International Fatigue Syndrome Day

May 12th is International Fatigue Syndrome Day. This day is set aside to recognize the fact that sometimes life can make us feel tired and worn-out. It is also a day to create an awareness on how sleeping problems and disorders can lead to serious health issues. Your ESL students might find this to be a familiar and interesting topic to discuss as they can talk about their own sleeping problems, habits and routines! 

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC OF SLEEP:

Tefl Pedia: Sleep discussion questions

Breaking News English: Learn While You Sleep lesson

Ellii: Lesson on sleep    membership site

Rong-chang: Beginner reading/activities on trying to sleep 

ESL Reading Lesson: A reading text on sleeping

English-Test: Sleeping expressions

ESL Lounge: Fill in the blank reading with sleep vocabulary 

Listen A Minute: Reading on sleep with follow up activities 

Breaking News English: Reading with follow-up activities on 'Sleep Texting"

Learn English Today: Sleep idioms

News BBC: Reading on sleeping positions and personality 

Test your students on sleep and sleep disorder knowledge. Take the quizzes here.

Conversation Questions:

1. How many hours do you usually sleep a night?

2. What is your bedtime routine? Does it help with your sleep?

3. How many times a night do you usually wake up or are you a deep sleeper?

4. When was the last time you suffered from fatigue? How long did it last?

5. Is getting enough sleep an important part of a healthy lifestyle/balance in your home country?

Earth Day

Earth Day, not to be confused with Earth Hour, is an annual environmental event held on April 22nd. Worldwide celebrations and campaigns are held to honor our mother Earth and to create an awareness of key global issues our planet is facing today. Get your students to learn more about Earth Day here and have them talk about the world around them and what we can all do to help preserve and protect it for future generations!

See 2 Degree Celsius: A Critical Number for Climate Change video on here.

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC OF EARTH DAY:

Bogglesworld ESL: A word building activity on the words Earth Day
My English Page: Reading comprehension activity on Earth Day
Earth Day: A reading on the history of the first Earth Day
History: Earth Day videos and articles
The Holiday Zone: Activities and worksheets on Earth Day
ESL Discussions: Discussion questions around the topic "Earth"
Ellii: Earth Day lesson plan with activities
ESL Holiday Lessons: Earth Day reading with follow up activities

EL Civics: Earth Day picture vocabulary lesson
Little Explorers: Quiz on Earth Day using first letters
English Exercises: Earth Day vocabulary activity
LHRIC: Earth Day fill in the blanks quiz
Teach-Nology: Earth Day worksheets and activities
ESL Flow: Environmental issues and problems lesson plans and worksheets
Breaking News English: Reading lessons around the topic of the environment
DLTK-Kids: Earth Day songs, poems and quotes

February is Black History Month

 

 

February is Black History month  in Canada, the U.S., and the United Kingdom. Be sure to get your ESL students learning more about the activities, events, and the important figures in black history.

See recommended links on Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement here.

Happy Lunar New Year!

The Lunar New Year, beginning January 29th, is best known as the Chinese New Year and is celebrated by many cultures around the globe. Its origin has to do with harvest and since this special time follows the lunar calendar, it falls on a different day every year. There are many festivities, traditions and customs which can make this an interesting and lively topic. Have your ESL students not only learn about the festivities that vary from culture to culture, but also the symbols and beliefs of the Chinese zodiac and what that means for the year ahead!

RECOMMENDED ESL LINKS FOR TOPICS AROUND THE LUNAR NEW YEAR:

EL Civics: A picture vocabulary lesson with follow up activities 
Enchanted Learning: The Chinese New Year vocabulary word list 
Fact Monster: All about the Chinese zodiac 
Youblisher: The Chinese New Year worksheets 
Education World: The Chinese New Year reading with word bank 
Chinese Parade: A reading on the lunar calendar 
Chinese Parade: Chinese New Year traditions 
ISL Collective: Chinese New Year worksheets and exercises 
EC English: Reading and vocabulary lesson on the Chinese New Year 
Elllo: Listening and comprehension questions on the Chinese New Year 
Worksheets Plus: Reading and comprehension worksheets on the Chinese New Year 

ESL Holiday Lesson: A lesson plan with activities on the Chinese New Year

ESOL Courses: Chinese New Year vocabulary, games and quizzes(online)
ESOL Courses: The Chinese zodiac signs and explanations 
English Club: Chinese New Year reading and quick quiz online
Ellii: Chinese New Year lesson plans: membership site
British Council: Lunar New Year 

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October Topic: Thanksgiving!

It's that special time of the year again when many Canadians celebrate THANKSGIVING - a time for giving thanks for the bountiful harvest and for all the other blessings in life. Even as Canadians take part in roasting turkeys and baking pumpkin pies, people in America are celebrating COLUMBUS DAY - a day for commemorating one of the first European travelers, Christopher Columbus, and his arrival to the New World in 1492. In other parts of the world, countries have been busy with their own HARVEST FESTIVALS  to celebrate all the successful harvests on their land. No matter what part of the world you're in, this time of the year provides ESL students with a bit of history and a lot of vocabulary!  

October Suggested Topics and Themes

There is a lot to talk about in the month of October!  It's Vegetarian Day on Oct 1st and a busy week next week with World Animal Day on Oct 4th, World Habitat Day on the 5th and World Egg Day on the 9th. But, the big topics this month will be Thanksgiving celebrated here in Canada and the U.K. on Monday, Oct 14th as well as Halloween on Oct 31st. Be sure to check out October ESL Planning Themes and 

Topics here and follow ESL Made Easy for updated posts on recommended links to free ESL activities!

More Changes Coming...

It's that time of the year again when the hours of daylight become shorter if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. For those of you who enjoy cooler days and nights, the changing color of leaves, and wearing warm fuzzy sweaters, you don't have long to wait. 

This year, the Autumn Equinox is on Sunday, September 22nd, or depending on where you live, September 23rd. Many of us recognize this time to welcome the change of seasons with traditional celebrations, symbols and festivities. And with that, comes plenty of vocabulary words and activities you can do with your ESL students.

 

Warm-up Questions:

1. Does your country recognize the autumn or spring equinox at this time of the year?
2. What is your favorite season and why? Has your preference changed over the years?
3. Do you think people are affected emotionally, mentally, or physically by the change of seasons?
4. What are some things in people's lives that change with the change of seasons?

 

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR YOUR ESL STUDENTS:

Earth Sky: Everything you need to know about the September Equinox 

StickyBall: "Fall" phrasal verbs - definitions and worksheet 

ESL Printables: Autumn worksheets:  *lesson sharing site

Bogglesworld ESL: Autumn words bingo cards
Bogglesworld ESL: Autumn worksheets and activities

EL Civics: Autumn powerpoint with picture vocabulary and sentences
English For Students: Fall and autumn vocabulary 
ESOL Courses: Online quizzes, lessons and games about autumn 
Live Science: 5 odd facts about autumn 
Teach-Nology: Reading comprehension worksheet about the autumn season 
Worksheet Library: Acrostic poem - FALL 
Anglomaniacy: Autumn worksheets 
DLTK-Holidays: Autumn puzzles 
English Worksheets Land: Autumn worksheet - practice possessives 
English for Everyone: Autumn worksheet
Educator Worksheets: Reading and comprehension worksheet on the autumn season  
ESL Pod: Listening lesson - things associated with autumn 
ESL Tower: Worksheets on the four seasons 
ISL Collective: Autumn worksheet  *Donation site

Can Teach: Fall poems

June Suggested Topics and Themes

The world needs BEES and there's been a lot of buzz about them lately! Did you know that in North America, one third of the food we consume wouldn't exist without bees and other pollinators?

 

Unfortunately, the global population of bees and other key pollinators is dropping dramatically and scientists are struggling to understand the causes, impacts and potential solutions. A great thing to get your ESL students talking about might be ‎the sort of changes that are affecting the bee population (e.g., loss of habitat, pesticides and even viruses)!

Find recommended links for your ESL students here!

Happy Mother's Day!

Sunday, May12th marks a special appreciation day for mothers! Get your students talking about the roles of mothers in the family and in society as well as the modern history behind this well-known celebration.

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC MOTHER'S DAY:

EL Civics: Mother's Day picture vocabulary lesson with activities
DLTK-Holidays: Mother's Day worksheets
Jennifer ESL: A mini video lesson on Mother's Day
ESL Fast: Mother's Day short reading/listening
History: The history of Mother's Day - video
Ellii: Podcast and follow up worksheets on Mother's Day  membership site
ESL Holiday Lessons: Mother's Day reading with follow up activities
My English Page: Mother idioms
ESOL Courses: Online Mother's Day reading and activities
ESL Discussions: Discussion questions on Mothers
Learning English With Michelle: Mother's Day songs and poems with follow up activities
Mother's Day Celebration: Mother's Day poems

See What Moms Really Want for Mother's Day by Plum District (Infographics Archive)

Earth Day - Suggested Themes and Topics!

Earth Day, not to be confused with Earth Hour, is an annual environmental event held on April 22nd. Worldwide celebrations and campaigns are held to honor our mother Earth and to create an awareness of key global issues our planet is facing today. Get your students to learn more about Earth Day here and have them talk about the world around them and what we can all do to help preserve and protect it for future generations!

See 2 Degree Celsius: A Critical Number for Climate Change video on here.

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ESL STUDENTS AROUND THE TOPIC OF EARTH DAY:

Bogglesworld ESL: A word building activity on the words Earth Day
My English Page: Reading comprehension activity on Earth Day
Earth Day: A reading on the history of the first Earth Day
History: Earth Day videos and articles
The Holiday Zone: Activities and worksheets on Earth Day
ESL Discussions: Discussion questions around the topic "Earth"
Ellii: Earth Day lesson plan with activities
ESL Holiday Lessons: Earth Day reading with follow up activities

EL Civics: Earth Day picture vocabulary lesson
Little Explorers: Quiz on Earth Day using first letters
English Exercises: Earth Day vocabulary activity
LHRIC: Earth Day fill in the blanks quiz
Teach-Nology: Earth Day worksheets and activities
ESL Flow: Environmental issues and problems lesson plans and worksheets
Breaking News English: Reading lessons around the topic of the environment
DLTK-Kids: Earth Day songs, poems and quotes

Happy International Women's Day!

International Women's Day  is March 8th! This year's theme, Inspire Inclusion, encourages pledging towards women and girls worldwide to help them achieve their ambitions and to lessen the gap between gender inequality. Various events and traditions will be taking place to honour and celebrate women's rights and achievements worldwide. Take the time to explore this global event with your ESL students and get them talking about the progress made, as well as the struggles that many women still face today.

RECOMMENDED LINKS AROUND THE TOPIC OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY:

5 Minute English: Vocabulary and grammar exercise
ESL Video: Video with comprehension questions on IWD
Women in World History: Reading about the past and the present
Have Fun With Your English: IWD Poem (video and script) by Maya Angelou
BBC: An interactive quiz on women's rights in British history
News In Levels: International Women's Days - Listening and vocabulary
ESL Holiday Lessons: A reading with follow up activities on IWD
My English Pages: Vocabulary related to women rights and equality
My English Papers: Seven Women Who Changed the World - reading
The Holiday Spot: A crossword puzzle on IWD with answers
ISL Collective: Worksheets on IWD  donation site
International Women's Day: Resources for International Women's Day