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ESL teaching resources from around the web

Browse curated tools and materials for teaching English as a second language. Includes free lesson plans, worksheets, grammar guides, job boards, and professional development links.

Lesson plans & classroom activities

  • British Council – TeachingEnglish — Free lesson plans organized by age group and proficiency level. Each includes clear objectives, timing, and all necessary materials. Suitable for Beginner to Advanced levels.
  • Lanternfish ESL (Bogglesworld) — Printable lessons, games, dialogues, and flashcards. Covers grammar and practical skills. Designed for younger learners and teens (Beginner to Intermediate).
  • TEFL.net Lesson Plans — Categorized discussion and topic-based lesson plans. Includes vocabulary integration tips, worksheets, and teaching advice. Best for Intermediate to Advanced classes.
  • The Internet TESL Journal (iteslj.org) — Archive of teacher-submitted lesson plans, articles, and classroom activities. Includes grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and cultural topics with answer keys. For Beginner to Advanced levels.

Teaching tips & methodology

  • ThoughtCo (ESL Education) — Articles on ESL teaching techniques, classroom management, and skill-specific strategies. Includes lesson ideas and educational theory. Suitable for all levels.
  • Edutopia (English Language Learners) — Articles on ELL teaching practices, differentiated instruction, educational technology, and classroom strategies. Useful for K–12 and adult educators.
  • My ESL Corner (Blog) — A teacher blog sharing project-based learning activities and general teaching tips. Focuses on creative classroom ideas for Intermediate-level learners.
  • Colorín Colorado (ELL Strategies) — Strategy guides, tip sheets, and best practices for teaching English learners in K–12 settings. Covers vocabulary, content instruction, and newcomer support. Good for Beginner to Intermediate levels.

Grammar & language explanations

  • EnglishGrammar.org — Grammar explanations and exercises covering basic to advanced topics. Includes short lessons, examples, and a free grammar checker. Useful for High Beginner to Advanced levels.
  • UsingEnglish.com — Reference site with grammar lessons, idioms, phrasal verbs, irregular verbs, and user forums. Includes downloadable lesson PDFs. Best for Intermediate to Advanced learners and teacher prep.
  • Perfect English Grammar — Explanations and exercises on verb tenses, modals, conditionals, and more. Includes free downloadable PDFs and online practice. Suitable for Beginner to Advanced learners.
  • Grammar Monster — Short grammar lessons with definitions, examples, and quizzes. Covers topics like clauses and punctuation. Good for quick reviews and Intermediate-level learners.

Printable worksheets & flashcards

  • BusyTeacher — A large collection of free printable ESL worksheets and activities. Over 17,000 PDFs available for grammar, vocabulary, reading, holidays, and more. No registration required. Suitable for all levels and ages.
  • iSLCollective — A community library of ESL worksheets and PowerPoint activities. Filter by grammar topic, age, or level. Free account needed to download. Best for Beginner to Intermediate levels.
  • MES English — Printable flashcards, worksheets, and games for young learners. Includes vocabulary picture cards, phonics, tracing sheets, and worksheet generators. No login required. Great for Pre-Beginner to Low Intermediate.
  • All Things Grammar & All Things Topics — Grammar and themed vocabulary worksheets with answer keys. No sign-up required. Materials are PDF and classroom-ready. Suitable for Beginner to Intermediate learners.
  • ESL Galaxy — Free worksheets for grammar, vocabulary, reading, and more. Includes PowerPoint games. Materials are downloadable as PDFs or DOCs with no login. Best for Beginner to Intermediate, middle school to adults.

ESL job boards

  • Dave’s ESL Cafe – Job Boards — Job listings for ESL positions worldwide, especially in Asia. No account needed to browse. Includes forums and teacher resources. Suitable for all experience levels.
  • Teach Away – ESL Job Board — International job board for teaching abroad and online. Filter by country, job type, or keyword. Free account allows fast applications. Includes job-hunting tips.
  • ESL Base – Job Listings — Global ESL job listings with search by country. Includes guides and scam warnings. No login required. Good for less-advertised markets and all experience levels.
  • TEFL.com — International job listings with search by region and age group. Posts include certification requirements. Account optional for applying. Useful for all levels of ESL teaching experience.

Teacher tools & resources

  • Quizlet — Create flashcards and interactive games. Search existing sets or build your own. No login needed for students. Suitable for all levels.
  • Kahoot! — Create or use quizzes on grammar, vocabulary, and more. Students join using a code. Free version supports many players. Works for all levels.
  • Wordwall — Build quizzes, matching games, and printables. Use templates or create your own. Free version allows limited creations but unlimited access to shared activities. Suitable for any level.
  • Canva for Education — Design worksheets, posters, and visual aids with templates. Free for teachers with access to premium features. No design experience needed.
  • Rewordify — Simplifies difficult English texts. Automatically replaces advanced words with simpler ones. Generates vocabulary lists and quizzes. No login required. Useful for making texts more accessible to lower-level learners.

Cultural & real-world content

  • Breaking News English — News-based ESL lessons at 7 levels. Each includes vocabulary, listening, comprehension, and speaking activities. Free and updated frequently. Suitable for Beginner to Advanced.
  • News in Levels — Short news articles at 3 levels with optional video. Helps learners gradually increase reading difficulty. Free and login-free. Best for Beginner to Intermediate.
  • VOA Learning English — Slowed-down news and feature stories for learners. Includes audio, transcripts, and level-based content. Covers current events, science, and culture. Best for Beginner to Intermediate.
  • TED Talks (TED.com) — Free talks with subtitles and transcripts. Useful for advanced listening, note-taking, and discussions. TED-Ed includes quizzes. Best for Intermediate to Advanced.

Speaking & listening activities

  • Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab — Audio quizzes with dialogues and monologues at Easy, Medium, or Difficult levels. Each includes pre/post exercises and a quiz. Suitable for High Beginner to Advanced.
  • ELLLO — 2,500+ audio and video clips with transcripts, vocabulary, and quizzes. Includes speakers from many countries and a range of levels. Useful for listening, discussions, and accent exposure.
  • ESL Video — Interactive video quizzes based on YouTube content. Quizzes include multiple-choice questions and comprehension checks, categorized by level. For Beginner to Advanced.
  • LyricsTraining — Watch music videos and fill in missing lyrics. Multiple modes and levels available. Works for self-study or class practice. Best for Intermediate to Advanced.
  • Many Things – English Listening & Speaking — Includes pronunciation drills, minimal-pair quizzes, tongue twisters, and basic sentence practice. No login needed. Best for Beginner to Low Intermediate.

Reading & writing resources

  • ReadTheory — Adaptive reading quizzes that adjust to student level. Teachers can monitor progress. Suitable for all levels.
  • CommonLit — Library of texts with comprehension questions and vocabulary help. Filter by topic, level, or Lexile score. Ideal for Intermediate to Advanced readers.
  • StoryWeaver — Free illustrated books in leveled English for children and beginners. Read online or download as PDF.
  • Write & Improve — Submit writing and receive instant feedback based on CEFR levels. Best for Intermediate to Advanced learners.
  • Purdue OWL – ESL Writing — Grammar and writing guides covering sentence structure, academic writing, and common ESL issues. Best for Advanced students.

Professional development