ESOL Resources

This lesson gives students the opportunity to discuss fundraising and practise reading skills (scanning and reading for detail). The reading text focuses on Mick Cullen, also known as ‘SpeedoMick’, and his long distance walks for charity. The lesson encourages students to try to empathise with Mick and better understand his background, character and motivations. Themes of mental health are also prominent and so it is advised you check with your learners first/use your own professional judgement before doing the optional video task.

Update 24/2/22: written by Sharon Roberts and Alexandra Bates, both of Essex ACL. 
This is a fun activity which encourages ESOL learners to engage with digital technology and transacting online. It provides opportunity to explore vocabulary related to shopping while also discussing the advantages of shopping for food online. It can be adapted to all levels and can be extended for a longer activity if required.

Editor's note

An introduction lesson for ESOL/Pre Entry to help build learner confidence and introduce them to college rules/expectations.

Editor's note

Two complete and very welcoming lessons. Also covers asking and responding to questions about personal information, recognising letters of the alphabet, and classroom equipment.  Lovely :)

This is an activity on New Year. It was written for an E3 ESOL class but could be adapted for E2 fairly easily too. There is a reading comprehension, a group activity, writing practice and also an optional cut-up “top Ten” resolutions activity.

I haven’t done a lesson plan to go with the resources as I think they could be easily adapted and used in different ways.

The resources have been designed to complement the alphabetical ordering component of the E2 and E3 adult literacy exams. There are are four printable worksheets suitable for levels E2-E3. Two worksheets have also been adapted as PPT slides which include audio files so that the jobs and instructions can be heard as well as read.

A complete lesson to help students in using these reference books. Look at and compare the features of different dictionaries, look up words in a dictionary, order words alphabetically and rewrite a text (in aprs) using a thesaurus to replace every instance of “good” with a more appropriate woprd

Lovely introduction to nouns, verbs and adjectives. For E2-3 ESOL and Literacy.
Start with the PPT which is based on a very tasty bakery theme and includes information and examples for students to work through. Follow this with the handout and a highlighting exercise.

Housework is a set of three related resources:
Housework is a very funny video (with a rather predictable ending!) accompanied by words and jolly music and designed to introduce, complement or summarise the two related resources below.
Although aimed at M8-E2, ESOL/Literacy groups of all levels will enjoy this video and it is bound to prompt disucssion. Supplied as a zipped WMV (Windows Media Video) file (6.8 MB). A big thank you must go to Janet Fletcher who co-authored this video!

A set of two resources:
PPT with audio, so you can leave students pressing the left button and repeating the words, while you attend to others. 13 different objects such as pen, stapler, ruler, etc. are covered.
Classroom equipment cards
These cards show some items of vocabulary for equipment which could be requested in class. 12 different objects such as calculator, pencil case, rubber, etc. are included. Cards can be used with or without the words attached – see ideas below.
Picture cards only:

A trip to the cinema is an interactive narrative that follows family as they select a film to see (skimming and scanning), catch the bus (buying a ticket), ask for directions to the cinema, buy cinema tickets and snacks!
Provides prompts, dialogue scripts, maps and other ideas for speaking and listening work. Ideal for revision or recapping after student have covered buying things, giving directions, asking for information, etc.
Please read the notes area on slide 1 of this PPT for teaching ideas, curriculum links, etc.