Useful Articles for Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)

Here are some English teaching articles, strategies and humor that you may find helpful as an ESL teacher. Some I've written and some I've gathered from various sources. Feel free to use them in your ESL classroom if you wish.

Also, sure to signup now for our newsletter ESL Teacher Tips Ezine because each month you'll get great tips, fun articles and advice that'll help you be a better ESL teacher.

And you can check out the newsletter archives for more ESL teacher articles and English teaching strategies.

Uncover the Secrets to Your Own Spontaneous Creativity
by Richard Bienvenu
This is a free report that I compiled from different sources and from my experiences over the years. There are some exercises included which will help you get in touch with your own spontaneous creativity.

Learning how and cultivating spontaneity is extremely helpful in the ESL classroom. An an ESL teacher it keeps you on your toes and helps you be flexible with the everchanging classroom environment.

Interview of Richard Bienvenu About How He Got Started Teaching ESL Overseas
All the details about how I stumbled into being an ESL teacher unplanned, unintentionally with no previous designs or forethought.

Changing Course in Midstream: My Experience Teaching 12 year olds in Seville, Spain by Richard Bienvenu
This article is about how I went from running an undisciplined ESL classroom that was miserable to finally having a classroom where teacher and student won out in the end. Very instructive especially if you have to deal with kids in any situation.

Attracting Perfect ESL Students by Richard Bienvenu
A short insightful, eye-opening article about who your perfect ESL students are and what you can do to attract more of them to you.

Teach Your Students to Speak Out in English by Joe DeVeto
Learn Teacher Joe's five important principles to keep your English teaching class interesting, creative and surprising!

NLP and Classroom Management by Maite Galán and Tom Maguire
A fascinating must-read article on how you can use Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) in your ESL teaching. Learning these simple techiniqes will help you tremendously in maintaining discipline and focus in the classroom.

Your Mission as an ESL Teacher by Richard Bienvenu
Learn how to create a personal mission statement for being an ESL teacher. It will help to keep you focused on what you are trying to accomplish, will inspire you and benefit your students as well.

Some Perks of Being an ESL Teacher
Just why do we teach English? It gives us opportunities that you rarely get in other lines fo work.

Great Teaching Ideas – Using Better Vocabulary in Class
Big Boy/Big Girl Word Lists by Frank Holes
Do you want your students to get into the habit of using a more sophisticated vocabulary and to avoid using simplistic or redundant words and phrases? This teaching technique, originally designed for middle school students, could be adapted for ESL students anywhere in the world.

Financial Strategies For ESL Teachers
We all know most teachers don't get paid very much. So we need to look for ways to be frugal and supplement our income. Here are seven keys that could lead you to financial independence.

Dave's Lessons by Dave
Here are eleven little lessons that are extremely insightful and beneficial, lessons to live by everyday to help you stay healthy in body, mind and spirit.

Qantas Flight Logs
Very funny and witty exchanges between Qantas crew and engineers. Qantas is the only major airline that has never had an accident. Perfect for your ESL lessons.

You Are Blessed
This is a short little article written like poetry that will help you get a perspective on just how lucky we are to be able to live in a free prosperous society. For the ESL classroom this is a great topic for discussion and maybe having the students write a composition giving their own views.

English is Tough Stuff
We've all cursed written English as capricious and sentenced American Pronunciation Rules as but half-truths at best. This is great for your ESL students. Try your luck at a verse or two of these. Better yet, read aloud with a friend!!