Planning effective ESL lessons for the upcoming year: Tips and ideas for teachers

Sam Colley
Teacher and primary school students colouring
Reading time: 4 minutes

As the new year approaches, it's the perfect time to reflect on our teaching practices and plan engaging, effective lessons for our English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Thoughtfully crafted lesson plans can make a significant difference in the learning outcomes and engagement levels of your students. Whether you're teaching young children, teenagers, or adults, the principles of effective lesson planning remain consistent. Here are some ideas, hints and tips to help you create dynamic and successful ESL lessons for students of all ages.

Start with clear learning objectives

Begin each lesson with clear, achievable objectives. What do you want your students to learn by the end of the lesson? Objectives provide a roadmap for both you and your students, ensuring that everyone is focused and aware of the goals. For example, an objective might be "Students will be able to use past tense verbs to describe their weekend activities." Clear objectives provide direction and help you measure student progress.

Incorporate a variety of activities

To cater to different learning styles and keep students engaged, incorporate a mix of teaching methods and activities. Here are a few ideas:

  • Listening: Use audio recordings, songs, or podcasts to improve listening skills.
  • Speaking: Organize pair or group discussions, role-plays, or presentations to enhance speaking abilities.
  • Reading: Provide a variety of texts such as articles, short stories, or dialogues.
  • Writing: Assign tasks like journal entries, essays, or creative writing exercises.
  • Homework activities: For something outside of the classroom, a nature walk or a recipe can be used to help learn specific vocabulary.

Use authentic materials

Authentic materials—such as newspapers, menus, brochures and videos—expose students to real-world language and contexts. These materials can make lessons more interesting and relevant, helping students see the practical application of their language skills. Even better, they’re everywhere, so easy to find. Here are some more suggestions for how to select and use authentic materials in your English language teaching.

Integrate technology

Teachers are already used to leveraging technology to enhance lessons utilizing online resources, language learning apps and interactive platforms to create a dynamic learning environment. Why not take this a step further by using AI to create your own resources. Take a look at our blog on How to make the most of AI in the classroom for some more ideas.
Ìý

Tips for planning effective ESL lessons
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree ɫèAV can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Foster a supportive learning environment

Create a classroom atmosphere where students feel comfortable making mistakes and taking risks. Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, so ensure that your students are comfortable experimenting with the language. Encourage participation and praise effort, not just accuracy. A supportive environment boosts confidence and motivates students to practice their language skills.

Differentiate instruction

Recognize that your students have diverse needs and proficiency levels. Differentiate your instruction by providing varied tasks and materials that cater to different abilities. For instance, while advanced students work on a challenging reading comprehension task, beginners might focus on foundational vocabulary building.

Incorporate cultural elements

Language learning is intertwined with cultural understanding. Introduce cultural elements into your lessons to provide context, enrich the learning experience and deepen understanding. Celebrate cultural diversity by discussing traditions, holidays and customs from English-speaking countries as well as your students' home countries. This approach fosters cultural awareness and appreciation.

Use games and interactive activities

Games and interactive activities are excellent for making learning fun and memorable. Consider incorporating language games like Bingo, Pictionary, or Jeopardy. These activities not only reinforce language skills but also promote teamwork and communication.

TV game shows like the British program Countdown, are a great source of ideas for ESL games. In Countdown, players take turns selecting a consonant or a vowel to produce nine random letters. They then use these letters to make the longest word they can in a set time. It can be a bit of a challenge, so it’s best played with higher levels.

Provide regular feedback

Regular feedback is essential for student development. Offer constructive feedback on assignments and in-class activities, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. Encourage self-assessment and peer feedback to help students become more reflective and autonomous learners.

Plan for continuous assessment

Continuous assessment allows you to monitor student progress and adapt your teaching strategies accordingly. Use a variety of assessment methods, including quizzes, oral presentations, written assignments and informal observations. This comprehensive approach ensures a well-rounded understanding of each student's progress.

Reflect and adjust

At the end of each lesson, take a moment to reflect on what worked well and what could be improved. Gather feedback from your students and use it to adjust your future lesson plans. Continuous reflection and adaptation are key to effective teaching.

Conclusion

Planning effective ESL lessons requires creativity, flexibility and a deep understanding of your students' needs. By setting clear objectives, incorporating diverse activities, using authentic materials, integrating technology, fostering a supportive environment, differentiating instruction, incorporating cultural elements, using games, providing regular feedback and planning for continuous assessment, you can create engaging and effective lessons for students of all ages.

As you plan for the upcoming year, remember that your enthusiasm and dedication are key to your students' success. Here's to a year of inspiring and impactful teaching.

If you're looking for some more ideas on lesson planning and keeping your students engaged, why not take a look at our blogs onÌýDesigning new learning experiences for your English language learners andÌýMind the gap in your English lesson planning.

More blogs from ɫèAV

  • Four young adults are sitting together outdoors, engaged in conversation with books and a smartphone, near a modern building.

    10 top study tips for neurodivergent learners

    By
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Every student deserves a chance to succeed. Neurodivergent students – those with ADHD, dyslexia, autism or other neurological differences – have special strengths and perspectives. But usual studying methods don’t always fit their needs. The good news is that with the right tools and strategies, neurodivergent learners can study better, feel less frustrated and reach their full potential.

    Here are a few tips to help neurodivergent learns optimize study sessions:

  • Two young women sat together studying and smiling while looking at a notepad

    Confidence beyond the classroom: Soft skills for the future

    By
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    What do we, as teachers, need to teach effectively in these times? Well, as a teacher – but also as an ESL learnerÌý–ÌýI’ve always believed that English is not something to be studied, it’s something to be lived: it's my mantra.Ìý

    Based on that idea, throughout my career, I’ve been seeking not only academic tools that support my teaching, but also resources that turn teaching into an experience, not just a class. That’s what I found when I first discovered the GSE, and what has drawn me so closely to ɫèAV – not just the textbooks, but the initiatives, research, projects, tools and more.

    Adapting to technological change

    Now, artificial intelligence was introduced into our lives not long ago, and it seems like it’s here to stay. Whether you’re a fan of it or not, we must accept that it’s part of our present – and our future. We need to learn how to use it wisely.ÌýLiving the language means understanding that the world changes – and we must change with it. Technology is essential (and I love it), but there are things it simply cannot replace: creativity, communication and leadership. These are deeply human traits and, as teachers, we must not only teach them but also create environments where students connect with others and grow as people through language.

    Then, both students and teachers will be able to use their language, collaborative, leadership and empathethic skills in English-speaking environments – and these skills are crucial for thriving in the fast-paced world of technological progress.

    The power of soft skills and confidence

    There’s one experience that changed my mindset years ago – and it’s directly connected to the title of this text. The moment my English fluency truly improved was the moment I began to believe in myself. It was when I projected the version of myself I wanted to become. It was when I realized I wanted to speak to the world, and my confidence extended far beyond the classroom.

    Long story short, my perspective as a student shifted dramatically when I got my first job. That’s when I realized the value of understanding the world, being able to communicate effectively, and developing essential soft skills – skills I didn’t even realize I was learning at the time, but which have been crucial to my personal and professional growth. Today, I’m glad that education is starting to include these elements in the classroom.

    ɫèAV’s support for educators and students

    I’m excited about ɫèAV's latest research into GSE Soft Skills (report coming soon). The GSE provides a methodological framework and resources to enhance my teaching. It also offers answers to my long-standing questions, including tools to prepare my classes more effectively and support my colleagues in helping students master both language and professional skills.

    We must prepare our students for life beyond the classroom. By offering clear goals, role models, opportunities to practice and consistent feedback, ɫèAV helps us spend less time planning and more time engaging with our learners.

    The world is moving fast – and sometimes faster than we can keep up with. By integrating creativity, communication and leadership into our lessons, we give our students the skills that employers value most and that technology can’t replace. These are the same skills that, without a doubt, helped me reach my goals.

    In my case, I didn’t learn these soft skills at a very young age – but the sooner our students do, the better. The earlier they connect with their purpose, the deeper the impact.

    When I think about myself as a teacher, I always try to remember what it was like to be a student. These tools remind me of the things I learned in my younger years – and that I now want my students to experience too. Embracing these global changes and resources allows me to better reflect who I am – not only as a teacher, but as a person.Ìý

  • A professional man sits at a desk, writing notes with a laptop open in front of him.

    Grammar 101: insider tips and tricks to instantly improve your writing (part 2)

    By Hannah Lawrence
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    As a proofreader and editor, I'm often asked to explain the rules of grammar. I answered three of the most common questions in the first post of this series, and now it's time to look at another frequent query: how to use apostrophes.ÌýWhere do they go? When are they needed? And when should they be left out entirely?

    Apostrophes might be small but they can cause big confusion because they are used both to indicate posession and to contract words. But the good news is that there are clear, simple patterns to follow, which we'll explore, along with exceptions to watch out for.ÌýWhether you’re writing a report or just a text message, these tips will help you use apostrophes correctly and confidently.