Lesson plans and other resources for your online beginners’ classes (CLB 1-4).
THIS WEEK’S FEATURED POST
Week of Sept. 28/26
This page gathers helpful links for your online classes of ESL beginners (CLB 1-4) on topics such as Alberta, Canada, health, work, home and community, numbers, transportation, clothes, and grammar. Use these to create your…
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What’s on this page?
Note:
- See also the “Talking about my community” lesson plan on the Your home and community webpage (which has a section on the main areas in Edmonton).
Regions and nature
Lesson plans
Edmonton
Edmonton (Alberta) wildlife
Learn the names of some wild animals you might see in Edmonton.
Finding your way around Edmonton
Learn about Edmonton’s numbered streets and avenues.
Places to go in Edmonton
Learn the names of some places to visit in Edmonton, especially during the summer.
What do you know about Edmonton?
Learn the names of some Edmonton landmarks, shopping malls, and parks.
Alberta
Alberta regions
Find out more about Alberta’s main regions.
Alberta wildlife
Learn about some Alberta wild animals.
Alberta garden flowers
Learn the names of some common Alberta flowers.
Seasons and months
Identify the seasons and months (and what to expect in Alberta).
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- AR-point 99, Four Alberta park videos:
- CALP Portal: Alberta’s parks and special places (Audio and reading passage.)
- My Canadian English (Shona Nichols provides videos and Google slides):
- Parks Canada: Learn to camp videos
- Woodward English: Camping equipment (Video and summary chart.)
Alberta culture and history
Lesson plans
Important places in Alberta’s history
Learn basic facts about Alberta’s Indigenous peoples and the early European explorers.
“Four strong winds”: Learning a famous Alberta song
Learn about a great Alberta song.
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- Indigenous people:
- Jeanine Loran Treaty Commissioner’s Kit: Indigenous people: Explorers meet Indigenous people (This pdf resource is on the Tutela site. The site is free for ESL teachers but requires an account.)
- Statistics Canada: Where do Aboriginal people live in Canada?* (A map from Statistics Canada with additional pop-up information.)
- TCDSB Adult Education: Unit Canada: Indigenous peoples (This resource is on the Tutela site. The site is free for ESL teachers but requires an account.)
Living in Alberta
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- CALP Portal (Listening and reading activities on many topics related to Alberta.)
- My Canadian English (Shona Nichols):
- Calgary Stampede (video and Google slides)
- Norquest College: Alberta Routes, Building capacity in community educators (Many links to Alberta-specific resources for ESL teachers and newcomers.)
RELATED PAGES
Alberta wildlife
The lesson plan introduces students to some wild animals found in Alberta. Aimed at CLB Stage I (1-3) learners, the lesson’s…
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Canada’s regions: Prairie Provinces (CLB 2-4)
Introduce your ESL beginners to Canada’s citizenship guide. This lesson plan is a simplified version of the history and geography of…
Keep readingALBERTA YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
Click on the small right arrow at the top right of this video to see the Alberta YouTube playlist or visit the Alberta playlist.
CANADA WORDWALL ACTIVITIES
Wordwall is a very useful interactive lesson-creation site. If you sign up for a free Wordwall account, you will be able to see our “Canada” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities that you can add to your lessons.
RECENTLY UPDATED PAGES
Understanding over-the-counter medications
This lesson plan teaches your beginner students about over-the-counter medications and the illnesses they treat.…
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Visiting the eye doctor
This lesson plan will help your more advanced beginner students practice basic vocabulary needed for…
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ABOUT ESL DIRECTIONS
Kathy Garnsworthy, the creator of ESL Directions, is an ESL teacher, movie buff, constant reader, and former editor and communications pro. Now a graduate of the Teaching English as a Second Language program at the University of Manitoba and an ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, she specializes in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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