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Thursday, January 30, 2020

February: Topics and Themes


February is a busy month providing ESL teachers with lots of planning topics. Be sure to check out February Topics and Themes and follow ESL Made Easy for weekly posts on some of them. One fun topic is Valentine's Day coming up on February 14th. The days leading up to it can be a good time to talk about other topics such symbols and customs, love and relationships and special gifts such as chocolate and roses. February is also Black History month which is observed not only in Canada, but in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. It is a special month to honour the experiences and legacies of those who became an important part of black history.

Other mentionables are the Canada Flag Day, President's Day, and Levi Strauss's Birthday, so stay tuned for some recommended ESL links to worksheets and activities that will be posted!

Thursday, January 23, 2020

January Topic: The Lunar New Year!



The Lunar New Year, beginning January 24th, is best known as the Chinese New Year and is celebrated by many cultures around the globe. Its origin has to do with harvest and since this special time follows the lunar calendar, it falls on a different day every year. There are many festivities, traditions and customs which can make this an interesting and lively topic. Have your ESL students not only learn about the festivities that vary from culture to culture, but also the symbols and beliefs of the Chinese zodiac and what that means for the year ahead!

2020 is the Year of the Rat according to the Chinese zodiac. Find out what's in store for you (here) if you were born in the year of 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984m 1996, 2008, and 2020.

RECOMMENDED ESL LINKS FOR TOPICS AROUND THE LUNAR NEW YEAR:

ESOL Courses: Chinese New Year vocabulary, games and quizzes(online)
ESOL Courses: The Chinese zodiac signs and explanations 
English Club: Chinese New Year reading and quick quiz online
Heads Up English: The Chinese New Year discussion questions
ESL Library: Chinese New Year lesson plans: membership site

Here's a great infographic by Giraffe (Click here to see in full) - 50 unbelievable facts about the Chinese New Year:

Thursday, January 16, 2020

January Topic: Civil Rights


January 20th is Civil Rights Day in the United States. It is a day to celebrate and honor all those who took part in the American Civil Rights Movement (video) in the 1960's. It also celebrates the contributions of activist Martin Luther King, Jr., who was well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation and to promote black equality in the United States and globally.


Your ESL students may find this topic interesting as it will give them an insight into America's history of human rights.


Listen to Martin Luther King's Famous Speech "I Have a Dream" - Have your students take notes and then discuss as a class.


RECOMMENDED ESL LINKS AROUND THE TOPIC OF 'CIVIL RIGHTS':

 
 

Recommended Movie:  The Help 


Recommended for: High Intermediate/Advanced Students

An aspiring author during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Happy New Year!

NEW YEAR'S customs, traditions and celebrations can help generate some lively classroom discussions with your ESL students. It's also great for working on past & future tenses by discussing key personal or global events from 2018 as well as plans and possibilities for 2019!


WARM-UP CONVERSATION QUESTIONS ON NEW YEAR'S by ESL Made Easy:

1. How did you spend Dec 31st, 2018? Was it different from previous years?
2. Do you celebrate the coming of a new year in your country of origin? If so, what are some traditions and customs that mark New Year's Eve/Day and the start of the new year in your culture?
3. For many people, a new year represents a time for making positive changes in their lives. What do you think are some common resolutions/goals that people make? Why do you think it might be difficult for some people to stick to these resolutions/goals? What advice would you give?
4. Did you create any resolutions/goals last year (2018)? If so, did you stick to your resolutions and achieve your goals? 
5. Do you have any resolutions/goals for this year (2019)? If so, have you created a plan for achieving them? What about your friend and family members?


RECOMMENDED ESL LINKS AROUND THE TOPIC NEW YEAR'S:

ESL Holiday Lessons: Reading and follow up activities on New Year's
Daily ESL: Listen and read activity on New Year's Day
EL Civics: New Year's picture lesson with follow up activities
ITESLJ: New Year's Day conversation questions
ESL Printables: New Year's Resolution worksheets - contribution site
ESL Library: New Year's lessons - membership site
BogglesWorld ESL: New Year's worksheets
ESOL Courses: New Year's worksheets and activities
Learn English Feel Good: New Year's Eve/Day vocabulary quiz
ISL Collective: New Year's worksheets  - donation site
A4esl: New Year's Eve phrasal verbs quiz
My English Pages: A short reading on New Year's with comprehension questions
One Stop English: 3 speaking activities on New Year's PDF
ESL Flow: New Year's resolutions and talking about the future worksheets
Heads Up English: New Year's speaking activity PDF
Rong-Chong: New Years Around the World reading with follow up activities
TEFL Net: A lesson plan on expressions using the word "change" 
Breaking News English: Reading and follow up activities on New Year's resolutions
Using English: New Year's resolution worksheet using adverbs of frequency
JenniferESL: YOUTUBE mini lesson on New Year's Resolutions
English - Zone: New Year's around the world traditions
Poetry.About: Classic poems about New Year's
Learning English with Michelle: Five New Year's Resolutions for ESL Learners
Brainy Quote: New Year's quotes
CDN History: New Year's By the Numbers