Lesson plans and other resources for your online beginners’ classes (CLB 1-4).
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THIS WEEK’S FEATURED POST
Week of Dec. 15/25
Teach your beginner ESL students about preparing for a traditional Canadian Christmas and encourage them to share their own cultural traditions.
The lesson includes interactive vocabulary activities, a short video, and reflection questions to…
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Focus on content: Small talk about the weather
Watch this short video to help your students understand how to make small talk about the weather. This video is part of the “Small talk about the weather” lesson plan.
Making small talk
Lesson plans
Topics for small talk
Learn about good topics for small talk in Canada.
Making small talk about the weather
Learn strategies for making small talk about the weather.
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- Learn2Teach: Small talk (Vocabulary and practice exercises.)
- Learn English by Pocket Passport: Small talk/Beginner English (Short video with tips on good topics for small talk.)
- LearnHip: Conversation cards (Scroll to “Getting to know each other”)
- TCDSB Adult Education Youtube Channel:
- Neighbourhood videos (A series of videos for CLB 1-4 students on topics such as “Where do you live?,” “Welcoming someone to the neighbourhood,” “Making conversation,” “Asking for directions,” and more.)
- Small talk about the weather, 3 examples (Video.)
- The TESL Internet Journal Archives conversation questions: Getting to know each other
Greetings
Lesson plans
Saying “hello”
Learn ways to say “hello” in English.
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- CCLB CNCLC: Greetings and Introductions Module (Greetings and Introductions full module package of classroom materials. Includes audio files. This resource is on Tutela, a free resource-sharing site for ESL teachers. You do need to create an account to access the site.)
- English Central: How’s it going? (Video with comprehension and speaking activities.)
- Learning Chocolate:
- Greetings around the world
- Introductions (Vocabulary for greetings.)
- LINC Learn2Teach: Nice to meet you (A series of vocabulary, role plays, and other activities.)
- VOA, Learning English: Welcome! (Full lesson plan, including speaking, listening, and pronunciation practice.)
First day of class
Lesson plans
First day of class
Choose from a variety of activities to engage your students on the first day of class.
Resources
Links to helpful external resources …
- Introducing yourself and getting to know you:
- All Things Grammar: Basic English dialogs introducing yourself (video)
- Discussion questions:
- LearnHip: Conversation cards (Click on “Getting to know each other” for questions on this topic.)
- The Internet Journal TESL Archives: Getting to know each other
- About your country or nationality:
- English for Beginners: Where do you come from?
- Games to Learn English:
- Falling clouds (Click on “Countries” to find a game to learn words for nationalities.)
- Fast vocab (Click on “Countries” to find a game to learn words for nationalities.)
- Google Earth (Use Google Earth as part of your first class. As students tell you where they are from, you can zoom to their home country.)
- Live Worksheets:
- Countries and nationalities (Learn how to give information about where you were born and your nationality.)
- Countries, nationalities, and flags
- Where are you from?
- MapChart: Where are you from? (Ask students to identify their country on the interactive map. Ask students: Where are you from?, What does your country look like?, What is the weather like right now in your country?)
- Wordwall activities:
- Englishcombin: Countries and nationalities (Sort items into two categories.)
- Urunbaeva87: Country/nationality match-up
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Work
This page includes work-related lesson plans and resources for your beginners’ ESL classes (CLB 1-4). The page includes digital and interactive…
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Your home and community
This page offers digital and interactive links for beginner English classes (CLB 1-4) on homes and communities. Topics include meeting new…
Keep readingHOME AND COMMUNITY YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
Click on the small right arrow at the top of this video to play the videos or go to the YouTube Your Home and Community Playlist.
COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOURS 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 “Community and neighbours” folder, which includes ESL Directions activities that you can add to your lessons.
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ABOUT ESL DIRECTIONS
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 a TESL Canada certified ESL teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, I specialize in teaching online classes of beginner ESL students.
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