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A public digital library of open educational resources. Explore, create, and collaborate with educators around the world to improve curriculum.

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Open Author helps you build and publish Open Educational Resources for you and for the benefit of educators and learners everywhere.

Learn more about creating OER

Groups provides a flexible environment to organize, create, share, and discuss resources with others in your network. Collaborate with group members, tag and add resources to shared folders, create your own collections, all within a public or private group.

Groups

Search through collections curated by our digital librarians

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Common Core

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A Custom Resource Center

Projects, districts, states, and initiatives make use of Hubs to bring groups of educators together to create, organize, and share OER collections that meet their common goals. Explore Hubs

Microsites

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Microsites are custom, flexible sites that include all the features available on OER Commons. Microsites allow your users to search resource collections using a custom taxonomy at a unique URL. Contact Us

Our award-winning OER Professional Learning programs support instructors and curriculum specialists to gain the necessary skills required to find, adapt, and evaluate high quality open materials.

In-person and virtual OER workshops help focus instructors to develop a "commons" mindset, to experience the benefits of open processes using the platform's tools, collaborative features, and workflows. This can include using Open Author for creating, remixing, and publishing shared curriculum.

Learn More

How to Search OER Commons

View all How-to videos

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OER Commons is a dynamic digital library and network. Explore open education resources and join our network of educators dedicated to curriculum improvement.

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1000+ ESL Worksheets

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FREE printable PDF grammar worksheets, quizzes and games for busy teachers, from A to Z. FREE on-line grammar quizzes for EFL&amp;amp;#x2F;ESL learners.

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A supportive reference guide for effective curriculum development in a variety of adult ESOL programs.

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The ATESL Curriculum Framework is intended to be a supportive reference guide for effective curriculum development in a variety of adult ESL programs, both existing and new, throughout Alberta.

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The ATESL Curriculum Framework is intended to be a supportive reference guide for effective curriculum development in a variety of adult ESL programs, both existing and new, throughout Alberta.

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Download free high-quality texts with teacher guides, vocabulary lessons & lists, and other instructional resources.

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TextProject is the only website with student texts and teacher guides based on the science of reading-available for free download. Download our research-based, open-access resources for teachers, teacher educators, parents, tutors, and students.

TextProject is the only website with high-quality student texts and teacher guides that are all available for free download.

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Leveled | Research-based | Open access

Vocabulary instruction through networks of words

Vocabulary instruction through networks of words

A blog and video series based on evidence from reading research

A blog and video series based on evidence from reading research

Free Classroom Materials for Teaching Reading

Classroom-proven resources including favorite books, reading passages, vocabulary lessons, word pictures, literacy lists & forms.

Free Student Texts

Free texts for reading instruction! TextProject is the sole website with free texts based on the science of reading.

For programs such as BeginningReaders and FYI for Kids, world-renowned researcher and teacher educator, Patricia Cunningham, has written lessons to accompany the texts.

Vocabulary Instruction

Vocabulary is the strongest predictor of reading comprehension. TextProject provides free resources for the four kinds of vocabulary words that contribute to reading comprehension: core, academic, content-area, and literary.

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Strategies, tools, and texts to bring beginning and struggling readers to proficient levels of literacy

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World news for students of English. Choose varying levels for each text. Great for differentiated instruction.

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English news and easy articles for students of English

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English news and easy articles for students of English

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News in Levels « World News for Students of English

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We write news in three different levels of English. We want to help you understand English more. Now all students can enjoy reading and listening to news.

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Lesson plans & resources to engage students in meaningful civic learning.

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In this new Private i History Detectives unit, Elementary students analyze primary sources to discover how Constitutional Amendments attempted to address slavery's wrongs, how the courts challenged unfair laws, and how individuals and groups fought for civil rights.

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In this new Private i History Detectives unit, Elementary students analyze primary sources to discover how Constitutional Amendments attempted to address slavery's wrongs, how the courts challenged unfair laws, and how individuals and groups fought for civil rights.

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Forty theme-based readers for low-level adult literacy learners. Comes with an instructor's guide.

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Welcome to the ESL LIteracy Readers. Our collection of forty theme-based readers, along with an instructors guide, will support ESL literacy instructors to create comprehensive, theme-based lessons for adult ESL literacy learners.

The themes were carefully chosen and are both of high interest to learners, and more importantly, relevant to their lives. Every effort was made to ensure the stories would authentically represent learners themselves as well as events and issues that a typical learner may experience.
This project was funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

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Welcome to the ESL LIteracy Readers. Our collection of forty theme-based readers, along with an instructors guide, will support ESL literacy instructors to create comprehensive, theme-based lessons for adult ESL literacy learners. The themes were carefully chosen and are both of high interest to learners, and more importantly, relevant to their lives.

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While teaching, it's important to keep track of your students' performance. What progress are students making? What challenges are students facing? Between lesson planning and teaching, assessment can take a backseat. This workshop will cover ways to make sure you're aware of individual student challenges and progress,  ways you can adapt curriculum to student needs, and ideas for assessments in the ESOL classroom.

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Lesson planning is at the very heart of what we do as ESOL teachers, and ensures that our students enjoy quality, well thought-out classes. This workshop will present models and tips for effective lesson planning and curriculum design, resources for activities and other lesson plans, and strategies for getting students active and involved in the flow of the class.

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Fresh, adaptive reads for every subject. Click here to read a review of the site.

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 for a look at scaffolded materials that provide extra literacy support while building key social studies concepts and skills.

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Newsela | Content and assessment platform

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Content Aligned To National & State Standard, Flexible To Support Relevant Curriculum. Find the Perfect Piece Of Content For Lessons. Go beyond the book.

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REEPworld is a free English practice website for adult English language learners and teachers. Click here to read a review of the site.

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A large bank of lesson plans searchable by grade and topic, and a set of Strategic Guides on different teaching approaches. Click here to read a review of the site.

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Not your everyday calendar, here you can find important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, all with related activities and resources that make them more relevant to students.

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Not your everyday calendar, here you can find important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, all with related activities and resources that make them more relevant to students.

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Staying Healthy: An English Learner's Guide to Health Care & Healthy Living

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Staying Healthy: An English Learner's Guide to Health Care & Healthy Living

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For lower levels. Click here for the teachers' guide.

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LINCS | Adult Education and Literacy | U.S. Department of Education

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Staying Healthy: An English Learner's Guide to Health Care and Healthy Living

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The Staying Healthy resource guide is an informational resource for students or patients, but can also be used to address ESOL competencies with the accompanying Teacher's Guide. The main book includes sections on health care, your doctor, medicines, nutrition, chronic diseases, and general rules of staying healthy.

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TeachingtotheCoreNY is a project of the New York State Education Department from the Office of Adult Education Programs and Performance. The website is offered free to all New York’s adult educators. Use of any materials or resources offered on the site, including videos, is with permission from NYSED.

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TeachingtotheCoreNY is a project of the New York State Education Department from the Office of Adult Education Programs and Performance. The website is offered free to all New York's adult educators. Use of any materials or resources offered on the site, including videos, is with permission from NYSED.

This is the official website for current materials and resources related to the work of New York's adult educators in providing high quality instruction as they prepare adult students and out of school youth for the NYS High School Equivalency exam and beyond. These resources are grounded in the Common Core Standards and are designed to support adult education programming in the areas of College & Career Readiness, Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Writing, Technology, and English Language Learning.
"It's essential to keep rigorous content standards at the heart of instructional planning, delivery, and evaluation."
-Christopher Coro, Deputy Director of the Division of Adult Education and Literacy, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)

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TeachingtotheCoreNY is a project of the New York State Education Department from the Office of Adult Education Programs and Performance. The website is offered free to all New York's adult educators. Use of any materials or resources offered on the site, including videos, is with permission from NYSED.

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Most educators who learn to use Twitter effectively say they learn more from their personal learning network (PLN) on Twitter than any other forms of professional development or personal learning.

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Most educators who learn to use Twitter effectively say they learn more from their personal learning network (PLN) on Twitter than any other forms of professional development or personal learning.

Unfortunately, educators and other professionals often dismiss Twitter or fail to see its value when they're first introduced to this social networking service. If this sounds familiar, it's time to reconsider using Twitter and we're here to help!

The aim of this post is to provide all the information you need to learn how to use Twitter effectively as an educator or professional.

Click on a link below to go to the section you want to read:

1. Introduction to Twitter

2. Sign up for your account

3. Before you start following other people

4. Tips on who to follow

5. Tips for engaging in conversations

6. Twitter terminology 101

7. Interacting with tweets

8. Make your tweets stand out

9. Public Vs protected Twitter accounts

10. Getting more out of Twitter using Twitter Clients

11. Getting Started with TweetDeck

12. Using the Twitter app on your mobile device

13. About Twitter moments

14. How to post links

15. Connecting using hashtags

16. 10 tips for using hashtags

17. Participating in Twitter chats

18. Finding Twitter chats

19. Create and use Twitter lists

20. Scheduling tweets

21. How to embed tweets

22. Customizing your Twitter profile

23. What to do if your Twitter account is hacked

24. Keeping up with links shared on Twitter

25. Using Twitter with students

Introduction To Twitter

Twitter is a social networking, news, and microblogging service that allows you to send out short messages called tweets.

Along with text and links, tweets can also contain media (up to 4 photos, a video, or a GIF).

Tweets used to be limited to 140 characters but this increased to 280 characters by 2018.

Twitter is a place that you can just lurk, by reading others' tweets, or contribute, by sending out your own tweets. Obviously, the latter is what you work towards as the more you put in, the more you get out!

You can read tweets without having your own Twitter account (as long as the accounts you're following are public - and the majority are). To contribute, you will need an account which we will explain below.

Twitter is made up of tweets. We created this diagram to help you understand tweets better.

You're welcome to share it with others or display it on your blog.

One of the great things about Twitter is that it is accessible on your computer, laptop, tablet, or phone. You can use the native Twitter website or app, or there are many other popular third-party apps that aim to improve functionality and accessibility.

Tweetdeck was once an independent app that has now been acquired by Twitter. Many users enjoy using it to organize their feed.

Twitter is used by people in nearly every country around the world. 83% of 193 UN member countries have a Twitter presence. For teachers, this means you have access to thousands of educators with rich backgrounds and experiences that can contribute to your professional growth.

In this three minute video, Alec Couros explains how Twitter is used effectively in education.

Sign Up For Your Account

The sign-up process is easy. Just follow these steps:

Go to http://twitter.com and click on the sign-up box, or go directly to https://twitter.com/signup.

You will be required to enter information such as your name and email address as you're guided through the sign-up process.

Once you sign up for an account, you can select a unique username. Try to avoid making your username too long and make it something that identifies you, like your name, rather than a complex nickname. But don't stress too much - your username can be changed anytime without affecting your Twitter account. You change your username by editing your profile information.

When you initially sign up for Twitter, it takes you through a series of steps where you can select people to follow. DON'T follow anyone when you first create your account. Set up your profile information and post a few tweets beforeyou follow anyone.

Before You Start Following Other People

Complete your bio so people know who you are. You have 160 characters for your bio. Educators often share the age group or subject they teach, and particular interests.

Add a profile photo. Real photos can be a better choice than a cartoon avatar or abstract image. It helps you to build your relationship with your PLN. Bios and photos can hold a lot of weight in virtual relationships.

You'll also be able to add a header photo. Popular header images for teachers include landscapes, a classroom photo, or a quote. Tip: You can make a personalized Twitter header image with Canva.

Don't start following people on Twitter until you've published some tweets! Most people won't follow a person who has never been active so you may miss your chance to make a connection.

This one minute video shows how to change your Twitter header and profile photo.

This eight-minute video demonstrates how to post a tweet.

Tips On Who To Follow

Following someone on Twitter means:

You are subscribing to their tweets and their updates will appear in your home timeline

That person is able to send you a private direct message if you're following each other

Following isn't necessarily a reciprocal relationship, like Facebook friendships. Someone can follow you without you following them back and vice versa. You don't need to wait for approval to follow someone either, as long as their account is public.
Our tips on getting started with following:

1. Choose about 100 people to follow initially. You can always add more as you go and this ensures you don't feel too overwhelmed when starting out.

2. Find people to follow who have similar interests or who write blogs you enjoy. You might also like to follow people who share great information and links, or who willingly engage in conversations.

3. Follow a few people you know and follow who they follow. Look at who they chat with or check their Following list on their profile page.

4. Find a Twitter mentor who will help and guide you. Get them to ask their followers to add you.

5. You can always ask me to help by sending a tweet to @suewaters. Make sure when people do start adding you that add them back quickly and thank them for adding you to their account!!!

6. Don't just follow anyone - follow those who have the same interests and who you like. Twitter also regularly shows you suggestions of people you might be interested in following.

7. Remember following does not have to be forever - you can regularly update/change who you follow to suit your needs.

8. Think about how you want to use Twitter: To follow the latest news? To follow other educators? To share what you know? To connect with others?

9. Participate or check out the different weekly hashtag conversations. They are a great way to find new people to follow (refer to hashtag information below).

10. Check out new followers before following. Look at their bio, how many people they are following, how many follow them and their latest tweets. This information helps you work out if they are the type of person you want to follow.

There are thousands of teachers around the world on Twitter, you just have to know where to find them!

No ideas?

Start with our Edublogs team like @edublogs @suewaters @ronnieburt @Edublogs_Eugene and @kathleen_morris

There are many educational thought leaders who thousands of people enjoy following such as:

Additionally, there are many popular sources for keeping up to date with the latest news, trends, and research in education, such as:

The examples listed above are only the tip of the iceberg and our lists are far from exhaustive!

Watch this 3-minute video to learn how to follow and connect with people on Twitter.

Tips for engaging in conversation

Twitter is very similar to a face to face conversation. Think of Twitter as a conversation with work colleagues in the lunch room. A mixture of small talk, relationship building, helping others, getting help and sharing is just as important on Twitter as it is in the lunch room.
Our tips for getting started with Twitter conversations:

1. Be patient. It takes time to build your Twitter network.

2. Use Twitter every day for four weeks, even if only for 5 minutes per day. Some people find that setting a goal of 15 minutes a day for the first few months helps.

3. Remember Twitter is a two-way conversation - you need to answer as much as you ask but most importantly share, share, share.

4. Participate and say something, anything. Don't always expect people to always answer. It does depend on how many you follow and what you're asking.

5. Get involved in the conversation. Don't be afraid to reply and if you don't get a response back, don't be offended. It happens - you'll soon see those that do/don't engage in conversations.

6. Learn the Twitter language and how to use it well i.e. @, DM, #, hashtags, RT (see below)

7. Some people find it easier to use a Twitter app like TweetDeck (we'll explain how to use this below).

8. Remember online is forever. If you didn't want it online don't say it in the first place.

9. It's extremely easy for others to misinterpret your written text. Remember this!

10. Think about how what you say reflects how people visualize you.

11. Educators love following people who share great links since it saves them time.

12. You don't have to keep up with everything that's happening on Twitter! Don't feel overwhelmed; this isn't the way Twitter works. The river of tweets just keeps flowing day and night... you just dip your toes in whenever it suits you.

Twitter Language 101

Let's break down the Twitter language. You'll get the hang of it in no time!

Handle

Your Twitter username.

@reply and mentions

A @reply is used when a person is having a conversation with another tweeter. An @reply starts with the @username of the person who the tweet is directed at.

You'll only see @replies between two people if you follow both people or you are looking at another person's tweet timeline.

You reply to a tweet by simply clicking on the Reply icon.

And then add your message!

Mentions are any Twitter update that contains "@username" anywhere in the body of a tweet.

For example, you use @username within a tweet when referring to specific Twitter users. All your Twitter followers are alerted to your tweets including @username provided the person who you mention isn't using a private Twitter account.

Your @replies and mentions are located under Mentions on your Notification page.

DM (also known as Direct Message)

Direct messages are private messages sent from one Twitter user to another. They can't be seen by other users.

DMs are less restrictive than they use to be. As the BBC explained a few years ago,

Previously, direct messaging could only happen between two Twitter users who followed each other.

Users can now change the settings and opt to allow direct messages from any profile, including people or companies who don't follow them.

The user can then reply with a direct message to the sender, but people can still block other users if they start abusing them or sending spam.

Direct messages are accessed by clicking on the Messages icon in the navigation bar via the web or on the Twitter app on your mobile device.

# (Hashtags)

Any word starting with the "#" hash (pound) symbol is known as a hashtag. Hashtags make it easier to search and follow the Twitter conversations on specific topics.

We explain hashtags in more detail later in this guide.

RT (also known as a Retweet)

A Retweet is a re-posting of a tweet. It allows you to quickly share a tweet with all of your followers. Most people only Retweet tweets from someone else although you can Retweet your own tweets.

Sometimes people type "RT" at the beginning of a tweet to indicate that they are re-posting someone else's content or they just press the RT symbol (two arrows) under a tweet. This is the simplest way.

You can retweet a tweet without comment or add your own annotation like in the example below.

You won't always see "RT" at the start of a retweet as it does depend on what Twitter client you are using (e.g. the Twitter website or something like TweetDeck). Some clients automatically enclose the Tweet in quotes while other clients may add "via" and the original tweeter's username at the end of the tweet.

MT (also known as a modified tweet)

Any tweet starting with "MT" means someone is re-tweeting someone else's tweet but have modified the tweet. MT isn't as common as RT.

A Retweet might be modified to make the tweet fit, to focus on the key message from the tweet, or to add your extra thoughts to the conversation.

With increased functionality on Twitter and double the characters allowed in a tweet than in previous years, you're unlikely to see many MTs.

Like

Likes are represented by a heart icon on the tweet and are used when a Tweeter wants to save (refer) to a tweet later or show their appreciation of a tweet.

When you like a tweet, the original person who posted the tweet is usually notified that you liked their tweet. You access the tweets you have liked by clicking on Likes in the navigation bar via the web.

Search and trends

Learning how to search Twitter well is a key skill for getting the most out of Twitter. You can search for any person, keyword, hashtag etc. using the search box in the admin bar via the web or using the Twitter app.

In the Twitter app on a phone, it also lists Trends for you and what's happening when you click on Search. You'll see the same thing when you're using the web version of Twitter. These trends are customized based on your location and who you follow.

Try it out for yourself! Click on one of the items in your trending list and go through the most popular tweets.

Or, next time there's an important news story locally or globally, search for the name of the location or event and check out the latest tweets as it is being reported.

When there is a popular education conference happening, you'll often see the hashtag trending as well. This is a great way to get involved!

Notifications and Mentions

The Notifications page offers a simple way to see how others on Twitter are interacting with you.

An icon will show you when you have new notifications.

Click on Notifications in the navigation bar via the web or on the Twitter app on your mobile device and you'll see all tweets directed to you (@replies and mentions), new followers, your Tweets that have been liked by other users, and any Twitter lists you've been added to.

Click on the Mentions tab on the Notifications page if you only want to see your @replies and mentions.

If you click on your profile image on the web version of Twitter and go to settings > notifications, you can customize the notifications you want to be alerted to.

Interacting With Tweets

When you see a tweet, there are certain things you can click on:

The person's name to see their profile page. You can look at their bio and see all their tweets.

Follow to have the tweeter's future tweets show up on your homepage.

A link (if there is one) to open a website in your browser.

A hashtag to see other tweets that are categorized with the same hashtag (regardless of whether you follow the people using that hashtag)

Like (the heart) - this shows your appreciation, agreement, or acknowledgment of the tweet. Simply, tap/click the heart to like the tweet (tap/click again to undo). Some people use likes to save tweets to refer back to.

Retweet to share the tweet with your own followers. This demonstrates that you found the tweet interesting or shareworthy. You will also have the option to add a comment to the retweet.

Direct message - you can message someone privately or start a private group conversation. Depending on individual settings, you might only be able to direct message someone if you both follow each other.

Comments - this allows you to either read what other people have said in a public reply, or add your own reply.

You'll need to spend some time checking out the stream of tweets and getting the hang of tweeting, retweeting, direct messaging, and hashtags.

Some people say Twitter isn't as intuitive as other web tools but it doesn't take long for it to make sense. Give yourself a few weeks to try it. Whenever you have a few spare minutes, open Twitter, scroll through your feed, click on some links, watch how people are interacting with each other.

If the people you're following don't interest you, it's fine to unfollow them. Remember, you're in charge of building your own personal PLN.

When you've lurked for a while, jump and contribute! Like or retweet a few tweets, reply to tweets that resonated with you, and send tweets of your own. You could try contacting a few people via direct message too - ask them a question or introduce yourself.

It may take some time to get the hang of how Twitter works. We've made this cheat sheet to help. Feel free to share it with others or use it on your own blog.

Remember, the more you put in, the more you get out.

Don't be afraid to start replying to people, retweeting tweets, asking questions, and striking up conversations.

Many teachers on Twitter are very friendly and always happy to help newbies find their feet!

What To Tweet About

Still not sure what you could be tweeting about? How about:

A photo from a lesson (be careful using students' photos)

A link to something interesting you've read

A question about a topic you're interested in

A request for a resource

A link to something from your own blog or someone else's blog

A favorite online tool you like to use with students

Make Your Tweets Stand Out

Once you get the hang of the basics, you might want to start considering how you can get your tweets to stand out more.

You can just share a simple link but is this really going to be noticed in a busy stream of tweets?

Compare these two tweets about the same post and consider which one would stand out more...

Images, emojis, quotes, summaries of information, GIFs, videos etc. all help to make a tweet stand out and encourage others to read it, share it, engage with you, follow you, and/or click on the link to the post.

Examples Of Interesting Tweets From Educators On Twitter

Tony Vincent is well known for his graphics he creates for social media. These are always shared extensively.

🆒 Instantly turn a doodle into an illustration with Google's AutoDraw! It's a webapp that works on mobile and desktop. https://t.co/0TS3gYfPI3 pic.twitter.com/wlnlwcN2z7

- Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) July 20, 2018

💬 Students can create staged text message discussions and make a screenshot of the conversation using https://t.co/3TboPy8ExI. #2018utc https://t.co/3TboPy8ExI pic.twitter.com/8OZGNofoCo

- Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) July 10, 2018

Shannon McClintock Miller put together this Padlet with ideas of books to celebrate International Dot Day.

There are lots of special books that are super fun to pair with The Dot and #DotDay I have starting bringing them together on this @padlet What else should we add, friends. <3 https://t.co/3ZGvIzFm9d #futurereadylibs #kidlit #ISTElib #tlchat #inTLchat #edchat pic.twitter.com/xi5rxWj5JP

- Shannon Miller (@shannonmmiller) June 5, 2018

Jake Miller regularly makes GIFs to enhance his tweets which are well received by his followers. (Tip: Richard Byrne shares 7 ways to make animated GIFs here)

Need to type the Quadratic Formula into a @GoogleDoc? Just click Insert > Equation. #MiddleSchool #MathChat #HighSchool #BlendedLearning #STEM #STEMChat #SciChat https://t.co/jgyMWK9m6d pic.twitter.com/cvx2fUoFbW

- Jake Miller (@JakeMillerTech) July 24, 2018

Quotes are always popular additions to tweets. Check out our post on quotes if you want to learn how to make your own.

So much truth in this quote from @rushtonh The power of an authentic audience can't be underestimated.
(Thanks for sharing,@ericcurts) pic.twitter.com/j7cDd5oNnh

- edublogs (@edublogs) December 16, 2017

From Analog to Digital - How to Write for an Online Audience
This is a great resource from@cinehead https://t.co/mBbhiLORgr pic.twitter.com/Hdw9J7vbV5

- edublogs (@edublogs) July 16, 2018

Sketchnoting has taken the edtech world by storm over the last few years. Julie Woodard is well known for her excellent sketchnotes which are a great way to visualize and summarize content. Here's an example:

Growth happens when you cultivate it ... 💦💧💦💧💧 @DavidGeurin pic.twitter.com/FHnSXtitMJ

- Julie Woodard (@woodard_julie) July 9, 2018

BookSnaps are a popular choice for sharing snippets of professional reading. Tara Martin coined the term BookSnaps and you can read more about them on her website.

Here is an example of a simple BookSnap from Jennifer Tod.

You can't light a fire in the charred heart of a burnt out teacher. #tlap #booksnaps pic.twitter.com/Sec9fssw6n

- Jennifer Tod (@mrstodbooklove) July 19, 2018

Emojis can catch a reader's eye and make a nice addition to a summary for the time poor.

Four ways to teach happiness:
👍 Take time to notice the positives
😌 Help students to step out of 'panic mode'
🤸‍♂️Cut class short in favour of exercise
🙏 Promote random acts of kindness https://t.co/s9gVmWZ8xw @AdrianBethune @Helen_Amass @tes @PosEdNet

- Action for Happiness (@actionhappiness) June 29, 2018

🤳 What makes a good video response? @HollyClarkEdu 's 7th graders' list:

👀 Look into the camera
🚷 Don't move too much
🛑 Avoid ums, likes, and so
🗣 Practice before recording
💬 Use examples or quotes
👌 Be concise
👵🏻 Be direct & nice
😁 Smile
https://t.co/YL4bHsxHxi

- Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) July 5, 2018

Make Your Posts Look Better When Shared

If you are a blogger, it's important to add a Share option to your blog posts as Twitter is an essential way people now learn about posts worth reading.

Here are two different sharing options you could use:

You also want your posts to stand out when shared by other people. You achieve this by enabling Twitter cards on your blog.

Twitter cards are designed to optimize your content on Twitter by improving the way your content is displayed. This helps achieve more interaction, Retweets, likes, and increased visits to your site.
Here's what a tweet like without Twitter Card: Here's what a tweet looks with a Twitter Card:
Here are two different options you could use to enable Twitter Cards:

Public vs Protected Accounts

By default, when you sign up for Twitter your account is public and anyone can see your tweets.

Some Twitter users prefer to use protected Twitter accounts where their updates are kept private; only approved followers can see their tweets. You change your privacy options in Settings > Privacy and Safety.

There are people who won't follow someone who uses a protected Twitter account.

For those who won't follow protected Twitter accounts, it is important to understand there are numerous reasons why an educator use a protected account and it might not be related to concerns of posting an inappropriate tweet.

If you have a protected account, your followers won't be able to Retweet your tweets and if you reply to someone who isn't following you, they won't see your reply.

Read more about public and protected tweets.

Getting More Out Of Twitter Using Twitter Clients

Many people say using a Twitter client or app is a MUST as they provide instant notification of the latest updates and offer an easy way to respond to tweets.

Some people prefer to use the standard web version of Twitter, especially when starting out (to access this you just go to https://twitter.com/ in your web browser)

Which Twitter client you use is personal. There used to be a plethora of options but Twitter has cracked down on some third-party apps and prefers users to use the web version or TweetDeck (which they now own).
The most commonly used Twitter clients are:
TweetDeck and Hootsuite are popular because their ability to add extra columns makes it easy to filter and keep up with conversations. You can sign into TweetDeck and Hootsuite using your web browser.

I use TweetDeck on my computer and the Twitter app on my phone.

Getting Started With TweetDeck

Tweetdeck was once an independent app that has now been acquired by Twitter.

Many users enjoy using it to organize their feed since you can add extra columns to filter and organize conversations as well as manage multiple Twitter and Facebook accounts.
To get started with TweetDeck you just need to:
1. Go to https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/

2. Sign in with your Twitter account.

Use your personal Twitter account that isn't shared with other people (ie. if you have a work account that you share with others, don't use that). Once you have signed in, you can connect multiple Twitter accounts to your TweetDeck account.

3. Below is a summary of the main features of TweetDeck.

4. Click Compose a tweet icon to write your tweet.

5 Here's a quick overview of what each icon on a tweet does.

Clicking on the More icon reveals other options.

6. You can move a column, customize, change alerts, and delete columns by clicking on the down arrow on a column.

Getting Started With The Twitter App

The most commonly used apps on phones and tablets is Twitter's own Twitter app ( iOS | Android ).

About Twitter Moments

A Twitter moment is a collection of tweets that is curated together in an easy share format.

Twitter moments were originally used by Twitter to share curated content categorized into five areas - today, news, sport, entertainment, and fun. Twitter aimed to share the most engaging conversations on Twitter. The purpose was to make news events easier to find and follow.

Twitter moments are my main daily news source because moments are the fastest way of finding out the latest news as it is happening.

You check the latest trending moments by clicking on Moments in the navigation bar via the web or by tapping on Search in the Twitter app on your phone.

You read a moment by clicking on the title of the moment to scroll through the curated tweets.

Twitter now allows users to create their own moments.

Read Aaron Hogan's Capture the Moment: Using Twitter moments in Education to learn more or watch Richard Byrne's How to Create Twitter Moments.

How To Post Links

People often share links to all sorts of things: blog posts they've written or read, articles they've enjoyed, online tools they recommend and so on.

It's common to see links posted on Twitter appear as shortened links because it makes it easier to include a URL within the 280 character Twitter limit.

Previously, if you wanted a shortened link when writing a tweet on the Twitter.com web interface you had to use a URL shortening services, such as tinyurl.com and bit.ly, and then paste the shortened link into the tweet box on Twitter.com.

Twitter has now introduced automatic link shortening which means you no longer need to use a third-party service to shorten your links. All links posted into the compose box on Twitter.com, TweetDeck, and the mobile Twitter app are automatically shortened.

Some Twitter clients automatically shorten links for you using services such as bit.ly.

While you can continue to use another URL shortening service, the benefits of using Twitter's automatic link shortening include:

1. It's quicker.

2. Unlike other URL shorteners, Twitter's shortener, t.co, creates a link that is a shortened version of the original link and includes the full domain name so your followers will know the site they are going to when they click the link.

3. Shortened links are a common method used to hacked Twitter accounts. URLs converted by Twitter's link service are checked against potentially dangerous sites - this is designed to help protect users from malicious, phishing and offensive links.

Connecting Using Hashtags

A hashtag is written with the "#" hash (pound) sign and is used to index keywords or topics on Twitter.

Putting a hashtag symbol (#) in front of a relevant keyword or phrase helps to categorize the tweet and make it easier for people to find.

A hashtag is any word on Twitter that starts with the "#" hash (pound) sign.

Hashtags make it easier to search and follow the Twitter conversations on specific topics.

There are now nearly 1300 students and 130 classes taking part in the Student Blogging Challenge. They represent 25 countries on 6 continents! 🌏

It's not too late to join us!
Find the registration forms on the right sidebars ⬇ https://t.co/GJwhRLXO6Y#STUBC #edtech #globaled pic.twitter.com/oAXoPAKIcw

- edublogs (@edublogs) October 9, 2018

When you click on the hashtagged word or phrase, such as #STUBC in the tweet we've embedded above, a new page will load with tweets from everyone who is tweeting about STUBC- whether or not you follow those people.

Hashtags can't have any spaces so math chat becomes #mathchat.

Hashtags are also commonly used at conferences to share thoughts on presentations, organize meetups, and coordinate after-parties.

What Hashtag Should I Use?

You can use any hashtag you like, however, if it's not being used by others then people won't be following it or searching for it. So to get the most out of hashtags, you should usually use ones that others are using.

Note that hashtags are not created by Twitter, but by Twitter users. Often if there is an event going on, the organizers will publish the official hashtag on the conference materials and social media.

For example, when ISTE 2018 (edtech conference) was happening, ISTE tweeted out the official hashtag:

Are you following the official hashtag for #ISTE18? Watch for behind the scenes content, tag your posts to share YOUR learning journey and find new connections! pic.twitter.com/V8UnYN2Wsu

- ISTE (@iste) June 22, 2018

For more hashtags used in education refer to:
Find the original image here.

10 Tips For Using Hashtags

1. Do not place hashtags in front of keywords in your tweet for no real reason.

2. Excessive overuse of hashtags can make you look like a Twitter spammer.

3. People often use one or two hashtags in a tweet. If you're used to using Instagram you'll notice that hashtags on tweets are used more sparingly than on Instagram.

4. Hashtag are for referencing events, news, software, or memes, not for random words.

5. Commonly used hashtags such as #edchat or #edtech are great for finding new people and conversations you would never have discovered otherwise.

6. If you use hashtags well, people who are not following you may see your tweets and follow you.

7. Always check the hashtag you're planning to use by searching Twitter Search or use a free tool like hashtagify.me to make sure it isn't already being used for another purpose.

8. Set up a search for hashtags using your Twitter client to make it easier to engage in the conversations (see video below).

9. Some people like to use hashtags in a humorous way like #ILoveHolidays or #SendEarplugs. This can be fun occasionally but don't go overboard! These examples aren't hashtags that anyone would follow or search, they're just used light-heartedly to add a humorous effect. Less is more.

10. You don't have to keep running the same search for hashtags you want to follow regularly. See below.

Learning how to use hashtags well, and who you follow, are key skills for getting the most out of Twitter.

You can type a hashtagged keyword in the search bar on Twitter to discover tweets and accounts based on your interests. There are easier ways to follow hashtags so you don't have to keep running the same search.

TweetDeck is commonly used to follow hashtags that you want to keep track of regularly (the Twitter search bar is fine if you just want to do one-off searches).

Check out this six-minute video by Jennifer Fox to find out how to set up TweetDeck to follow hashtags.

Participating In Twitter Chats

Twitter chats are where educators meet at a set 'meeting time' to engage in conversations by sending out tweets on a topic using a designated hashtag.

The hashtag is the glue that brings the chat together. It's essential. Otherwise, people would be tweeting out responses that might not be seen by any of the participants.

Most Twitter chats last for an hour and they're run at the same time each week or month.

During the Twitter chat, you'll see educators tweet their responses in real time. The best way to participate in a Twitter chat is to set up a search for the hashtag in TweetDeck, Hootsuite, or in the Twitter app on your mobile device. Some people also use tchat.

Note: Twitter chats are popular with the teaching community but the concept isn't exclusive to education. There are Twitter chats for other niches like marketing, fitness, writing, parenting etc.

If you'd prefer to watch a video to learn, this is a great short overview of Twitter chats by The University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Twitter chats normally have a moderator (or several) who guide the conversation during the chat using a Question and Answer format.

Prior to the Twitter chat, the moderators decide on the topic of the chat and organize a series of 5-10 questions to ask during the chat.

The chat normally starts by introducing the topic and asking participants to introduce themselves.

Check out Laura Moore's video below which explains how to take part in a Twitter chat using TweetDeck.

Note: The video goes for 25 minutes because Laura has recorded herself participating in an actual chat. You can just watch the first few minutes if you just want to learn how to get set up for a chat.

Finding Twitter Chats

Now you know about Twitter chats it's time to find one and take part!

There are many places to find chats that interest you and work with your schedule.

Examples Of Twitter Chats

Here are a few examples of popular Twitter Chats to help you get started:

All the times listed below are in Eastern Standard Time (USA).

Use this time zone converter to help figure out what time this will be for you.

Double check the time by clicking on the links as things can change with daylight savings etc!

Please leave a comment and let us know if we have any of the information below incorrect.

The "original" education chat. This one is very busy and fast paced. Takes place on Tuesdays 12 PM and 7 PM EST. Learn more here.

This chat focuses on educational technology and is held every Monday at 7 PM EST. Find out more here.

NT2T stands for "New Teachers to Twitter". Held Saturdays at 8 AM. For more information, click here. Tip: There is also a Twitter mentor program for newbies.

Educators discuss shaping the future of school. Takes place Thursdays at 7 PM. Find out more here.

A chat for those working with younger children. Held on Mondays 2:30 PM and 8 PM EST. Learn more here.

For special education (see more here). Takes place on Tuesdays from 9 PM EST.

Created by Ditch That Textbook author Matt Miller. The chat focuses on innovative teaching ideas. Takes place on Tuesdays from 9 PM EST. Find out more.

I Can't Keep Up With A Twitter Chat

Tweets can fly fast in a Twitter chat! Don't worry if you can't keep up.

Here are some tips to help:

Archives: Moderators often archive or curate the information and resources shared during the chat session. This used to be through tools like Storify but this service has closed. Sometimes a tool like Wakelet is now used or there will be a specific website or blog for a Twitter chat.

Be prepared: Moderators often publish the questions that will be asked in advance so you can think ahead. You can also get your Tweetdeck (or other app) set up before a chat so you're ready to go.

Be selective: You don't need to answer every question. Twitter chats are very flexible. They often go for an hour but no one minds how long you stay or how involved you are.

Follow up: If you were interested in what someone had to say but you found the tweets were flying too fast, don't worry. You can resume the conversation with people at any time.

Bookmark: A relatively new feature of Twitter for mobile is Bookmarks (it's rolling out on the web version too). You can bookmark Tweets you'd like to refer to later. Tap the share icon next to a tweet and select Add Tweet to Bookmarks. Tap Bookmarks from your profile icon menu to access your saved tweets.

Like: If you like a tweet by pressing on the heart, you can go back and look at these later. Just click on the Likes from your profile icon menu.

Lurk: It's fine to just watch a few chats before you decide to contribute. The first question is generally an introduction so don't be afraid to say it's your first time participating either.

You'll also notice that Twitter chat hashtags are often used outside of the designated time frame to share resources, ask questions and help each other. The hashtag becomes a community!

Here's an example of questions being posted in advance for #NT2t chat.

Getting "resourceful" during #NT2t today at 8amCDT (global times on pic). Stop by, invite a friend, and show how resourceful you are! #edchat #edchatie #edchatDE #satchat #satchatwc pic.twitter.com/3GmYKvN1HX

- Julie Szaj (@shyj) October 6, 2018

Create And Use Twitter Lists

A great aspect of Twitter is you can organize other Twitter users into groups called 'lists'. When you view a list, you'll see a Twitter stream of all the users that are included in that group.

The benefits of Twitter lists are twofold:
1. They help you organize who you're following
Lists let you organize your followers into different groups of people and/or areas of interest. Instead of trying to listen to what all your Twitter followers are saying, you can focus on the key conversations by the main people whose tweets you want to read.

This reduces the noise created when you're following lots of users. It saves you time and lets you quickly connect with those you most want to interact with.

Twitter clients and the Twitter.com web interface are designed to let you quickly check your Twitter lists.
2. They help other Twitter users
Twitter lists can be public or private. A public Twitter list can be viewed by anyone and other Twitter users can quickly follow your list or choose people from your list to follow.

A private list and the list members can only be viewed by you.

Public list also highlight who other Twitter users recommend as worth following. If you look at a user's profile in TweetDeck it displays the number of lists a user has been added to.

Twitter lists are handy if you're running a workshop on using Twitter, or want to encourage your students to follow specific Twitter users. It's as simple as creating the list and then getting them to either follow the list or the users on the list.

Tips:

You don't need to be following someone to add them to a list.

Subscribing to someone's list doesn't mean you're now following all users on that list. You'll just see the tweets from users when you view that list. You need to click follow next a user if you want to follow them and have their tweets appear in your Twitter timeline.

Watch this two-minute video to learn how to create Twitter Lists.

Scheduling Tweets

There is a range of tools that can be used to schedule your tweets to be posted at specific times and date.

This is handy for:

Promoting events or sharing details on conference sessions - especially when you might be busy at the event.

Sharing information with Twitter followers in different time zones.

Sharing links and information while you're away.

Situations where you might forget or can't post but want to make sure the information is shared.

Schedule tweets with caution. For example: If you schedule a tweet on the hour every hour, even when you're sleeping, you might look like a robot!

Examples of tools you can use to schedule tweets include:

TweetDeck makes it really easy! Click on the Schedule Tweet button after composing your tweet.

Set the time and date then click on the Tweet at button.

How To Embed Tweets

You may notice we've embedded a few tweets throughout this blog post.

You can easily embed tweets into your blog posts as follows:

1. Click on the dropdown arrow on the tweet you want to embed and click on Copy link to Tweet.

2. Go to Posts > Add New or Pages > Add New.

3. Paste the URL on a line by itself in your post/page editor.

Below is what an embedded tweet looks like:

Do You Teach Social Studies To ELLs & Want To Write A Guest Post About It? https://t.co/K7ohrYYf2W

- Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) October 12, 2018

Customizing your Twitter profile

You can customize your profile by selecting unique profile and header images, adding a name, bio, location, website, and theme color.

You can also pin a Tweet that other people will see when they visit your profile. For bloggers, this is often a tweet about a recent or popular blog post. Some people pin a tweet that particularly resonates with them or demonstrates their teaching philosophy.

Click on the dropdown arrow on the tweet you want to pin and select Pin to your profile page.
You edit your profile as follows:
1. Go to your profile (click on your avatar and then tap on Profile)

2. Click on Edit Profile.

3. Click the camera icon on your header image to change your header photo.

The recommended dimensions for a header photo is 1500 x 500 pixels.

The header is visible when someone visits your profile from any device, and changes with the screen size.

The header has visible and invisible areas that change depending on if your profile is viewed on a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone. Refer to this header template to learn more.

Popular header images for teachers include landscapes, a classroom photo, or a quote. You can make a personalized Twitter header image with tools like Canva.

3. Click the camera icon on your profile image to change it.

The recommended dimensions for your profile photo is 400 x 400 pixels.

4. Edit your name, bio (maximum of 160 characters), location, website, and theme color.

5. Click Save Changes.

What To Do If Your Twitter Account Is Hacked

There are Twitter worms that work by hacking user accounts by stealing their account credentials when the user clicks on a link.

Unexpected tweets or sudden unintended DMs being sent from your account are indicators your account might have been compromised.

Here's what you need to do if your account has been compromised.

Keeping Up With Links Shared On Twitter

A Twitter network is a rich source of great links to read and it's handy to grab these links using Twitter tools so you can check them out at your leisure.

Here's some options:

Flipboard - collects the content of social networks and websites and then presents them in a magazine format on a mobile device. Learn more about using Flipboard here.

Shiftlinks - creates an RSS feed of your links posted by your Twitter followers which you can subscribe to using an feed reader such as Feedly. This works works well when following a small number of people.

Paper.li - creates a daily newspaper based on the top links shared by your Twitter follower. Here's my personalised Paper.li.

Paper-li can be set up to send an automatic tweet of your daily newspaper and identify the source of your top stories of the day based on RTs, Favorites etc. A similar popular tool if you want a daily email digest of the most popular tweets in your network is Nuzzel.

Flipboard is popular for anyone using a mobile device because it allows you to easily read, share, bookmark, and retweet links from within the Flipboard app. Learn more about using Flipboard here.

This 5-minute video goes through how I use Flipboard to keep up with links shared on Twitter.

Using Twitter With Students

Educators aren't just using Twitter for their personal learning; they are also using it in innovative ways in their classrooms. We've seen a significant increase in the number of class and school Twitter accounts over recent years.

You'll find a list of Twitter class accounts here.
Here are some tips for using Twitter with students:

1. Set up a classroom Twitter account separate from your personal Twitter account. Some teachers allow their students to log in to the class Twitter account during class to compose tweets but the tweets aren't allowed to be sent until checked by the teacher or an adult.

2. If you decide to use a hashtag specific to your school or classroom community make sure it isn't being used by others. (Search on Twitter or on hastagify.me)

3. Carefully select who you follow as students will see all tweets by any account you are following. Drew Frank's Classroom Twitter list can be used to find other class Twitter accounts to follow.

4. Make sure parents are aware you are using Twitter in class and check your school's policies to find out if parent's need to sign a permission form.

5. Carefully consider whether you want to use images of students on Twitter and ensure you have permission. Read more about using images of students online here.

Find out more about using Twitter in your Classroom:
Over To You

Effective teaching and learning does not occur in a vacuum. To be the best teacher you can be, you need a diverse and innovative network.

With Twitter, the barriers of distance and access are broken down and the world is at your fingertips!

Twitter might feel overwhelming but if you give it a chance for a few weeks it will really start to make sense and you will see how it's so popular with educators.
Have we missed any important tips or resources? Let us know in the comments below. Scroll down to find the comment box.
Congratulations!

You made it this far? Woohoo! That was one long resource. You deserve a badge! 😉 Be sure to share your achievement on Twitter!

Want to learn more about becoming a connected educator, building a PLN, or blogging? Check out our range of free, self-paced courses for teachers and students.

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Want to learn how to get started or get more out of Twitter? This up-to-date ultimate guide to Twitter explains everything you need to know. Whether you're a teacher or other professional, you can fuel your professional growth and make global connections in your industry.

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Books you can read on your smart phone or tablet. Many different categories, including New York Stories, Immigrant Stories, Parenting, and Easy to Read Books and Articles for lower level students.

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MY NAME IS AMERICA, and at nine years old, I hate my name. Not because I hate my country. No! In fact, at nine years old I love my country! When the ...

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NYC Coalition for Adult Literacy: Advocacy Lesson Ideas

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NYC Coalition for Adult Literacy: Advocacy Lesson Ideas

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Teach your students how to advocate for themselves & continued funding for adult education.

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New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy

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The suggestions below are from the Advocacy Toolkit created by the National Coalition for Literacy Step 1: Educate Yourself See Advocacy Basics and What You Can Legally Do to learn the...

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Covers the skills participants will need to find a job and strategies that will help them get ahead. Interviews with experts who use communication, reading, writing, and math in their jobs every day will help students see how - and why - certain things are done the way they are.

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Workplace Essential Skills | New York State GED® Testing Office | FastForward

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Are you ready for a good job? Workplace Essential Skills covers the skills you'll need to find a job and strategies that will help you get ahead. Interviews with experts who use communication, reading, writing, and math in their jobs every day will help you see how - and why - certain things are done the way they are.

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We Speak NYC (formerly We Are New York) is the City’s English Language Learning program, providing civic-focused instruction through videos as well as web and print materials. Click here to read a review of the site.

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Breaking News! New WSNYC Episode... Shola's Voice!

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A website for high-intermediate to advanced English language learners who want to learn about caring for others while improving their communication with medical personnel.

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Project Care: Health Care Case Studies, Multimedia and Projects for English Language Learners

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Project Care: Health Care Case Studies, Multimedia and Projects for English Language Learners is for English language learners who want to learn about caring for others while improving their language skills. The book includes case studies, health information, and projects.

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Listen to this post as a podcast (transcript):
More teachers are being asked to support student literacy in all content areas. For those trained in English language arts, this isn't a big deal. But if you have spent your career learning best practices in science, social studies, physical education, music, math, or one of many other content areas, the idea of "teaching" students how to write on top of covering your own content may seem impossible.

Good news: It's not all that complicated, and it doesn't have to be time-consuming, either. You don't need an English degree to get really good at helping students build writing proficiency in your content area. In this podcast episode, you'll learn seven easy strategies (plus one bonus tip) to support student writing skills without having to stop teaching your content.

You can get this information by reading the cheat sheet below, listening to the 28-minute podcast, or reading the full transcript.

Then tell me what you think in the comments section below. Have you used some of these strategies yourself? Would you add any others? What questions do you have about implementation? These strategies are simple, but they take some practice: Let's work together to help our students become strong, confident writers, no matter whose classroom they're in. ♦

You like? There's more coming.
Join my mailing list and never miss another post. You'll get weekly tips, tools, and inspiration - in quick, bite-sized packages - all geared toward making your teaching more effective and joyful. To thank you, I'll send you a free copy of my new e-booklet, 20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half. I look forward to getting to know you better!

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7 Easy Ways to Support Student Writing in Any Content Area

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It's not all that complicated, and it doesn't have to be time-consuming, either. You don't need an English degree to get really good at helping students build writing proficiency in your content area.

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Reading passages & tools.

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CommonLit | Free Online Reading Passages and Literacy Resources

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Themes & prompts for writing & speaking.

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An ESL Resource Guide with links to useful sites for students & teachers.

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Just because an English language learner seems to be comfortable speaking in a conversational context does not mean that he is able to successfully function in an academic language environment. In fact, conversational competence is something ESL learners master much more quickly than academic competence. This is due to the higher-level vocabulary and concepts that are linked to academic learning vs. the more repetitive and familiar topics used in conversation. No matter if you're a student or a teacher of ESL, you can find some worthwhile links within this collection of over 40 helpful resources that include general resources, self-study links, ESL lesson plans, learning strategies, games, blogs and more that will help ESL students develop their English language academic skills.

General ESL Resources

Are you curious to know what it's like to be an ESL student? Would you like to connect with other ESL teachers around the world? Find information about these ESL topics and more in the section below.

12 Ways to Support ESL Students in the Mainstream Classroom - Learn what ESL teachers know about simple strategies to support English language learners in the classroom.

Teachers Experience the Needs of English Language Learners through a Math Simulation - To really understand the needs of ELLs, you have to experience what they experience. This article details how teachers had an ELL experience via a math simulation.

Dave's ESL Café Help Center - Have you ever had a pressing ESL question but you don't have a colleague you can ask at that moment? Follow this link to connect with ESL teachers from around the world, 24/7.

Merriam Webster's Learner's Dictionary - This online American English dictionary is helpful for English language learners. Users can find definitions and hear the correct audio pronunciation of a word.

ESL Teaching Resources

Utilize the following resources to teach your content-area curriculum while supporting each English language learner's development and meeting their educational needs.

English Vocabulary Word Lists - Discover a large collection of English vocabulary word lists with various online games that use the words from the word lists. This resource is great for increasing the English vocabulary of ESL learners.

American Rhythms - Use music to help students learn English. Download songs and lyrics for free to use within your classroom.

ESL Kid Stuff - Find ESL lesson plans for preschoolers to teens. Lesson plans are organized by theme and are in alphabetical order.

Everything ESL - This site houses a large collection of K-12 lesson plans that are specifically geared to ESL students.

Using English - Choose from over 900 downloadable PDF lesson plans and handouts to support ESL learners.

ESL Reading Resources

When an English language learner tries to read and understand material, barriers exist such as lack of vocabulary knowledge and a poor ability to read at a pace that promotes comprehension. Check out the resources below to support the reading skills of your ESL students.

English Club - This link provides resources for an introduction to reading and for reading practice for ESL learners.

7 Essential Reading Strategies Your ESL Students Must Know - These seven reading strategies can help your ESL students learn to comprehend and respond to what they read.

Reading 101 for English Language Learners - Learn about the ELL instructional strategies that are based on the five components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.

Reading Lesson Plans - These lesson plans - reading and comprehension, vocabulary and idioms, discussion topics - can be used in English conversation classes or one-to-one lessons for upper intermediate and above learners.

ESL Writing Resources

For English language learners, writing is no easy task due to their limited vocabulary, inaccurate verb tense usage and unorganized structure when writing. Utilize the resources below to help your ESL students become more confident about their writing skills.

Improving Writing Skills: ELLs and the Joys of Writing - Find out how to differentiate writing activities in the ESL classroom so that students will not dread the process. Specific lesson ideas are included.

How to Scaffold Writing Instruction for English Language Learners - Check out insightful tips from writing teachers of ELLs at the secondary level that will help you bridge writing gaps.

Write On! Writing Strategies for the ESL Classroom - Learn how to teach writing strategies that can help English language learners experience success.

The Writing Recipe: Essay Structure for ELLs - Discover an effective way to teach ELLs how to structure a five-paragraph essay via this video lesson.

ESL Flow - This site offers resources for teaching all stages of the academic writing process in way that works for ESL students.

ESL Language Resources

Browse the following resources to find links to lesson plans for all things grammar, strategies for engaging reluctant speakers and videos for helping learners develop their speaking vocabulary.

Eva Easton: Authentic American Pronunciation - This site provide lessons on sounds, stress patterns, contractions, irregular verbs and much, much more.

ESL Elementary English Lesson Plans - This bank of lesson plans is fun and motivating for elementary learners and includes audio and video resources.

Five Tips for Getting the ESL Student Talking - Lack of confidence, shyness and other reasons can keep ESL students from talking. Find out how to engage them.

English Beginner Video Slide Lessons - This free ESL online video lab is perfect for learners who are just beginning to study English. The videos help learners develop vocabulary and practice listening and speaking.

Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab - Find a wide variety of pre-listening, listening and post-listening activities designed to aid ELLs with the development of their communication skills.

ESL Study Resources

Learning a second language is never easy, but high-quality study resources that English language learners can access easily can help tremendously. The self-study resources below can help anyone start improving their English language skills.

New ESL Blues - Find games, tutorials, quizzes and explanations that can all be used as helpful study resources.

ESL Notes - This site provides movie guides, each with a synopsis and outline of major characters, vocabulary references and questions for discussion. The idea is to help advanced ELLs learn new vocabulary, idioms and expressions in an American context before viewing the movies.

ESL Gold - Discover study material galore such as grammar, vocabulary, writing and reading resources.

ESLAmerica.us - Consider this as your go-to for tons of ESL study guides that are organized by categories such as vocabulary, conversation, pronunciation and holidays.

Learn English Online - This site helps students learn English with exercises for beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners on grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and listening.

5 Minute English - Look under the "Question and Answer" section of this website to find quick and easy explanations for confusing things about the English language.

ESL Games

Enhance ESL student learning in an entertaining and fun way that helps them learn without thinking about learning. Browse the following links to find games that are appropriate for a range of ages.

ESL Games for Kids - When searching for ESL games that are fitting for children, look no further than this site. Here you'll find high-quality games that will engage children in learning English.

Trace Effects - The object of this seven-chapter video game is to learn about American English and culture. ESL learners who are ages 12-16 will enjoy this interactive 3-D multimedia learning adventure.

Hangman Games for ESL Students - Over 15 different hangman games to help ESL students become more familiar with vocabulary words and spelling related to various topics.

ESL Games - These ESL games are designed for adult English language learners. Find grammar games, vocabulary games and more.

Ernie's Activity Page - Browse these fun game ideas to find one that will work well for a group of English language learners.

Ventures Arcade - Find plenty of helpful games for ELLs, including crosswords, fill-in-the-blank and guess-the-word games.

ESL Blogs

Whether you're teaching ESL to children or adults or your interest is in becoming a private ESL tutor, you're sure to find a blog below that "speaks" to you.

Inspiration Lane - Within this blog, which functions as an online magazine for ESL classes, you'll find daily readings and interactive language activities.

The English Blog - Use this blog as a go-to for video clips, cartoons and the latest news that can be used as instructional tools for English language learners.

Teaching ESL to Adults - If you're teaching an adult class of ELLs or you plan to offer private tutoring services in this area, check out this blog from an ESL tutor.

Teach ESL to Kids - Shannon Sensei, the author of this blog, previously taught ESL in Japan. Her blog includes helpful resources - games, crafts, lesson plans - for teachers of young ESL children.

Azar Grammar - Teachers contribute to this site by writing posts on ESL topics of interest to educators. In addition, find links to grammar resources, teacher's guides and more.

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Just because an English language learner seems to be comfortable speaking in a conversational context does not mean that he is able to successfully function in an academic language environment. In fact, conversational competence is something ESL learners master much more quickly than academic competence.

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A simple way to create and share a resume on-line. Click here to read what one teacher has to say about using this site with his students.

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SlashCV is made to protect your privacy, we do not share your details with any recruiter and you will not receive any unwanted emails.

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A compilation of sites offering free tools and lessons, general tips and specific exercises, and other information to make teaching and learning ESL as motivating, fun, and easy as possible, inside and outside the classroom.

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English is one of the most widely spoken languages on Earth, and is widely considered the international language of business. Knowing at least some English is essential for success in many careers, and it is estimated that nearly 400 million people have learned English as their second language. Learning English opens up opportunities in a way unrivaled by other languages, and people who choose to pursue a master's in an ESL-related degree and teach English as a second language (ESL) are providing a great service to their students. Learning and teaching ESL cannot be confined to a classroom. Immersion is the best way to truly absorb any second language.

The sites compiled here offer free tools and paid lessons, general tips and specific exercises, and much more information to make teaching and learning ESL as motivating, fun, and easy as possible, inside and outside the classroom. These sources aren't ranked, since each meets the needs of people at different skill and experience levels, but anyone with an active interest in ESL will find something useful here.

General ESL Info

These sites covering all angles of ESL teaching and learning are a good place to start for anyone who is interested in ESL, but not sure how to begin.

Blogs & Podcasts

Many ESL bloggers share language learning tips and tricks, and podcasts can be even more useful for practicing pronunciation and immersing yourself in correctly spoken English.

ESL Teachers & Experts

Some of the most well-known teachers and experts on ESL share their thoughts on the subject via websites and blogs. These can provide invaluable insight for both teachers and students of ESL.

Teaching Tools

Worksheets, diagrams, pronunciation guides and instructional videos can all be used in classrooms or at home to provide more guided instruction in ESL.

For even more teaching tools, be sure to check out our Essential Guide to Apps for Learning English as a Second Language.

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Leading Sources for Teaching & Learning ESL - MastersInESL.com

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English is one of the most widely spoken languages on Earth, and is widely considered the international language of business. Knowing at least some English is essential for success in many careers, and it is estimated that nearly 400 million people have learned English as their second language.

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Find lesson plans for all levels, primary sources, & online activities, or organize an educational field trip for your intermediate to advanced students.​​

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Immigration History--Lesson Plans, Primary Sources and Activities from The Tenement Museum

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ESL Literacy Network         (Bow Valley College)

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ESL Literacy Network         (Bow Valley College)

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An online community of practice that provides resources and information to support the professional development of ESL literacy practitioners.

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Welcome to the ESL Literacy Network - an online community of practice that provides resources and information to support the professional development of ESL literacy practitioners.

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Welcome to the ESL Literacy Network - an online community of practice that provides resources and information to support the professional development of ESL literacy practitioners.

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Synopses and vocabulary lists for dozens of English-language movies.

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The English Learer Movie Guides, which are an innovative tool in the learning of English as a Second Language (ESL). Each guide reviews one popular movie, with a plot summary, list of major characters, and an extensive glossary of vocabulary and cutural references.

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Adult education and literacy providers support services including electronic collaboration, access to information, and technical assistance. Includes a video gallery that can be used for professional development.​

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AI Confirms Our Unrealistic Body Ideals: What AI regards as the ideal body type and why it's so problematic.
Posted on 11/14/2023 Full article
Gather a group of people together and many will have body shaming stories, dieting extremes, and the ever-ending parade of an unattainable body expectation. Whether it's a large backside or nonexistent front side, whatever the perceived body problem, these have all been amplified, throughout time, by advertisers and the media long before the arrival Artificial Intelligence (AI).

What's clear from Dr. Heather Widdows article in Psychology Today, is AI draws "the ideal body type from the engine's interpretation of social media." Of course, social media draws from our society. "What this tells us, then is not what AI think is the ideal body, but what we - or at least those of us who use social media - think is the ideal body." From the book Perfect Me (2018), there is now a global ideal, "Thin, Firm, Smooth, and Young."

These four ideas are "becoming increasingly harder to achieve, in part driven by technological advances in filters, photo editing, and cosmetic procedures." No one can reasonably achieve these social standards set by social media. In an AI-created world, "40% of the AI-generated images overall depicted 'unrealistic' body types - 37% of the images of women and 43% of men."

AI amplifies this negative mirror of ourselves. How do we recognize our society's own aspiration toward an "impossibly perfect" body ideal? With an increasing awareness of this ideal, educators can create critical thinking around the images AI generates and we use in our classrooms.

References

[1] https://nypost.com/2023/05/16/ai-defines-ideal-body-type-per-social-media

[2] Widdows, Heather Perfect Me: Beauty as an Ethical Ideal, Princeton University Press, 2018, p.23

[3] https://bulimia.com/examine/scrolling-into-bias/

[4] https://bulimia.com/examine/scrolling-into-bias/

[5] Widdows, Heather Perfect Me: Beauty as an Ethical Ideal, Princeton University Press, 2018, p.86

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Outreach and Technical Assistance Network | Index

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Posted on 11/14/2023 Full article Gather a group of people together and many will have body shaming stories, dieting extremes, and the ever-ending parade of an unattainable body expectation. Whether it's a large backside or nonexistent front side, whatever the perceived body problem, these have all been amplified, throughout time, by advertisers and the media long before the arrival Artificial Intelligence (AI).

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General resources. Free, but you must create an account.​​

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Resources, activities, lesson plans and ideas for the TEFL classroom. Ideas for teaching business English and young learners, articles on theory and methodology and more.

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A platform for adult educators across New York State to work together to enrich adult education by identifying and reviewing high-quality teaching resources for teachers.

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CollectEdNY is a project of the New York State Education Department and The City University of New York Adult Literacy/HSE Program, supported by funding from the New York State Education Department, Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services. The initial concept was developed in collaboration with the Literacy Assistance Center.

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Helpful grammar specific exercises under “Teacher Resources”.

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UsingEnglish.com: English Language (ESL) Learning Online

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Master the English language with UsingEnglish.com! Discover ESL resources, improve your vocabulary, and join a thriving community of learners and teachers.

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Help with grammar, punctuation, and writing skills.​

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grammar NOW! Grammar, punctuation, proofreading, and writing help

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Grammar, punctuation, and writing resource. Personal grammar questions answered immediately in the Q&A Club, Grammar tips blog, Proofreading and editing service

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Grammar explanations, exercises, and handouts.

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Online porn - hobby.porn! h25.io Instant Profits AI В казино Вавада регистрация открывает двери к миру азарта и больших выигрышей. Получите свой бонус и начните играть в любимые слоты уже сегодня! Стать частью онлайн-казино можно всего за несколько простых шагов. Vavada online работает 24/7. И любые сбои при регистрации или выводе средств решаются мгновенно. Лицензирование подтверждено официальными документами выданными Кюрасао.

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This grammar review site includes detailed terms, interactive exercises, handouts, PowerPoints, daily Twitter practice, videos, teacher resources, and more!

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Provides free programs to assist teachers or anyone else looking for fun materials for review, training, or classroom management.

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SuperTeacherTools provides free programs to assist teachers or anyone else looking for fun review/training/classroom management materials.

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A free learning platform that lets teachers create engaging Jeopardy-style quiz games for the classroom. Click here for a demo.

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For Remote or In-Person Classrooms

Factile is a free learning platform that lets teachers create engaging jeopardy-style quiz games for the remote or in-person classroom

Assess students' understanding of new topics or review the latest concepts using our simple, user-friendly gameboard template. Create and share your games with students, or search our database of already-created games. Use Factile with Google Classroom to easily assign games and flashcards to your class.
Play Demo Game

Four Team Review Games
Play in classroom or remote with Buzzer Mode

Two Individual Study Games
Self-paced learning in classroom or remote

Buzzer Mode

Buzzer Mode

Turn phones, tablets or computers into buzzer buttons for an engaging multi-player gameshow experience

"Factile is fun and exciting. Students enjoy the competition, the team-building, the camaradarie, the positive reinforcement, or all of the above. The standard, free version is very workable and click-driven, although I am sure the premium version contains greater functionality that may appeal to some folks. Your students will enjoy it as much as you enjoy watching them learn"

Bruce DuBoff AASL Best Websites for Teaching and Learning Committee Member

See more reviews

Are you looking to make your Factile game even more engaging? Let students BUZZ IN via their laptops, phones or tablets! Remote or In-Classroom.

Send a link to your participants and they can play at any time on their own

Create custom games

Share games

Play the many public games

Multi-language support
(English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic)

...and much more

Buzzer Mode for Remote or in-classroom

Flashcards, Choice and Memory Games

Add Images, Videos and Equations

Print Answer Keys and Quizzes

Unlimited Games and 100 Teams

Double Jeopardy and Daily Double

Interactive Choice

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Home/School features

Add up to 3 Images in Question/Answer

Multi-Member Teams up to 3 Players Per Team

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For Remote or In-Person Classrooms

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Classroom Jeopardy Review Game | Buzzer Mode | Factile

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Create your own Jeopardy template online without PowerPoint, or browse the pre-made templates to play Jeopardy-style classroom games or quizzes in minutes.

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Free resources including lesson plans, printable ESL worksheets, grammar and vocab classroom handouts and fun ESL activities and games. You’ll also find teaching tips, advice and resources for TEFL training, a TEFL forum and ESL job offers.

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:))) because people speak English

Welcome to EnglishClub for learners and teachers of English. Here you'll find all you need to help you learn or teach English.

Divided Kingdom video: welcome to a kingdom divided. In modern-day Britain, prejudice and discrimination affect the lives of two individuals, leading to a shocking confrontation with a dangerous and uncertain ending. With subtitles & classroom materials (12:33)

TPdiscussion | TPhomework

Grammar Lessons
Parts of Speech, Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives, Adverbs, Sentences...

ESL Games
Grammar Games, Pronunciation Games, Vocabulary Games, Spelling Games...

ESL Quizzes
Grammar, Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Listening, Reading, Spelling...

ESL Videos 🔊
Learning English Video, MyEC Videos...

English Exams 🔊

Songs for Learning English 🎵
Alphabet Song, Be Verb Song...

Jokes in English

English for Kids
Short Stories, Picture Quizzes...

English for Babies 🔊

ESL Chat

ESL Articles

ESL Magazine

More EnglishClub resources

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EnglishClub.com - Learn or Teach English Today

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Free online resources for learning English 🇬🇧🇺🇸 or teaching it. From easy guides to grammar to fun games and quizzes.

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Create flashcards or help your students create their own, as well as other simple learning tools. Read more about how to use Quizlet in the ESOL classroom here and ​here. Watch a tutorial on how to use Quizlet on the Technology & Digital Literacy Resources page or click here for the quick-start guide.

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Download ready-made interactive student surveys for in-class use and other templates for communicative activities.

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The Odd One Out Game : Students look at a list of four items and decide which is different. They must give a reason. Everybody holds their answer up at the same time. If their reason is unique they get a point.

Example: Eagle, Owl, Bat, Penguin.

Penguins can't fly.

Bats are mammals.

Bats have teeth.

Bats have poor eyesight.

Penguins can swim.

Peguins only live in the Southern Hemisphere.

Remember they only need to give a unique reason to get a point. If two students or two teams give the same reason, they cancel each other out and don't get a point.

: Simple worksheet highlighting useful language for discussing dislikes.

Classroom English : Highlights the essential language for getting information when you don't understand something. Great first class. Comes with cards as well.

For and Against : A simple worksheet for practising expressing opinions. A list of issues are given and students decide whether they are for it or against it in groups.

Chores, Errands, and Favors : Students discuss what chores they do and what errands they run

ESL Surveys: This section contains several sets of survey questions. Students walk around the room and survey each other.

Love and Relationships: A collection of worksheets and activities for teaching vocabulary used to describe relationships.

Asking Permission : Simple card activity where students practice using "Is it OK...?" or " Do you mind . .?"

We have a lot in common : An ice-breaker. Students try to find out what they have in common.

Find Someone Who : Another ice-breaker with 3 sheets to avoid too much repetition. Emphasis is on the past tense.

How Life Has Changed in Fifty Years : A discussion generator with lots of comparatives. Students work in groups and then present their results to the class.

At the Movies : A simple worksheet illustrating the language used to talk about movies.

At the Movies II : A continuation of the above. Students make riddle cards and ask each other movie riddles.

Solutions to Problems : (new) Students become the managers of a hotel that has many problems. They have to discuss problems, solutions, agreement, and disagreement.

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Lanternfish ESL: Lesson for Adult Classes

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Worksheets, flashcards, lesson plans, and activities for teaching ESL and EFL.

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Make your own comic page.​ Some tips on how this resource can be used in the ESOL classroom in Fun While Learning by Diana Satin.

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Create Your Own Comic Strips Online with MakeBeliefsComix

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Create Your Own Comic Strips Online with MakeBeliefsComix

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EXHIBIT YOUR COMIX AND JOURNALING ART IN OUR GALLERY!

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Exercises, ice-breakers, worksheets.​

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Eslflow’s English language teaching resource for ideas and lessons plans.

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Eslflow’s guide to ESL lesson plans, listening and speaking exercises, handouts, and activities for English as a Second (or Foreign) Language teachers and students emphasizing creative and visually interesting materials.

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Picture Stories for Adult ESL Health Literacy

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Picture Stories for Adult ESL Health Literacy

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Useful for beginner & low-literacy students. Useful for Language Experience Approach activities.

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center for adult english language acquisition

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national center for esl literacy education

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Picture Stories for Adult ESL Health Literacy

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Ideas and activities using picture stories to promote health literacy in adult ESL instruction.

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Research-based instructional practices in the content area of writing.

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LINCS | Adult Education and Literacy | U.S. Department of Education

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This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education. (2011). Just Write! Guide. Washington, DC: Author.

Prepared under contract to Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education, Supporting Teacher Quality across Content Areas in Adult Education ED-VAE-09-0-0060.

This report was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. ED-VAE-09-O-0060 with American Institutes for Research.

Mary Jo Maralit served as the contracting officer's technical representative. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service, or enterprise mentioned in this guide is intended or should be inferred.

U.S. Department of Education
Arne Duncan
Secretary

Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Brenda Dann-Messier, Assistant Secretary

Division of Adult Education and Literacy, Cheryl Keenan, Director

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This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education. (2011). Just Write! Guide. Washington, DC: Author.

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Accessible, image-driven prompts from The New York Times that invite a variety of kinds of writing & conversation topics. Learn about this and other teaching ideas from the Learning Network here.

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Accessible, image-driven prompts that invite a variety of kinds of writing.

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Intermediate-level texts, easily adaptable for lower levels, on holidays, heritage months, & occasions for celebration. Click here to browse & download individual chapters.

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Celebrate! Holidays in the U.S.A. discusses the ten federally-recognized holidays in the United States, as well as many celebratory days such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day that are commonly celebrated. There is also a section addressing four recognition months that are commonly acknowledged in the USA: Black History Month, Women's History Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month.

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Many one-page fact sheets on topics of relevance to our participants. You'll also find brochures, cards, posters, & legal notices, all of which make for excellent authentic reading material in the classroom.

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In an effort to break the cycle of pay inequity, the NYC Human Rights Law prohibits employers from asking about salary history during the hiring process. Learn more about the law, and how the Commission enforces it, by visiting our salary history campaign page.

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Free plain English newspaper with many articles of interest for immigrants.​

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Taiwan is an island off the coast of China. It is a prosperous, democratic country. Most of the world's computer semiconductor chips come from there. But there is a problem. The much more giant neighbor says it belongs to them. The "reunification" of Taiwan with China has been a goal of China for decades. China...

The seven-year-old girl at school in Maplewood, NJ, told her mother her teacher tried to pull her hijab off her head. This upset the child and the mother. The mother complained about it on Facebook. End of story? No. Ibtihaj Muhammad, a famous Olympic medalist, denounced it as abuse in an Instagram post that...

Most people want white teeth. Doing it at home is cheaper than going to the dentist. There is no shortage of products. They include toothpaste, gels, strips, mouth trays, and rinses, Do they work? And which one is best? How does teeth whitening work? Which way? Teeth whitening products scrape away stains using physical force or bleach...

The headlines are about Covid-19, polio, and monkeypox. Another virus - influenza - will soon be here. Flu activity tends to start in October. This year may be worse in part because Covid restrictions have loosened. Here is what you can do to stay healthy. Get a flu vaccine. It's too early to tell how effective the...

The Hollywood version has an asteroid bearing down on the planet. Movies like "Armageddon," "Deep Impact" and, " Don't Look Up," thrill viewers. Scientists are now taking the threat in a more serious way. Astronomers found all of the big asteroids that would wreak planet-wide destruction. Just like the one that doomed the dinosaurs 66...

Young Russian men are heading out of Russia. Often, they are carrying just a laptop and backpack. Where are they going? How are they getting there? Some Russian men once thought they were safe from the front lines. Then, President Putin announced a draft. Now they leaving the country. And they are doing so in a...

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News in plain English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and ESL, information for immigrants and students improving their literacy skills and learning about health, jobs, immigration and American government.

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Free, ready-to-print ESL lesson plans on current events or English news lessons; for low intermediate to advanced students.​ Excellent resource for differentiated instruction.

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Breaking News English - Easier News Lessons

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Breaking News English Lessons - 3,369 FREE Easy News English lesson plans. EFL/ESL graded news lessons, news in 7 levels, current events.

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An instructional tool to help teachers plan and implement instructional units and lessons that integrate language learning with rights and responsibilities of citizenship, civic participation, and workforce preparation.

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This site is an instructional tool for teachers of Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) activities. The purpose of the site is to help teachers plan and implement instructional units and lessons that integrate language learning with rights and responsibilities of citizenship, civic participation, and workforce preparation.

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FDIC: Money Smart - Computer-Based Instruction

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Online tool that helps how the insurance rules and limits apply to a depositor's specific group of deposit accounts-what's insured and what portion (if any) exceeds coverage limits at that bank.

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Teach & learn basic money skills, personal finance, business, careers, and life skills. Click here for the link.

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What do you need to teach or learn?

featured lessons

Featured lessons and learning resources

Learn modern internet banking skills using our online banking simulation.

View Lessons

Teachers - Parents - Educators

Use our worksheets, lessons, and activities for teaching money, personal finance, business, and life skills.

Teach and Learn

Teaching lessons and informational resources

Lessons, Lesson Plans, and Worksheets

Lessons, lesson plans, worksheets, and other material for teaching money skills, personal finance, business, careers, and life skills.
View Lessons
Informational Resources

Useful personal finance information, articles, advice, and tips to help you with your own spending, financial planning, career, business, and other life skills.
View Resources
Teach and learn money skills, personal finance, money management, business, careers, real life skills, and more....

Money Instructor©
Many young people graduate without a basic understanding of money and money management, business, the economy, and investing. We hope to help teachers, parents, individuals, and institutions teach these skills, while reinforcing basic math, reading, vocabulary, and other important skills.

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Featured lessons and learning resources Learn modern internet banking skills using our online banking simulation. View Lessons Use our worksheets, lessons, and activities for teaching money, personal finance, business, and life skills. Teaching lessons and informational resources Lessons, lesson plans, worksheets, and other material for teaching money skills, personal finance, business, careers, and life skills.

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The Hands on Banking® online learning center offers resources for anyone who wants to learn more about money management. Our financial articles can help you find answers to your questions, from budgeting tips to buying a home, to improving your credit. Our self-directed courses take you in depth to improve financial literacy at each stage of life.

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The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will impact taxes filed for 2018. The new tax reform is important because it affects everyone. Now that the final law has been passed, it is essential to decode what it means for us as taxpayers, since taxes affect many of our financial decisions.

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Citigroup is an international financial services institution with over 200 years of history in consumer and corporate investment banking.

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An ESOL toolkit for financial literacy from the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center.

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Introduction and Needs Analysis: This document contains the introductory unit to Money Talks in which students will reflect on their own financial practices. The unit also includes an introduction to the Money Talks topics and an opportunity for students to express their topic choice and to articulate their financial dreams and future goals.

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Curriculum and lesson plans, including a Story Bank for Low Level Learners and a Low Level Employment Readiness Curriculum focusing on retail and general job skills.

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ABE AND ADULT ESL CURRICULUM UNITS

Did you know that we provide training for volunteers that prepares them for tutoring in many Adult Basic Education Contexts? Learn more about the workshops we offer on our training page. To view the curriculum units and lesson plans continue scrolling to the end of this page.

This six-month literacy skills-based curriculum was created with a grant from the St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium (SPCLC) in order to equip Beginning ESL learners with not only English language, but Transitions skills to build foundations for work and acacemic pathways. Each unit incorporates Transitions skills from the framework developed by the Hamline ABE Teaching and Learning Advancement System (ATLAS) Academic, Career & Employability (ACES) framework. Each unit also builds CASAS competencies and systematically develops print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, fluency, and comprehension.

This six-month life skill curriculum was created with a grant from the St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium (SPCLC) in order to equip Beginning ESL learners with not only English language, but Transitions skills to build foundations for work and acacemic pathways. Each unit is CASAS assessment-aligned, incorporates Transitions skills from the framework developed by the Hamline ABE Teaching and Learning Advancement System (ATLAS) Academic, Career & Employability (ACES) framework.

This unique and comprehensive teaching guide is designed for adults with a middle school reading level who are studying for the Reading and Language Arts GED® test. The guide aligns to both the GED® Assessment Targets and the College and Career Readiness Standards. The seven modules in the guide are organized around high interest thematic social studies and science topics and each module takes approximately two the three months to complete. Students will read closely, think critically, and make intertextual connections in discussions and writing. The guide is designed to accommodate adult learners who may not be able to attend every class and is suitable for use with advanced English language learners.

The unit features 50 lessons divided into four units which represent the mathematical concepts covered in the GED Math subject test (including number sense, geometric and algebraic thinking, and data measurement and analysis). Lessons include examples, demonstrations and some videos which aid instruction as well as practice materials for students to complete in class and as homework. The curriculum is designed to present GED-level math both conceptually and contextually; basic math is not included.

The curriculum features 47 lessons divided into three units which represent the areas of scientific study covered in the GED Science subject test (Earth and Space Science, Life Science and Physical Science). Another small unit includes a lesson on the Scientific Method and corresponding classroom experiment lesson. An overview of the curriculum and extra lesson on probability and scientific notation on the GED Science exam are also provided, along with a menu of videos included in the lessons.

The Minnesota Literacy Council created these curricula in partnership with ECHO (Emergency, Community, Health, and Outreach). The goal of these curricula is for learners to become familiar with the resources and responsbiliites related to these important health and life skills topics. We invite you to adapt them for your own classrooms.

ABE AND ADULT ESL LESSON PLANS

Open Door- Northeast Learning Center participates in a Pen Pal Project in which learners are paired with volunteers who are employed at Thomson Reuters in Egan, Minnesota. This two day unit introduces learners to the project and prepares them to write introductory letters to their new pen pals.

This lesson plan can be used with ESL learners at the Intermediate level or above. In this lesson, learners navigate the Minnesota Literacy Council's Hotline database to find free ABE and ESL classes throughout the state. The Hotline database is user-friendly and easy to navigate. You can find it at mnliteracy.org under Find Free Adult Classes.

These lessons help student pratice skills needed on the standarized CASAS tests.

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ABE AND ADULT ESL CURRICULUM UNITS Did you know that we provide training for volunteers that prepares them for tutoring in many Adult Basic Education Contexts? Learn more about the workshops we offer on our training page. To view the curriculum units and lesson plans continue scrolling to the end of this page.

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National standards-based educational improvement initiative for adult basic education & English language learners. Also provides ESOL Resources, including a Teaching/Learning Toolkit with useful lesson plans.

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Contact Us Equipped for the Future at the Center for Literacy, Education & Employment 600 Henley St, Suite 312 Knoxville, TN 37996-4135 (865) 974-4109 fax: (865) 974-3857

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Virtual library of lesson plans, perfectly relevant to the community we serve, including the North Carolina Curriculum Guide.​

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Alamance Community College: Citizenship 101 Alamance County Partners: SALSA: Salud Latina, Salud de Alamance Caldwell Community College: EL/CIVICS Education Curriculum Craven Community College: The House I Live In Davidson County Community College: Living in America Mitchell Community College: Project NEXT PEACE NC Citizenship Consortium: E Pluribus Unum NC Community College Consortium: North Carolina Curriculum Guide, 2nd Edition NC Community College System State Office: A Collection of ESL Lesson Plans NC Health Literacy Consortium: Survivor North Carolina NC Writing Consortium: In My Own Words Technology Consortium: Technology and Teaching: A 2012 Report Wayne Community College: ESL: A Guide to U.S.

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Offers evidence-based resources to enhance the impact of adult ESOL instruction. ​

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LINCS | Adult Education and Literacy | U.S. Department of Education

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LINCS ESL Pro Resource Collection

This site offers evidence-based resources to enhance the impact of adult English Language Learner (ELL) instruction nationwide and in your community. Each topic-driven suite of resources includes an issue brief, online learning module, and a companion learning resource for educators.

Developed to complement and build upon one another, each suite offers multiple approaches to learning. Whether you are an ESL teacher, administrator, professional development specialist, policy maker, or researcher, these professional development and lesson planning tools provide insight and tangible support for the work that you do with and for adult ELLs.

Learn More About

Using These Resources

Follow these steps to make the most of these resources:

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LINCS ESL Pro Resource Collection This site offers evidence-based resources to enhance the impact of adult English Language Learner (ELL) instruction nationwide and in your community. Each topic-driven suite of resources includes an issue brief, online learning module, and a companion learning resource for educators.

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Civics lessons, US holidays, famous Americans, US geography, life skills (banking, employment, food, etc.), games…

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Learn EL Civics and ESL with pictures and easy words. The following EL Civics and U.S. History and Government lessons are now available: Statue of Liberty, Washington, D.C., American Bald Eagle, 50 U.S. States, and more. English Language Civics provides an easy way to learn about U.S. history, government, citizenship, geography, and culture. New lessons, worksheets, PowerPoint presentations, and lesson plans are added to www.elcivics.com every week. This year we will focus on Literacy for Work, beginning level lessons for workplace literacy classes.

Recommended EL Civics and ESL Links for Students and Teachers

OTAN Adult Ed Teachers: California Department of Education website was created to promote the use of technology as a collaborative tool, the use of technology in the classroom, and to provide access to educational resources. Special thanks to OTAN technical support for adding links to this ESL student resource. Cheerful greetings to all of the OTAN staff. OTAN

United States Department of Education: Focuses on workplace literacy, English language acquisition, and civics education. Go to this website to learn more about EL Civics programs and funding for Adult Education. Adult Literacy and Civics

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Website: This is the official U.S. government website for citizenship information. It includes forms, learning material, and links to important resources. Teachers will want to take advantage of the Education and Resources section. It has downloadable Civics Flashcards and a list of sample U.S. history and government questions for naturalization test preparation. Their materials can be used in any classroom to help students learn about American history and government. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

Citizenship and Civics: Jennifer Gagliardi has an amazing website with free resources including a podcast, worksheets, quizzes, images, and a blog. She posts new material almost daily and is very knowledgeable and helpful. US Citizen Podcast

Copyright © 2007 EL Civics - All Rights Reserved - Christina Niven
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Civics Lessons and EL Civics for ESL Students

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EL Civics Website for EL Civics Students: Civics Lessons, ESL Worksheets, ESL Lessons, Quizzes, ESL Photo Stories, EL Civics Videos, Crossword Puzzles, ESL PowerPoints, National U.S. Holidays, and Pictures. Material for EL Civics and ESL students and teachers.

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An open marketplace for educators where teachers buy, sell and share original teaching resources.

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World's most popular online marketplace for original educational resources with more than four million resources available for use today.

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Adult Education Curriculum Frameworks, including College & Career Readiness, Citizenship, and ESOL Literacy for Career & Technical Education.

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2018-2019 Adult Education Curriculum Frameworks

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Adult Basic Education (ABE) Adult Basic Education Language Arts (PDF) Adult Basic Education Mathematics (PDF) Adult Basic Education Reading (PDF) Adult Genera.

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ESL Brains                    (formerly TED 4 ESL)

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ESL Brains                    (formerly TED 4 ESL)

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Materials for teaching English based on TED Talks and other videos worth watching.

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With this lesson, students talk about bans and prohibitions. After reading an article, they discuss smoking and vaping. They also talk about trends and practise using adjectives.

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ESL Brains

Teach English using thought-provoking, engaging and topical lesson plans based on authentic materials. Provide high-quality ESL classes for adults, both online and offline.

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ESL Brains ‐ Unique video‐based teaching materials for adults

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See our ESL lesson plans and worksheets for teaching adults which touch contemporary topics. All materials are based on TED Talks or other video materials.

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A resource center from the US State Dept. for teaching and learning about American English language and culture.

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American English | For English Language Teachers Around the World

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American English is a website for teachers and learners of English as a foreign language abroad.

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An Emmy Award-winning television show created to help immigrant New Yorkers practice English while informing them of the city’s resources. On our Student Resources page, there are links to each of the 10 episodes.

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We have Study Guides, Low Level Readers, Important Words, Fanzines for each of the 10 episodes. Most of these materials have been translated into English, Arabic, Bangla, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.