Civil Rights Day

January 15th 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.

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.

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':

EL Civics: A picture vocabulary lesson on the Civil Rights Movement

My English Pages: Related readings and resources on Civil Rights Day

ESL Printables: Teaching civil rights worksheets - membership site

VOA News Learning English: Civil Rights Movement (listening and reading)

LOC: Civil Rights lesson plans
ESL Library: Martin Luther King Jr, Reading and Comprehension  - membership site
Quizlet: Civil Rights Movement vocabulary flashcards
ISL Collective: Civil Rights Movement worksheet (reading and vocabulary)

ESL Holiday Lessons: Martin Luther King Day reading and activities
English Online: A reading on the Civil Rights Movement with vocabulary
English Exercises: A listening and vocabulary exercise "Ruby Bridges Goes to School"
ESOL Courses: A lesson with activities on Rosa Parks
Discovery Education: Lesson plan on the Civil Rights Movement

YouTube: Lenny Kravitz Black and White America - with lyrics

 

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is in the air! Your ESL students should be busy for the next week or so with the various activities, worksheets and lessons related to this festive holiday season found below!

Make sure to spend time talking about the origin and meaning of Christmas as well as the festivities, symbols, songs and stories that make it one of the most joyous times of the year for Christians and non-Christians alike throughout the world!  

RECOMMENDED LINKS AROUND THE TOPIC CHRISTMAS FOR ESL STUDENTS:

ESL About: An easy reading on Christmas traditions
ESL PDF: A vocabulary matching exercise on Christmas symbols (1)
ESL PDF: A vocabulary matching exercise on Christmas symbols (2)
ESL PDF: Intermediate vocabulary worksheet on Christmas words (1)
ESL PDF: Intermediate vocabulary worksheet on Christmas words (2)
Simple ESL: Easy Christmas word search puzzle
ESL-Galaxy: Christmas activities for beginners
Anglomaniacy: Christmas printable worksheets
Daily ESL: Christmas Day reading with listening
English Page: Christmas vocabulary fill in the blanks worksheet
Breaking News English: Christmas conversation and activity ideas
123 Listening: Christmas listening activities and follow up
EL Civics: A picture lesson with follow up activities about Christmas
BogglesWorld ESL: A collection of Christmas worksheets and activities
ESL-Lab: Reading: The Christmas Gift with listening and follow up activities
ITESLJ: Christmas conversation questions
Heads Up English: Conversation questions about Christmas
Many Things: The Origins of Christmas video
ESLFlow: Christmas activities and worksheets for all levels
ESOL Courses: A variety of online Christmas songs, lessons and activities
ESOL Courses: A variety of online quizzes and games on Christmas shopping
Teach-This: Christmas lessons and activities PDF
ESL Holiday Lessons: I Love Christmas Day reading and activities
ISL Collective: Over 600 Christmas exercise sheets:  Donation site

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

SOON: What is Christmas like around the world?
Merry-Christmas: Christmas trivia on traditions, food and music
ESOL Courses: Popular Christmas songs with lyrics, videos and follow up activities
Many Things: Learning video with words - The Origins of Christmas
Huffington Post: Ho-Ho-Ho That Holiday Spending - article
The Digeratilife: Holiday Spending Infographic - and Christmas Budgeting

World Kindness Day!

November 13th is World Kindness Day (watch video). Created in 1997, this special day was developed by  a group of humanitarians in Japan who felt that we needed a day to help us all focus on making the world a better place. The idea is that by performing local "random acts of kindness" such as holding the door open for a stranger, paying someone a compliment or donating items to a local charity, we can actually help make the world a better and kinder place.

WORLD KINDNESS DAY makes for an excellent discussion topic and also represents a great opportunity to become part of the solution. After discussing the topic, why not challenge your ESL students to perform their own "random acts of kindness" on November 13th? The next day have a follow up discussion about their experiences!

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC OF WORLD KINDNESS DAY BY ESL MADE EASY:

 1. When was the last time you went out of your way to be really kind to someone? What did you do and how did it make you and the other person feel?
2. When was the last time you felt someone went out of their way to be kind to you? What did they do?
3. What might cause some people to "pretend" to be a kind person?
4. Can being kind really make a difference in life? Explain.
5. What could be some negatives associated with being too kind a person?
6. What are some things that could affect someone's ability to be kind? (i.e. weather, money, health...etc)

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS ON THE TOPIC OF WORLD KINDNESS DAY:

YouTube: Video of 24 Incredible Acts of Kindness
Printable Worksheets: World Kindness Day
Breaking News English: A short reading on a "kindness act" with activities
Random Acts of Kindness: Short motivational stories on acts - of kindness
(ACTIVITY SUGGESTION: Have your students read and discuss while looking at new vocabulary and expressions)
Quote Garden: Kindness Quotations
(ACTIVITY SUGGESTION: Get your students to discuss what each quote could mean)
World Kindness: Some random acts of kindness ideas
The Free Dictionary: Idioms and expressions using the word "kind"

Remembrance Day: Peace

  

November 11th, known as Remembrance Day, Veterans Day and even Poppy Day in some parts of the world, is a time to recognize and remember those courageous soldiers, airmen and sailors who died during times of armed conflict. Originally associated with WW1, the scope of this day has since been expanded to acknowledge those who served in other wars as well as those currently serving.

There are a number of key symbols associated with November 11th including the famous war poem from WW1 Flanders Fields Poem (video lesson), the Last Post call, and the Two Minutes of Silence. 
 

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS THAT FOCUS ON PEACE BY ESL MADE EASY:

1. What do the words 'peace' and 'freedom' stand for? Which is more important to you?

2. In what ways do countries try to achieve and maintain peace? What are some of the laws surrounding the concept of peace in your country? 

3. What is your ideal vision of peace in the world? Do you think it is, or will ever be, achievable? Why or why not?

4. What are some characteristics of peaceful people? How can we teach our children to live peaceful lives? If the world was full of just peaceful people, what do you think it would be like?

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC OF REMEMBRANCE/VETERANS DAY:

Activity Village: Activity worksheets on Remembrance Day 
DLKT-Holidays: Remembrance/Veterans Day worksheets for beginners
Bogglesworld ESL: Remembrance/Veterans Day activity worksheets
Bridge Ontario: Flanders Field - poem - beginners - picture vocabulary
MrDonn.Org: What is Remembrance Day PowerPoint
Canadian Reader: A Poppy is for Remembering - full lesson
ISL Collective: 6 Remembrance Day worksheets and activities - donation site
Government of Canada: PDF version of Canada Remembers Times - articles
VA U.S. Government: The History of Veterans Day
Teachnology: Veteran's Day worksheets
Education World: Lesson ideas and activities for Veterans Day
Homeschooling: Printable Veterans Day activity worksheets
Little Red Poppy: Reading and follow up activities
ESLVideo: A Remembrance Day tribute by Bryan Adam with follow up questions
English Gateway: A short fill in the blank exercise on Remembrance Day collocations
ESL-Library: A free listening podcast - Remembrance Day
War Poetry: Remembrance and Peace Event Poems
Altius Directory: Remembrance Day activities (poems and quotes)

Celebrating Thanksgiving!

It's that special time of the year again when many Canadians celebrate THANKSGIVING - 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!  

October Themes and Teaching Topics

There's a lot to talk about in the month of October!  It's Vegetarian Day on Oct 1st and a busy week with World Animal Day on Oct 4th, World Habitat Day on the 5th and World Egg Day on the 9th. But, the big topics this month will be Thanksgiving celebrated here in Canada and the U.K. on Monday, Oct 9th as well as Halloween on Oct 31st. Be sure to check out October ESL Planning Themes and 

Topics here and follow ESL Made Easy for updated posts on recommended links to free ESL activities!

September Teaching Themes and Topics

 

Your ESL students whether returning or new, online or in class will be feeling the September butterflies of "Back to School".  Make it easier for yourself and for your students by introducing a few ice breaker games and activities on the first day of class in order to create a comfortable and warm classroom environment.

Note: You may want to begin by having students ask YOU questions instead of volunteering information. It's a great time to also review question making too!

See this month's suggested themes and topics here!

Here's a list of some sites offering first few day ideas (you might need to modify if online) and worksheets! 

ESL Activities for the First Day

First Day Worksheets

The First Day of Class Ideas

8 ESL Warm Up Activities

Getting to Know Your Students - Icebreakers and Activities

Whether you're teaching online or in class, all the best for an exciting, successful and most importantly, a rewarding school year!

June Topic: World Oceans Day

June 8th is WORLD OCEANS DAY!  Officially declared by the U.N. in 1992, this day was intended to help us recognize the importance of oceans as part of our overall ecosystem. Given that they cover 71% of the Earth's surface and represent 99% of the living space, why not get your ESL students talking about the importance of oceans as sources of food, oxygen, and medicine around the world! 

Read more about World Oceans Day here!

WARM-UP QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC OF OCEANS 

1. Name the world's five oceans. Which one(s) are closest to your home country?

2. What are some things people do in oceans?  Which ones have you done? Explain. 

3. Why are oceans considered to be one of the world's most important resources?
4. What are some differences between an ocean, a sea, a lake, a river and a pond? (i.e. resources, animal and plant life, commercial & recreational uses...etc).

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC OF OCEANS:

ESL Holiday Lessons: Reading with activities on World Oceans Day

National Geographic: An online quiz on oceans

Protect Planet Ocean: Why are oceans important?
ESL Discussions: Conversation questions about oceans

To Learn English: All about ocean and continents online activities

BogglesWorld ESL: Continents and oceans wordsearch puzzle
Espresso English: 27 picture vocabulary ocean words

Learning Chocolate: Vocabulary and listening exercise on oceans

ESL Printables: Ocean worksheets and activities:  teacher sharing site

Fact Monster: Fact table about oceans and seas - get your students to create their own questions!

Science Kids: Fun facts about the oceans
Breaking News English: A reading with activities on ocean pollution
Teacher Phil English: Advanced video lesson on oceans

Ocean Today: 10 minute World Oceans Day webinar for educators

Beach Chair Scientists: 100 quotes about oceans
YouTube: Learn about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Visually: Download Great Pacific Garbage Patch infographic: ask your students some questions!

NATURE: Website about the movie "OCEANS" by Disney with PDF downloads for educators

A fun way to explore the oceans is to watch the ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Classified as part thriller, and part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

 

June Topic and Themes!

For many teachers and students, June marks the end of the school year, but for others, it's about getting ready for summer classes! There's still a lot to talk about with your ESL students so be sure to check out our June Topics and Themes and don't forget to follow ESL Made Easy for weekly posts. One topic that may not get a lot of attention is Father's Day (June 18th). Why not use the days ahead to talk about the history of Father's Day as well as the various roles fathers play in the family and in the community. 

Other noteworthy topics for this month are World Ocean Day, International Sushi Day, the Summer Solstice, World Music Day, and International Anti-Drug Day. 

ESL Topic: Sleep

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

ESL Library: 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

News English: Reading with activities on sleep and weight gain  

ESL Lounge: Fill in the blank reading with sleep vocabulary 

ESL Pod: Listening dialogue on sleeping troubles 

Listen A Minute: Reading on sleep with follow up activities 

China232: ESL listening podcast on insomnia and sleeping problems

English_Test: Reading with sleep vocabulary

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

ESL-voices: A lesson on sleep and sleep disorders

Heads Up English: A lesson plan on sleep myths

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.

May Themes and Topics

 

Be sure to check out some of the suggested themes and topics for the month of May here! The main topic most of us will be talking about are MOTHERS and their important role in the family and in society!

Depending on where you live, you might want to get your students talking about birds as it's International Migratory Bird Day on May 9th! Other mentionables that might give your students plenty to talk about are World Press Freedom Day, International Nurses Day, World Meditation Day, Purple for Peace Day, Victoria Day (Canada), and Memorial Day (U.S.A).