson on optimism
Buzzle: Positive thinking - quotes and phrases
English Clip: Games on positive thinking
Positive Quotes: A list of positive adjectives
ESL Holiday Lessons: Be positive reading and worksheet
English with Jennifer: The Power of Positive Thinking - poem
Effective Positive Thinking: The Ten Best Positive Thinking Phrases
The Benefits of Positive Thinking: Positive thinking activities to keep you uplifted
ITESLJ: Discussion questions on mind, body and health
Brainy Quote: Dr. Wayne Dyer Quotes
Spirituality Health: 10 Ways to Raise Your Vibration
EFL/ESL: Positive thinking questions
Pharrell William's HAPPY song on YouTube: A must to watch to change any negative mood!


Enjoy and let me know if you have any ideas or activities about positive thinking in your ESL class!

Monday, September 3, 2018


Welcome back to ESL Made Easy!

If you haven't already scheduled in some teaching ideas, be sure to visit September's Themes and Topics for ESL Students here!  September is busy starting with Labour Day on September 3rd, follow by World Suicide Prevention DayA Day of Remembrance (September 11th), Positive Thinking Day, and National Grandparents Day. Other topics that might be interesting to your ESL students are World Heart Day and International Coffee Day.

ESL Made Easy's Classroom Templates will also be available to purchase online! We've created over 24 ready-to-use activities that cover all 4-skills to make your teaching easier and to get your students talking. Find out more here!



We wish everyone a great start to the new teaching year! As always, we welcome your suggestions, ideas and comments!