Canada Day!

                                Happy Birthday Canada! 

Wednesday, July 1st marks the anniversary date (1867) of the union of the British North America provinces. This statutory holiday means fireworks, festivals, concerts and parades all across Canada! 

It's a proud day for Canadians to celebrate their heritage so why not get your ESL students talking about Canada Day too!

 

Watch Canada Travel Guide video here >>>

The Importance of Bees!

The world needs BEES and there's been a lot of buzz about them lately! Did you know that in North America, one third of the food we consume wouldn't exist without bees and other pollinators?
 

Unfortunately, the global population of bees and other key pollinators is dropping dramatically and scientists are struggling to understand the causes, impacts and potential solutions. A great thing to get your ESL students talking about might be ‎the sort of changes that are affecting the bee population (e.g., loss of habitat, pesticides and even viruses)! >>>

Happy Father's Day!

 

 

Sunday, June 18th marks a special appreciation day for fathers! There's no shortage of online resources so get your ESL students talking about the role of fathers in the family and in society as well as the history behind this celebration!

ESL News Online

Keep your Students Current!

Reading and listening to news online or in print can provide  ESL learners with an opportunity to build vocabulary and improve fluency related to specific news topics. Exposure to authentic material such as news articles not only keeps your students up to date with world issues, but also provides students with a platform for interesting and lively discussions!

TIP: When using news articles, try not to get in the position of having to explain the mechanics of the written piece (grammar and sentence structure), but rather on understanding the related vocabulary and the gist of the story. 

Find up-to-date ESL friendly news stories curated by ESL Made Easy here.

SEE SUGGESTED IDEAS ON HOW TO USE NEWS IN THE CLASSROOM (or 1-on-1) AND RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR NEWS ONLINE FOR ESL STUDENTS HERE.

June Topic: Donating Blood

June 14th is  WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY! This is a great opportunity to get your ESL students talking about what it means to be a blood donor and how donating their blood helps save lives around the world. You might also want to show the World Health Organization's short video clip in support of their "Thank you For Saving My Life" theme this year and read more about this day here. >>>

Learn about blood types, facts and information here by the American Red Cross.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC OF BLOOD By ESL Made Easy:

1. What is blood and why is it important?

2. Does the thought or sight of blood make you feel queasy and faint? Why?

3. Have you ever been a blood donor or needed a blood transfusion? Explain.

4. What are some things that can go wrong with blood? (i.e. blood clots, anemia...etc?)

5. Have you, or has someone you know, ever had problems with their blood? Explain.
 

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC OF BLOOD:

ESL Discussions: Discussion questions about blood

ESL Holiday Lessons: Reading activities on World Bloor Donor Day

News English Lessons: Listening activity on blood donation

ESL Podcast: A ESL podcast on donating blood

Heads Up English: Reading lesson with activities on "What's Your Blood Type?"

ESL-Lab: Listening activity on blood donations

The Free Dictionary: Idioms with the word "blood"

ESL Fast: Listening dialogue with vocabulary on blood pressure

Breaking News English: Reading lesson with activities on blood and life expectancy

Listen A Minute: Reading with activities on the topic of blood

ESL Teachers Board: Blood types - the basics

Poet Poetry Rhymes: Blood donation poem



June Topic: Oceans

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!

June Topics and Themes for ESL Students

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 21st). 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 start of Ramadan, the Summer Solstice, World Music Day, and International Anti-Drug Day. Stay tuned for related links to recommended ESL worksheets and activities!

Improve ESL Listening Skills

Whenever I stumble across a great website for ESL learners, I want to make sure you find it too! 

 

In a nutshell, ESLPOD is full of listening podcasts (for intermediate/advanced levels) with plenty of topics to choose from. ESLPOD is run by a team of experienced ESL teachers in the field and each podcast story has clear and easy explanations on topic-related words (there are plenty of cultural references too!) and expressions. There's a partial script for each podcast that students can follow and an option for slow or fast dialogue.

 

Be sure to visit their website here and get your ESL learners to improve their listening and vocabulary skills in a fun and informative way!

May Topic: Nurses

INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY is celebrated around the globe on May 12th. This date also recognizes the birthdate of the well-known historical figure, Florence Nightingale and her contributions to the nursing field.

Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the world, so get your ESL students talking about nurses' roles, their importance and overall achievements!

 

Download the ESL MADE EASY

"Let's Talk About......Florence Nightingale" worksheet.

Student-centred reading and conversation lesson plan!

Great for multi-level or one on one classes! 

 

 

See video for International Nurses Day here!



May 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!  >>>

Download the ESL MADE EASY
"Let's Talk About......Sleep" worksheet.

Student-centred reading and conversation lesson plan!

Great for multi-level classes or one on one teaching!

Celebrating Mother's Day!

Sunday, May 8th marks a special appreciation day for mothers! Get your students talking about the roles of mothers in the family and in society as well as the modern history behind this well-known celebration.

Download the ESL Made Easy
"LET'S TALK ABOUT...Mother's Day" 
Student-centred reading and conversation lesson plan!
Great for multi-level classes or one on one teaching!

ESL Lesson Plans and Activities

ESL MADE EASY - Finding activities and worksheets for your ESL students couldn't be any easier today as the number of online resources available at our fingertips  continues to grow. Be sure to check out some of our Recommended Sites for ESL Skills on reading, writing, speaking and listening for your ESL students.  And if you are looking for helpful websites for useful vocabulary and activities on topics such as food or the environment, there are plenty of links that can be found on Recommended Sites for ESL Themes and Topics. For those seasoned teachers out there, let us know if you have any preferred sites, books or  classroom ideas that have been successful with your students too!