ESL Teaching Ideas

2013-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

The ESL Teaching Ideas website gives ESL/EFL teachers ideas for their classrooms. There are a number of lessons, exercises, activities, and games to use with students learning English.
These ideas focus on grammar, speaking, listening, writing, and more.

The ideas may be designed for a complete class or simply for 5 minutes.

These ESL teaching ideas and games are a great way to make classes more dynamic and interesting for the students.

The best teaching ideas are those you create yourself, so take some of the information here and apply it to your class.

Remember that a more dynamic classroom is a better learning environment.

The following links are for the different sections of ESL teaching ideas:

The Joy of Books Lesson Plan

2012-01-10T18:33:00.000-08:00

After watching "The Joy of Books" video posted on Youtube, I had to show it to the students. I wasn't planning on a making a lesson of it, but this is where it took us.

I hope you enjoy the ideas I came up. Here is how the hour-long class went:

First, we watched the video at the start of class. You can see it here:

After, I put the students into groups and had them talk about these questions:
1. What did you think of the video?
2. How do you think it was made?
3. Have you seen a video like this before?
4. If you could make a video similar to this, what would the theme be?
5. What do you think was the purpose of the video?
6. What other types of animation do you like?

After the 5-minute discussion in partners, we shared some answers as a whole class.

Next, I wrote the title of the video on the board: The Joy of Books

I had them get into partners again and brainstorm their own ideas for titles. They wrote their best picks on the board and we all voted on which title we thought was best.
(Side note: we didn't come up with anything better than the original title.)

After that exercise, they found a new partner and we moved on to another activity.

In pairs, they brainstormed adjectives to describe the video. After 5 minutes I took ideas and wrote them on the board. This gave us the chance to do some vocabulary work as some students had to explain to the class the definitions of the adjectives they chose.

Then, we took the adjectives and picked the best 7. For this we focused on choosing the most specific adjectives that related to the video. So for example, we chose creative but not amazing. We thought amazing could describe many things, but creative was more appropriate.

I wrote the best 7 on the board and added 3 of my own. I chose motivating, elaborate, and complex because I was trying to give them 3 adjectives they didn't know.
(Side note: the video motivated me to read more.)

After explaining my three adjectives and double-checking that they knew the 7 of their own, I moved on to the next phase.

The students worked in partners to choose 10 nouns, one to match with each of the 10 adjectives on the board. So for example, one group chose Picasso for creative and teacher for motivating.

Then, the groups randomly said one of their nouns and the other groups tried to guess which adjective it matched with. I thought it would be easy, but most of them had about 6-8 of their nouns matched to the adjectives correctly by the other groups.

It was competitive and fun, and it really extended their understanding of the 10 adjectives.After the adjective game, we wrapped it up with a little discussion on the video and I revealed that it was filmed in Toronto, just a few blocks away from our school. They were excited to hear that.

So from a 2 minute video with no dialogue, I came up with an hour-long class. It was a class that had lots of authentic speaking and some wonderful vocabulary work. Overall, it was fun and the students enjoyed it.

I recommend you watch the video at least to enjoy the incredible and creative work done by the employees of Type book store.And if you think your students would enjoy it, try out some of my ideas from the lesson I taught today.

ESL Methodology

2011-11-17T08:04:00.001-08:00

Communicative Language Teaching

Classroom Management

2011-11-17T07:04:00.001-08:00

How to Reduce Teacher Talk Time

Vocabulary Memory Game

2011-11-16T13:01:00.001-08:00

Here is a fun game for students to practice vocabulary. It also shows them how to use memory techniques to improve their vocabulary.

Write a list of words on paper or the board. The words can be anything you like, but should contain the same number of letter (3, 4, 5, etc.)

Give the students 2 minutes to remember the list of words.

Cover up the list and have the students write out as many as they can remember.

This is really just a memory game, but it can be used with target vocabulary if needed.

It's lots of fun, and it can fill in 5 minutes of a lesson any time.

What Order Would You Do It? - 2nd Conditional Speaking Activity

2011-11-16T08:27:00.001-08:00

This speaking activity helps students practice the 2nd conditional. It is a good variation from the standard conditional conversation questions.

1. The teacher provides students with example tasks and 4
ways to complete these tasks.

Examples:

Learn to swim
a) watch a video
b) Ask friends for help
c) Take lessons
d) Do it

Clean the kitchen

a) Wash the dishes
b) Mop the floor
c) Take the garbage out
d) Clean the oven

2. The students work in pairs an discuss 3 main questions:
a) What order would you use to complete this task?
b) Which items would you not do?
c) Which items would you add to the list?

Depending on the samples you give, some hypothetical questions become more appropriate than others. For example, in the swimming example above, it makes more sense to choose one method of learning to swim. In the cleaning example, it makes more sense to discuss the order and add some more.

The value of this activity is there are no right or wrong answers. This is what creates a situation where the students can be free to speak.

ESL Conversation Topics

2011-11-16T08:05:00.001-08:00

Conditionals Conversation Questions

"Get" Vocabulary Conversation Questions

Prepositions Conversation Questions

Speaking Activity for Conditionals

2011-11-16T07:50:00.001-08:00

Here is a short activity to help students practice speaking with conditionals, especially speaking hypothetically. This can be used after a lesson on conditionals, or any time you would like to give students a chance to practice.

1. Each student writes some questions using the 2nd conditional (e.g. What would you do if you won the lottery?)

2. Students choose one of their questions they like the best.

3. Student mingle throughout the class asking their question to each person.

4. Students record the answers in point form or short notes with the name of the person who gave that reply.

5. Students individually choose the best and worst answers base don their own opinion.

6. Students report the best and worst answer to the class without giving names.

Options

After reporting the best and worst answers, the other students can guess who said each answer. To do this, it is important to have a group that is very comfortable with each other. If not, some students may be offended by having their answers chosen as the worst.

Another option is to have students choose their best question with a partner. This creates a little extra discussion as they can negotiate which of the questions would work best for the activity.

The 3rd conditional also works well (e.g. What would you have done?)

I hope you enjoy this activity. As I said, it is a simple exercise that should take about 10 minutes. It is valuable because most students struggle using the conditionals in speaking.

Conversation Questions to Practice "Get"

2011-11-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

Her eare some conversation questions to practice the vocabulary word "get".

As "get" is such an important word in casual speaking, it is crucial that students understand how to use it in all the different ways.

What time do you get up on weekends?
What is the best gift you have ever gotten?
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
What do you like to get when you go out for breakfast?
What is a subject in school that you didn't get?
What time do you get to school/work in the morning?
What did you get for your last birthday?
What things get you angry?
What do you get when you go to a coffee shop?
What do you do when you get tired at work/school?
Who is someone you know that always gets mad?
How long does it take you to get to work/school?
When did you get married? When do you want to get married?
What are the best ways to get a job?
Have you ever gotten caught for something?

ESL Jobs

2011-11-15T07:20:00.000-08:00

ESL Job Board

Canada ESL Jobs

TESOL

ESL Jobs on General Job Boards

Craigslist

Monster

ESL Writing Ideas

2011-10-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

Email Chain Letter

Email Chain Letter - ESL Writing Ideas

2011-10-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

This activity is an effective way to help students practice the three main sections of an email:

Lead Paragraph
Body Paragraph (Details)
Closing Paragraph (Call to Action)

In this writing exercise, students write different sections of the email and trade letters at the same time.

1. Write out enough email situations for each student in the class.
e.g.
You need to cancel a meeting with you boss.
You need to order printer ink.

2. Each student starts on a different situation by writing the greeting.

3. Students pass their papers to the left and continue to write the next section of the email they receive.

4. The teacher monitors progress and determines when the students pass the papers.

5. After 6 passes (greeting, opening, body, closing, polite goodbye, editing) the activity is finished.

6. Teacher can take up the work in a number of ways depending on the number of students and time restraints.

Boggle - ESL Board Games

2011-09-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

Boggle is one of the most popular word games in North America.

In this game, a number of dice are used, but the dice have letters instead of numbers. When the dice are shaken and played, a grid of 16 letters is presented to the player. With these letters, the player must make words from all connected letters. The letters can be connected horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.

For ESL, this game is wonderful for vocabulary practice. It also enhances creative thinking.

I play a similar game on the whiteboard. In this game, I write a grid of random letters and have the students create words by connecting letters.

For reviews and product information, check out Boggle on Amazon.

Scrabble - ESL Board Games

2011-09-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

Scrabble is the original word game. It is also the only game that has its own dictionary. For these reasons, it is a must in an English school.

The purpose of the game is to score the most points by creating words with letter tiles. Each letter is worth a different number of points, with difficult letters (x, q, z) being worth the most.

Each player places letter tiles on the board to make words by connecting with other words.

From an ESL perspective, this game couldn't be any better. While oral communication is low, the amount of vocabulary practice is incredible.

There are a number of changes you can make so Scrabble is easier to play and more rewarding for the students. One idea is to give the players all the letters at the start of the game. Usually, each player has only 7 tiles, but with more tiles, the word making becomes easier. Another modification is to forget about the connecting part of the game. Simply allow students to make words with the seven tiles they have.

Any way you play Scrabble, it is a great addition to an ESL class or school.

ESL Board Games - ESL Games

2011-09-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

ESL Ideas

2011-09-21T16:14:00.001-07:00

ESL Ideas

Taboo - ESL Board Games

2011-07-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

Taboo is one of the most famous party games ever made. It is a word guessing game that is normally played in partners or teams. The board game is produced by Hasbro, and was created in 1989.

The game is quite simple: Players try to guess a word on a card as their teammate uses verbal clues to give them hints. The only restriction is the player can't say any words from a list on the card. Here is an example:

for this card, the player can't say the 5 words, and must get her team to guess the word "watch".

This board game is perfect for ESL classes because it forces students to communicate. The fast pace also creates situations where students must think quickly, much like the real world. It also models the most common speaking situation: One person has information and must explain it to another person, also known as an information gap.

If you are interested in the actual board game, you can click here:

Taboo

However, Taboo is a game you can make quite easily with paper and pens. It is also fun to have the students create the cards. It helps them practice vocabulary by creating the 5 words that are "taboo".

For more party game ideas in the ESL class, check out this page:

ESL Party Games

Catchphrase - ESL Board Games

2011-05-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

Catchphrase is a popular party game, which is good for adults or families. The game is played in teams, and is similar to Taboo or Charades.

The object of the game is to score the most points for your team. The game consists of an electronic device that you load cards into. On the cards are hundreds of words. The player can say anything to get his or her team to guess the word on the card. When the teams guesses, the device is passed along to the next team and a new word is displayed. Players must think fast because when the time runs out, the team holding the device gives a point to the other team. In this regard, it is like hot potato.

This game is great for an ESL class because it makes students think quickly and use their speaking skills to communicate with their team. The speed and pressure of the game and the ticking device increases the need for proper vocabulary and pronunciation.

like any party game, Catchphrase works well in the ESL class. Simply getting the students to speak and have fun at the same time is an accomplishment in itself. This game will allow you to do that. Plus, the endless cards and words mean the game never gets old. Young students will also like using the machine, especially as it ticks away like a time-bomb and goes off when the time is up.

For more information, product reviews, or to buy this game, check out Catchphrase at Amazon.

ESL Music Ideas - Simple Tenses - Coldplay - Sparks

2011-04-13T17:10:00.001-07:00

Coldplay is one of the most famous musical groups in the world. Students have already been listening to their music, so bringing it into the classroom is an easy transition. They will enjoy using Coldplay songs to practice their listening.

"Sparks" was one of Coldplay's first singles, and is still one of their best songs. It was featured in the movie Wedding Crashers.

The song is good for listening class because it uses all three simple verb tenses. These include simple present, future, and past.

Using this song in a beginner listening class allows students to develop their understanding of the three tenses together.

It is also good for beginners because the singer does not sing very fast. Christ Martin's style of singing is somewhat slow, so the beginner students can follow along.

Here is the music video with the lyrics. If you would like an online listening exercise for the students, check out this link:

Coldplay Sparks Listening Exercise

Enjoy the video

Lyrics
Sparks
Coldplay

Did I drive you away?
I know what you'll say.
You'll say, "Oh, sing one we know"
But I promise you this,
I'll always look out for you.
That's what I'll do.

Singing aaaa...
Singing aaaa...

My heart is yours.
It's you that I hold on to.
That's what I'll do.
But I know I was wrong,
And I won't let you down.
(Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah I will, yes I will…)

Singing aaa...
Crying aaa...

Yeah I saw sparks,
Yeah I saw sparks,
And I saw sparks,
Yeah I saw sparks,
Singing out.

La, la, la, la, oh…
La, la, la, la, oh…
La, la, la, la, oh…
La, la, la, la, oh…

Would Rather - ESL Grammar Ideas

2011-03-19T05:09:00.000-07:00

Would You Rather Survey

This activity works well because it gets students moving around and interacting with their classmates. It also allows them to find out more about other students and their opinions.

Students create from 3-6 "would you rather" questions.

Encourage them to create questions that are hypothetical and fun. For example,

Would you rather be able to fly or swim under water like a fish?
Would you rather meet Brad Pitt or Barak Obama?
Would you rather be deaf or blind?

You will be surprised with how creative the students can be with their questions.

After they have finished their questions and the teacher has checked them, the students then mingle around asking their classmates the questions. They must take notes of the results of the questions by checking off each reply.

In the end, the student should have a survey completed for each of the questions. This way they are able to say that 7 people would rather be able to fly and 8 people would rather be able to swim under water.

Finally, the students report their findings to the class. This results in sentences such as these:

Most people would rather live in a warm country.
Everyone would rather meet Brad Pitt than Barak Obama.
75% of the people would rather have unlimited pizza than unlimited ice cream.

Rather/Prefer Dialogoues

In this activity, students create dialogues and present them to the class.

Students work in pairs. The teacher gives each pair a situation containing two choices. An example looks like this:

Vacation

Montreal or New York

Hotel or Hostel

The students then create dialogues form these choices. They must use would rather and would prefer. Finally, they present their dialogues to the class. The presentations are short, with really only about 5-8 sentences.

Here is an example:

A: So we need to talk about our vacation.

B: I know. Would you rather go to Montreal of New York?

A: Well, I think I would rather go to Montreal. I have never been there, and I would love to practice some French.

B: OK., I think that is a great idea. And where should we stay?

A: i don't know. Would you prefer to stay in a hotel or a hostel?

B: I'd prefer to stay in a hotel. It would be nice to stay in a fancy hotel with a pool.

A: Great idea!

You can see the dialogues aren't too lengthy, but there are still several examples of the target language.

Around the Circle with I'd Rather

This game is perhaps the most popular for pratcicing Rather and Prefer. I have seen it many times on the Internet and in different books.

The students are in a circle or seated at their desks. The first student starts by making a statement such as these:

I'd like pizza for dinner.
I'd like to travel to Argentina.
I'd like a bicycle.

The next student simply says "I'd rather" and then adds another idea. It looks like this:

A: I'd like rice for lunch.

B: I'd rather eat chicken.

C: I'd rather eat pasta.

The game works best when the students increase the value of the item only slightly so that in the end they have arrived at the best possible choice. I usually use money as my example to show them how to progress.

A: I'd like $5.

B: I'd rather have $10.

C: I'd rather have $25.

D: I'd rather have $100.

In this way, the final answer is really the best option of all. So conversations will go from eating bread to lobster, or from driving a bicycle to driving a helicopter.

In another way, it can simply be used to show student opinion. For example, discussing famous people to meet allows the students to give their best option. So while one might say Lady Gaga another will say Cristiano Ronaldo or Barak Obama.

Those are some activities for would you rather and would you prefer. If you are interested in some online lessons and tests, take a look at the links below:

Rather/Prefer Lesson

Rather/Prefer Test

How it Should Have Ended

2011-03-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

I found an interesting website the other day. It is called How it Should Have Ended, and it is about movies.

English teachers will know from the title, this website can help with the 3rd conditional.

It's a fun website that has a number of animated videos showing how the authors think movies should have ended.

The animation is actually pretty decent, and the videos are funny. More than that, the site can be used to get your students thinking and speaking using the 3rd conditional.

So check out the site, and hopefully you find it useful for your classrooms.

http://www.howitshouldhaveended.com/

Games for Should - ESL Grammar Ideas

2011-03-07T11:19:00.001-08:00

Here are some excellent games to practice the word "should". As we know, should is used to give advice. These games allow students a chance to give and receive advice.

The Tourist and The Tour Guide
This is a role-play that works well when it is presented to the class.

In this activity, students work in pairs to create a dialogue. One student is a tourist in the other student's city. The tourist must ask questions, and the tour guide must give advice.
For example:
A: You should visit the Eiffel Tower.
B: Really? Should I go up the Tower?
A: Oh yes. You should definitely go up. It costs about $15, but it is worth it.
B: And what about The Louvre?
A: You should definitely go to the Louvre. In fact, you should try and go on a Sunday because it is cheaper. And when you are there, you should try and see the Mona Lisa.

Now, this dialogue can be used in a number of ways.

Presentation
The students can work together and practice the dialogue to present it to the class. This has a few advantages. First, they will focus on accuracy
They will certainly be writing things down, and probably want to read from a script.

Fluid Pairs
For a more informal take on this activity, you can simply have the students moving around the class talking to different people about their cities.

Advice ContestIn this activity the students are placed in pairs or groups of 3. The object of the game is to be the team who gives the best advice.

The teacher starts by saying a problem. Each team brainstorms ideas for advice. Then each group says its advice.

For example,

Teacher: I lost my keys.

Group A: You should call the police.
Group B: You should ask your friends.
Group C: You should put a classified ad in the newspaper.
Group D: You should look for them in your house.

Then the teacher awards one point for the best suggestion.

The teacher continues the game by giving new problems.

I like this game because it allows the students to brainstorm multiple idea and choose the best. It is wonderful to see the partners listing 4-6 suggestions to each other, and using the proper grammar structure the whole time.

Things

Things is a board game marketed to adults. It is designed as a party game. You can see the game here:

The Game of Things

In this game, the teacher says a problem, and the students write a suggestion on a piece of paper.

Example: You should exercise in the morning.
You should use your credit car less often.

The teacher collects the pieces of paper from the students and mixes them up. He/she then reads the suggestions in random order. Read it a second time so the students can remember them.

Then, each student takes a turn guessing who wrote each suggestion.

For example:

"I think Ricardo wrote, you should exercise in the morning."

If the student is correct, 3 things happen:

The student gets a point
The student continues guessing
The person whose suggestions was guessed is eliminated.

If the student does not guess correctly, the next student takes a turn. Remember: when a student guesses incorrectly, he or she is not eliminated from the game. You can only be eliminated when your suggestion is guessed.

After half of the suggestions have been guessed, the teacher reads the remaining papers again.

The person who is eliminated first takes the first turn in the next round.

This game is a fun way to get your students to produce written sentences with the targeted language, which in this case is "should". You can also use this game for a number of other targets, and you can see that here:

The Best ESL Board Game - Guess Who

2011-03-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

I believe I have found the best board game for the ESL classroom. It's Guess Who.

This game was popular when I was a child in Canada, and it is fun for kids. I think it is the best game to use in the ESL class.

The main reason it is so good is because it is completely structured on asking and answering questions.

The Game:

Each player chooses a card with a character name and face on it. Then the players take turns asking yes/no questions to try and guess who the character is. Each person as a board with all the characters on it that they can use to eliminate choices.

As we know, asking yes/no questions is incredibly important, and it is not always easy for ESL students. This game really let's them practice. They can practice such questions as these:

Does he have a mustache?
Does she have red hair?
Is he bald?

Apart from asking yes/no questions, it is also helpful for face vocabulary like beard, mustache, lips, eyes, etc.

If you want more information, or would like to purchase the game, you can click on the link below.

Guess Who

Do you have any good board games that work well in an ESL class?

Simple Future Games - ESL Grammar Ideas

2011-02-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some game ideas for the simple future:

I am Going to Go Camping
Here is a variation of the classic "We're Going on a Camping Trip" game. In that game, you go around the class in order and each student adds a new item to the list of things to take on a camping trip. Before they add a new item, they must recite all the items already said. It looks like this:

Student 1: I'm going to go on a camping trip, and I will bring a flashlight.

Student 2: I'm going to go on a camping trip, and I will bring a flashlight and a radio.

Student 3: I'm going to go on a camping trip, and I am going to bring a flashlight, radio, and an umbrella.

The games continues, and students are eliminated when they can't remember an item or they make a mistake.

Notice the use of simple future in their sentences: "I'm going to go on a camping trip, and I will bring a.....

For a variation, it doesn't have to be a camping trip. It could be a vacation, a walk in the park, or anything you like.

I Can See Your Future
In this game, student role-play and act like psychics. Half the class are psychics and the other are customers. The psychics tell the fortunes of their clients using the simple future. It would sound something like this:

Psychic: I can see you will be very rich. In about 10 years you are going to take a job that will pay you a lot of money, however, there will be danger.

Client: What will the danger be?

Encourage the students to take on the persona of a psychic. They could read palms, use a soccer ball for a crystal ball, flip cards, or consult with the spirits. They will have a lot more fun if they are acting like mysterious fortune tellers.

On My Vacation (Presentation)
This one isn't a game, but a presentation. It also works well as a research activity.

Have the students research a destination they would like to visit for a vacation. Tell them they are actually going to go on a vacation to this place, so they need to make plans. Later, they present their plans to the class. Essentially, the presentation is them telling the class what they will do on their vacation. It can be as detailed as you like. Here are some examples quotes from some of these presentations:

On Tuesday I will go to the beach. I will probably stay for most of the day, and then at night I will go out for dinner.

Wednesday, I will visit the Eiffel tower. Later, I will go shopping and maybe even visit a museum.

The simple future is clearly and important verb tense, and the students need to perfect it to improve their speaking. These games will help them use the target language while speaking and communicating, and also while having fun.

For lessons and tests on the simple future, try these links:

Simple Future

Simple Future Test

Simple Future Test

Gerunds & Infinitives - ESL Grammar Ideas

2011-02-17T10:50:00.000-08:00

I have made a change to how I teach Gerunds and Infinitives to low intermediates.

Gerunds and Infinitive lessons are famous for the 3 lists of verbs:

Verbs followed by gerunds
Verbs followed by infinitives
Verbs followed by both

The problem I have found the past few times I have taught it is the difficulty of the verbs.

Verbs like admit, threaten, deserve, deny, or intend are always on the lists. The problem is I spent most of my time teaching the verb definition and not practicing the grammar point.

Of course these verbs are important, and some are easy to teach, but I find too much time is spent teaching them. In the past, my Gerunds & Infinitive lessons turned into vocabulary lessons.

The problem with this is it goes against a basic rule of teaching grammar:

Do not explain a new grammar rule with examples that have new vocabulary or are too difficult.

For example, think about a simple past lesson with examples:

Yesterday, I went to the the park.
Yesterday, I went to the tanning salon.

Clearly, the students would not understand tanning salon, and the point of the example would be lost. This concept should also apply to gerunds and infinitives.

Due to this, I have cut down my list of verbs and have found more success.

Here is my new list, which really only has verbs that intermediate students already know.

Verbs Followed by Gerunds

avoid

can’t help

complete

discuss

dislike

don’t mind

enjoy

finish

keep

miss

practice

quit

recommend

understand

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

agree

ask

choose

decide

fail

happen

hope

know how

learn

prepare

promise

volunteer

wait

want

wish

Verbs Followed by Both

begin

can’t stand

continue

expect

forget

hate

love

plan

prefer

remember

start

stop

try

If you are looking for gerunds and infinitives lessons and quizzes, try these links:

Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and Infinitives Test

Gerunds and Infinitives Test

Gerunds and Infinitives Test

Questions Practice Game - ESL Grammar Ideas

2011-02-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

This activity is something my students had trouble with, and it really surprised me. It shows how students have problems creating questions. The activity itself is very simple:

Write a statement on the board.
Example: I went to a party last night.

The students must create questions based on that statement.
Examples:

Where was the party?
Who did you go with?
What time did the party start?

This activity can also be played as a game. the first student (or team) that comes up with 3 perfect questions wins a point.

This activity is nice to practice questions for any target language. For example, take a look at these different statements and how they can be used to focus on the target language.

I went to a party yesterday. (simple past)
I usually eat breakfast. (routine, simple present)
I will go to the movie theater tonight. (simple future)
I have never visited France. (present perfect)

As you can see, there are an unlimited number of ways to use this game. While it is ideal for beginners, it helps students at all levels formulate questions.

ESL Logic Problems - Colours

2011-02-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

Here is a logic problem for beginners. It can be used to practice colours.

Tom, Brad, Susan, and Patty have T-shirts. The shirts are different colours. They are red, blue, green, and yellow.

What shirts do they have? Use the clues.

1. Patty does not have a blue shirt.

2. Susan's shirt is the same colour as the sun.

3. Brendan's shirt is not blue.

4. Patty's shirt is the same colour as the grass.

Answers:

Patty - Green
Susan - Yellow
Brendan - Red
Tom - Blue

How to Reduce Teacher Talk Time

2010-11-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

How to Reduce Teacher Talk Time

Reducing teacher talk time (TTT) and increasing student talk time (STT) is an important aspect of creating a communicative classroom. Here are some strategies to reduce teacher talk time:

Elicit

Elicit answers and concepts from students.
Concept check understanding of new words and structures. Don’t over explain.

Body Language

Use body language, gestures, props, and the board to explain.

Instructions

Make instructions simple and concise to avoid explaining them multiple times.

Echoing

Don’t echo student responses.

Questions

Ask open-ended questions, not yes/no questions.
Use “why” and “how” to prompt student explanations.
Ask follow-up questions.

Participation

Encourage all students to participate.
Students should read instructions, examples, exercise questions, and anything else that is possible. The teacher should never read these things.

Study Methods

Use inductive methods to teach new ideas.
Students should use self-discovery to find answers and solutions.

Feedback

Students can give each other feedback rather than the teacher.

Silence

Provide students with ample thinking time so they can formulate answers and be prepared to speak.
Tolerate silence and don’t fill it with TTT.
Be patient when students are answering a question. Don’t rush to fill the silence with TTT.

Lesson Plans

Prepare your lesson plans thoroughly. A teacher with a good lesson plan is less likely to fill in gaps with talk time.

Student Confidence

Be positive about mistakes.
Provide a welcoming class environment where students feel they are able to make mistakes.
Increase student confidence whenever possible.

Student Level

Make sure students are in the appropriate level.
Ask students appropriate questions so they are able to answer.

“Be interested, not interesting”

ESL Games - Go Fish

2010-10-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

I was playing cards with the students the other day, and I remembered the old game, Go Fish. It turned out to be a great game for my beginners and gave them lots of chances to practice basic questions with "do".

For those of you that don't know the game:

Go Fish

Each player is dealt 5-9 cards depending on the number of players. The rest of the cards are spread out face down in the middle of the table. This pile acts as the fish pond.

When players have two of the same card, they throw the pair away. As they continue to throw pairs away, the first person to get rid of all their cards wins.

The first player may ask any other player for a card. As an example,

"Do you have any 10s?"
"Yes I do." (passes the 10 to the first player)

or,
"No, I don't. Go fish" (The first player chooses a card from the fish pond)

The game continues to the left with all the players asking for cards.

Again, this is a great review of questions with do. Make sure the students are actually asking the questions.

ESL Logic Problems - Shopping

2010-10-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Here is another ESL logic problem.

These are wonderful for practicing listening skills, and getting students to think a little more. Simply read the instructions in class and have the students try to solve the answers.

This logic problem works well with a shopping unit as it has some different items to buy.

---

6 friends went shopping last weekend. There names are Susan, Sam, Michael, Melissa, Andrew, and Alisa.

They each bought one item, including jeans, socks, a jacket, a video game, a blender, and an iPod.

Listen to the clues and try and decide which person bought each item.

Clues:

1. Melissa did not buy clothes.
2. The person who bought the blender does not have a name that starts with S.
3. Andrew did not buy anything electronic.
4. Alisa did not buy a kitchen item.
5. The jacket was not bought by someone with a name that starts with A.
6. Sam did not buy clothes.
7. Michael did not buy the video game.
8. Susan did not buy any pants.
9. The person who bought the iPod does not have a name that starts with M.
10. Alisa did not buy anything for her feet.
11. Michael didn’t buy jeans.
12. Susan did not buy a music player.
13. The video game was not bought by a person whose name starts with S.
14. Alisa did not buy the video game.

---

Answers:

Susan - Jacket
Sam - iPod
Michael - Blender
Melissa - Video Game
Andrew - Socks
Alisa - Jeans

---

For more ESL logic problems, check out the links on this page:

ESL Logic Problems

ESL Vocabulary Ideas

2010-10-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Most Important Verbs

Get

Movies

Just

ESL Book Reviews

2010-10-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Focus on Grammar

Pronunciation Plus

ESL Grammar Ideas

2010-10-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

Phrasal Verbs

Past Continuous

Indirect Speech

Verb Tenses

Modal Verbs

Gerunds and Infinitives

ESL Conversation Ideas

2010-10-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Role-Play Activities

Prepositions

Conditionals

Promotional Contest

Country Rol e Play

Canadian Survival

Factory Role-Play

ESL Games

2010-10-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

Number Games

Party Games

ESL Board Games

Student Bingo

Game Shows

That's My Seat

Comparative and Superlative Games - ESL Grammar Ideas

2010-10-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Comparative and Superlative adjectives are a very important part of learning English. This is especially true for beginners, as knowledge of these grammar forms is really a prerequisite of advancing to intermediate.

While grammar lessons and exercises are beneficial, we all know it is important to get the students communicating and using the structures in realistic situations.

For me, the first way I do this is have them discuss the differences between their countries. This includes their home country and the country they are now studying in, but it also includes comparing their countries with those of their partners. As we know, students love to talk about their home countries, and this is a perfect time to do that.

I simply write a number of adjectives on the board that are used to describe places: hot, cold, big, small, clean, dirty, safe, busy, etc. I then have them work in partners to make sentences with the comparative adjectives.
Ex: My city is colder than this city.

Comparative/Superlative Trivia

Another activity I like, is to create a superlative/comparative trivia. Although the students do not use the structure in speaking as much, it is a great chance for them to see the comparatives/superlatives in context. Some example questions I normally use are,

What is the biggest country in the world?
What city is colder, Toronto or Vancouver?
Who is older, Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie?

As you can imagine, the questions can be created to suit any purpose you like as well as any difficulty.

Bring Me Something....

For younger students, I like to play a game where they search the class to find an item I have requested. The students are in groups, and I stand in front of the class. As an example, I ask for something smaller than a pencil. The first group to bring me an item that fits the request gets a point. Other examples include,

Something bigger than the textbook
Something older than the desk
Something newer than a new notebook
Someone better looking than the teacher (That always gets some laughs)

Does anyone else have any ideas for comparative or superlative games?

As a general note, I find in speaking students need the most help with using "than" with comparatives, deciding between "more" and "er", and choosing the superlative vs. the comparative. I am always conscious of these issues, and try to make corrections whenever possible.

Here are some tests that can be copied and printed:

Comparative Adjectives Test

Comparative Adjectives Test

Superlative Adjectives Test

Comparatives vs. Superlatives Test

Comparatives vs. Superlatives Test

New Interchange - ESL Book Reviews

2010-10-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

Interchange is one of the best selling English language series in the world. Written by Jack C. Richards, this series contains 4 levels, and helps students improve reading, writing, grammar, listening, and even speaking. It was originally called New Interchange, but the "New" was dropped with the Third Edition, so now it is simply Interchange. The book is published by Cambridge University Press, and you can see the book details on their website.

The books are designed to be used in a classroom with the help of a teacher. For this reason, they are very popular course books for English programs. Even beginner teachers can open New Interchange and begin teaching English.

It is an integrated skills program, and the value comes from their ability to teach all the English skills.

Grammar
While the grammar explanations are limited, they do provide a number of good examples and the opportunity to practice with exercises. The workbooks are excellent resources for extra practice as well.

Reading
Each unit contains a reading exercise found at the end. These readings follow the content of the unit, and are followed by comprehension questions. The comprehension questions vary, but mainly include fill in the blank, matching, or short answer. There is also usually a discussion section where students can work in pairs to extend the lesson.

Writing
Each unit has one writing assignment that can be administered by the teacher. It is based on the unit topic, and normally takes about 1 hour of class time.

Listening
There are several listening exercises throughout the book, often more than one per unit. It is necessary to have the audio CDs to perform the listening exercises.

Apart from the 4 skills, the Interchange series also has a variety of sections throughout the books.

Snapshot
This is opening of the unit, and it contains discussion questions about the theme. The Snapshots are a good way to introduce the theme and the unit, and htey are very communicative.

Conversation
The Conversation section is a model conversation using the target grammar. The class CD has the audio script.

Word Power
The Word Power section is for vocabulary, and it usually has words related to the theme. For example, in the unit on professions, there is a list of jobs. The books don't simply include a list, but some type of vocabulary exercise for the student to gain a better understanding of the words.

Interchange Activities
These are perhaps the best part of the book. In the back, ther are 16 activities corresponding tothe 16 units. Each exercise is a communicative activity that really gets the student speaking. In many ways they are task-based using techniques such as information gap. There are lots of interviews, surveys, and missing information games.

Communicative Language Teaching

2010-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Communicative Language Teaching is the most popular method of second language teaching today. Created in the 1970s, it has changed the world of second language acquisition.

Here are some of the most influential writers on Communicative Language Teaching and Communicative Competence:

Communicative Competence: Theory and Classroom Practice - Sandra Savignon

Foundations in Sociolinguistics: An Ethnographic Approach (Conduct and Communication) - Dell Hymes

Here is an excellent article on Communicative Language Learning, by the author of the New Interchange series:

Jack Richards - "Communicative Language Teaching Today"

Here is a list of some books on Communicative Language Teaching.

Making Communicative Language Teaching Happen

Communicative Language Teaching in Action: Putting Principles to Work

Communicative Language Teaching: An Introduction (Cambridge Language Teaching Library)

ESL Conversation Ideas - Prepositions

2010-09-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some conversation questions to practice In, On, and At:

When were you born?
When is your birthday?
What city do you live in?
What time do you wake up during the week?
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
What time do you go to bed?
Where is your school?
Where is your house?
Where is your bank?
When do you eat lunch?
In what months are the important holidays in your country?
What year did you graduate elementary/secondary school?

Make sure the students are answering the questions with IN, ON, or AT. This works well in partners, and gives them a chance to practice the prepositions they just learned.

For a test on these prepositions that you can photocopy and handout, try this page:

In, On, At Test

Jealous Guy - ESL Music Ideas

2010-03-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

Jealous Guy was a song by John Lennon, which he sung after his time in The Beatles. The value of this song is that it can be used to show students the past continuous.

Throughout the lyrics there are several examples of the past continuous. It is also nice because most students know who John Lennon is, and will enjoy listening to his music.

Here are the lyrics:

I was dreaming of the past.
And my heart was beating fast,
I began to lose control,
I began to lose control,

I didn't mean to hurt you,
I'm sorry that I mad you cry,
I didn't want to hurt you,
I'm just a jealous guy,

I was feeling insecure,
You night not love me any more,

I was shivering inside,
I was shivering inside,

I was trying to catch your eyes,
Thought that you were trying to hide,
I was swallowing my pain,
I was swallowing my pain.

For more practice with the past continuous, try these links:

Past Continuous Lesson

Past Continuous Test

Lemon Tree - ESL Music Ideas

2010-03-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

Lemon Tree by Fool's Garden is an excellent song to practice the present continuous. The singer uses the verb tense throughout the song to explain what he is doing "right now".

This is a good song to use after teaching the present continuous, and the students may know the tune already. Either way, they will benefit from seeing the present continuous in action.

Here is the music video and a cloze exercise.

Enjoy!

I'm __________________ here in the boring room
It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon
I'm wasting my time
I got nothing to do
I'm hanging around
I'm __________________ for you
But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I'm __________________ around in my car
I'm driving too fast
I'm driving too far
I'd like to change my point of view
I feel so lonely
I'm waiting for you
But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I wonder how
I wonder why
__________________ you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree
I'm turning my head up and down
I'm turning turning, turning, turning, turning around
And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I'm sitting here
I miss the __________________
I'd like to go out taking a shower
But there's a heavy cloud inside my head
I feel so tired
Put myself into __________________
Well, nothing ever happens, and I wonder ...

Isolation is not good for me
Isolation I don't want to sit on the lemon-tree

I'm __________________ around in the desert of joy
Baby anyhow I'll get another toy
And everything will happen and you wonder

I wonder how
I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree
I'm turning my head up and down
I'm turning, turning, turning, turning, turning around
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree
And I wonder, wonder

I wonder how
I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see, and all that I can see, and all that I can see
Is just a yellow lemon-tree

Guest Post - Betsy Jones - Wordspark

2010-03-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Today I have a guest post from Betsy Jones, of the site WordSpark. Her site teaches English in an authentic context through the use of popular culture. It features authentic readings, worksheets and activities.

I like her site for both teachers and students. Teachers will enjoy the printable worksheets for their class. Students will enjoy the videos, lessons, and activities.

Here is one of her lessons that I think would work real well in class.

Snack Time Adjectives

Do you like snacks? A snack is a small amount of food that stops you from being hungry between meals. Snacks are also eaten just because they taste good. A “midnight snack” is one that is eaten shortly before going to bed or during the night.

No matter what your preference, there is a snack food for you. There are healthy snacks, such as crunchy pretzels and juicy grapes, and there are snacks that are not as healthy, such as salty potato chips and chewy candy bars. Some people like spicy wasabi peas or a savory piece of cheese. My favorite snack is a bowl of cold ice cream. My husband doesn’t eat snacks very often, but he does like to eat a piece of dark chocolate occasionally. Our cat’s favorite snacks are white bread and bagels. Don’t you think those are funny foods for a cat to like?

You can download a printable version of this activity with visual vocabulary here:
http://zachary-jones.com/english/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Snack-Time-Adjectives.pdf

Visual Vocabulary:

Questions for Discussion:
1. An adjective is a word that describes something in a sentence. (For example, a hot coffee.) Find all the adjectives in the above paragraph.
2. Think of 5 more types of snacks. What adjectives would you use to describe them?
3. What is your favorite midnight snack?

Oscar Songs - ESL Music Ideas

2010-03-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

The Oscars are this weekend, and students will be interested in the song that they play during the ceremony. A great activity Monday morning is to do some listening activities with the nominated songs.

Here are the lyrics for the four English songs with cloze activities.

Ryan Bingham
“The Weary Kind”
Crazyheart

Your heart’s on the loose
You ¬¬¬¬¬¬rolled them sevens with nothing to lose
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind

You called all your ___________________
Shooting 8 ball at the corner truck stop
Somehow this don’t feel like home ___________________

And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
And this ain’t no place to lose your mind
And this ain’t no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try

Your body aches…
Playing your ___________________ and sweating out the hate
The days and the nights all feel the same

The whiskey has been a thorn in your side
and it doesn’t ___________________
the highway that calls for your heart inside

And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
And this ain’t no place to lose your mind
And this ain’t no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try

Your lovers won’t kiss
It’s too damn far from your ___________________
You are the man that ruined her world

Your heart’s on the loose
You rolled them sevens with nothing to lose
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind

Anika Noni Rose
“Almost There”
The Princess and the Frog

Mama... I don't have time for dancing !

That's just gonna have to wait a while
Ain't got time for messing ___________________
And it's not my style
This whole town can slow you down
People taking the easy ___________________
But I know exactly where I'm going
And getting closer, closer, every day

And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
People down here think I'm ___________________, but I don't care
Trials and tribulations, I have had my share
There ain't nothing gonna stop me now cause I'm almost there

I remember Daddy told me : "Fairytales can come true.
You gotta make 'em happen, it all ___________________on you"
So I work real hard each and every day
Now things for sure are going my way
Just doing what I do
Look out boys I'm coming ___________________

And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
People gonna come here from everywhere
And I'm almost there, I'm almost there

There's been trials and tribulations
You know I've had my share
But I've climbed the ___________________, I've crossed the river
And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
I'm almost there !

Anika Noni Rose
“Down in New Orleans”
The Princess and the Frog

In the South Land there's a city
Way down on the ___________________
Where the women are very pretty
And all the men deliver

They got music
It's always playin'
Start in the day time, go all through the ___________________

When you ___________________ that music playin'
Hear what I'm saying and make it feel alright

Grab somebody, come on down
Bring your paintbrush, we're painting the ___________________
There's some sweetness going around
Catch it down in New Orleans

We got ___________________ good and mase
Make it happen, make it real, say
If anything you want is lose what you have
Down here in New Orleans

Hey partner, don't be ___________________
Come on down here and give us a try
You wanna do some livin' before you die
Do it down in New Orleans

Stalee homes and mansions
Of the sugar darns and cotton ___________________
Rich people, old people, all got dreams
Dreams do come true in New Orleans

Marion Cotillard
“Take it All”
Nine

You want my love
Take it all
You want to _______________ it all come off
Take it all
Come on now
Show me how you take it all

You want my glove, are you enthralled?
You want to see it _______________ away and watch it fall
Oh we know it’s your show, so take it all

You want the movement to see what the ___________________can do
Come watch the slinky girl
See how the pasties twirl
To make your bells all ring
Fulfilling everything you ever wanted
So go ahead and take it all

You want my _______________
Take it all
It’s time to leave if I’m to live
Because I have no more
There’s nothing left to give

I watch you rise
I watch you fall
I am standing with my back against the _______________
Now it’s your turn to finally learn
You had the world, You had your fling
You wanted more than everything
You got your wish, you got your _______________
Now take it right between your thighs
You grabbed for everything my friend
But don’t you see that in the end
There will be nothing left of me

ESL Logic Problems

2010-02-28T07:06:00.000-08:00

The ESL logic problems on this site are excellent activities to practice listening, critical thinking, and vocabulary.

The teacher reads the problems to the class, and the students need to solve the puzzle. Each logic problem practices a different set of vocabulary.

Here is a list of some of the logic problems found on ESL Teaching Ideas.

Zoo Animals High Beginner

Family Members Beginner

Movies Intermediate

Shopping High Beginner

ESL Logic Problems - Zoo Animals

2010-02-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

Here is a logic problem you can use to practice listening comprehension. This is best for a beginner class.

Write the introduction on the board including the names of the animals and their types. Then, read the clues to the students who must try and determine the names of each animal.

Here is the logic problem:

The Toronto zoo has 6 new animals: zebra, elephant, lion, giraffe, hippopotamus, and a monkey. Their names are: Petey, Patricia, Danny, Daisy, Lucy and Larry but not necessarily in that order

1. The monkey’s name does not start with D.
2. Daisy is not a lion.
3. The giraffe’s name starts with “L”.
4. The zebra’s name does not start with P.
5. Danny is not a hippo.
6. The elephant’s name starts with a P.
7. The hippo’s name does not start with an L.
8. The Lion’s name starts with a P.
9. Larry is not a monkey.
10. The elephant’s name is Petey.

Here are more ESL Logic Problems

ESL Logic Problems - Family Members

2010-02-10T07:47:00.001-08:00

This logic problem is good for beginners because it reviews family members. It helps them distinguish between female and male family members as well as English names.

These types of logic problems can be used for a listening exercise. Write the family members and their names on the board, but read the clues out loud. The students will only be able to solve the puzzle if they can accurately understand the clues you read.

Here is the logic problem:

Danny is having a birthday party with 6 of his family members. They are his grandmother, mother, aunt, brother, father, and uncle. Their names in random order are Ben, Lily, Jeff, Betty, Jane, and Luke.

Listen to the clues to discover the names of Danny's family members.

Clues:
1. Ben is not Danny’s uncle.
2. Danny’s grandmother’s name starts with B.
3. Luke is not Danny’s brother.
4. Lily is not his aunt.
5. Danny’s father’s name is Jeff.

Answers:

Grandmother: Betty
Aunt: Jane
Mother: Lily
Father: Jeff
Uncle: Luke
Brother: Ben

This logic problem seems easy, but beginners will have difficulty understanding all the clues. Remember, they need to be able to understand what you say before they can even think about solving the puzzle.

Here are more ESL Logic Problems.

Adjectives - ESL Games

2010-02-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

I have been looking on the Internet for the last hour trying to find some good adjective games. I have been working with a beginner class, and they are just starting to learn about adjectives, comparatives, and superlatives.

I am looking for some conversation-based activities that will get them practicing adjectives and speaking as well. Sadly, I have not found anything too interesting yet.

I have ideas and activities that I normally use, but I was looking for something new and fresh. Something that students will really enjoy. These students are in high school, around 17-18 years old.

So, I am wondering if anyone out there has a good link, or a good game they want to explain. Leave a comment with your idea. I originally wanted to make a link page for adjective games, but I am having too much trouble. So hopefully the comments with give us all some good ideas.

Pronunciation Plus - ESL Book Reviews

2010-02-05T21:19:00.000-08:00

I am not normally a big fan of using books for pronunciation, but this one is an exception. Pronunciation Plus is a great companion for any ESL pronunciation lesson.

What I like most about it is the exercises, which keep the students engaged and gives them something they can work on in groups or partners. Often with pronunciation lessons it is difficult to give enough attention to everyone. However, with the exercises in this book, students can work together and still make progress.

The book covers all the major pronunciation categories including:

Vowels
Consonants
Consonant Clusters
Stress and Rhythm
Intonation

Each chapter covers a different lesson, and gives plenty of example words, listening activities, and practice exercises. The lists of words with similar sounds are always helpful. There are also conversations or sentences that are good to read aloud as a class.

After reading the word lists and sentences aloud, you can then put the students into groups and have them work on the exercises. These are activities such as underline the words with the same sound, or write down the number of long A sounds in this sentence.

I really like using this book, and I think it is useful for any ESL class. It is effective for beginners all the way to advanced, and can be used with many age levels.

ESL Music Ideas - Conditionals

2010-02-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

Conditionals are one of my favourite things to teach, probably because they are some common with native English speakers. An example of this is the numerous times conditional grammar structures are found in songs. This may include song titles, choruses, or in some part of the lyrics. Conditionals are everywhere in music. The most common two conditional forms in music are the 2nd and 3rd.

This prevelance of conditionals in music makes it valuable to use these songs with your ESL students.

Here are some of my favourite songs to help teach conditional sentences.

2nd Conditional

Beyonce - If I Were a Boy

Barenaked Ladies - If I Had a Million Dollars

3rd Conditional

Should've Said No - Taylor Swift

Shoulda Woulda Coulda - Brian McKnight

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda - Beverley Knight

What do you think? Do you have any good songs to teach conditionals? I would love to hear about them.

Own Your Learning - Jeremy Harmer

2010-01-26T18:56:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a webinar hosted by Jeremy Harmer, author of several ESL books. The webinar was to promote his new series, Just Right .

I have a copy of the book, and it looks great. It is an integrated skills text, that would fit in any classroom.

However, I wanted to talk about one of Harmer's ideas that he discussed. The idea was for students to take ownership over their learning. By this, what he meant was for teachers to help students gain a better understanding of what and why they are learning. His examples were with vocabulary, which he had placed in three categories:

Trash Can
Refrigerator
Suitcase

After teaching new vocabulary, the teacher was supposed to ask the student which section each new word would go into. He broke it down like this: Words they think they will never use should go in the trash can; they can forget those ones. Words they might use later in life, like in university or their careers, go into the refrigerator; keep them fresh and save them for later. Finally, words the students think they will use all the time go in the suitcase; Take those words around with them wherever they go.

I loved the analogy, and I loved the idea. As he commented, many teachers are always telling students, "learn this" and "remember that". Why not get the students to show deeper interest in what they learn and why?

If you want more info on Harmer, here is his blog:

Jeremy Harmer's Blog

What do you think about this idea? Do you have any interesting ways to get students to take ownership of their learning? I would love to hear them.

That's My Seat - ESL Games

2010-01-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

This game is best played with 6, 8, or 10 people. Students are put in two teams and sit in chairs with one empty chair. Half the students’ chairs are designated as the winning chairs. The objective is to fill the four designated seats completely with your team members. First, write down the names of everyone who is playing. Each student selects a name randomly. It is possible that students have their own names. Players sit in the chairs in a circle alternating by teams. The person to the left of the empty seat says a name. They may say any name except the one on their paper. Whoever has that name on the paper must move to the empty seat. The person to the left of the new empty seat now says a name and the game continues.

The game works better in a circle or square with the winning seats clearly distinguished from the rest. This is a highly strategic game and works best with higher level students.

Game Shows

2010-01-15T22:43:00.000-08:00

Television game shows can make for some of the best ESL classroom activities. Here is a list of my favourite game shows to use in class. I am not going to explain the games too much, so I will assume you have a basic knowledge of how they are played.

Family Feud

This one works well because the topics are limitless, and you can adjust them for your needs. Most of the time I simply invent the top 4 answers and give them a point value. The joke with my students is that they eventually realize the answers are not from what 100 people say, and just what I made up, which leads to "We asked what one ESL teacher thinks...."

Works best with two teams of about 3-7.

Deal or No Deal

This one doesn't really help to practice any English skills, but the students sure do love it. All you need to do is predetermine where the money values are out of 10 boxes. I secretly write down the numbers 1-10, and then write a money value beside it. Students can work in teams to choose the number of the box that I have on the board. As the different values are eliminated I stop and offer them a sum, which they can take or continue playing. The teams are in competition to see who can win the most money.

Works best with two teams of 4-5.

Jeopardy

This one is perhaps the best for practicing grammar. First, the answers always have to be in the form of a question, which gets them practicing questions right away. Second, each category can be a different grammar topic, like verb tenses. Or, you can simply play with trivia questions, and let the students focus more on having fun and structuring their answers as questions.

Works best with around 5-10.

Wheel of Fortune

Still the classic vocabulary building game, that also helps with spelling. This game is essentially just a more advanced version of Hangman, but if you have more time it is lots of fun. Just make sure you have the right number of blank spaces on the board, because it's a disaster when the word doesn't fit.

Works best with 5-10, but can be played with larger numbers.

These four games make for lots of fun in class. They can be played with an extra 10-15 minutes at the end of the lesson, or a whole session can be dedicated to playing them.

Does anyone else have any other ideas about game shows that work well in the ESL class? I'm still trying to work out how to play The Price is Right, but I can't seem to find where I can buy a Plinko board....

ESL Blogs

2010-01-12T20:46:00.000-08:00

I have been looking around the Internet lately trying to find some good blogs for English teachers. I find many of them are similar, and I am continuing to look for real good blogs.

Does anyone know any good blogs that have ideas for ESL teachers? This could include games, activities, worksheets, lesson plans, etc.

If you have any ideas, leave a comment. I will post a list of the best blogs soon.

Focus On Grammar - ESL Book Reviews

2010-01-12T19:27:00.001-08:00

Focus on Grammar is one of the most popular series of textbooks designed for students learning English.

The series is now in its 3rd edition and has 5 levels:

Focus on Grammar 1
Focus on Grammar 2
Focus on Grammar 3
Focus on Grammar 4
Focus on Grammar 5

As the title suggests, the books focus on the grammar component of learning English. The units are divided into sections on various grammar topics. However, each section has reading, writing, speaking, and listening exercises that support the main grammar topic. This, of course, is in addition to the several grammar exercises.

The grammar exercises follow a similar format throughout the series, which creates a continuity that students can rely on. The exercises begin with basic structure questions achieved through fill in the blank style questions. As the unit progresses, the questions increase in difficulty and become more abstract. Common activities include correcting grammar mistakes in written work, or using time lines to compare grammar structures.

The beginning of the chapters display the grammar topic in a reading selection. These selections are modeled on real-world situations such as newspapers, email, memos, or movie reviews. This is especially useful for teachers as it provides a reading exercise that prominently features a specific grammar topic. To give you an example, one such reading discusses the movie It's a Wonderful Life and how it uses the 3rd conditional. Throughout the text, examples of the third conditional are written in bold for the students to clearly see.

The books come with a student audio CD, which is used for the listening tasks. As well, there is an Interactive CD-Rom available for purchase at an extra cost. These extra resources are an added benefit of the series.

The books are great for students learning English on their own. Yet, they are also very useful for teachers. They make a great resource for any English language school. The wealth of grammar lessons and exercises make them worth the price alone. They have excellent explanations, examples, and exercises for all the major verb tenses, conditional sentences, prepositions, noun usage, and many more important grammar topics. If I were choosing a text for an ESL course, these would be on the top of my list.

The only drawback to the Focus on Grammar series is that they have a serious approach, which makes them somewhat unsuitable for children. They are more designed for adult English learners. Adults who are serious about improving their English skills will find this series extremely helpful.

In general, Focus on Grammar is one of the best titles in the ESL textbook category. Any ESL teacher or student will be pleased with these books.

Domino Maker

2010-01-12T18:49:00.001-08:00

I found an excellent game the other day on another site. The site is called Tools for Educators, and it has some cool ideas. The game is basic dominoes made into an English review. You could make the game yourself, but the website is fun because it has lots of pictures and makes the dominoes for you.

Check it out here:

Domino Maker

I am personally a big fan of playing dominoes, so I loved using this game in my class.

ESL Music Ideas - The 2nd Conditional

2010-01-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

The 2nd conditional is one of the most important grammar topics in the ESL classroom. It is important because it is very common in conversation, and therefore must be learned by anyone who wants to speak and understand English.

One example of how this grammar structure is so popular is because it is in many English songs. Music is a great way to teach the 2nd conditional.

Here is a list of the tops 5 songs that use the 2nd conditional.

Beyonce - If I Were a Boy

This is the best song for many reasons. The entire song is a story about what it would be like if Beyonce were a boy. This is a great example of how the 2nd conditional is used for present unreal, or hypothetical situations. The lyrics use the modal would to show these hypothetical situations. The lyrics are also grammatically correct because they say "if I were a boy" and not "if I was a boy." Using "were" is the correct structure, but is not always done in other songs.

As well, this song is new and popular. Students enjoy the lesson more when the music being used is something they actually know and like.

Barenaked Ladies - If I Had a Million Dollars

This is a song by a Canadian band that is not so popular around the world. However, it is excellent to teach the 2nd conditional. The reason it is so good is because it uses the grammar structure many times throughout the song. It shows the hypothetical situation of what the singer would do if he had a million dollars.

The song is also great because the singer talks about all the things he would buy, which helps to practice nouns. Students can learn about different types of cars, clothes, furniture, and more.

Katie Melua - If You Were a Sailboat

This song is like the first two because it has many examples of the grammar structure. Many times in the lyrics the singer uses "If you were a __________, I would___________." This is why it is another excellent song to show how this conditional is for hypothetical situations.

Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time

This one is an old song, but still a classic. Students will probably have heard it before, so they will be able to relate to it and enjoy it. Although it is not as full of conditional sentences like the first three, the chorus gives good examples. It is also good because it uses "could", which is not always that common. Students can practice the modal "could" as it is used for ability.

Lyle Lovett - If I Had a Boat

This song also has many examples of the 2nd conditional, so it makes for great practice. The added benefit here is that it is country music, which is often something ESL students do not know very much about. Therefore, it can also work well with a country music theme, as students can learn about a type of music that is very popular in many English speaking countries.

These songs are clearly not the only examples of the 2nd conditional in music. However, they are the 5 best, and can be used in the ESL classroom.

ESL Conversation Ideas - Factory Competition

2010-01-06T16:42:00.000-08:00

This is a team building exercise that works well for an ESL classroom. It gets students to work together and creates discussion.

Students are put into teams of about 3-6. The groups will participate in a competition that has them role playing as factory workers. The purpose of the game is to be the most successful factory.

What the factories make is entirely up to the teacher. I like a simple activity of making houses out of cards. They place three cards on their edges to make the shape of a capital I. Think of it as the beginning of a card house. I have seen it with making boats out of paper, or other paper folding activities. I have also used blocks and called them towers. Essentially, the product needs to be something a little bit difficult to make, but something that eventually everyone can do.

Taking my example of card houses:

Start the teams off with a bankroll of $50 - $100
There are 3 rounds of 1, 2, and 3 minutes.
Each round the students work in teams to make as many houses as possible.
At the end of the round, I pay them $5 for each house they have built. (hypothetically of course)

Now the part that makes them think and discuss:

Each card costs them $1. Therefore, they make a $2 profit for each house. However, they can’t return the cards they didn’t use. So, they need to discuss at the beginning of the round how many cards they think they should buy from me, the supplier.

An example:

Group 1 buys 27 cards, thinking they will make 9 houses. That costs them $27. I take $27 away from their initial $50 for a total of $23. After 2 minutes they have made 7 houses. I pay them 7 X $5 = $35. They made a profit of $8. They now have a total of $58. Then they discuss how many cards they want for round two, which has a different time.

There are many variations to this game that simply take a little creativity from the teacher. Some include:

Making them pay for table space (ie factories)
Making them pay wages per each round. (Each team member might not decide to build)
Raising and lowering costs and prices

I really like this game for something a little fun, and a break from the ESL focussed games. More advanced students can learn about words like profit margin, supplier, etc.

It may seem like they aren`t talking much when they are actually building, but I take that time to act as an announcer. They get a chance to listen to me making comments like an announcer, which means I am talking real fast. They don`t have to respond, so the speed of my voice isn`t stressful. It is a great time to makes jokes, try and make them mess up their buildings, and have some fun.

ESL Conversation Ideas

2009-12-21T11:12:00.000-08:00

Canadian Survival

Conditional Conversation Questions

Country Role-Play

Party Games

Promotional Contest

Role-Play Games

ESL Grammar Teaching Ideas

2009-12-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

Past Continuous

Indirect Speaking

Verb Tenses

Modal Verbs

Past Continuous Activity

2009-12-21T10:27:00.001-08:00

Here is a good activity to practice past continuous. It is designed to help students understand the difference between simple past and past continuous. It is also great for getting them talking and using role-play.

Put the students in groups of 2-5
Give them two sentences
Have them act out each sentence in front of the class

The sentences are similar, but one uses past continuous and the other uses simple past. Here are some examples:

They were dancing when the DJ played country music.
They danced when the DJ played country music.

In this case, the group needs to show how in the first example the people were dancing before, and in the second example, they started to dance when the country music started.

They can improvise and show how the people in the first sentence hate country music and stop dancing, while in the second example the people love country music and hit the dance floor when it comes on.

This activity helps students understand how simple past and past continuous work together to show interruptions.

By discussing each example, the students gain a better understanding of the differences between each sentence.

For past continuous lessons and tests, check out these links:

Past Continuous Lesson

Past Continuous Test

Past Continuous Test 2

Past Continuous vs. Simple Past Test

Past Continuous Music Ideas

Teaching TOEFL

2009-12-18T22:02:00.000-08:00

Teaching TOEFL can be a complicated task. I find there are two main things to do when teaching TOEFL preparation.

1. Find a good book
2. Break it down into smaller tasks

1. Find a good Book

I think is is important to have a good preparation textbook when teaching TOEFL. The first reason, is because these books show an authority on the test that photocopies, Internet printouts, and other resources simply can't provide. Ideally the student will purchase a copy of the text and work along with your copy. This way the student can use the exercises and supplementary material at home.

My personal favourite book for the IBT test is Cambridge TOEFL Preparation. This book has the most detailed explanations of the grammar points that are covered on the test. I highly recommend this book.

2. Break it down

Don't just start giving practice test after practice test. Break it down and make it clear to the student all the areas of English that need to be improved in order to do well on the test. Explain that grammar, reading, writing, listening, pronunciation, and vocabulary are all important. More than that, explain how each topic is tested, and what each topic contains. For example, it is important to show all the necessary grammar points that are used.

Guide the student along with a study plan, that covers all the areas listed above. Allow for time to practice each area, and focus on those skills that are weakest.

ESL Books

2009-12-18T22:00:00.001-08:00

Here are my ESL book reviews:

Focus on Grammar

ESL Grammar Ideas - Subject Verb Agreement

2009-12-14T20:18:00.000-08:00

Subject verb agreement is one of the most difficult things for students to master. It is one of the areas that an intermediate student will struggle with on the way to becoming advanced. In writing, it is very difficult, but it is also a problem in speaking. Here is a great activity to practice subject verb agreement in conversation.

The idea of this game is to practice speed and repetition.

Put the students in pairs

One student randomly says subjects

(I, You, He, She, It, We, They)

The other student quickly answers with a pre-determined verb

Example:

A: He
B: Does
A: They
B: Do
A: It
B: Does

Have students work through about ten and then switch.
After both trying the same verb, have them change verbs
Students work through all the most important verbs, especially "DO" and "HAVE."

Students can use other subjects that are more difficult like names, irregular plural nouns, etc. The only problem here is that often they take too much time thinking of creative subjects, which defeats the purpose of the game.

A variation is the teacher says the subjects and the students answer with the verbs. Go around the class saying subjects and students all answer with the same verb. Normally I put about 5 on the board and work through them all. Go as fast as possible and try to beat your own times.

ESL Music Ideas - 2nd Conditional - "If I Were a Boy"

2009-11-28T10:25:00.002-08:00

If I were a boy is a new hit from Beyonce. It uses the 2nd Conditional to talk about what she would do if she were a boy. The lyrics use this hypothetical situation to show the differences between men and women.

It is an excellent example of using were for all subjects in conditional sentences.

Here is a cloze listening exercise you can print off and use in your classroom:

Beyonce
If I Were A Boy

If I were a boy
Even just for a day
I’d roll out of bed in the _______________
And throw on what I wanted and go
Drink beer with the guys
And chase after ________________
I’d kick it with who I wanted
And I’d never get confronted for it
Because they’d stick up for me

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I’d be a better man
I’d listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he’s taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a boy
I would turn off my __________________
Tell everyone its broken
So they think
that I was sleeping alone
I’d put myself first
And make the __________________as I go
Cause I know that she’d be faithful
Waiting for me to come home (to come home)

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I’d be a better man
I’d listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted (wanted)
Cause he’s taken you for granted (granted)
And everything you had got destroyed

It’s a little too late for you to come __________________
Say its just a mistake
Think I forgive you like that
If you thought I would _________________for you
You thought wrong

But you're just a boy
You don’t understand (yea you don’t understand)
How it feels to love a girl
Someday you’ll wish you were a better man
You don’t listen to her
You don’t care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted
Cause you've taken her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
But you're just a boy…

For grammar lessons and tests on the 2nd conditional, check out these sites:

2nd Conditional Lesson

2nd Conditional Test

ESL Music Ideas - 2nd Conditional - "If I Had a Million Dollars"

2009-11-28T10:25:00.001-08:00

If I had a million dollars is a famous song written and performed by the Barenaked Ladies. The song became popular in Canada, and is one of the biggest hits for the band from Toronto, Ontario.

The song is very effective for learning the second conditional. It is about what the singer would do if he had a million dollars. The grammar shows an unreal situation in the present. It uses would and could do talk about these situations.

Notice the use of I'd as a contraction for I would. It is very popular in spoken English to use this contraction.

Barenaked Ladies
"If I Had A Million Dollars"
Lyrics

If I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
I'd buy you a house
(I would buy you a house)
If I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
I'd buy you furniture for your house
(Maybe a nice chesterfield or an ottoman)
And if I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
Well, I'd buy you a K-Car
(A nice Reliant automobile)
If I had a million dollars I'd buy your love

If I had a million dollars
I'd build a tree fort in our yard
If I had million dollars
You could help, it wouldn't be that hard
If I had million dollars
Maybe we could put like a little tiny fridge in there somewhere
You know, we could just go up there and hang out
Like open the fridge and stuff
There would already be laid out foods for us
Like little pre-wrapped sausages and things

They have pre-wrapped sausages but they don't have pre-wrapped bacon
Well, can you blame 'em
Uh, yeah

If I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
Well, I'd buy you a fur coat
(But not a real fur coat that's cruel)
And if I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
Well, I'd buy you an exotic pet
(Yep, like a llama or an emu)
And if I had a million dollars
(If I had a a million dollars)
Well, I'd buy you John Merrick's remains
(Ooh, all them crazy elephant bones)
And If I had a million dollars I'd buy your love

If I had a million dollars
We wouldn't have to walk to the store
If I had a million dollars
Now, we'd take a limousine 'cause it costs more
If I had a million dollars
We wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner
But we would eat Kraft Dinner
Of course we would, we’d just eat more
And buy really expensive ketchups with it
That’s right, all the fanciest ke... dijon ketchups!
Mmmmmm, Mmmm-Hmmm

If I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
Well, I'd buy you a green dress
(But not a real green dress, that's cruel)
And if I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
Well, I'd buy you some art
(A Picasso or a Garfunkel)
If I had a million dollars
(If I had a million dollars)
Well, I'd buy you a monkey
(Haven't you always wanted a monkey)

If I had a million dollars
I’d buy your love

If I had a million dollars, If I had a million dollars
If I had a million dollars, If I had a million dollars
If I had a million dollars
I'd be rich

For grammar lessons and tests on the 2nd conditional, check out these sites:

2nd Conditional Lesson

2nd Conditional Test

ESL Music Ideas - Katie Melua - "If You Were a Sailboat"

2009-11-28T10:22:00.001-08:00

Katie Melua is a popular singer from Georgia. She had her first big hit with Nine Million Bicycles. This song is a new song that is relaxing and romantic. The English grammar that it uses is the 2nd Conditional. The title of the song is a conditional sentence. If You were a sailboat, I would......The idea of the song shows how the 2nd conditional is about unreal situations. Obviously the man she sings about is not a sailboat.One interesting grammar point is the way the lyrics use If you were but also If I was. If I was is grammatically incorrect. With the 2nd Conditional, all subjects take the verb were. This means:If I were, If you were, If she were, etc.However, it is common in spoken English to make this grammar mistake. A good song that shows the correct use of the grammar is Beyonce's If I Were a Boy. Listen to the video for If You Were a Sailboat and try the listening exercise. Remember that verbs that follow modals are always base verbs.

ESL Conversation Ideas - Promotional Contest

2009-11-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

This activity works in a regular ESL class or a business communications course.

The task is for groups to create a promotional contest.

Start by discussing promotional contests such as "buy one get one free", or "free iPod with purchase."

Students then work in groups to create their own promotional contest. Have then choose a company to base their ideas on.

Ask them to present their ideas based on these questions:

Why would your contest be popular?
How would it make people buy more of the product?
What extra costs would the company incur?

ESL Conversation Ideas - Conditionals

2009-11-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

Conditionals in English are one of the most difficult topics to learn. They are also very common in conversation, and therefore important for ESL learners to practice and master. Below are some of my favourite questions to practice conditionals.

Also, check out some music lessons that use conditionals and are perfect for grammar explanations and conversation starters.

If you won the lottery what would you do?
If you could try any extreme sport what would it be?
If you had 24 hours to live, what would you do?
If you could be any animal, what would you be?
If you could be any superhero, which would you be?
If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
If you could meet anybody, who would it be?
If you could go back in time where would you go?
If you could only have one book/CD/DVD, what would it be?
Would you rather be blind or deaf?
If your house was on fire what two things would you save first?
If you could have any super power what would it be?
What food would you never eat?
Would you rather have no money or no friends?
Would you rather be able to fly or swim under water?
If a classmate asked you for an answer to a question on an exam and the teacher could not see, what would you do?
If you crashed your car into a parked car and no one saw, what would you do?
What would you do if you found a wallet?
If you had one wish what would you wish for?
If someone gave you a lottery ticket as a gift and you won a million dollars, would you share it with them?
If you didn’t have to sleep like everyone else, what would you do at night?
Would you rather live in a place with warm weather that is dark all the time, or cold weather and always sunny?
When would you wake up if you didn't have school?

ESL Teaching Ideas - Love and Dating

2009-11-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

Love and Dating is a favourite theme for students. Here are some activities that you can use when using this topic in the ESL classroom.

Place students in two groups of girls vs. boys.

Have them make lists on these topics:

5 things to not do on a first date.
5 foods to not order on a first date
5 things they look for in a guy/girl
5 things they don't want in a boyfriend/girlfriend

After they have made the lists, have them read and compare their answers as a class. They will get a laugh out of the differences in the lists.

Another good activity for conversation is speed dating. Explain what speed dating is, and then have your students act it out. Give them 2-4 minutes with each partner and then change. This is especially good for lower students who need to practice basic conversation questions. Students can role-play and ask questions appropriate for a first date.

ESL Logic Problems - Memory Game

2009-11-28T09:28:00.000-08:00

One memory game that applies well to an ESL classroom is word memory.

The teacher needs to make a list of four letter words. The list can be around 20-30 words, written in a grid pattern (e.g. 4 x 5)

Show the students the words for 2 minutes. They must remember as many words they can. After time is up, take the words away and have them write down all the words they can remember.

This can be a competition to see who remembers the most words. It is also a good chance to discuss memory strategies, and works well when memory and learning skills are the theme of the day or lesson.

ESL Grammar Ideas - Modal Verbs

2009-11-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a good activity for modal verbs of possibility.

Use magazines, newspapers, or any material that has images. In partners or groups the students use the pictures to make statements of possibility with modal verbs.

Modals for Possibility:

MAY
MIGHT
MUST
COULD BE

Example statements:

This person must be rich.
They might be married.
They could be going to a party.

Encourage students to follow up the statements with questions and conversation.

Ex:

A: He must be a singer.
B: Why do you think that? He could be an actor.
A: No, he is not an actor. He must be a singer, because he is in a concert hall.

This activity is good to practice the modal verbs while speaking. For grammar accuracy, make sure students are following modals with base verbs.

Here is an excellent test for modal verbs of possibility:

Modal Verbs for Possibility Test

Copy and print the test, and then use it with your students. If you would like a lesson for tbhis grammar, try this modal verbs for possibility lesson.

Word Association - ESL Logic Problems

2009-11-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Word problems are a great way for students to improve their English. One of the best types of word problems is the always popular, "Which word doesn't belong?"

The teacher writes 4 words on the board and the students need to decide which word is different. This is a common logical problem, and they are often called word associations. The best part about playing these games with ESL students is that the teacher can choose any topic. Here are some examples:

Word Form
play, talk, happy, run
(verb, verb, adjective, verb)

Verb Tense
broken, written, took, shaken
(participle, participle, simple past, participle)

Irregular Verbs
play, jump, sing, dance
(regular, irregular, irregular, irregular)

Of course, normal logical problems can also be used:

whale, salmon, goldfish, tuna
(The whale is a mammal)

The great part about this game is that often there is more than one right answer. Students are forced to speak and explain their choices. For example, the goldfish may be the odd word because it is the only pet.

I normally write 10-20 groups of words and have the students work in groups to find the answers. I find there is a lot of good conversation as they discuss which word is different from the others.

Third Conditional Songs - "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" - Brian McKnight - ESL Music Ideas

2009-11-25T20:09:00.001-08:00

Brian McKnight's "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda, is an excellent song to teach the third conditional. It is good for showing the reduced version of MODAL + HAVE.

Use the song and the lyrics to show students how in conversation, English speakers reduce "should have" to simply "shoulda."

It can also be used to teach the third conditional as it has examples of regrets in the past.

This song can also be used to show how the "G" is often dropped from ING-words.
EX: knowin, playin, etc.

This song works well with Beverley Knight's "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda."

Here is the video, and the lyrics are below.

Brian McKnight - Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup

baby can you put them bags down
just wait hold on for a minute
gotta say a couple things before you go
even though I know that were finished
I don't want you to leave without knowin
just where I'm comin from babe
I just wanna say
I made a big mistake
and now I gotta face the fact that I

shoulda been a better man
the kinda man that you needed
woulda been better off
if I'd done right by you
I coulda done this
I coulda done that but
I know i cant go back
cause now its just too late
I'm sayin
shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah

I can tell by the look on your face
you ain't tryin to hear what I'm sayin
maybe you done heard all of this before
girl this ain't no game that I'm playin
this may be the last chance i ever have
to talk to you before you go
so I gotta say
I made a big mistake
girl you know its killing me that I

shoulda been a better man
the kinda man that you needed (all right)
woulda been better off
if i'd done right by you
I coulda done this (and)
I coulda done that but
I know I cant go back (go back)
cause now its just too late (now its just too late)
I'm sayin
shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah

I should have done my best to love you (baby)
I should have placed no one above you
and now its killing me more than you know
letting you go
thats why I

girl I know that I shoulda

shoulda been a better man
the kinda that you needed
(coulda been a better man man to you baby)
(shoulda been there for ya everytime you needed me everytime you called me)
woulda been better off
if id done right by you
(and you know that I)
I coulda done this
(I coulda done this)
I coulda done that but
(I coulda done that yeah)
I know I cant go back
(I know I cant go back baby)
cause now its just too late
(all I need to know is girl all I need to know is)
I'm sayin
shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah
(do you still love me like you used to baby)
(all the things I coulda done)
(all the things I shoulda done)
(sayin shoulda, woulda, coulda, yeah)
(yeah)
(coulda been a better man to ya)
(now I understand)

ESL Music Ideas - 3rd Conditional - Beverley Knight

2009-11-25T19:56:00.000-08:00

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda is a song by Beverley Knight. It is a great song to practice the third conditional.

The title uses three words, which are slang, and used commonly in the 3rd conditional:

Shoulda = Shoulda have
Woulda = Woulda have
Coulda = Could have

Use the song to teach the third conditional, as well as reductions, slang, and fast speaking. .

This song works well in combination with Brian Mcknight's "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda"

Here is the video with the lyrics.

LYRICS
Song: Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda,
Artist: Beverley Knight
Grammar: Third Conditional

People say that together we were both sides of the same coin
That we would shine like Venus in a clear night sky
We thought our love could overcome the circumstances
But my ambition wouldn't allow for compromise

I could see in the distance all the dreams that were clear to me
Every choice that I had to make left you on your own
Somehow the road we started down had split asunder
Too late to realize how far apart we'd grown.
How I wish I, wish I'd done a little bit more

Now " Shoulda woulda coulda," means I'm out of time
Cause "Shoulda woulda coulda", can't change your mind
And I wonder, wonder, wonder what I'm gonna do
"Shoulda woulda coulda" are the last words of a fool

People ask how it feels to live the kind of life others dream about
I tell them everybody gotta face their highs and their lows
And in my life there's a love I put aside, cause I was busy loving something else
So for every little thing you hold on to, you've got to let something else go

CHORUS

Fool if I would now forsake the opportunities are fate
I know I'm right where I belong
But sometimes when I'm not so strong I..

ESL Music

2009-11-20T16:25:00.001-08:00

Nelly Furtado - I'm Like a Bird

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi

Little Mermaid - Kiss the Girl

Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way?

2nd Conditional

Beyonce - If I Were a Boy

Barenaked Ladies - If I Had a Million Dollars

Katie Melua - If You Were a Sailboat

3rd Conditional

Should've Said No - Taylor Swift

Shoulda Woulda Coulda - Brian McKnight

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda - Beverley Knight

ESL Gramar Ideas - Indirect Speaking

2009-11-20T15:57:00.000-08:00

Many students have problems with indirect requests. This includes turning questions into statements.

Example:

What time is it?
I don't know what time it is.

The mistake is often: "I don't know what time is it."

Other examples of mistakes include

Do you know what is this?
Could you tell me where is the bathroom?

English students are not able to change the order of the words when they speak indirectly. Many students have learned the grammar rules, but they do not apply them when speaking.

To fix this, use speaking exercises that are designed for speed.

Activity 1:

Place students in groups of 3.

Student 1: I don't know where the bus station is. Do you know where the bus station is?

Student 2: No I don't know where the bus station is. Do you know where the bus station is?

Student 3: Yes I do. The bus station is......

Activity 2:

1. Place students in groups of 2-4.
2. In turns, they make statements starting with "Do you know" or "I don't know."
3. Encourage students to speak quickly and go around in a circle as fast as possible.
4. Give them a topic to limit the need for thinking.

Example: A Party

Student 1: Do you know where the party is?
Student 2: Do you know what time the party starts?
Student 3: I don't know if Tom is going to the party.
Student 1: I don't know when the party starts.
Student 2: Do you know if I need to bring anything?
Student 3: I don't know if there is going to be food at the party.

Continue around the circle to build speed. Make sure students are correcting each others mistakes.

Activity 3:

To really build speed, try this activity:

1. Place students in groups of 2-4.
2. Like activity 2, students go around the circle with their indirect questions and statements focusing on "Do you know" and "I don't know."
3. This time, make the questions shorter and faster focusing on "what this is", "what that is", and "who this/that is."

Making Groups - ESL Teaching Ideas

2009-03-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Here is a new idea for making groups that I have had success with.

After introducing the activity tell students to think of three ideas and write them down on a piece of paper.

Next, put the students into partners. Have them discuss their potential ideas. Switch the partners quickly so that students can talk to many other classmates. When they have finished discussions ask for some of the best ideas that they have. Also, ask which students had the same answers.

After discussing the possible ideas, tell them to form groups with either someone with the same idea, or with someone who has an idea they like.

This is a great way to make groups because each student will be in a group with classmates who want to do the same idea.

For example:

The activity is to present a news broadcast to the class on one topic. Students brainstorm ideas, which may include: Sports interview with a famous player, political report, business report, local news.

The students who thought of the same ideas can then form groups.

The Most Important English Verbs - ESL Vocabulary Ideas

2009-02-23T21:20:00.000-08:00

A great activity for students of any level is a debate about the most important English verbs.

Place students in groups and ask them to make a list of the 20 most important English Verbs. Tell them to be prepared to justify their answers. This works best if they think of 30 and then narrow down their lists.

Remind students about the importance of auxiliaries (can, have, go), phrasal verbs (get, check, turn), and verbs with multiple meanings (get, let).

After the groups have made their lists, write them on the board to compare. For each verb that only one group has, be sure to make them explain why they believe it should be in the top 20.

Examples:
"Have" is important because it is used for an auxiliary and possession.

"Put" is important because it has its original meaning plus many phrasal verbs. (put on, put up, etc,)

For beginners, this exercise can introduce basic verbs. For more advanced students, this activity provides them with a better awareness of the verbs in English and how they are used.

ESL Music Ideas - Taylor Swift - 3rd Conditional

2009-01-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

Taylor Swift is a popular American singer. Her song "Should've Said No" is a great song to teach the past unreal conditional. She sings about her regrets in a relationship. The chorus uses the 3rd conditional several times. This is a great song to expand on your lessons.

It is also good to show the contraction version of the modal in the 3rd conditional. The lyrics show how "should have" is reduced to "should've". This is an important contraction, and is worth pointing out to students.

This song has lyrics that are excellent to teach the 3rd conditional, and is also popular with students.

Here is the video with the lyrics. Also, there is cloze listening exercise below for you to copy and print.

It's strange to think the songs we used to sing
The smiles, the flowers, everything is ____________________.
Well, yesterday I found out about you.
Even now just looking at you feels wrong.

You say that you'd take it all back, given one ____________________
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes...

You should've said no. You should've gone home.
You should've ______________________twice 'fore you let it all go.
You should've known that word about what you did with her
Would get back to me
And I should've ____________________there, in the back of your mind.
I shouldn't be asking myself why.
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me.

Well, you can see that I've been ______________________,
And baby you know all the right things to say.
But do you honestly expect me to believe
We could ever be the same???
You say that the past is the past. You need one chance.
It was a _________________________of weakness and you said yes...

You should've said no. You should've gone home.
You should've thought twice before you let it all go.
You should've known that word about what you did with her
Would get back to me
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind.
I shouldn't be asking myself why.
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me.

I can't __________________________. Before you go, tell me this
Was it worth it???
Was she worth this???

No... no no no...

You should've said no. You should've gone home.
You should've thought twice before you let it all go.
You should've known that word about what you did with her
Would get back to me (get back to me)
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind.
I shouldn't be asking myself why.
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me.

For grammar lessons and exercises, check out these sites:

Third Conditional Lesson

Third Conditional Lesson

Third Conditional Test

Third Conditional Test

ESL Teaching Ideas - Music - 1st Conditional

2009-01-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

There are many songs to practice the 2nd Conditional, but not as many for the 1st Conditional. Also known as the future unreal conditional, the 1st conditional is important for students to learn. These two songs are both popular and effective at teaching this conditional. Both choruses use the structure of,

IF + SIMPLE PRESENT, SIMPLE FUTURE

Highlight these sentences for your students to expand on your lessons.

Here are the two videos with lyrics:

Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This

The future teaches you to be alone
The present to be afraid and cold
So if I can shoot rabbits
Then I can shoot fascists

Bullets for your brain today
But we'll forget it all again
Monuments put from pen to paper
Turns me into a gutless wonder

And if you tolerate this
Then your children will be next
And if you tolerate this
Then your children will be next
Will be next
Will be next
Will be next

Gravity keeps my head down
Or is it maybe shame
At being so young and being so vain

Holes in your head today
But I'm a pacifist
I've walked La Ramblas
But not with real intent

And if you tolerate this
Then your children will be next
And if you tolerate this
Then your children will be next
Will be next
Will be next
Will be next
Will be next

And on the street tonight an old man plays
With newspaper cuttings of his glory days

And if you tolerate this
Then your children will be next
And if you tolerate this
Then your children will be next
Will be next
Will be next
Will be next

Simply Red - If You Don't Know Me By Now

If you don't know me by now
You will never never never know me

All the things that we've been through
You should understand me like I understand you
Now girl I know the difference between right and wrong
I ain't gonna do nothing to break up our happy home
Oh don't get so excited when I come home a little late at night
Cos we only act like children when we argue fuss and fight

If you don't know me by now (If you don't know me)
You will never never never know me (No you won't)
If you don't know me by now
You will never never never know me

We've all got our own funny moods
I've got mine, woman you've got yours too
Just trust in me like I trust in you
As long as we've been together it should be so easy to do
Just get yourself together or we might as well say goodbye
What good is a love affair when you can't see eye to eye, oh

If you don't know me by now (If you don't know me)
You will never never never know me (No you won't)
If you don't know me by now (You will never never never know me)
You will never never never know me (ooh)

ESL Teaching Ideas - Food

2008-12-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Food is one of my favourite themes in the ESL classroom. Everyone can relate to food and has some opinion about the topic. Talking about food, nutrition, and cooking is a great way to get the students interested.

Activities

Iron Chef

Iron Chef was a famous cooking show that had two contestants in a cooking challenge. It can be adapted to the classroom for a fun activity.
Write the categories of food on the board. Decide with the students what foods from each category you would need for a good kitchen.
Place students in groups of 3 – 4. The teams take turns choosing the foods from the board until all the foods have been eliminated. With the foods they have chosen the teams plan together to make a full meal, with appetizer, salad, soup, main, desert, and drinks. They then present each course of their meal to the class and teacher can later decide on a winner in each category and overall.

Traditional Recipes

The students can either discuss or present traditional recipes from thier countries. They enjoy telling the class about the food and why it is famous. Also, explaining the recipe is a great way to review giving directions.

Food Labels

Food labels provide a great vocabulary activity. Explain to the students the meaning of calories, carbohydrates, protein, etc.
Using their own food products, students can analyze the labels and discuss the similarities and differences.

Canada Food Guide

The Canada Food Guide is a great tool to teach vocabulary. Read the guide wih your students and be sure to discuss the meanings of words like dairy, meat and alternatives, fruits and vegebtables, and grain. This guide also leads to a great discussion of eating healthy and how to make good food choices.

Listening

With the explosion of the Food Network and cooking on television, there is plenty of material to show the students for listening exercises. One option is to show a video of someone cooking something and have the students write down the steps. An Internet video on a specific food can give you a chance to ask them comprehension questions.

Artist Introductions - ESL Music Ideas

2008-12-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

One exercise I like to do before a song is an artist introduction. In this activity the teacher reads a short bio of the artist and writes comprehension questions on the board. The questions can be on the board as the teacher reads or written after. This is a great way to test the students listening skills as well as give them information about the artist and song they are about to hear.

I especially like to showcase artists from my country. Students enjoy learning about music from around the world, especially from English speaking cultures.

Questions can include:

Where was the singer born?
How many albums has he sold?
How many awards has she won?

The extension of this activity is to have the students do the same thing. They can choose an English speaking artist and read a bio on that singer. Then they play their songs for the class. The bios can be written by the students or simply read from the Internet. Wikipedia is a great place to find short, simply written bios.

ESL Teaching Ideas - Music - "I'm Like a Bird" - Nelly Furtado

2008-12-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

Nelly Furtado first became popular with her “I’m Like a Bird” single. The song is famous around the world. It is always a great activity in the ESL classroom due to this popularity. It is also a great song to teach the present simple. As well, you can teach metaphor and discuss the meaning of the chorus and why the singer wants to fly away.

Lyrics:

Nelly Furtado
“I’m Like a Bird”

You're beautiful, that's for sure
You'll never ever fade
You're lovely but it's not for sure
That I won't ever change
And though my love is rare
Though my love is true

I'm like a bird, I only fly away
I don't know where my soul is, I don't know where my home is
(and baby all I need for you to know is)
I'm like a bird, I only fly away
I don't know where my soul is , I don't know where my home is
All I need for you to know is

Your faith in me brings me to tears
Even after all these years
And it pains me so much to tell
That you don't know me that well
And though my love is rare
Though my love is true

I'm like a bird, I only fly away
I don't know where my soul is, I don't know where my home is
(and baby all I need for you to know is)
I'm like a bird, I only fly away
I don't know where my soul is , I don't know where my home is
All I need for you to know is

It's not that I wanna say goodbye
It's just that every time you try to tell me that you love me
Each and every single day I know
I'm going to have to eventually give you away
And though my love is rare
And though my love is true
Hey I'm just scared
That we may fall through

For lessons and tests on the simple present, check out these sites:

Simple Present Lesson

Simple Present Test

Simple Present Test

ESL Music Ideas - "Big Yellow Taxi" - Joni Mitchell

2008-12-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” is an excellent song for the ESL classroom. It works well with an environmental theme. Allow the students to listen to the song, read the lyrics, and discuss the ideas that Mitchell is singing about. The chorus itself – “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” – is a common English phrase that can be explained to the class. How does it apply to this song? How does it apply to the environment?

From this song you can create discussion about the ideas in the song and the problems that Mitchell talks about. DDT, deforestation, and urbanization are some of those ideas.

I also like to do a listening activity in addition to the song. This Wikipedia link has a great explanation about how and why this song was written. I like to read this to the class and then ask them a number of comprehension questions.

Here is a listening activity with the lyrics:

Joni Mitchell
“Big Yellow Taxi”

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink ________________, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s _______________
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
Put em in a tree __________________
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see em
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer farmer
Put away that d.d.t. now
Give me spots on my ___________________
But leave me the ________________ and the bees
Please!
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Late last ____________________
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old __________________
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Learning English 2

2008-12-22T08:28:00.000-08:00

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

ESL Music Ideas - The Little Mermaid

2008-12-19T23:21:00.000-08:00

The Little Mermaid was a popular Disney movie with a very famous soundtrack. One of the songs in the movie is great for teaching subject verb agreement. The reason the song is good for subject verb agreement is because it has many of these types of mistakes.

Kiss The Girl is sung by Sebastian, and he makes several verb agreement mistakes as well as using a lot of English slang. It is also a great song to teach ain’t. Ain’t is a slang way to say every verb to be in the negative.

Here are the lyrics:

Little Mermaid
"Kiss The Girl"

There you see her
Sitting there across the way
She don't got a lot to say
But there's something about her
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl

Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
Possible she wants you too
There is one way to ask her
It don't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl

Sha la la la la la
My oh my
Look like the boy too shy
Ain't gonna kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Ain't that sad?
Ain't it a shame?
Too bad, he gonna miss the girl

Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy you better do it soon
No time will be better
She don't say a word
And she won't say a word
Until you kiss the girl

Sha la la la la la
Don't be scared
You got the mood prepared
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Don't stop now
Don't try to hide it how
You want to kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Float along
And listen to the song
The song say kiss the girl
Sha la la la la
The music play
Do what the music say
You got to kiss the girl
You've got to kiss the girl
You wanna kiss the girl
You've gotta kiss the girl
Go on and kiss the girl

Verb Tense Review - ESL Teaching Ideas

2008-12-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

This is a great game to practice all the verb tenses. Put the different tenses into categories based on difficulty.

Example:

1
Simple Present
Simple Past
Simple Future

2
Present Continuous
Past Continuous
Present Perfect

3
Past Perfect
Future Perfect
Modals

Then, create a list of verbs. These can be any verbs you are currently studying. The groups of students must make sentences, both affirmative and negative, as well as questions with the verbs. Each category is worth a different number of points. As the tenses are played they are removed from the game. This adds an element of strategy that keeps the students interested as they try to get the most points.

ESL Teaching Ideas - Country Role Play

2008-12-16T20:23:00.000-08:00

In this activity students work in groups to form imaginary countries. There are a variety of activities that can be implemented depending on the students’ levels.

In groups students invent a country, and in the first activity create a name, slogan, and flag. In a small presentation, students tell the class a little about their country and their flag. Encourage students to discuss what their country is famous for, including food, sports, entertainment, or other things.

List a number of natural resources on the board that the groups must discuss and rank by importance to their country.

Ex: Oceans, Lakes/Rivers, Fertile Land, Mountains, Mines, Deserts, Volcanoes, Jungle, Snow, Forests.

The groups then have a mock draft to pick an equal number of resources for each country. With those resources, the students must plan their countries. They can then give presentations that talk about how they will incorporate their resources into the economy, energy, and tourism. The groups can be divided to focus on each topic. For example, a group with jungles might talk about jungle tourism, or research and present food products found in a jungle. Be sure that each group does not use the other countries’ resources. A good example of this is oceans. Students who present on tourism always want to talk about beach resorts, but don’t let them if their country does not have oceans as a resource. This forces them to be creative with what they have.

Other games I like to play with this theme include inventing a national anthem, traditional dance, or national sport. With the use of classroom material, the countries can also have an architectural contest. World trivia can become a contest for which country has the best international relations. If your students are children and you have the space, an Olympics is always popular.

ESL Music Ideas - Are You Gonna Go My Way?

2008-12-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

Are You Gonna Go My Way was Lenny Kravitz's first big hit. It is a great song to teach English slang. The main line of the song uses use gonna, which is an informal way to say going to. There are many other songs that use this word, and students can be encouraged to find other examples.

Here is a listening exercise for the song.

Lenny Kravitz
Are You Gonna Go My Way?

I was born long _____________________
I am the chosen, I'm the one
I have come to save the day
And I won't leave until I'm ___________________
So that's why we've got to try
We've got to breathe and have some fun
Though I'm not paid I play this game
And I won't stop until I'm done
(But what I really want to know is)
Are you gonna go my way
(Please baby) and I got to (please) got to know (I got to know) yeah

I don't know why we always ____________________
This we must leave and get undone
We must ____________________ and rearrange
And turn this planet back to one
So tell me why we got to die
And kill each other one by one
We've got to hug and rub-a-dub
We've got to ______________________- and be in love
(But what I really wanna know is)
Are you gonna go my way
(Please baby) and I got to, got to know (I got to know)

Are you gonna go my way
'Cause baby I got to know, yeah

ESL Logic Problems - Movies

2008-12-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

This ESL listening activity is a logic problem about movies. Read the instructions and the clues and students must discover the answer. These logic problems are easiest to solve if the students use a grid with Movies and People on the axis.

There are six people who are discussing their favourite movies. They are John, Jane, Rob, Rebecca, Brad, and Becky. These are their favourite movies:

Spiderman
Pretty Woman
Star Wars
Pirates of the Caribbean
Titanic
Jaws

Use the clues to discover which person likes which movie.

1. One of the girls likes Pirates of the Caribbean the best.

2. No one whose name begins with R likes science fiction movies about space.

3. No one likes a movie that starts with the same letter as his/her name.

4. Brad and Becky both think that Titanic is a bad movie.

5. None of the men like Pretty Woman.

6. One of the girls likes Titanic the best.

7. None of the women likes Jaws.

8. Rebeca doesn’t like Pirates of the Caribbean.

9. A man likes Spiderman the best.

10. Brad doesn’t like Spiderman.

11. Rob’s favourite movie is Jaws.

12. Rebeca hates Titanic.

Here are more ESL Logic Problems.

ESL Vocabulary Ideas - Movies

2008-12-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

Here is a cool printout I made to teach movie vocabulary.

U2 - ESL Music Ideas - Present Perfect

2008-12-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite songs to use to teach English is U2's I Still Haven't found What I'm looking For.

This song is great for teaching Present Perfect. There are around 10 present perfect sentences.

Aside from the normal listening activities, I usually get the students to underline the examples of present perfect. I also like to have them find the grammar mistake(I have spoke). for discussion the students can talk about all the things the singer "has done" to try and find love.

Amazon.com Widgets

Here is a listening exercise.

U2
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”

I have climbed highest _______________
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city ____________
Only to be with you

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I have kissed honey ________________
Felt the healing fingertips
It burned like a fire
This burning ___________________

I have spoke with a ton of angels
I have held the hand of a ________________
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I believe in the Kingdom Come
When all the ______________________ will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well, yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds
And you loosened the _________________
Carried the cross
Of all my shame
all my shame
You know I _____________________ it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

ESL Vocabulary Ideas - JUST

2008-12-16T16:11:00.000-08:00

Just is a commonly used word in conversational English. As a formal adjective, it means fair. As an adverb, it has many uses.

Recently In the Past
I just arrived.
The game has just started.

Only
I just need $5.
I’m just a kid. I can’t lift something so big.

Exactly
You look just like your sister.
This is just what I needed.

A Small Amount, A Little, Barely
We have just enough glasses for the guests.
We just missed that other car.

Almost (with about)
It is just about time to start the music.
We were just about to begin class.

Imperatives
Just Do It.
Just wait here please.

Songs

There are many songs that have the word just in the title or chorus. They are effective to use in class as listening exercises. The use of the word just can be investigated and classified like the previous categories. The lyrics provide an opportunity for review of the usage as well as discussion. For example, No Doubt's "I'm Just a Girl" talks about the perception of the lead singer because she is "only" a girl.

Here is a list of songs that use the word "just" in the lyrics:

I’m Just a Girl
No Doubt
Just Dance
Lady Gaga
I Just Called
Stevie Wonder
Just the Two of Us
Bill Withers
Just
Radiohead
The Party’s Just Begun
Cheetah Girls
Just the Way You Are
Billy Joel

ESL Teaching Ideas - Number Games

2008-12-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

Ping Pong

Students sit in a circle and count in turn one number at a time.

Rules:
Multiples of 5 are replaced by the word PING
Multiples of 11 are replaced by the word PONG

The idea is to try and go quickly and each student must avoid making a mistake and being eliminated.

1, 2, 3, 4, PING, 6, 7, 8, 9, PING, PONG, 12, 13, etc…

Counting Cooperation
Students lower their heads and must collectively count from 1 up to a specific number. The number is the amount of students in the class. Anyone can say the next number but if two students say the same number at the same time, the class must start again at number 1. After failing for a few times, allow the students to develop strategies. Ex: count by rows, alphabetically, etc.

21

This game works well in partners. The students count up by 1 or 2 numbers at a time from 1 to 21. They alternate turns and the winner is the person who says 21. The students will begin to see the strategy of when to count up 1 or 2.

Quick Draw

Students form pairs and play this game like paper, rock, scissors. Students hold 0-10 fingers up behind their back. On the count of three they show the fingers to their partner. The first person to correctly say the sum of both people’s fingers is the winner.

Role Play Games

2008-12-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

Role-play games are one of the most popular activities in an ESL classroom. They give students the opportunity to use English in real-life situations.

These games are some of my favourites:

Welcome to the Party

One person is the host of a party. Every guest that arrives must act out a certain characteristic or be a famous person. The host only has a short time to guess the character or characteristic before the next person arrives.

Who Am I???

Type up a list of between 15-20 names of current famous people, e.g.: "Madonna", "Tom Cruise", etc. and cut into slips of paper approx. 1 1/2 " by 3". Pin a slip of paper onto each student's back. Students circulate and ask each other Yes or No questions about the person's name pinned to their backs until they guess who they "are". Elizabeth, Vancouver, BC, Canada
write the name of famous people on post it notes and each student puts one on their forehead or back. As the students go around asking questions

Mock Restaurant

Students take pretend to be waiters/waitresses, customers, managers, host/hostesses, etc. They role play through a full restaurant experience which may include reservations, discussing a menu and ordering, complaints, paying a bill, tipping, etc. Student can rotate so that they all practice each role.

ESL Word Games

2008-12-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

Word Creation

The teacher prints a big word on the board and has the students form as many words as they can, using only those letters. The students who come up with the most correct words are the winners.

Example: basketball

tall, ask, bat, ball, etc.

Word Board
Make a letter matrix and have students find words that must connect in any way. Bigger matrixes provide more word combinations.

A - C - L
J - I - K
M - S - N
R - A - B

Example: milk, link

Multiple Verb Tense Game

2008-12-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

I played an interesting game today to practice the passive voice with multiple verb tenses.

Make a table with 3 categories of all the different verb tenses to practice. Each category has a different point value based on difficulty. Make a second table of verbs, both regular and irregular.

Ex:

1 point............... 2 points................. 3 points
Simple Present....... Present Continuous.....Future Perfect
Simple Past............ Past Continuous.......... Past Perfect
Simple Future ....... Present Perfect........... Modals

Verbs
Take - Forget - Invent
Have - Eat - Begin
Drive - Learn - Play

Students choose a tense and a verb and make a sentence.

Examples:

I eat dinner at 7pm. (1 point)
I have taken the dog for a walk already. (2 points)
They had invented the radio before the television was invented. (3 points)

As each verb and tense are chosen, they are removed from the game. The teams attempt to collect the most points. The various point structure adds an element of strategy. You can also use negative and question rounds.

Students can write the answers on the board or say them out loud. This is a good exercise to review all the tenses. Try to use irregular verbs that students need to practice.

Learning English Videos

2008-11-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Phrasal Verb Game - ESL Grammar Ideas

2008-10-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

I thought of this game the other day when I was in class teaching Phrasal Verbs. It's really simple.

Make a table (grid) with about 16 or 25 squares
Fill in the boxes with verbs and prepositions (Try for an equal amount of each)

Students work in teams and must choose a verb and a preposition to make a phrasal verb. They need to give a definition and an example.

Give a point for each correct answer. As each team takes a turn to guess, erase the words from the grid. It will get more difficult as there are fewer words on the board.

This is a basic review exercise, but is a little more fun because the words are eliminated and some strategy can be incorporated.

Here is an example table for the phrasal verb game:

ESL Conversation Ideas - Party Games

2008-09-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Classic party games can be easily adapted to the classroom and make for excellent conversation activities. Some of the best known party games are fun ways to get your class talking as well as learning.

Taboo

Taboo is an older game that has been a popular party activity for years. You can play this just like the original game, where the player has a card with one word on the top. Below are four words they are not allowed to say.

Example:

Apple

Fruit
Pie
Red
Round

The player must get the team to guess the word on top of the card. Now, the Taboo game itself is way too hard for ESL students. So what you can do is have them make their own cards. Get each student to think of a noun and write it on top of the card. Then they write four words they can think of that the players can't say. It works better having them create their own cards because they have to think about vocabulary and related words.

Catchphrase

Catch Phrase! is a popular party game for adults and families. The idea is to get your team to guess the word as quickly as possible and then pass the next word to the other team.

This game can be adapted to play in an ESL class. The teacher writes out all the vocabulary words on small pieces of paper. The pieces of paper are placed in a box, cup, etc.

Students play in two teams and sit in a circle alternating players from each team. The teacher starts a timer that can’t be seen by the students. The first student takes a word from the box and tries to get his team (only his team) to guess that word. The student can say anything they wish except rhyming words, letters, or spelling. They also can’t act out the word.

When the team guesses the word the student passes the box to the next person (who will be on the opposite team). The box goes around the circle until the timer is finished. Whichever team is holding the box (still guessing) loses a point.

Things

The Game of Things is a popular party game sold by Hasbro. The object of the game is to guess what each person has said.

For parties, the game is enjoyable because people often write silly or funny comments that get a laugh out of everyone. It is also a good game to judge how well you know your friends.

In an ESL classroom, this game can be wonderful. This is a game that can be easily adapted, and you don't really need the actual board game. Here are the rules:

One person becomes the judge and says a statement starting with "things". For example,

Things to not do on a first date.
Things that make your husband/wife angry.

Everyone else writes an answer on a small piece of paper. The judge collects all the papers and reads them twice.

Then the players take turns trying to guess who said what. For example,

"I think Tom said be late for dinner."

If the person is correct, three things happen:

They get a point
They guess again
The person whose idea was guessed is eliminated for that round.

If they are wrong, the next person tries. The round continues until only one person remains. Then pick a new judge and start another round.

For an ESL class, this game can work very well. It can be used to focus on target language as in these examples:

Things you usually do
Things you did on the weekend

For a good example of altering the topics, see my post on games for should.

These games are three of my favourites and have always given me great results in the classroom. The idea is to have fun and learn new vocabulary words at the same time.