ESOL Resources

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 ESOL lesson embedding numeracy, diversity and British values, centred on the Spring Equinox and three festivals which happen around / on this day - Purim, Holi and Shunbun No Hi. Learners collect unfamiliar words on a vocabulary sheet and ask and answer questions to elicit meaning / explanation. There is a powerpoint to introduce the topic, using acronyms eg 7DIAW  - Seven Days In A Week to elicit key words, and lead to an explanation of what the Vernal Equinox is and when it is.

This is an interactive Smart Notebook exercise that assesses learners’ understanding of the demonstrative pronouns this, that, these, those. It’s really designed as a means of assessment following teaching the this bit of language but could also be used as an introduction or a revision exercise (depending on the level of the class).

On the first slide it is the arrows which the learner needs to know about. Long arrows means further away and short arrows means near(by). The remaining slides ask the learner to choose (or drag) the correct pronoun.

A powerpoint used as a starter with all ESOL maths groups to check the spelling of numbers. I created it for E1 / E2, but always use it as a check with E3 – L2 at the beginning of the year. They all enjoy it and never complain it should be for babies. It could be used for ESOL, Literacy or Numeracy classes.

A selection of smileys are shown on each slide. Clicking reveals the number (as a digit) and a further click reveals the number spelt out as a word. Would be good used with small individual whiteboards.

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.

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!

The story of Edward Elgar is a set of two lovely resources about the famous British composer. A PPT with simple past tense illustrated cloze exercises, accompanied by a very useful, detailed PDF sheet full of teaching ideas including extension ideas, web sites where you can hear Elgar’s music, leaflet about Elgar on bank notes, etc. Illustrated by Will Zawadzki, Abingdon & Witney College.

A simple but very effective set of topical PowerPoints that helps students develop a feel for the shape of words and word boundaries. Also great for stimulating discussion, increasing vocabulary, and encouraging the use of dictionaries.
The seocnd PPT has the added challeng of an extra , spurious letter.

Problems in the home PPT provides group spelling and vocabulary practice along with ideas for speaking practice. Look at the pictures, discuss what the people do (electricians, gas engineers, plumbers, etc.) and the problems they fix. Then type the correct spelling into the box (ideal with a cordless keyboard) before checking the correct spelling with a mouse click. Finish with some skimming and scanning practice using related information from the Yellow Pages.