November Themes and Topics

There's lots to talk about with your ESL students this month! Be sure to check out November's Themes and Topics here for your month's curriculum planning or if you just need a quick idea.

International observance and celebratory days that might provide some interesting springboard topics this month include World Vegan Day, World Tongue Twister Day, Remembrance/Veteran's Day, World Kindness Day, Say Hello Day, World Television Day and of course the biggie in the U.S. is American Thanksgiving! Be sure to check them all out and feel free to add any of your ideas and suggestions for this month too!

Teaching with Movies

Watching movies is one of the best ways to learn a new language. Not only can movies improve listening and comprehension skills, but they can help with vocabulary and pronunciation while keeping your ESL students entertained along the way!

ESL students are big fans of "Movie Days"! They also enjoy learning about the plot and the characters before watching a movie (which you can find online or some sites have worksheets on vocabulary and discussion questions). 

Stick to comedy and dramas with lighter plots in order to capture the attention of all students regardless of their levels. 

 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding, What About Bob, ELF, The Sound of Music, Planes Trains and Automobiles, Mrs. Doubtfire, Marley and Me, Groundhog Day, Momma Mia, The Blind Side, Mr. Bean and animated ones such as Despicable Me are just a few movies  to be a big success with ESL students.

Find recommended sites for teaching English with movies here!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

 

It's that special time of the year again when many Canadians celebrate THANKSGIVING (Oct 13) - a time for giving thanks for the bountiful harvest and for all the other blessings in life. Even as Canadians take part in roasting turkeys and baking pumpkin pies, people in America are celebrating COLUMBUS DAY - a day for commemorating one of the first European travelers, Christopher Columbus, and his arrival to the New World in 1492. In other parts of the world, countries have been busy with their own HARVEST FESTIVALS  to celebrate all the successful harvests on their land. No matter what part of the world you're in, this time of the year provides ESL students with a bit of history and a lot of vocabulary!  

International Fatigue Syndrome Day

May 12th is International Fatigue Syndrome Day. This day is set aside to recognize the fact that sometimes life can make us feel tired and worn-out. It is also a day to create an awareness on how sleeping problems and disorders can lead to serious health issues. Your ESL students might find this to be a familiar and interesting topic to discuss as they can talk about their own sleeping problems, habits and routines! 

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC OF SLEEP:

Tefl Pedia: Sleep discussion questions

Breaking News English: Learn While You Sleep lesson

Ellii: Lesson on sleep    membership site

Rong-chang: Beginner reading/activities on trying to sleep 

ESL Reading Lesson: A reading text on sleeping

English-Test: Sleeping expressions

ESL Lounge: Fill in the blank reading with sleep vocabulary 

Listen A Minute: Reading on sleep with follow up activities 

Breaking News English: Reading with follow-up activities on 'Sleep Texting"

Learn English Today: Sleep idioms

News BBC: Reading on sleeping positions and personality 

Test your students on sleep and sleep disorder knowledge. Take the quizzes here.

Conversation Questions:

1. How many hours do you usually sleep a night?

2. What is your bedtime routine? Does it help with your sleep?

3. How many times a night do you usually wake up or are you a deep sleeper?

4. When was the last time you suffered from fatigue? How long did it last?

5. Is getting enough sleep an important part of a healthy lifestyle/balance in your home country?

Earth Day

Earth Day, not to be confused with Earth Hour, is an annual environmental event held on April 22nd. Worldwide celebrations and campaigns are held to honor our mother Earth and to create an awareness of key global issues our planet is facing today. Get your students to learn more about Earth Day here and have them talk about the world around them and what we can all do to help preserve and protect it for future generations!

See 2 Degree Celsius: A Critical Number for Climate Change video on here.

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC OF EARTH DAY:

Bogglesworld ESL: A word building activity on the words Earth Day
My English Page: Reading comprehension activity on Earth Day
Earth Day: A reading on the history of the first Earth Day
History: Earth Day videos and articles
The Holiday Zone: Activities and worksheets on Earth Day
ESL Discussions: Discussion questions around the topic "Earth"
Ellii: Earth Day lesson plan with activities
ESL Holiday Lessons: Earth Day reading with follow up activities

EL Civics: Earth Day picture vocabulary lesson
Little Explorers: Quiz on Earth Day using first letters
English Exercises: Earth Day vocabulary activity
LHRIC: Earth Day fill in the blanks quiz
Teach-Nology: Earth Day worksheets and activities
ESL Flow: Environmental issues and problems lesson plans and worksheets
Breaking News English: Reading lessons around the topic of the environment
DLTK-Kids: Earth Day songs, poems and quotes

February is Black History Month

 

 

February is Black History month  in Canada, the U.S., and the United Kingdom. Be sure to get your ESL students learning more about the activities, events, and the important figures in black history.

See recommended links on Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement here.

Happy Lunar New Year!

The Lunar New Year, beginning January 29th, 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!

RECOMMENDED ESL LINKS FOR TOPICS AROUND THE LUNAR NEW YEAR:

EL Civics: A picture vocabulary lesson with follow up activities 
Enchanted Learning: The Chinese New Year vocabulary word list 
Fact Monster: All about the Chinese zodiac 
Youblisher: The Chinese New Year worksheets 
Education World: The Chinese New Year reading with word bank 
Chinese Parade: A reading on the lunar calendar 
Chinese Parade: Chinese New Year traditions 
ISL Collective: Chinese New Year worksheets and exercises 
EC English: Reading and vocabulary lesson on the Chinese New Year 
Elllo: Listening and comprehension questions on the Chinese New Year 
Worksheets Plus: Reading and comprehension worksheets on the Chinese New Year 

ESL Holiday Lesson: A lesson plan with activities on the Chinese 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
Ellii: Chinese New Year lesson plans: membership site
British Council: Lunar New Year 

The English Flows: Interactive Lesson