best esl lesson plan websites

19 Best ESL Websites for Teachers (Free and Paid)

By Caitriona Maria

July 3, 2023

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ESL websites are a great way for teachers to find resources and connect with other professionals in their field. While there are many paid ESL websites available, there are also plenty of free ones that offer good value.

Need to find the best resources to make teaching English a breeze? Teaching ESL has never been easier with the internet’s readily available lessons, worksheets, and slides. By the end of this article, you will know the best websites to find material for English language learners.

First and foremost, most teachers would like to know where to get lesson material they can use on a commercial basis for their classes. For private tutoring, I use Abridge Academy to teach young learners. They also have a great course for finding high-paying private students in China.

Best Courses For ESL Teachers: Abridge Academy

Abridge Academy offers digital lesson slides for kids and a  Teaching in China course  to help find private students overseas. With teachers reportedly earning $50 per hour or more tutoring English to Chinese students online, you can charge the rate you deserve! Read our interview with the cofounder, or click the button below to dive right in.

The best part about their courses? You can immediately begin finding students with their proven roadmap! You won’t need to rely on teaching jobs and can work independently on your own schedule!

Ready to learn about other excellent resources available to teachers? There are so many websites to choose from, and you may find one suitable for your learners’ needs and goals.

Best ESL Websites

These ESL websites for teachers are useful for homework, lesson, and game ideas. It will cut your teaching preparation in half!

1.  ISL Collective (islcollective.com)

ISL Collective is stocked with free English ESL worksheets , activities, and video lessons, making it one of the best ESL websites for teachers. You can search their bank of resources for virtually any topic.

You can even make your own video quiz from a YouTube video. Enter the Youtube Video URL, and ISL Collective will automatically pull up questions for every learner level.

ISL Collective is one you should check out. When I worked at Dada , I had to assign homework for each student. I find a lot of my homework worksheets from ISL Collective. However, some of these worksheets contain mistakes, so you must double-check everything before handing them out to your students.

2. ESL Printables (eslprintables.com)

ESL Printables operates on a “quid pro quo” arrangement. You upload and share your own materials, and in return, you can download other teachers’ materials. You can easily sort through content according to your needs. Sort by level, age, and type of material.

They have every kind of teacher resource, from articles to activity cards to flip charts. ESL Printables are a fantastic resource for sharing and contributing your work.

3. Crystal Clear English (esl-curriculum.com)

If you find the other websites are incomplete, Crystal Clear English is a new website that may be right up your alley. Crystal Clear English is new and innovatively designed for freelance online teachers. Each curriculum costs about $10 per month to access and comes with a 14-day free trial.

Crystal Clear English takes out all of the guesswork when it comes to lesson planning by building a well-laid-out curriculum. While this is a new website, they continually add material and build the curriculum. They currently have lessons for kids (up to CEFR B1), Business English Curriculum, Speak Like a Native Curriculum, IELTS Preparation Curriculum, and more.

4. Elllo (ELLLO.ORG)

Elllo is an ESL website with a variety of audio material, scripts, vocabulary, and speaking exercises for both teachers and students. It filters by ESL level, student country, topic, games, and news to help find the right content quickly. Elllo also provides a “Teacher Tips” page, which explains different ways to use it in class or assign it as homework. A special section dedicated to beginner students can be used by teachers looking for new materials.

You may also be interested in:   Excellent ESL Icebreaker Activities

5. Breaking News English (breakingnewsenglish.com)

This site is perfect for just that– news. The difference between this and looking up regular news sites is that you can find news stories according to the level you are teaching. There are seven levels, from elementary to advanced. News stories have audio and reading versions.

They even provide printable exercises, comprehension questions, and more. You can find up-to-date and relevant news on the site as they are constantly adding more stories.

For English Language Teachers or Those Looking to Get Started…

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6. Learner’s Dictionary (learnersdictionary.com)

The online dictionary will provide clear and concise definitions for ESL learners. Simply type in a word, and you will see a definition of how to say it and an example sentence. No more hemming and hawing when you are trying to explain something! 

7. ESL Games Plus (eslgamesplus.com)

These are fun, educational games designed for kids and teenagers. It teaches a variety of topics, such as specific grammar points, sentence structures, phonics, and more. This is a good way to reinforce learning points or help students learn in a fun way. 

Games are an arguably important part of lessons as it keeps students engaged.

If you are looking for more games to play online, I suggest checking out our post: 27 Free and Fun Online ESL Games.

8. ESL Video (eslvideo.com)

ESL Video is a site that has interesting and popular videos from YouTube, TV shows and movies. The videos are a couple of minutes long each. They also come with a transcript, quiz, exercises and notes.

While you can surf YouTube to find videos yourself, the videos at ESL Video are broken down into different levels, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1). It is a perfect way to find the appropriate video for your student. There are many interesting subjects to discuss.

The site also features some PowerPoint lessons, songs, and other free worksheets.

9. Google Images (google.com)

Harnessing the power of search, Google Images is great for quickly exploring a range of worksheets across the web.

If you type in the topic here and add ESL at the end of your search, for example, “the beach + ESL”  you will find lots of potential worksheets or lessons to use. You can use Google Images to sort through the available worksheets from various sites quickly.

10. Free English Lesson Plans (freeenglishlessonplans.com)

Tim, a British English teacher living in Spain, created Free English Lesson Plans. He created this website to give back to the community by providing free lesson plans and activities.

He asks you to share a link to his website in return for using his lesson materials.

11. Onestopenglish (onestopenglish.com)

Onestopenglish claims to be the number one resource site for English language teachers.

It deserves mention, with over 9000 resources and more than 700000 registered users. This site includes flashcards, workshops, worksheets, audio and video. You can sort material by children, teenagers, and adults. It covers business, exams, and more. The yearly subscription is $28.

12. Oxford Owl (home.oxfordowl.co.uk)

Oxford Owl has many free, high-quality e-book resources for kids. Enjoy reading the Biff, Chip and Kipper series or their leveled phonic books. You might also enjoy their writing section or their other printable activities.

You may also be interested in: Best Free ESL Worksheets for Kids

13. Twinkl (twinkl.co.uk)

Twinkl Education Publishing supports the global teaching community with teacher-created resources ranging from entire schemes of work, lesson planning, and assessment to educational games, augmented reality, and much more. With over 525,000 resources available to download, new content is added every day.

14. ESL Pals (eslpals.com)

ESL Pals is a new website with a range of lessons for all learners, from kids to adults. I got to try some of their free lessons with my older students, and I was happy with the quality. I liked the style of the lessons and there was a lot to learn in each lesson!

ESL Pals has many lessons to browse through. You could start with their free lessons first to see if they interest you!

15. Learnaling (teach.learnaling.com)

I heard about Learnaling through a teacher’s Facebook group, and it seems like it is gaining some popularity. Learnaling is a curriculum-based site for online teachers with lessons for aged 5-12. The lessons are interactive and 20-30 minutes long. They are loosely based on the CEFR scale. This is quite a new site. There are currently 200 lessons, and 4-6 new lessons are being created each week. Get the first month free, and it’s $16 thereafter.

16. ESL Library (ellii.com)

I used ESL Library for a short time and found it was good for supplemental material. You can search the ESL library for lesson resources, flashcards or blog posts. They have more than 1000 lessons, 3000 flashcards, and 200 other resources.

You can save lessons and plan ahead of time with the ESL lesson plan calendar. You can access most of the learning material for $11 per month.

17. Teachers Pay Teachers (teacherspayteachers.com)

Teachers Pay Teachers is a great site to find educational resources produced by other teachers. You can find resources on any subject, from language learning to music to seasonal holidays.

You can find all kinds of resources and lesson plans on Teachers Pay Teachers . Everything is pretty affordable, and you can sort by reviews. 

18. ESL Expat (eslexpat.com)

ESL Expat is perfect for the traveling teacher. It features jobs, activities, and blogs for teachers.

Their site has lots of materials suitable for teaching abroad, including fun games and activities.

They have a blog dedicated to teachers. Read teachers’ stories about teaching English in different countries , help, tips, and advice. You can also find a job teaching abroad.

19. Boggles World ESL (bogglesworldesl.com)

Boggles World ESL is suitable for both adults and children. You can find entire lesson plans, games, and activities.

It has an “Ask Thomas” section discussing answers to common English questions and rules. It provides instructions to show you how to teach tricky lessons such as grammar . 

While the website looks old and overwhelming to get around at first, it has some high-quality worksheets. I particularly like their phonics resources section, such as the digraphs. I think the resources are pretty good, considering they are free.

That’s it! Hope you enjoyed these best ESL websites for teachers. These websites are great resources for your teaching career. Teach English with an online company! Check out our jobs here. 

Looking for Even more Resources?

• Free Games to Play with ESL Students
• Best Websites for Teaching Grammar

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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.

Becoming an Independent Online ESL Teacher: Interview With Katie From Abridge Academy

New 13 highest-paying online teaching jobs (2023).

Whats Going down i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It positively helpful and it has helped me out loads. I am hoping to give a contribution

Thanks, I appreciate the comment!

Hi, Nice list. I would add https://eslvault.com to it also. Free materials with no sign up required.

Thanks a lot!

Don’t forget Twinkl – they have over 750,000 resources and many of them are free! 🙂

Yes, there are actually a ton of websites worth mentioning that I forgot about

Super resources here, especially as more learn English, the language of commerce. Thumbs up.

Great to hear, thanks Ryan!

would love for my website to be considered for the list you have created. I created my website back in 2020 and has hundreds of free resources, ranging from kindergarten worksheets to essay examples.

http://www.mrgregenglish.com

Thanks for having a look! 🙂

Love it, thanks!

Cool English is a great interactive site for teachers very different than all the others.

coolenglish.net

It would be great if you would consider also adding TEFLlessons.com to your list. We have hundreds of effective and engaging resources, including 100 free materials 🙂

You can check some of them out here…

https://tefllessons.com/product/introduction-to-phonetics/

https://tefllessons.com/product/question-words-conversation/

https://tefllessons.com/product/happiness-idioms/

Thanks for the great list 🙂 I just wanted to let you know about our site — https://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com . We’ve been around since 2006 and have hundreds of exercises, worksheets, and other resources for students and teachers of English. Apart from all our free resources, we have one of the best online subscription services for English learners (PREMIUM LOUNGE). Cheers! 🙂

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• 37 of the Best Websites for EFL & ESL Teachers
• Teaching English
• James Prior
• No Comments
• Updated May 2, 2024

Finding a good website to use when teaching English can be crucial for EFL & ESL teachers . From lesson plans and grammar exercises, to playing games with your students, the best websites for EFL & ESL teachers can help transform your lessons.

To help make your English teaching lives easier we’ve compiled a list of them – and they’re nearly all free! Read on to learn more.

These days, thanks to the internet, many of the best English teaching resources are now available at our fingertips. All good EFL and ESL teachers know that you can never have too many teaching resources, but with nearly 2 billion websites online (and counting) how do you know where to look!?

Luckily, we’re always on the lookout for the best websites for EFL and ESL teachers, and you’ll find many of them here. You may even be inspired to create your own teacher website .

So, if you’re looking for lesson plans, worksheets, grammar exercises or songs and games for your English lessons, check out the best websites for ESL & EFL teachers below. Just make sure you bookmark this page to save it for later!

If you think we’ve missed anything just let us know in the comments.

Table of Contents

The 37 best websites for EFL & ESL Teachers

Usingenglish.com.

From idioms and phrasal verbs to quizzes and language tests. UsingEnglish.com is a general English language site that specializes in ESL and has thousands of materials that can help your students. You can also find lesson plans, handouts and printables that you can take advantage of.

EnglishClub.com

English Club is a veteran in the ESL world having been around since 1997. This doesn’t stop them having a highly useful site and you’ll find a plethora of resources there. In fact, the English Club covers pretty much everything from grammar, vocab and pronunciation to listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Grammarism.com

Want to help your students improve their grammar? Grammarism offers over 15,000 personalized worksheets with auto-generated exercises to help your students learn English grammar. With over 300,000 exercises ranging from beginner to intermediate level, your students won’t run out of practice materials any time soon.

Onestopenglish.com

Onestopenglish from Macmillan Education provides access to thousands of resources for English language teachers. This includes lesson plans, worksheets, audio, video and flashcards and they have resources for students of all ages and levels. They also offer lesson plans for exams such as IELTS and the Cambridge exams. With more than 700,000 registered users in over 100 countries they must be doing something right!

Leonardoenglish.com

Leonardo English is the company behind the “English Learning for Curious Minds” podcast, a popular podcast for intermediate-advanced level English learners. You can find all of the podcast episodes on this website, and they include subtitles, transcripts and vocabulary lists. Handy as a tool to give students as a take-home exercise! 

BusyTeacher.org

Are you a busy teacher? If yes then this could be just the website you have been looking for! Busy Teacher offer articles, worksheets, flashcards and more for ESL teachers. With their library of resources you can improve the way you teach and save hours on lesson preparation time each week.

Teach-This.com

Teach-This.com offers a wealth of ESL activities, worksheets, games and lessons, which can help you teach all of the core English skills. The website is broken down into very easily navigable sections and topics, and each worksheet is marked with the targeted English level.

ESL-Lounge.com

ESL lounge has hundreds of ESL lesson plans with a focus on communication in the classroom. They also offer grammar worksheets, games and advice on choosing the best materials for your lessons.

Off2Class.com

Off2Class offer up to 150 free downloadable lesson plans for your English classes and covers all areas of grammar as well some vocabulary and Business English. When you’re short on time, the website forms a great way to quickly put a lesson together. Additionally, if you like what you see, you can pay to access the full library of 950 + lessons. That’s a lot of time saved on lesson preparation!

BritishCouncil.org

The British Council has a great range of resources for teaching English to kids, teens and adults. You’ll find activities, stories, articles, lesson plans and teaching tools. All of these will help you deliver your lesson regardless of the age or location of your students.

ESLfriend.com

Your friend in the classroom, ESLfriend has a wide variety of materials that you can utilize in your classes. You’ll find lessons organized by levels and topics and there are even some TED Talk lessons to keep your students fully engaged.

ESL-Galaxy.com

ESL Galaxy offer a great selection of free ESL printables, kids activities, games and online exercises for grammar, vocabulary & pronunciation.

ESLPals.com

Great for lesson plans for adults and kids, ESL Pals release new lessons every Friday. They have a decent amount of content you can access for free, and if you want to access the full library you can take out their yearly plan for $49.

ESLlibray.com

With a sleek, modern look, ESL library is a literal library of ESL lesson resources, flashcards and blog posts. You can get a number of great sample lessons for free, or sign up for $15/month to access the full library.

ESLGold.com

ESL Gold has a great range of speaking, grammar, vocabulary, listening and reading resources. The best part, they’re all free! You can filter resources by level and find a variety of great exercises.

Englishwsheets.com

Englishwsheets offer worksheets for both teachers and learners and is a great resource for grammar and vocabulary in particular. All of the vocabulary worksheets come with illustrations and games, making them ideal for younger learners.

Englishlinx.com

Englishlinx provides a great selection of free worksheets that you can make use of in the classroom. They cover nearly all areas of grammar and include worksheets on idioms, prepositions and transitional words.

Englishgrammar.org

Does what it says on the tin. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about English grammar to help your students improve their written and spoken English. You can search a list of specific topics and find interactive exercises, quizzes and PDF lessons to help test your students’ knowledge and understanding of English grammar rules.

Linguapress.com

Linguapress covers English grammar along with word games and reading resources for intermediate and advanced English students. Although they state they are primarily geared towards EFL learners, their content is equally applicable to the ESL classroom. It’s a great place to find worksheets and help get your students to learn English from reading .

ESLConversationQuestions.com

If you’re looking for conversation questions for your class, ESL Conversation Questions has got you covered! You’ll find questions sorted by topic, grammar and textbook. There are enough conversation questions to keep your students talking as long as you need them to.

BreakingNewsEnglish.com

This is a site for ESL and EFL students and teachers who want to have lessons around new and current affairs. There are 2 new lessons released every week for a variety of different levels, with over 3000 lessons already on site.  These can form a great resource for discussion or you can choose to build the entire lesson or homework around them.

A project of The Internet TESL Journal, this has a vast array of conversation questions that you can use in the ESL and EFL classroom. So, if you want to get your students talking just click on a topic you’re studying and find enough questions to keep them going as long as you want.

ESLDiscussions.com

Another great one for facilitating conversations. ESL Discussions lists topics alphabetically which you can click into to find a number of questions on that subject area. Suitable for students with a slightly more advanced level, it offers ideal practice to help them express their opinions.

ELLLO, or the English Listening Lesson Library Online, has over 3,000 free listening activities. You can access lessons for beginner, intermediate and advanced English students. The site has a strong focus on natural English conversations and each lesson comes with a script, notes on important vocabulary and a quiz to test your students’ comprehension.

ESL-Lab.com

Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab is a great resource that you can utilize to help boost your students’ listening skills. Online since 1998, listening activities at ESL-Lab focus on comprehension skills based on content, voices, vocabulary and natural speed. The site has activities and quizzes for all levels of ESL learners so you can make use of it in all of your classes.

eslwriting.org

If you need ESL writing activities then this is the place to go. Run by professional writer Rob Whyte, new writing lessons are added ever week so you’ll never run out of new material to practice writing with your students.

Dictionary.com

Who doesn’t need a dictionary when learning a language ? If you or your students are struggling to find the definition of a word why not use this site rather than lugging a heavy book around.

ESLprintables.com

ESL Printables is the place to go to exchange your teaching resources with other teachers. Operating on an I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine model, you’ll need to send your own contributions if you want to download resources. However, once you do this you get access to over 700,000 ESL printables ranging from lesson plans and worksheets to activities.

islcollective.com

An international community of more than a million ESL/EFL language teachers, islcollective is a place where teachers can share their self-made language teaching materials. It has loads of ESL worksheets, PowerPoints and video lessons that you can make use of. You may even decide to create some resources of your own which others can benefit from!

Wordwall.net

Wordwall is a fantastic website where you can create your own English teaching resources and use those already created by other teachers. It is primarily focused on learning through games and quizzes and you’ll find a whole host of fun activities for your class.

At twinkl there are tons of games, flashcards and worksheets that you can use as an ESL teacher. They are neatly organized by skill, topic and level so it easy to find something appropriate for your students and you can also create your own resources.

GamestoLearnEnglish.com

What more needs to be said? The website name it explains it all. You can find spelling games , plus games on the time, weather, food and animals among others.

Bamboozle.com

Bamboozle is all about games. Whilst it’s not targeted purely at English language learners there are still thousands of ESL games available – all you have to do is type in your topic in search on the site. There are so many games on Bamboozle that you won’t get time to play them all. So, if you want to find some good ones it’s worth checking out YouTube for some dedicated reviews of the best ESL games on Bamboozle. They’re great if you are teaching English to young learners in particular.

ESLGamesPlus.com

ESL Games Plus is ideal for teaching ESL to kids and teenagers. It offers a range of fun, interactive online games with activities for teaching and practicing English grammar, vocabulary, sentences, listening and pronunciation skills.

Quizlet.com

Quizlet can help your students learn through interactive tools and games. You can make use of flashcards, learning exercises and writing and spelling tests. Through Quizlet you can create study sets and a variety of different activities for your students, and it is suitable for learners of all levels and study needs.

SuperSimple.com

Do you like using songs to teach English to young learners ? If the answer is yes, you will find loads of great songs on Super Simple. They really are Super Simple for children to learn and enjoy too. If they ever get bored of singing you can also find a range of fun activities.

ESLVideo.com

ESL Video provides free ESL video lessons and listening activities for teaching and learning English. You can create your own video quizzes and find video quizzes by topic and English level created by other teachers. What’s more, you can set up class pages and keep track of your students’ quiz scores, which they can take anywhere they like.

Are these all of the best websites for EFL and ESL teachers?

We hope that you find this list of the best websites for EFL and ESL teachers useful. Many of these resources can be used for both classroom and online based teaching.

There are of course other websites that can make your life as a teacher easier:

• Check out these tools for online teaching and start saving yourself some time!
• If you’re looking for ideas to teach and travel, not just resources for the classroom, it’s worth visiting these interesting TEFL blogs .
• For a long list of other informative TEFL websites and blogs look here .
• Feeling inspired by all of this? Why not create a teacher website of your own.

Finally, if you can think of any other websites that you think should be included on this page, please let us know in the comments below!

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ESL Activities

ESL Games, Activities, Lesson Plans, Jobs & More

in Jobs and TEFL Cert · Reading · Speaking · Writing

ESL Websites for English Teachers: Top 25 Resources

If you’re looking for some of the best ESL websites for teachers as well as English learners, then you’re certainly in the right place. We’re going to give you the rundown on the best ESL websites for lesson planning, jobs and forums, along with websites for learning English for kids as well as adults.

Websites for ESL teachers

Top 25 Websites for English Teachers

Let’s get into the best websites for ESL teachers.

Lesson Planning, Worksheets, and Activities

Esl speaking .

If you’re looking for some activities, games or resources for teaching English speaking, then you’ll certainly want to check out ESL Speaking. There is a wealth of these things, along with lesson plans, worksheets and more.

Okay, let’s be honest here. ITESLJ does certainly need an overhaul to take it out of the 1990’s but it’s certainly worth a look, especially if you’re looking for ESL worksheets. In terms of the sheer amount of content, this site rules them all and with a bit of searching, you should be able to find what you’re looking for easily enough.

Breaking News English

If you teach teenagers or adults conversational English , this may be the only website you ever need. There are some excellent lesson plans based on what’s in the news lately. There’s a variety of levels and activities that target various skills ( reading , listening, writing, vocabulary , etc.).

English Listening Lesson Library

A few years ago, I taught a class focused exclusively on ESL listening and to be honest, I was a bit nervous. That’s when I found out about the ESL teaching awesome of ELLO. They have some excellent audio and video lessons that are detailed, interesting, and engaging. Just about everything you need to teach ESL listening.

ESL Writing

If you teach writing, either formal (academic) or informal, then the ultimate website for that is ESL Writing . There are lesson plans, activities and a whole bunch of other resources to help students write more interestingly and creatively. The results? Excellent, if my students are any indication!

I love to use different kinds of media in my classes whenever possible and ESL video makes this super easy. Not only are there curated videos but you can find accompanying lesson plans, quizzes, etc to go along with them. This makes it super easy to plan some interesting ESL lessons.

ESL websites for teachers and students

ESL Job Resources

Profs abroad.

This ESL website is the first and only site dedicated exclusively to university ESL teaching jobs around the world. It’s paid, but totally worth the low fee is you’re serious about landing one of these sweet gigs that don’t involve teaching little kids! New jobs are added frequently so consider subscribing again, even if you have in the past.

Out of all the ESL teaching job websites, ESL Cafe stands a cut above the rest. Not in terms of usability, although it’s a lot better since a recent site overhaul, but just in terms of sheer numbers of jobs. They are divided up into China, Korea, and international ones and this should certainly be your first stop when starting a job search.

Along with ESL Cafe, TEFL.com is a go-to resource for job seekers. It’s been around for years and certainly has a good base of schools that advertise there. It’s less focused on China and Korea than ESL Cafe and can be a good place to find jobs off the beaten track like Puerto Rico, Sweden , or  Finland .

I generally don’t recommend recruiters to find ESL teaching jobs with only one exception, Teach Away. They are super-s0lid, totally above board and filter out all the crappy jobs that you don’t want anyway. If you’re a certified teacher in your home country, Teach Away should also be able to land a solid job in a public school or international school.

The Jet Program

One of the most interesting options for ESL teaching jobs in Japan is the Jet Program. Basically, it places native English speakers in public schools throughout Japan, with the focus on it being a language and cultural exchange. The pay is quite good too but it’s very competitive to get this job. It’s one of the only ways to get teaching English in Okinawa jobs .

EF English First

English First is one of the biggest employers when it comes to ESL teaching around the world. They are currently hiring for China, Indonesia and Russa and one of the best things about this company is that it’s often possible to advance into management or transfer.

This is another big company that has branches in various countries around the world. Hess has locations in South Korea, Vietnam , China, Singapore and Taiwan . Currently, Taiwan has the most available jobs.

Best websites for ESL students and teachers.

Country-Specific ESL teaching Resources

My life teaching in a korean university.

Korean university jobs are some of the most coveted ones in the ESL teaching world. Who doesn’t like 5 months of paid vacation and lucrative overtime opportunities, right? Your first stop for all the information you need to know about how to get this job and what to do once you have it is My Life! Teaching in a Korean University, run by a vet of 10 years teaching in Korean unis.

Waygook.org

If you’re teaching in South Korea, or are considering heading there, head over to Waygook. The forums are filled with helpful people ready to answer just about any question you might have. And, if you’re teaching in a public school and need some lesson planning resources? They’re very well-known for that as well.

Go Overseas

If you’re looking for specific information about teaching in a certain country, Go Overseas should be one of your first stops. They have this general information but also a ton of informative articles about certain jobs to consider, salaries, tips for living and more.

If you’re looking for all things teaching ESL in Japan, including jobs in an Eikaiwa , apartments, studying Japanese, forums, etc., then Gaijin Pot should be your first stop. It’s far and away the best site for English teachers in Japan.

If you’re looking for a forum to get all your questions answered about teaching English in Taiwan, Forumosa should be your first stop. It’s a very active site with lots of people willing to answer any and all questions bout teaching ESL in Taiwan.

International TEFL Academy

I don’t love to recommend websites that sell TEFL courses with one exception, International TEFL Academy. They have a ton of great information about various countries to consider teaching in, particularly the Middle East. There isn’t a ton of information about this but this website is one of the best.

Transitions Abroad

A nice source for general information about teaching ESL in a certain county is Transitions Abroad. Plus, they have jobs, detailed country guides, and specific information like how to travel around a certain place.

Best Websites for ESL Students

Using english.

If I’m going to recommend a single, general resource to my students for practicing their English skills, it’s Using English. This website is designed for ESL students specifically and has idioms, English grammar, quizzes, vocabulary and all the other things in abundance.

ESL Games World

One of the best sources for all things kids practicing English online is ESL Games World. There are a ton of interactive and engaging ESL games for kids here along with lots of things teachers can use like PowerPoint and printable games.

Business English Pod

If you have students who are serious about business English, then you’ll definitely want to recommend Business English Pod to them. It’s a paid site but there is also a lot of free resources to check out. Teachers can use it too when teaching business English! It’s my go-to source for this kind of class.

Need more ideas? Check this out: Business English ESL Activities .

Learn English Kids

The British Council certainly does some great work when it comes to websites for English learners. Learn English Kids has a ton of resources that are interactive and fun. I always like to recommend it to parents and kids who want to get some extra practice for English when not in my class!

Learn English

This is the adult version from the British Council of their kids’ site. It has a ton of excellent resources for learning English and you could literally spend a lifetime cruising around this site, learning new things! This is also the source for all things technical ESL teaching, including examples of discourse .

Did you like this list of the Best ESL Websites? 

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Bolen, Jackie (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 148 Pages - 03/09/2016 (Publication Date)

Yes? Thought so. Then you’re going to love this book over on Amazon: 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults . The key to better TEFL classes is a wide variety of games and activities and this book will help you get there in style.

You can find the book in a variety of different formats. Keep a copy on the bookshelf in your office to use as a handy reference guide when planning your ESL lessons. Or, take the digital version with you to your favourite coffee shop for some lesson planning on the go. Finally, consider listening to the audio version on your commute for some ESL teaching inspiration.

Whatever the case, get ready for some serious ESL teaching awesome in your life. Check it out here:

Where Can ESL Teachers Find Resources for Their Lessons?

ESL teachers can find resources for their lessons from various sources. Here are some places to look for ESL teaching materials:

Textbooks and Coursebooks

ESL-specific textbooks and coursebooks provide structured lessons and materials for different proficiency levels.

Online ESL Platforms

Websites and platforms dedicated to ESL teaching often offer free or paid resources, including lesson plans, worksheets, activities, games, and multimedia materials.

ESL Teacher Websites and Blogs

Many ESL teachers and educators maintain their websites or blogs where they share lesson plans, teaching tips, and downloadable resources.

ESL Teaching Communities and Forums

Joining online communities and forums for ESL teachers allows you to connect with other professionals and exchange teaching materials and ideas.

Educational Publishers

Explore websites of educational publishers that specialize in ESL materials. They often provide sample resources, downloadable worksheets, and supplementary materials.

Online Libraries and Resource Centers

Some universities or organizations have online libraries or resource centers that offer a wide range of ESL teaching materials, including lesson plans, activities, and assessments.

ESL Resource Books

There are numerous published books available specifically for ESL teachers, offering a wealth of lesson plans, activities, and strategies.

Authentic Materials

Authentic materials, such as newspapers, magazines, online articles, videos, and podcasts, can be used to supplement ESL lessons and make them more relevant and engaging.

Online Teaching Platforms

If you are an online ESL teacher, the platform you teach on may have a resource library with pre-made lessons, teaching materials, and activities.

Teacher-created Resources

Many teachers share their self-created resources on platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers. You can find a wide range of ESL materials created by fellow educators.

There are a number of common questions that teachers have about this topic. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

Are ESL websites free?

Some ESL websites offer free resources, while others have a combination of free and premium content. It depends on the specific website and the resources they provide.

Can ESL websites help me with lesson planning?

Yes, ESL websites are valuable for lesson planning. They offer pre-made lesson plans, activity ideas, and materials that you can adapt to suit your students’ needs and learning goals.

Can ESL websites help me improve my teaching skills?

Absolutely! Many ESL websites provide professional development resources, articles, webinars, and courses that can enhance your teaching skills and keep you updated with the latest teaching methodologies and strategies.

How do I find reliable and reputable ESL websites?

When searching for ESL websites, consider recommendations from fellow teachers, check for positive reviews, and look for websites affiliated with established educational institutions, reputable publishers, or well-known ESL organizations.

Have Your Say about ESL Websites

What’s your top pick for an ESL website for teachers or an ESL website for students? Is there one that you’d like to include on this list? Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. It’ll help other busy English teachers, like yourself find this useful resource.

Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 60 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at: YouTube Facebook Pinterest TikTok LinkedIn Instagram

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How to Create ESL Lesson Plans for TEFL + 15 Top Sites to Find Free Ones!

Camille turner.

• February 24, 2024

A carefully structured TEF/TESOL lesson plan guides your curriculum as a teacher and provides measurable objectives for students. However, even the best teachers don’t always have time to write their plans from scratch! Fortunately, there are some great websites, like TEFL Lessons and Using English.com , where you can find high-quality free ESL lesson plans. Many of these sites also offer subscription models to access full libraries of English lesson plans. Let’s take a look at why it’s necessary to plan lessons for teaching English online and in person, how to write your own plans, and top sites for finding free ESL lesson plans.

New to TEFL? Get certified to teach English around the world with the 120-hour Bridge Master Certificate , which includes training in teaching methodologies and effective lesson-planning strategies.

First, what are ESL lesson plans and why do I need them?

How do you structure a lesson what should i consider, how do you write esl lesson plans, 1. usingenglish.com, 2. bridge togas® ebooks, 3. tefl.net, 4. the british council, 5. lanternfish esl, 6. thoughtco, 7. busyteacher, 8. english is a piece of cake, 9. the internet tesl journal, 10. islcollective, 11. fluentize, 12. off2class, 13. tefl lessons, 14. esl pals.

ESL lesson plans provide a structured breakdown of what you intend to do during class time. A good English lesson plan requires careful planning in advance and ensures that each lesson you teach has a purpose and advances the overall curriculum and class goals.

ESL lesson plans keep you on track when teaching and help you fill class time with relevant and appropriate activities. Without a lesson plan, you may find yourself unsure how to fill leftover time in class, repeating the same activities until students lose interest, or not meeting investor expectations.

Teachers also rely on their ESL lesson plans to guide their class pacing. This is perhaps even more important when teaching English online , as many virtual platforms will end automatically at a designated time, so it is essential that teachers begin and end class on time.

These last-minute ESL lesson plans can be adapted for any class.

In your online TEFL certification course , you’ll learn that there are many things to consider when structuring a lesson plan. Below are just some of the essential points to include in your plan and to factor in when deciding what concepts to cover and which activities to conduct.

When creating an English lesson plan or deciding which pre-made resource to use, it’s important to take into account what your objectives are for the lesson . In other words, what is the target language you want to teach and what do you hope your students will be able to do by the end of the lesson? Defining your teaching objectives will help you achieve overarching goals for your curriculum, create focused lessons that have a purpose, and measure specific learning outcomes for each class.

Required materials

With any lesson, there’ll be certain materials you’ll need, such as paper, markers, handouts, a projector, or access to certain digital tools . A lesson plan is a great place to note all of the required materials for a lesson so you don’t forget to prepare the necessary supplies for class. It’s also important to consider what resources the school or language institute where you teach is capable of providing and reform your lesson plans to meet possible restrictions. Online English teachers will need to make sure that the materials they choose to use are suitable for the digital classroom as well.

• Pro Tip: You can use the resources you have to conduct ESL “investigation tables” for young learners. Read about investigation tables and more creative activities for children in this interview with Bridge alum Juliana . 

It’s crucial to plan how much time you think each part of your lesson plan will take so that you have enough material (but not too much) to teach the lesson well within the allotted class time. Try including one optional activity at the end of class to anticipate any leftover time you might have.

For days when your students breeze through the lesson plan quicker than you expect, check out these 10 no-prep ESL activities for the last 10 minutes of class with kids !

Class age, level, and size

When creating a lesson plan, you must take into account how many students you have as well as their age and English level. These factors will shape your entire lesson, and noting these details in your lesson plan will make it easier to reuse the plan for future classes.

It’s no secret that teenage students like to talk! One solution to this is to allow more group work. Check out more tips and techniques to effectively teach teens ESL .

Anticipated problems

A lesson plan is a great place to note any potential problems you anticipate and how you plan to solve them. This could include providing fast finisher activities, filling leftover time , reducing side conversations during group work, or dealing with a technological issue. Having a plan in place ahead of time to deal with these types of problems will allow you to remain calm and in control during the class and reduce wasted time.

Take a look at these classroom management strategies for teaching groups online.

Teaching method

Many teachers have preferred ESL teaching methods that they use to plan their lessons. An example of a teaching method is Task-Based Learning (TBL) , which uses real-life scenarios to practice the language. If you subscribe to this method of teaching, you’ll want to cater your lesson plan to activities that prioritize real-world language practice. Keeping a teaching method in mind can help you organize information and activities during the lesson-planning stage.

If you choose to create your own lesson plans from scratch, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel! You aren’t the very first teacher who ever tried to get a room of young learners to understand a concept, and you won’t be the last.

Use a variety of frameworks for your lesson plans and research the techniques experts consider most effective for different levels, learners, and situations. You probably touched on these in your TEFL course , so think back to when you initially got certified. We’ve outlined the most common teaching methods below, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.

• PPP method (Present, Practice, Produce) – A classic method, with higher teacher input at the beginning, moving students toward independent use of new concepts by the end.
• TTT method (Test, Teach, Test) – Drop students into a task that has new concepts, check what they already know and give feedback, and then repeat the task to demonstrate progress made.
• TBL (Task-Based Learning) – Put the new concepts into actual practice by simulating real-life situations and identifying a goal to be accomplished using the language learned.
• Growth Mindset Learning – Explicitly persuading students of their own ability to learn new things and apply them, with space to make mistakes.

In all honesty, the best teachers synthesize these methods into their own unique personalities and build on them over time. If you are a newbie, practice using them on their own for a whole lesson to get a feel for what could be useful for your own circumstances.

Download the free ESL Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning Resources to find the tools that will benefit you and your students the most!

Using AI to create lesson plans

Many teachers today are using AI tools to create their lesson plans as well. While you should first become familiar with writing lesson plans yourself before diving into this resource, it is a great tool for teachers who are familiar with all aspects of lesson planning. AI can be a helpful teaching assistant, providing you support as you craft effective lesson plans, but you don’t want to depend on these tools entirely, as any generated results still require careful considerations, revisions, and additions.

To create a lesson plan using an AI assistant, you’ll want to first research and choose an AI resource such as Claude.ai or Lessonplans.ai. The most important part of creating a lesson with an AI assistant is writing your prompt. The more details and specifics you include, the better your generated lesson plan will be. You’ll want to include details like the lesson objective, the focus of the lesson (i.e., a specific grammar or writing skill), the age of your students, and much more.

Creating ESL lesson plans using AI takes practice, and even if you get to the point where you craft fantastic, detailed prompts to generate your lessons, you’ll want to carefully read through the lesson plans, check any generated links, and update any necessary details.

Take your lesson plans to the next level with a 20-hour Micro-credential in Materials Development for the EFL Classroom.

Where can I find free ESL lesson plans?

Even if you know how to write lesson plans, that doesn’t mean you don’t want access to free, pre-made plans to mix it up in class and also save time. They can be especially helpful for independent teachers who start their own businesses , as creating an entire curriculum plus hundreds of lesson plans from scratch is very time-consuming.

Plus, all teachers can benefit from seeing what others are doing in their classrooms. Here are some useful websites that offer free ESL lesson plans as well as activity ideas and printable materials to go with them.

Take a closer look at ESL lesson companies, the types of materials they offer, their lesson formats, access to free lessons, and subscription models.

This site has over 1,000 free ESL lesson plans available for download in PDF format. You can browse lessons by grammar topic, language level, or theme. Many of the lessons include worksheets, games, or other activities to ensure that your students have a lot of fun during class.

Connected to Bridge’s Micro-credential courses on Games and Activities for the Online Classroom , which are broken up by student age, you can download these eBooks for free. Each eBook offers detailed lesson plans for teaching very young learners, young learners, teens, or adults in the virtual classroom.

In addition to detailed lesson plans divided into talking point lessons and topic-based lessons, this site offers teaching tips and ideas to incorporate into each class. For example, browse through their vocabulary section to discover new words and phrases to use in each lesson plan.

The British Council’s TeachingEnglish site offers some of the best free ESL lesson plans available online. You can break down lesson plans by age group (primary, secondary, and adults) and then further by level. Each lesson defines the plan’s aims, duration, and materials needed. Lesson plans are accompanied by plenty of downloadable worksheets and activities.

Lanternfish ESL provides a collection of free lesson plans that include worksheets, game boards, role-play dialogues, flashcards, and more. Browse through lesson plans covering topics as diverse as relative clauses, giving directions, shopping vocabulary, and job interviews.

ThoughtCo offers a variety of teaching resources, including lesson plans, articles on teaching theory, and guidance on teaching specific English skills. A quick glance through their article lists will reveal diverse lesson plans on a variety of topics. Or, simply type in the kind of lesson plan you’re looking for in their search bar. Each lesson plan comes with defined lesson aims, the appropriate student level, teacher instructions, worksheets, and more.

This site boasts more than 17,000 free printable ESL lesson plans and worksheets on just about any topic you can think of. Filter lesson plans and activities by category, such as grammar, listening, pronunciation, or vocabulary, or conduct a full database search for specific themes. You can also break down lessons further by language level.

This is a wonderful site that features free lesson plans broken down into reading, listening, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and business lessons. Lesson plans can be downloaded in PDF format and include warm-up exercises , worksheets, pre-teaching suggestions, and follow-up activities.

The Internet TESL Journal is a site with articles, lesson plans, activities, and other helpful free resources for teachers. Lesson plans tackle a wide variety of topics and include easy-to-follow instructions, activities, and teacher worksheet keys. Lesson plans cover grammatical themes, conversation classes, cultural topics, and more.

This site includes lesson plans, worksheets, PowerPoints, and video lessons to incorporate into your classroom. Browse lessons by grammar or vocabulary topic, student type (age or goal), level, or even material type (group work, communicative language teaching, etc.). Their materials are typically high-quality downloads featuring interesting activities and ideas for lessons.

Fluentize isn’t entirely free, but they have quite a few free sample plans on their site that you can use, whether you choose to buy future lessons or not. Fluentize’s lessons are video-based, and the fun, current topics work well for teens and adults (you can filter by level). Fluentize provides all of the supporting resources you’ll need for a comprehensive lesson (either online or as a download), such as a video clip, lesson plan, and teacher’s guide.

Off2Class is a teacher toolkit that provides lesson plans, homework, assessments, and placement tests for teachers. The resources work for both virtual and physical classrooms. They have a free version and paid versions that differ by how many resources are included and how many students you can use the platform with. However, they also have tons of free ESL lesson plan downloads available on their website. These range from grammar lesson plans to IELTS exam prep lessons to Business English lessons !

TEFL Lessons has tons of free materials as well as premium materials that can be filtered by level or topic, such as grammar, speaking, vocabulary, phrasal verbs, idioms, or games. You can also find lesson-specific materials using the search function. The free membership gives you access to free materials or you can join for six or 12 months to access premium materials.

While ESL Pals does have subscription plans, there are also a variety of free lessons you can access as well. Altogether, the company offers over 600 ESL lesson plans written by experienced ESL teachers. You’ll find lessons for young learners, general English, Business English, grammar, and more. Each lesson comes with homework exercises, a student version, and a teacher version.

Ellii is technically not free – though some TEFL/TESOL certification courses do include access to it when you enroll in the course – but they do have many free sample ESL lesson plans on their site you can browse through. Whether you access the paid version through a TEFL course or purchase a subscription on your own, the amount of great ESL content – like lesson plans, flashcards, discussion starters, role-plays, and project ideas – you’ll have access to is well worth it!

Watch a Bridge Expert Series webinar: Tips for Finding Engaging Materials from Ellii (Formerly ESL Library) and Beyond!

Unlimited inspiration for your classroom

Now that you know where to find great free ESL lesson plans, you’ll never have to worry about time constraints or a lack of inspiration again when it comes to classroom planning. Whether you plan to use these pre-made lesson plans as-is, tweak them to fit your own teaching style, or simply get ideas for cool lesson plan structures to make your own, they will make your life as a teacher so much easier!

Get TEFL/TESOL certified with the Bridge 120-Hour Master Certificate course to learn strategies for effective lesson planning and much more.

Camille is a content marketing manager, specializing in the language industry. Her love for language and experiencing other cultures has taken her around the globe, and she has taught English abroad both in the classroom and online. When not working or traveling, she can be found spending time with her family or — when not chasing after her two young daughters — cozying up with a good book!

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We create lessons that we like to teach in our own classes. We got tired of outdated textbooks. Instead, all of our adult lesson plans make use of a video or article to introduce a fun topic. All classes come complete with a set of homework exercises, a student version and a teacher version.

The kids' lesson plans come in units of three. We currently have four difficulty levels for kids: Level 0 (A0), Level 1 (A0-A1), Level 2 (A1-A2) and Level 3 (A2-B1). Our kids' lessons are super detailed, containing lots of fun games and activities!

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When it comes to teaching abroad (or teaching in general), one of the most challenging parts of the job is creating and updating ESL lesson plans.

Depending on your role, you may need to use dozens of lessons spread across multiple classes during the term – and sometimes there is just not enough gas left in the tank to come up with something new every time.

While many teachers might opt to “wing it” or reuse old lessons (both of which I was guilty of when teaching in Korea ), there is something to be said for fresh inspiration – sometimes you just need to introduce some new material into your routine.

In that spirit, we’ve put together a list of 68 ESL lesson plans and templates (broken out by topic) that you can start using today.

Other Free Resources :

• Free ESL Worksheets
• Free ESL Songs
• Free ESL Games
• Free ESL Flashcards

Science ESL Lesson Plans

This group of lesson plans will arm you with current, up-to-date science topics. These lessons can be tailored to fit any age group and any fluency level.

In the Thai ESL job market and others, it’s not unheard of for schools to ask foreign ESL teachers to teach other subjects like biology or chemistry . Such requests may sound exceedingly difficult to oblige – nonetheless, you might find yourself in need of a high-quality science/ESL lesson plan.

Feel free to edit these lesson plans to suit your own classroom, such as the hurricane lesson in order to reflect the latest hurricane disaster. You could even create a fictional hurricane for your lessons.

If you are looking for a specific topic, one of these plans just may be the right model for you to write your own lesson plan off of.

• Breaking Hurricane News
• Brain & Senses
• The Problem with Robots
• Space – the Sun, Moon, Stars and Planets

High School ESL Lesson Plans

Keeping teenagers engaged in their education can be a struggle. If you’ll notice, the topics, concepts, and accompanying terms might be a little advanced for some students, so you may want to adjust accordingly.

This list of lesson plans can help you prepare for the weeks ahead by supplementing any syllabus with educational and interesting topics.

• Doing the Right Thing
• Writing Drama Scripts
• “Back Door” History Lesson
• Compare and Contrast
• Relationships and Dating

Middle School ESL Lesson Plans

These lesson plans are great for use in the slightly younger crowd of learners, as many of these lessons incorporate different types of media, as well as fun activities to keep the lessons interesting.  

All lesson plans below are based more or less on the same basic structure; however, these are tailored to middle school aged students where attention span may not be very long.

• My Earliest Childhood Memory
• Comparing Countries
• Animal Social Climbers
• Celebrities

Reading ESL Lesson Plans

The ability to read quickly and efficiently with maximum comprehension and retention is a cornerstone of English fluency.

Many students will enter the classroom with little to no previous knowledge of English phonetics, grammar, or vocabulary and, depending on their level, it’s up to you to take them from recognizing letters to forming sounds to reading (and absorbing) entire paragraphs.

These reading ESL lesson plans will help you craft lessons for various age groups and can be adapted to suit different levels. Your students will be reading classic English novels in no time.

• Reading Winners
• Intermediate Reading Lesson Plan
• Jalapeno Bagels

Grammar ESL Lesson Plans

English grammar is exceptionally challenging for many ESL students. This is largely due to the frequent and vast differences with their native language, as well to the unique complicated structure of proper English.

Accordingly, teaching grammar is a tall order no matter what level your students are. Even experienced teachers sometimes struggle to convey rules that they may have forgotten or had to relearn in the interest of themselves delivering effective ESL instruction.  

These grammar ESL lesson plans serve well as the tip of the spear – the basis upon which a strong grammar lesson will be built and a familiar framework upon which less-experienced teachers can rely.

• Using the Conditional
• Past Simple and Asking Questions
• I Spy Lesson Plan (noun + verb + direct object agreement)
• Possessive Adjective
• How To Teach Prepositions Of Place

Pronunciation ESL Lesson Plans

Pronunciation is a particularly difficult skill to teach to non-native speakers. It’s also one of the most-demanded skills by schools that hire foreign teachers.

As a native-speaking foreign English teacher, chances are good that you’ll be asked to focus heavily on pronunciation in your lessons.

In addition to fluency, proper pronunciation can improve the students’ placement in future classes, the ability to get a job, and self-confidence when conversing with other English speakers.

Here is a sampling of the top ESL lesson plans with an emphasis on pronunciation.

• Beginner Pronunciation
• Working with Minimal Pairs
• The One-Computer Classroom
• Pronunciation of Voiceless ‘th’ Sound
• What Did You Say?

Business ESL Lesson Plans

Teaching “business English” effectively — often, by the way, to demanding “type A” corporate personalities with high expectations — poses unique obstacles for an ESL teacher.

Not only are the best topics often advanced, they may be made up of material that falls outside of your expertise. Accordingly, you may need to invest in a bit of self-education on a given topic to prepare for your next business class.

Business ESL lesson plans can play an invaluable role in this situation; not only do they provide a solid foundation to plan your class around, they also provide a template through which you can easily familiarize yourself with the material.

• The Job Interview
• Giving a Presentation
• 4 Business English Lesson Plans
• Teaching Telephone English
• Marketing – Business English

Beginners ESL Lesson Plans

Teaching beginners can be as fun as it is strenuous.  

Beginner classes are often filled with younger students full of energy. This classroom dynamic potential makes lessons a lot of fun to teach – but also requires optimal lesson planning to keep their attention.  

New teachers are often overwhelmed in terms of where to start when it comes to new learners because they need to learn everything from ABCs to introductions. This is where a good beginner lesson plan comes in.

These lessons can be adjusted to fit students of any age and serve as a great ESL template for teachers looking for ways to improve their other classes.

• Absolute Beginners
• Number Recognition
• How to Teach the Alphabet
• What Color Is It?
• Introduce Yourself

Adults ESL Lesson Plans

Adults, having experience in life, tend to appreciate topics that are a bit more “worldly” and relatable. As with all age groups, tailoring your ESL lessons to typically adult interests can encourage greater participation and, ultimately, greater learning.

To accommodate this preference, these ESL lesson plans for adults are almost all based around role play. They can be amended to focus more on the vocabulary or grammar part of the class.

One of the things I loved about teaching adults was the ability to engage in discussions that might escape the comprehension of lower levels.  Use this to your advantage and push your classes to discuss topics that will challenge their ability to learn as well as think.

• Face Recognition
• English Job Interview Skills
• Hypnotherapy
• Street Questions

Kids ESL Lesson Plans

Teaching kids is easiest when teachers rely heavily on stories and games. As a teacher, your lesson plans pay off most when they stress interaction and, in turn, maximize emotional buy-in from your students.

These tools serve not only to provide entertainment but also to reinforce the lessons in fun and memorable ways. If you teach young learners, you might find some structural similarities in these ESL lessons for kids that you can apply broadly across all your lessons. 

• First Day at School
• George and the Dragon
• The Mt. Diamonte Adventure
• Left and Right

Listening ESL Lesson Plans

A student’s ability to listen to and understand basic English is paramount for a good classroom experience – not only are they able to better comprehend instructions, they will have an easier time interacting with their fellow students.  

Luckily, a solid ESL listening lesson plan begins with the teacher. You can set the tone for effective listening by speaking slowly and clearly, facing the class, and engaging in warm-up activities that promote both listening and speaking.

Depending on your students’ ability you may also want to incorporate role play, movies, and even TV shows into your classroom material and homework.

• Basic Listening Comprehension
• Listening Comprehension Related to Jobs
• English Listening Lessons (from basic to advanced levels)
• A Man without Money
• How to Listen (/w Ted Talk)

Vocabulary ESL Lesson Plans

No matter what your students’ ages or abilities, learning new vocabulary is a continual process. Even the most advanced native speakers regularly discover new words or phrases they didn’t know existed.

New lessons beget new words and it’s important to teach them in a consistent and effective way. While using repetition, context, and games are all beneficial tactics, how you structure your vocab into your ESL teaching template is also something that can make or break a lesson.

Generally speaking, the most successful vocab-focused lessons introduce and/or reinforce new vocabulary at the beginning of each lesson, then structure the rest of the class around the new terms.

• Gourmet Cooking and Recipes
• Spot the Vocabulary
• Vocabulary Development
• Adult Vocabulary Development

Writing ESL Lesson Plans

Owing to the peculiar grammatical structure and the immense vocabulary of English (English has one of the largest vocabularies of any language on Earth), teaching writing effectively to non-native learners can be taxing – for the teacher and the students.

It’s also one of the most valuable skills for non-native speakers, one that can make the difference between getting a job or not, or placing into a higher-level English class.

With this in mind, I believe that it’s never too early to introduce writing into your classes with impactful ESL lesson plans.

The issue of “how” is obviously dependent on your students’ level, but even just practicing ABCs on the board (make a game out of it!) will be invaluable as they progress into bigger words and even sentences.

If your students are well beyond the basics, make sure you are having them write regularly as writing is a muscle that needs to be exercised to stay strong.

• Writing with Style
• Reading, Writing, and Discussion Related to CNN
• Developing a Writing Lesson Plan
• Writing a Creative Story

Preschool ESL Lesson Plans

Of all the age groups to devise an engaging ESL lesson plan for, the preschool age may be the most challenging.

When you instruct this demographic, you will learn quickly just how basic you have to make the lessons if you hope to make them “stick” in the minds of your students. After all, many preschoolers are just beginning to master their own language, much less English.

You’ll also want to make sure that you accommodate your very young learners’ limited attention span when you are planning your lessons with them.

The basic ESL rule of thumb for this age bracket is to keep it short, keep it simple, and keep it fun – i.e., tons of fun games, videos, and interactive activities.

• Actions, Verbs & Tense .
• Shapes in the World .
• Lesson Plan Template for Young Learners .
• Food I like/don’t like

Kindergarten ESL Lesson Plans

How to best develop an ESL plan for your kindergarten students depends heavily on their current skill level: Are they completely new to English, or do they have some basic foundational grasp on the language?

If English is all new to your 5-6-year-old students, you’ll want lesson plans focused on the most essential foundations of English such as the alphabet.

If your kindergarten students have a bit of English education under their belts, you might opt for lesson plans that include slightly more advanced (yet still simple and fun) vocabulary. Introducing the most basic grammatical concepts to this age group may be wise as well.

For maximum absorption and retention of the material, always remember to keep the subject matter light and include lots of moving around to maintain your very young students’ attention throughout the lesson.

• Alphabet Lesson Plan
• Chinese New Year
• How Many Apples?
• Hooray! It’s World Monkey Day!

Want more?  Here are some of the best online resources we found for ESL lesson plans and templates:

• One Stop English
• Education.com
• BBC Teaching English
• International TESL Journal
• Thought Co .

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9 Responses

Great lesson plans! Thank you!

Any chance to get a lesson plan for A1 to B1 level ESL students learning present continuous?

geat lesson plan !.I wonder if you suply me with more sessions .it would be wonderful .

I like this plan. Maybe i will try Vocabulary plan for myself. Thank you.

Can I get free worksheets or see more about your program?

Hi Mj – you can view more worksheets here: https://eslauthority.com/resources/free-esl-worksheets/

Dear Admin Could I please suggest a free English language site? http://www.speakenglish.biz Our site has 100 idioms, 20 free grammar lessons, and 15 free advanced lessons for speaking English.

I am an English language teacher. I would like to submit, game, teaching tip, and lesson plan to your platform (for free). Please let me know if you accept any. Thank you,

Sincerely yours, Dr. Ramin Hosseinpour Milaghardan,

Hi Ramin – we accept! Please let us know the URL and we will add it to our list – thanks!

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ESL Lesson Plans – Complete With Fun Games And Activities

Welcome to our ESL Lesson Plan page. On this page, you can find many ESL lesson plans on many topics for kids and beginner English language learners. All of these ESL lesson plans are complete with games, activities, and printable materials. You will also find links to other useful resources at the bottom of each lesson plan.

Latest ESL Lesson Plans

All the ESL lesson plans here are ready-made ESL lesson plans complete with  flashcards, classroom activities ,  board games ,  PowerPoint Games , and other ideas to make learning English fun. The lesson plans below are arranged by topic. What lesson would you like to view today?

• Adjectives Lesson Plan
• Adverbs Lesson Plan
• Animals Lesson Plan
• Body Parts Lesson Plan
• Can / Can’t Abilities Lesson Plan
• Clothes Lesson Plan
• Colors Lesson Plan
• Comparative Adjectives Lesson Plan
• Christmas Lesson Plan
• Classroom Objects Lesson Plan
• Daily Routine Lesson Plan
• Days Of The Week Lesson Plan
• Family Lesson Plan
• Farm Animals For Kids
• Feelings And Emotions Lesson Plan
• Food Lesson Plan
• Future Tense Lesson Plan
• Gerunds And Infinitives Lesson Plan
• Idioms Lesson Plan
• Jobs and Occupations Lesson Plan
• Months Lesson Plan
• Numbers 1 to 20 Lesson Plan
• Past Tense Lesson Plan
• Phonics A to Z Lesson Plan
• Prepositions of Place Lesson Plan
• Prepositions of Time Lesson Plan
• Present Continuous Tense Lesson Plan
• Rooms In A House Lesson Plan
• Seasons Lesson Plan
• Sports Lesson Plan
• Superlative Adjectives Lesson Plan
• Telling The Time Lesson Plan
• Transportation Lesson Plan
• How’s The Weather? Lesson Plan
• What’s This? / What’s That? Lesson Plan

ESL Lesson Plans

Free ESL lesson plans focused on boosting students’ fluency and confidence when speaking for intermediate and advanced learners of English. Each lesson plan includes conversation, vocabulary, reading, listening, and writing activities.

Browse all our lesson plans on one page

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Comprehensive Guide to ESL Lesson Plans: Strategies, Activities, and Resources

Teacher? Need to make ESL lesson plans better? Not sure what strategies, activities, and resources to use? Don’t worry! This guide has you covered. 

Learn how to plan classes that’ll get your students excited to learn English. All the info you need is here.

Importance of well-designed ESL lesson plans

Well-crafted ESL lesson plans are a must for successful language learning. They provide structure and organisation to the teaching process, plus help educators meet the needs of learners. 

Incorporating a variety of strategies, activities, and resources can create engaging lessons that promote active learning and encourage student participation. 

ESL lesson plans should cover all aspects of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They should allow for flexibility and adaptation based on individual student abilities and learning styles.

For successful language instruction, lesson plans should contain clear objectives that align with learning outcomes and suit student needs. The plan should include interactive activities, such as group discussions, role-plays, and multimedia resources. 

Incorporating elements of intercultural communication into lessons assists in promoting cultural understanding and sensitivity. Teachers can do this by discussing traditions, customs, and festivals, or using literature from different cultures.

Teacher support materials like textbooks, workbooks, and online resources can also help. They offer activity ideas, language practice exercises, and assessment tools.

According to TESOL Journal, well-designed lesson plans lead to increased student engagement and improvements in language proficiency gains. 

They also help build confidence among English learners, resulting in more willingness to communicate in real-life situations. Teachers who invest time in designing structured lessons are likely to see positive academic outcomes from their students. 

Understanding ESL Lesson Planning

ESL lesson planning is essential for successful teaching. Let’s break it down into three main parts: objectives, activities, and assessment.

Objectives:

• Outline what students need to learn.
• Decide which language skills to focus on.
• Consider students’ proficiency levels and needs.

Activities:

• Use interactive tasks.
• Include activities for different learning styles.
• Give students chances to communicate.

Assessment:

• Measure progress using formal and informal methods.
• Adjust instruction based on assessment results.

To make ESL lesson planning more effective:

• Personalise content.
• Use real-world resources.
• Scaffold learning.
• Encourage collaboration.
• Monitor progress.

With these strategies, you’ll be able to create engaging lesson plans that will help your students learn!

Essential Strategies for Creating ESL Lesson Plans

Creating awesome ESL lesson plans requires a master plan that stimulates learners and helps them learn a language. Here’s a 5-step guide:

• Identify Goals: Know what you want the students to gain by the end of the lesson. Think about their skill level, interests, and how the language works in real life.
• Plan Engaging Activities: Pick interactive activities that get students involved and let them practise speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Try games, role-plays, pair work, multimedia resources, and authentic materials.
• Break It Down: Make complex tasks less daunting by breaking them into smaller steps. Give clear instructions and modelling throughout the lesson.
• Differentiate: Help diverse learning needs with visual aids, modified materials for lower-level learners, extension activities for higher-level learners, and collaborative group work.
• Assess Progress: Check in on student progress using formative assessments like quizzes, observations, discussions or exit tickets plus periodic summative assessments to measure their language learning.

Designing Engaging Activities in ESL Lesson Plans

Designing captivating activities for ESL lesson plans can make a major difference in language learning success. 

Teachers should incorporate interactive and dynamic activities to create a truly interesting experience. 

One way to achieve this is by utilising various teaching methods that cater to different learning styles. By addressing individual preferences, teachers can keep students’ attention more effectively.

• Group work is a great way to design engaging activities. Here, students collaborate with their peers to finish tasks or solve puzzles. This encourages active learning, plus teamwork and communication skills growth. 

For example, during a speaking class, instructors can divide students into small groups and give them certain topics or situations to discuss. This activity allows students to communicate with each other in meaningful conversations.

Using multimedia resources

• Using multimedia resources, such as videos and audio clips, in ESL lesson plans is also effective. These resources bring real language input into the classroom and provide visual and auditory stimulation. 

Instructors can show a short film or play an audio recording related to the topic being taught. Later, they can assign activities that require students to talk about their thoughts or answer comprehension questions based on what they watched or heard.

Games and interactive online platforms

• Including games and interactive online platforms in the lesson plan adds an element of fun while promoting language acquisition. Games are entertaining but also foster healthy competition among students, inspiring them to participate actively. 

Online platforms offer interactive exercises, quizzes, and virtual simulations that make learning more attractive and immersive.

Designing engaging activities in ESL lesson plans creates an environment where student participation is maximised while ensuring language practice opportunities are provided. Utilising various instructional strategies tailored to learners’ needs will boost motivation levels and improve overall language proficiency.

Pro Tip: When designing engaging activities, ensure you are achieving the lesson’s learning objectives. It is critical to balance fun and educational value to create meaningful and successful language learning experiences for ESL students. Remember, when it comes to ESL lesson plans, differentiation is key – it’s like teaching a mixed salad, no two students are exactly the same, but they all make a delicious contribution to the classroom.

Incorporating Differentiation in ESL Lesson Plans

Differentiation is key for ESL lesson plans to cater to diverse students. Strategies like flexible grouping, varied materials, scaffolded instruction, learning contracts, graphic organisers and multimodal activities can make lessons inclusive and engaging.

It goes beyond activities; assessing each student’s needs and adjusting instruction is just as important. Professional development and collaboration with colleagues is key to finding the best teaching methods.

By embracing differentiation, teachers can empower students to succeed and recognize their strengths.

 Get started today and create an inclusive classroom! Don’t miss this chance to see students thrive . Grading ESL lesson plans is like trying to catch a unicorn – elusive, mythical, and a lot of fun .

Assessment and Evaluation in ESL Lesson Plans

Assessing and evaluating students’ progress in ESL lesson plans is essential for successful teaching. It helps teachers understand their students’ abilities and adjust their instruction accordingly.

For a thorough assessment and evaluation system, various methods are used in ESL lesson plans. These include quizzes, oral presentations, writing assignments, and group discussions. This way, teachers can measure students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Consider this table to see different assessment tools used in ESL lesson plans:

Apart from traditional assessment methods, there are more innovative ways to evaluate ESL learners. Technology-based assessments, for example, can measure language proficiency through interactive exercises and simulations.

One teacher shared an inspiring story of a non-native English speaker. At first, they had difficulty with the class, but they eventually improved with regular assessments. This student’s hard work and progress show the importance of assessment in ESL lesson plans.

Integrating Language Skills in ESL Lesson Plans

Integrating Language Skills in ESL Lesson Plans is an ever-evolving practice. New technologies and teaching approaches have made it necessary for educators to create comprehensive language learning experiences.

This includes activities to boost listening and speaking , as well as reading and writing . Vocabulary-building exercises, grammar practice, and pronunciation drills are also included.

To make it interesting, teachers can add cross-curricular content and resources like authentic materials and multimedia.

Who needs a passport when you can travel the world through ESL lesson plans and authentic materials?

Utilizing Authentic Materials and Resources

ESL teaching can be made more effective by using real-life resources and materials. These give students a practical and meaningful context to develop their language skills. Here are some strategies, activities, and resources that can help:

• Using newspapers and magazines – Have students read articles and discuss their findings.
• Watching films or TV shows – Analyse the language used.
• Maintaining a class blog (online platform) – Engage in class discussions about specific topics.

These approaches can create an immersive setting, where students are exposed to genuine language use. This assists in developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities, as well as knowledge of different cultures.

To further utilize authentic materials and resources for ESL lessons, teachers can organise field trips and invite guest speakers with diverse backgrounds. Online language learning platforms with podcasts, videos, and interactive activities can be very beneficial too.

When picking out authentic materials, remember to consider the students’ age group and proficiency level. Encourage them to actively participate and share their opinions related to the materials, to create a dynamic learning environment.

By adding these strategies, activities, and resources to ESL lesson plans, teachers can create engaging learning experiences. Authentic materials not only improve language proficiency but also promote cultural understanding and appreciation.

Effective Classroom Management Strategies

Successful Classroom Management Strategies!

Creating a controlled classroom is essential for forming a positive learning atmosphere. Here are five tactics to guarantee effective classroom management:

• State clear rules and expectations: Clearly explain your expectations to students at the start of the school year. This builds the base for a respectful and orderly learning atmosphere.
• Consistency is vital: Stay consistent with enforcing rules and consequences. Students flourish when they know what to expect, and dependability helps establish a sense of steadiness in the classroom.
• Use positive reinforcement: Acknowledge and honour students’ success and good behaviour. Positive reinforcement encourages students to carry on displaying wanted behaviours.
• Engage in proactive communication: Regularly communicate with parents and guardians about their child’s progress. Constructing strong ties with families encourages involvement and support in students’ learning.
• Incorporate active learning strategies: Keep students interested by using interactive teaching methods such as cooperative learning, hands-on activities, and tech integration.

Also, it’s important to form individualised approaches to provide for different learners in the classroom setting. Supplying differentiated instruction can help satisfy the unique needs of each student.

It has been shown that putting into practice successful classroom management strategies leads to boosted student engagement, academic success, and overall classroom atmosphere (Smith, 2018).

Adapting ESL Lesson Plans for Different Age Groups

Adapting ESL lesson plans for different age groups requires expertise and careful consideration. Tailoring content and approach to the needs and abilities of each age group is essential for effective teaching.

Let’s look at a table outlining key factors for adaptation:

Keep in mind that these are general guidelines. Every student within an age group is different. Adaptability is key to success in ESL lesson planning.

Also consider student learning styles, cultural backgrounds and language proficiency when adapting lesson plans. Assess effectiveness through student engagement and outcomes. Be flexible to meet the evolving needs of the classroom.

By understanding the needs of each age group, teachers can create tailored approaches that foster English language growth and proficiency.

Culturally Responsive ESL Lesson Planning

Culturally Responsive ESL Lesson Planning is key when teaching English as a Second Language. It focuses on making plans that fit the needs and backgrounds of different learners. Knowing cultural diversity helps build inclusive and effective learning settings.

Let’s look at some components of this practice in a table:

In addition, it is important to consider the language ability levels and individual talents of each student while creating ESL lessons. 

By using culturally responsive strategies in lesson planning, teachers can give students the chance to learn in a setting that respects their identities.

By utilising Culturally Responsive ESL Lesson Planning techniques, educators can create an atmosphere where all students feel appreciated and inspired to do well in their language learning journey.

Ready to dive into the depths of professional development and reflection? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Professional Development and Reflection

Professional development and reflection are essential for ESL teacher growth and improvement . Workshops, conferences, and online courses can provide valuable strategies for the classroom. 

Reflection helps identify strengths and weaknesses, allowing for continuous improvement. Analysing lesson plans, student performance, and teacher-student interactions can lead to enhanced instruction.

Collaborating with fellow educators can also benefit teachers. Sharing ideas, resources, and seeking feedback can create a supportive learning environment. 

Joining professional organizations and online communities can offer resources, networking opportunities, and avenues for ongoing growth. To maximise professional development, follow comprehensive ESL lesson plans – the only thing scarier than zombies in the classroom is a bored student!

ESL Lesson Plan Example 1

Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to confidently use the simple present tense in affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms, and apply it in everyday conversation and writing.

Level: Beginner to Elementary (A1-A2)

Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

• Whiteboard or flip chart
• Handouts with exercises
• Flashcards (optional)
• Audio or video materials (optional)

Warm-up (10 minutes):

• Greeting and Introduction: Begin the lesson by greeting the students and asking them how they are feeling today.
• Present Tense Recall: On the board, write a few simple present tense sentences (e.g., “I eat breakfast every day,” “She plays the guitar,” “They study English at school”). Have students read the sentences aloud and identify the tense used.

Presentation (25 minutes):

• Introducing Simple Present Tense: Explain that the simple present tense is used to talk about habits, routines, general truths, and regular actions.
• Affirmative Form: Present the structure of affirmative sentences using subject-verb agreement (e.g., I/You/We/They + base verb; He/She/It + base verb + “s” or “es” for third person singular). Provide examples on the board and have students repeat after you.
• Negative Form: Introduce the negative form by adding “do not” (don’t) before the base verb for all subjects. Show examples and have students practice saying negative sentences.
• Interrogative Form: Present how to form questions using “do” or “does” at the beginning of the sentence. Model examples of questions and encourage students to practice asking and answering questions in pairs.

Practice (30 minutes):

• Verb Conjugation Exercise: Distribute handouts with sentences in the simple present tense. Students must fill in the correct form of the verb based on the subject provided.
• Pair Work: Divide students into pairs. Each pair will receive a set of flashcards with various activities or routines. One student will describe the activity using the simple present tense, and the other must guess the activity.
• Listening Activity (optional): Play an audio or video recording with simple present tense sentences. Students listen and write down what they hear. Then, they discuss their answers in pairs or groups.

Production (20 minutes):

• Daily Routines Interview: In pairs, students take turns interviewing each other about their daily routines using the simple present tense. They should write down the answers.
• Presentation: Each pair will introduce their partner’s daily routine to the class using the simple present tense.

Wrap-up (5 minutes):

• Review: Summarize the main points of the lesson on the board, including the structure of affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences in the simple present tense.
• Q&A: Encourage students to ask any remaining questions they may have.
• Homework Assignment: Assign a short writing task for homework, where students write about their own daily routines using the simple present tense.

Conclusion:

By the end of the lesson, students should have a good understanding of the simple present tense and feel confident in using it correctly in various contexts. The combination of explanation, practice, and production activities will help reinforce the concept and encourage active participation and engagement throughout the lesson.

ESL Lesson Plan Example 2

Objective: By the end of this lesson, intermediate ESL students will be able to confidently use travel-related vocabulary, accurately describe past travel experiences, and engage in conversations about travel.

Level: Intermediate (B1)

• Handouts with travel-related vocabulary
• Travel photos or visuals (optional)

Travel Brainstorm: Begin the lesson by asking students to brainstorm travel-related words and phrases. Write their responses on the board and encourage discussion about past travel experiences.

• Travel Vocabulary: Introduce new travel-related vocabulary through visuals or flashcards. Include words related to transportation, accommodations, activities, and places of interest. Provide definitions and example sentences for each word or phrase.
• Past Tense Review: Quickly review the past simple tense and its formation with regular and irregular verbs. Remind students of the structure (subject + verb in past tense) and pronunciation rules.
• Vocabulary Exercises: Distribute handouts with fill-in-the-blank exercises using the newly introduced travel vocabulary. Students should complete the sentences with the correct words from the list provided.
• Travel Dialogue: Divide students into pairs and provide them with a travel scenario. Each pair will role-play a conversation about a past trip using the vocabulary learned. Encourage them to include details about transportation, accommodations, activities, and places visited.
• Travel Story Writing: Individually or in small groups, students will write a short travel story about a memorable trip they’ve taken in the past. They should use the past tense and incorporate the travel vocabulary. Encourage creativity and personal experiences.
• Travel Presentations: Students will present their travel stories to the class. After each presentation, encourage classmates to ask questions or share their own travel experiences.

Listening and Speaking (15 minutes):

• Listening Comprehension: Play an audio clip or show a video related to travel experiences. Provide comprehension questions afterwards to check students’ understanding.
• Group Discussion: Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss their dream travel destinations and reasons for choosing them. Encourage using the target vocabulary and past tense while discussing previous trips or future plans.
• Review: Summarize the travel vocabulary and past tense usage on the board. Ask students to provide examples of sentences using the target vocabulary and past tense.

The comprehensive ESL lesson plan provides a balanced mix of vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, and writing activities. The warm-up and presentation sections introduce the topic and essential language points, while the practice and production stages allow students to use the language in various contexts.

The listening and speaking activities encourage active communication and engagement, while the wrap-up reinforces the lesson’s main points. By the end of the lesson, intermediate ESL students should feel more confident in using travel-related vocabulary and describing their past travel experiences effectively.

Related Articles

• ESL Lesson Plans for Adults: Engaging Strategies and Activities for Language Learning

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How to Create a Perfect ESL Lesson Plan in 6 Easy Steps (Plus 3 Ready-to-use Lesson Plans!)

The perfect ESL lesson plan can help you prepare for an almost-perfect ESL class (there will always be surprises). 

With clear goals and a solid plan, you can go from flailing to confidently guiding your students through effective ESL lessons.

After a lot of trial and error throughout my years as an ESL teacher, I finally figured out a simple recipe to create ESL lesson plans that work . Now, I’m passing along all those lessons learned to you.

As a bonus, I’ve also included three ready-made plans that you can use in a pinch.

What is an ESL lesson plan

Questions to ask before making a lesson plan, step 1: decide on your lesson plan objectives, step 2: outline your lesson plan, step 3: choose activities to accomplish your lesson plan objectives, step 4: create esl materials and worksheets, step 5: create stellar visual aids for your esl classroom, step 6: the final stages of lesson planning, put it all into practice 3 ready-made esl lesson plans, lesson plan for kids/beginners: “what’s for breakfast”, lesson plan for young adults or adults: “introverts vs. extroverts”, lesson plan for adults/business english: “what makes a good conversation”, during class: troubleshooting your esl lesson plans, my lesson is finished, but there’s still time on the clock., my lesson is too long., the students aren’t interested., 6 great resources for esl lesson planning, ellii (formerly esl library), english speeches (youtube), linguahouse, film english, open culture, final encouragement to esl teachers.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

An ESL lesson plan (or a TEFL lesson plan) is a document that helps ESL teachers organize and structure their teaching so that it can be more effective. It usually includes the overall objectives for the lesson, a breakdown of how the time in class will be used, what activities the students will participate in and what materials will be used.

If you have a curriculum, each lesson plan and its objectives should be tied into the overall goals of the curriculum. 

Give these questions some thought before you outline your TEFL lesson plans. Knowing the answers will save you time and aggravation down the road.

1. Will you review what the school is teaching the students? Or will you create new learning goals? If the target language will be new, be sure it’s appropriate for the students’ level.

2. Will you focus on speaking, reading, writing or listening? Or a combination? Your school may have a preference.

3. Will you teach alone or will you have help? The simplest games, for example, can be difficult to teach without translation unless you’re very prepared.

This is the daunting part, but it’s crucial that you know this from the start. Step one is the foundation of everything that follows. Your focus could be:

• a song or a movie (be sure that your school permits this and that it won’t disturb neighboring classrooms). Remember that audio must be played loudly for students to understand it since it’s in a different language.
• a specific grammar point , such as forming questions or practicing the present progressive. Young or beginning learners might need to focus on the conjugation of only one specific verb such as “to be.” More advanced students could practice multiple irregular verb conjugations.
• a general exercise such as understanding a short passage from a “Harry Potter” book .
• a vocabulary group. For example, you might teach cooking, colors, medical terminology or animals.

To keep things organized, include the estimated time spent on each section. For example, a movie outline could be this:

1. Waiting for students to arrive and for the class to calm down  — 1 minute

2. Welcome/quick review of previous week/ ask students questions — 3 minutes

3. Pass out movie worksheets — 1 minute

4. Play preview of movie — 2 minutes

5. Introduce vocabulary needed to understand movie scene — 5 minutes

6. Individual practice of the vocabulary on student worksheets — 3 minutes

7. Giving answers to worksheets — 2 minutes

8. Listening exercises with the movie (includes playing the movie scenes several times, then going over the answers and letting the students watch the scenes a third time) — 20 minutes

9. Free watching of the movie (always a class favorite, but get permission from your head teacher first) — 6 minutes

10. Wrap up the class by asking vocabulary review questions — 2 minutes

It’s important to balance organization with time and flexibility for the unexpected . Be ready for the unanticipated questions that can throw off your timing.

Variety is the spice of the ESL classroom. Everyone learns differently. You need activities for visual and audio learners as well as doers.

• Use games in the classroom. Used correctly, games let students test what they’ve learned in a relaxed, exciting way. The key is to make sure everyone participates. Without proper management, weaker or lazier students will quietly sit back and do nothing. In a 45 minute class, a game shouldn’t be longer than 12 minutes. Watch your motivations. There’s a big difference between playing Charades to review animal names vs. playing Hangman to let the teacher relax.
• Balance individual and group work.  No lesson is complete without individual work. Everyone needs time to practice material on their own. These activities also help shyer students who can work quietly without the pressure of a spotlight. But group work is useful, too. Students can practice a dialogue with each other and learn from stronger partners. Team activities are often fun and give everyone a chance to relax a little. The drawback of group work, though, is that more advanced students tend to dominate the action. The right mix is essential.
• Repeat recent ESL activities. You can repeat activities. How often depends on how popular the activity is. One of my classes insisted on reviewing vocabulary by playing Pictionary every week. For classes that meet once a week, it’s best to recycle activities once a month if you can. Otherwise, your students might start to lose interest – and perhaps you will as well.

It’s true that the internet has a lot of free worksheets. By all means, use them. But rather than spending time browsing through tons of resources, try to identify a few favorite sites where you can find quality ESL material (see the list of helpful resources at the end of this post). 

Once you find the right materials, you’ll have to tailor them to your class’s level . Here are some tips that could make things go faster:

• Reuse workbook materials. Photocopy exercises from a textbook, white-out the answers and let students complete the questions as a review.
• If you do make your own materials, remember to include two sample questions with answers at the very beginning. Kids and low-level students always need a clear model to look at before doing individual work.
• For each grammar point, include five to seven questions.
• Include pictures on the worksheet. No one likes to look at straight, boring text.
• Puzzles of any type are fun and can help to quiet down an energetic class. “Boggle,” word searches or riddles (make sure they aren’t too hard) are always a welcome challenge.

Hang onto your ESL materials for future classes. Especially if you stay at the same school for more than one year, you’ll be able to reuse your materials. Buy a good binder and stick nice copies of your materials in it. It pays to keep your hard work on your computer as well as a USB drive.

You’ll need visual aids that add depth and interest to your class. It could be a PowerPoint presentation, a restaurant menu from home or things from your kitchen. Whatever you choose, make sure it enhances your lesson.

And if you’re using something that has a technological aspect, make sure you have a back-up plan in case the tech fails you. 

• Decide: Is a PowerPoint presentation necessary for this lesson? In class, PowerPoint presentations are good time savers. They can show interesting pictures and answers to questions, saving you the trouble of using the blackboard. Try to minimize using them, however. They take a lot of time to create, and bring the possibility of tech failures. 
• Weigh the pros and cons of using videos in ESL classes.   Videos quickly gain the attention of the class and are a sure hit. But be careful in selecting your videos. Even Disney movies have language that’s sometimes too difficult for low-level students. Background music, multiple people talking and jokes that don’t transcend cultures are all traps to avoid. 
• Find creative ways to add visual aids to your ESL class. Newspapers are an interesting prop. Even if the articles are too difficult, students can find the date, place of publication, price and the weather forecast. Jazz up a food vocabulary class by bringing a banana and an apple. For more advanced students, bring a colander, grater, bottle opener and other cooking items. Pass around currency from other countries.

Look at your lesson’s target language and see if anything already in your home applies. Try not to buy too much. It’s not necessary to spend a lot of money on this.

You’ve made it. Believe me, I sincerely congratulate you. Before you head into class, do a few things first:

• Get advice from other English teachers. Show your coworkers your ESL materials. Especially if you teach in a foreign country, their advice is invaluable. They understand your students better than you do and they’ll see gaps in logic, things that are too hard and cultural pitfalls. Take their advice and change your materials.
• Don’t stress about the outcome of the first class. Nobody’s perfect, and you won’t be either. On the first day, make copies only for that day. You’ll probably come back to your desk with a few things to change for tomorrow. Save trees by not making copies that’ll only go in the recycle bin.

To get you started, here are three ready-made ESL lessons that you can use today, if you’re in a pinch. Each lesson is organized around a video. However, they all address different learning objectives.

The first lesson uses a simple video to practice vocabulary and basic listening comprehension.

The second lesson uses a more difficult video to help students fine-tune their listening comprehension skills.

The third lesson features a thought-provoking video, which serves as a jumping-off point to help advanced students practice their conversation skills.

This lesson plan uses a simple video to teach grammar as well as breakfast food vocabulary . It incorporates several activities focused on questions in the present simple, vocabulary building activities and word games.

The video is short and can be played several times throughout the class if necessary. Because the video is on FluentU, you can toggle the English subtitles on and off depending on the needs of your class.

Warm-up Questions

These can be done in partners or with the whole group, depending on class size. Here are some examples:

What do you eat for breakfast?

What is your favorite food to eat for breakfast?

What do you think is a healthy breakfast?

Play the video

Play the video once (or twice, if you sense that your students are having a hard time understanding).

Activity: “Odd One Out”

For this game, you’ll need to compile a list of vocabulary taken directly from the video, plus one additional “odd word out.”

For example: Bananas, Eggs, Spaghetti, Coffee

Students will be asked to pick the odd one out. Of course, in this case, the answer is spaghetti, as it’s a dinner food, not a breakfast food.

You can ask questions such as Which of these would you not eat for breakfast? You can also follow up and ask students why they chose a particular food.

This activity can be done as a group exercise or individually depending on class size and whether this is done in a classroom or online.

Activity: Flashcards

For this game, you’ll need to compile flashcards related to the vocabulary shown in the video. Additional flashcards can be added for further study and can be food in general or breakfast foods. If you’re having difficulties preparing these materials, you can look at a website such as ESL flashcards for free resources.

The game is merely taking the flashcards and testing the vocabulary knowledge of your students. See if they can get all of the words through to the end without making any mistakes.

Questions in the Present Simple

Here you can ask questions in the present simple and encourage students to ask each other questions. As this is a beginner-level class, I’d focus on positive questions only.

You can model a question-and-answer scenario and then encourage your students to follow with their own questions. Be sure to write the question on the board or share a screen for an online class.

Do you eat breakfast in the morning? Yes, I eat toast with jam every morning.

This activity is to encourage conversation between your students. Longer answers are to be praised.

Do you like fruit for breakfast?

Do your parents eat breakfast?

What is your favorite breakfast food?

You can encourage students to follow up on these questions by asking Why? or Why not?

If you still have time , you can encourage students to play a game related to the class. This would also be an excellent chance to do some free practice or conversation.

Again, you could utilize the flashcards. Encourage students to make full sentences with the object shown on the flashcard and award points in two teams.

Or set up a fake cafe and have children take and place an order.

What do you want for breakfast?

Toast with eggs, please.

In this way, you’re consolidating vocabulary from the beginning of the class.

Think of this lesson plan as a template that can be tweaked depending on the specific topic your class is working on. For example, if your class is studying the past tense rather than the present simple, you can ask different questions like What did you eat for breakfast yesterday?

Or, you can use all the activities as listed but substitute out the video to cover a different vocabulary topic, such as animals , sports or clothing .

The video provided for this activity is called “ Introverts vs. Extroverts .” It’s quite technical, so it requires quite a high level of comprehension. For this reason, it would suit an intermediate to upper-level class of young adult or adult learners . If you need to adjust for different learning levels in the classroom, you can turn on subtitles.

The class is mostly focused on listening and awareness due to the nature of the video.

Tell your students that the title of the video is “Introverts vs. Extroverts,” and ask them the following questions.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Tell us a story that highlights this!

What do you know about this topic already?

What do you think this video will be about?

Can you predict any vocabulary form the video?

Students will be encouraged to discuss these questions in pairs or small groups.

Comprehension in Context

Give students a hand-out with the following instructions and questions. Then, play the video twice—once for general comprehension, and once for answering questions.

Choose the best meaning in bold from the recording. Use the context of the video to help you. These are common phrases and phrasal verbs.

1. “It was Carl Jung who coined the terms introversion and extroversion.”

(a) Carl Jung discovered the terms. (b) Carl Jung stole the words from another psychologist. (c) Carl Jung invented the words introversion and extroversion to describe the phenomenon. [Correct]

2. “Introverts prefer to mull things over.”

(a) Introverts quickly forget about things. (b) Introverts think deeply about something before deciding what to do. [Correct] (c) Introverts are forgiving and generous.

3. “…introverts might have stuck to the sidelines…”

(a) Introverts willingly participated in activities. (b) Introverts acted like referees and made sure people followed rules. (c) Introverts stayed hidden to avoid dangerous situations. [Correct]

Free-response questions:

Who responds more strongly to rewards? Introverts or extroverts?

What does “extroversion bias” mean?

Activity: Emotional Profile and Video Discussion

Put students in pairs to discuss their takeaways from the video. They can answer questions like:

Did you agree with the video?

Do you think it’s better to be an introvert or an extrovert in today’s society? Why?

Do you think that being an introvert or extrovert is genetic? Why or why not?

Activity: Quiz and Discussion

For a bit of fun, the students will be encouraged to take this short quiz to determine if they’re an extrovert, introvert or ambivert .

Students will ask their partner questions and fill out the form for them as if they’re a psychologist and a patient. After this, they’ll read out the “prognosis” to their partner.

As a follow-up, you can ask students if they agree with the findings of the quiz.

If there’s time at the end of the class, a quick game such as hangman can be played using the vocabulary from the video.

If your class is set up on FluentU , you can send students away with the link to the video so that they can watch again and practice on their own time using the built-in comprehension quiz and learn mode.

This lesson plan uses a video called “ What Makes a Good Conversation ?” and is mostly about conversation and video analysis. It encourages the students to examine a video at different levels while discussing key lessons and concepts. It would suit an English business class or an advanced adult class, and it’s incredibly adaptable to both an online setting or an in-person class .

Due to the class’s conversational nature, it’s integral to provide sufficient feedback and play the selected clip several times for the students.

You can also encourage note-taking as there will be some questions specifically related to the content of the video.

These questions can be asked in pairs or as a whole group, depending on class size.

Are you a conversationalist? What do you think this means?

Have you ever been involved in an incredibly enriching conversation? Tell us about it!

Have you ever been involved in a very poor conversation? Tell us about it!

What makes a good/productive conversation? What makes a conversation pointless?

Watching to Get the Gist

Show your students the video, and then ask them some general questions about the topic at hand.

What is the video about?

What does a conversation require?

Watching for Detail and Comprehension

Show the video again, and then ask more detailed comprehension questions.

According to the speaker, people don’t know how to have a good conversation anymore. What does she mean? What are the causes of this?

What advice did Henry Higgins give in “My Fair Lady” for people to have good conversations?

How many texts does an average teenager send per day?

What do you think conversational competence means? Can you define it?

What is the speaker’s profession? Or what do you imagine it is?

Follow-up: Personal Questions

Have you ever unfriended/unfollowed someone on social media because they said something offensive?

Do you think that people listen deeply these days?

What advice would you have for someone who wants to improve their conversation skills?

Follow Up: Roleplay

Ask students to get in character using one of these two scenarios.

Business context: you’re having a meeting with a new customer and your boss. It’s taking some time for your boss to arrive, so you have to engage in polite conversation with the customer.

General context: you’re new in a neighborhood and have been invited to a welcome party. Introduce yourself to your new neighbors and have a good conversation with them, following the tips in the video.

At the end of these conversations, conduct a short reflection activity. You can ask questions like: Did you have a great conversation with your partner? Why or why not? What would you change to improve the situation?

Now you’ve got three ready-made plans, as well as a template to help you create even more great plans.

But be forewarned: even the best-laid lesson plans can go awry. Not to worry! You just need to know a few basic troubleshooting strategies. Let’s look at some of the most common problems that arise in an ESL classroom, and what to do if they should happen to you.

Extra time on the clock can mean that your class was too advanced for the lesson, or maybe that you overestimated the time you needed. Either way, go back to your desk and decide what to do differently in the next class.

• Have review games ready. Depending on the class, five minutes of vocabulary Hangman or Pictionary is legitimate. Let the students draw.
• Prepare three or four easy questions for a short conversation with the class. Make the topic similar to your lesson so nothing comes out of left field.
• Write a sentence from the lesson on the board. Give the class 15 seconds to memorize it. Erase the sentence and ask students to tell you what it was.

Know what is a priority. What must you accomplish for the lesson to be a success? Try to focus on that while watching the time. No matter what happens, remember to leave 2 minutes for a quick review. Back at your desk, figure out what went wrong and decide what to change.

There could be a lot of reasons for this. Are your English lessons too hard or too easy? Did they just get yelled at by their previous teacher for poor test results? Did three students just have a fight before you arrived and everyone got in trouble? Are you speaking too fast? Did your materials make sense?

The solution requires some reflection on what happened in order to fix it.

Whether you’re teaching in person or remotely, there are tons of amazing places to find ESL audio and video resources as well as ready-made ESL worksheets online. 

Familiarize yourself with these six resources now—they’ll come in handy over and over again as you plan your lessons.

Ellii is an incredibly accessible resource with a well-rounded and extensive catalog of activities ranging from ready-made ESL classes to digital homework activities . They also maintain a regularly updated blog focused on contemporary issues and trends in the ESL world.

Ellii is a subscription-based service, and it’s well worth a subscription for some ready-to-go activities if you’re a bit behind on your planning.

If you want all-in-one learning materials that’ll keep your students engaged, look no further than FluentU. 

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks —and turns them into personalized language lessons.

Each FluentU video features native English speakers, so your students can gain first-hand experience listening to authentic English conversations. Built-in vocabulary lists and interactive subtitles make these videos accessible, even for beginners.

The best part? Each FluentU video has its own “learn mode” that helps students practice vocabulary and grammar concepts. So, each video functions like a sort of “mini-lesson” where students learn through immersion .

We’re at a time when public debate, discourse and interaction have never been more relevant. Many ESL students don’t just want to learn English but are generally seeking more profound means of communication with people from around the world. The English Speeches YouTube channel compiles historical and contemporary speeches that are often moving, motivational or entertaining. Each speech is captioned with large lettering , and the speeches are categorized by English accent.

Linguahouse provides a wide range of ESL worksheets that are ready to use in class. The worksheets are divided into general, business, elementary and exam preparation, meaning you can utilize these resources for a specific class. You can also tailor the worksheets to suit the needs of a particular student or classroom. Access is free , and the website provides over 1,000 resources.

Film English is run by award-winning speaker, writer and educational trainer Kieran Donaghy . The content is based around (you guessed it) English films and short films. There are many well-prepared classes all devised around a particular video that can be downloaded. The lessons follow a very simple step-by-step format, and many of the topics are related to the themes of relationships, emotions and current issues.

Open Culture is a large-scale platform packed with educational and cultural content . The site is designed to be open-source, and you can draw from a deep well of specific topics and knowledge bases. The ESL section provides many audio and visual resources that can be easily adapted into an engaging and entertaining lesson plan.

As an ESL teacher, you have a hard job that most people can’t do. Making an exciting lesson out of a blank piece of paper is a real challenge. Even seasoned teachers who only use a book have trouble. To save your sanity, remember these points:

• Perfection will never be possible. That’s fine.
• Whatever comes out of your imagination will be awesome.
• Bells and whistles aren’t necessary. It’s the content and the thought behind English lessons that matter.
• When a lesson tanks, shrug it off. Fix what can be fixed. Forget about the rest.
• Teaching is a 50/50 relationship between the student and the teacher. You can do everything right, but if the student doesn’t do their part you’ll still have trouble. Do what you can and leave it at that.

The ESL classroom is an incredibly fun and exciting place. It can also be aggravating at times. But, hey, you’ll never be bored!

Teaching non-English speakers your language is an exciting privilege that you’ll never forget. Best of luck!

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Love is part of the lesson plan in ‘the midnight romance in hagwon’.

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Wi Ha-jun and Jung Ryeo Won play fellow Hagwon instructors.

Seo Hye-jin is a beloved instructor at one of the city’s best hagwons, Korea’s after-school academies that extend test prep well into the night. She’s not only an academic star, but she’s gracious when dealing with overwrought parents or upset students. Hye-jin, played by Jung Ryeo-won, cares so much about her students that she will even discuss grades with their public school teachers, if asked. That’s exactly what she does in the Korean drama The Midnight Romance in Hagwon , although the teacher she visits does not treat her with much respect.

The teacher does not approve of hagwons. Entry into the best Korean universities —which can improve the odds of landing a good job—is highly competitive. Schools and hagwons both focus on preparing students for these entry exams, but they don’t always use the same methods.

Lee Joon-ho, played by Wi Ha-jun, is the epitome of a hagwon success story. A former student of Hye-jin’s, he attended a top university and has a good job at a respected company. He’s one of the students that Hye-jin is most proud of, partly because he demonstrates the value of choosing the right hagwon.

He’s thankful for her part in his success and one day stops by the academy to reminisce. They’re obviously happy to see each other and promise to stay in touch. Still, she’s surprised when he shows up within days to take the recruitment test for hagwon instructors. It seems like a bad idea and she tries to talk him out of it. He’s already achieved success and working at a hagwon is not always easy. You won’t have time for anything, she tells him. You won’t even have time to date.

No worries there. He’s not changing careers for any of the conventional reasons. He just wants to be closer to Hye-jin and if she likes him too there will be plenty of time to date. Still, the relationship he dreams of might prompt some controversy. Even though he’s no longer her student, she’s at least a decade older than he is. K-drama leads usually have to overcome obstacles to find love and, given the unexpectedly entertaining chemistry between these lead actors, the age difference should be an easy hurdle to overcome.

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The Midnight Romance in Hagwon is an enjoyable romance in an interesting educational setting that can perhaps provide insight into the lengths that some students—and their parents—will go to achieve their academic dreams.

Both Jung and Ha have a varied resume that includes a few previous romantic roles. Ha previously appeared in Squid Game, Good and Evil, Little Women, and Romance Is A Bonus Book. Jung recently appeared in Wok of Love, Diary of a A Prosecutor and May It Please The Court. The Studio Dragon drama is directed by Ahn Pan-seok, who directed the successful romance dramas One Spring Night, Something In The Rain, and Secret Affair . It aired on tvN in South Korea and airs on Viki.com in the U.S.

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