ESOL Resources

A reading comprehension activity, based on an extract from a Guardian article on the value of smart meters. Questions cover the following skills: reading for gist, skimming, scanning, identifying the use of a pronoun, vocabulary matching and inferring. Suitable for Entry 3 – Level 1. Could also be used as a starter activity at Level 2, prior to using the full text of the article for other activities.

A two sided A4 sheet that builds on the identification of verbs and the spelling rules for past tense verbs. This is followed by a simple knowledge check.

It is designed to be used as a whole group lesson starter. It is differentiated in the sense that more able learners will be expected to complete the more complex tasks.

Editor’s note
The vocabulary in the example sentences is aimed at Painting & Decorating students, but the resource is suitable for all.

A role play which teaches learners how to start looking for work using an agency. It also contains phrases to help learners to ask for clarification.

Three sets of dominoes to use in warm-up and for letter and word recognition activities. The first set, for pre-Entry ESOL and Literacy learners with very low levels of letter and word recognition, matches lower case to capital letter versions, the second set is a set of “doubles”, which can be used alongside the first. The third set, for pre-Entry / Entry 1 ESOL learners, matches a category to an example. Each set has 17 dominoes, so 4 each for a group of 4 learners, plus one to start.

An easy word search (downwards and across only – no diagonals of backward-spelt words). Ideal for consolidating a vocabulary lesson on things to bring to class. A first lesson warmer / homework / filler.

These lesson activities are based on scenes from David Lean’s 1984 film, A Passage to India. Topics relating to culture, integration, separation, race, ethnicity, identity and humanity can easily be raised and discussed via the materials and the film scenes. There are many ways of using this original material and the suggestions are just activities that have worked with L2 and [even] L1 students.

I use this in my ESOL Functional Maths classes. I know there are already excellent measures / postal charges resources on Skillsworkshop, but I wanted to do a matching type exercise, which ESOL students are very familiar with.

Very useful, clear handout for E1-E2 ESOL – with examples.

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.

Using a diary and a timeline to consolidate the use of past and future tense.
Answering and forming questions. What did she do yesterday? She went…
What is she going to do tomorrow? She’s going to ….
Good for practising the day before / after.
Includes answer sheet, other suggested activities and a ‘make your own’ blank diary.
Editor’s note
Page 1 of the resource should be printed in colour if at all possible (or display on a large screen) as colour is cleverly used to distinguish between past, present and future.