A classroom economy is one of the simplest ways to improve behavior, build real-life skills, and get students more invested in your classroom. When it’s done well, it doesn’t feel like “another system.” It just becomes part of how your…
When your students keep mixing up borrow vs. lend, they’re not just being careless—it’s actually a language pattern. Many languages—such as Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and Mandarin—use one word to mean both “borrow” and “lend.” So when students speak English, they’re…
A classroom cookbook project is a delicious way to celebrate cooking, culture, and community. By sharing recipes, students are creating something meaningful that reflect their diverse backgrounds and personal experiences, . The result? A keepsake project that builds community and…
I often consult my tarot cards when I need to gain insight or make decisions. So imagine my excitement when I realized that tarot cards could also work well as an ESL speaking activity. Woot! Tarot cards are a novelty…
The 30-Day English Challenge is designed to improve your speaking, writing, vocabulary and reading, and boost your confidence and fluency. By completing a simple language task every day for 30 days, you’ll be on your way to better English… fast!…
My students know will and going to are both used for future tenses. But it’s often a challenge for them to choose the best one when speaking. Rather than focusing on forms, I’ve found it more important to focus on…
A paper airplane classroom competition is a great way to teach comparatives and superlatives in ESL. This challenge allows students to actually use the language… instead of just filling in blanks on a worksheet. For generations, paper planes have been…
When teaching a grammar lesson, most teachers will typically start out with how to form the structure. It’s a good way to start, because students love a good rule they can follow and apply. But then what? For many ESL…
If you teach ESL in the U.S., you’ve probably seen the headlines about Florida’s new English-only driving test requirements. The driving test is now English Only — no translations, no interpreters. Newcomers and immigrant learners don’t just need conversational English.…
As teachers, we’re constantly busy—planning lessons, grading, emailing parents, attending meetings… it never ends! Well lately, I’ve been doing something I call “Helping Future You.” It’s a simple mindset of doing things today to help Future Me tomorrow. It’s simple,…