I’m currently in the middle of a unit on food in my beginning ESL course. One of the topics of this unit is using some and any in questions and statements. I created this grocery shopping activity to give students a chance to ask and answer questions using the target grammar. There is also a hint of competition in the activity, which I find always gets students excited and active. This activity also works to reinforce food vocabulary because students will get food vocabulary cards with pictures on them. Continue reading
Tag Archives: ESL
Color Cards Discussion
This is a great activity that can be adapted for many different discussions. Whether it’s a discussion about a book students are reading in class or a first-week community building activity, these cards are great. Students get half of the questions in advance, so they can think about what they will say. As the discussion progresses, a grid of questions forms on the table. Continue reading
Friendship Quilt
At the start of every semester, we all face the task of finding ways to get our students comfortable and connected. One activity that I’ve used is the friendship quilt discussion where students ask four classmates four questions to get to know them better. Continue reading
Simple Present Morning Routines
The simple present can be a challenging to beginning students, especially that pesky third person s. I like activities that get students talking, but I also like activities where students are writing down the grammar. This gives me a way to assess their progress on a given topic. This activity comes great after introducing or reviewing the simple present tense and morning routine vocabulary. Continue reading
Picture Collage
I love using pictures in my classes. They can be interesting, engaging, and also give students a starting place for talking. One great way to use pictures in your classroom is to use a picture collage. This activity gets students up out of their chairs and talking with different classmates. Continue reading
Things In Common
This activity is a staple of my first-week routine. I find that time spent on community building is time well spent. I always try and establish a positive environment where students are not only classmates but are also friends. Asking students to find things that they have in common with their classmates helps them see the places where their lives and interests intersect. Continue reading
Present Progressive Go Fish
As a language teacher, I’m always trying to find ways for my students to practice English in an interactive and interesting way. This activity is a card game which gets students to practice asking questions in the present progressive. Students get dealt verb cards and ask others questions to try and find matching verbs. Continue reading
