Online Resources for EFL teachers

In this section:

Information and discussion

Games, Wordsearch tool etc.

Lesson Plans and Teaching Materials

Teaching one-to-one

China

Info on countries, schools, discussion and so much more

Possibly the most wide-ranging web resource for EFL teachers and teachers-to-be is Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe. There is something here for everyone. Especially useful are the discussion boards where teachers give their opinions on schools they have worked in, towns they have lived in and bars they have drunk in. It's all subjective, of course, but very interesting. To begin, go to: http://www.eslcafe.com

You could also check out ESL Junction, a discussion board that at least one teacher I know has found useful in spotting a dodgy employer.

Games ideas

If you're a frustrated game show host, maybe you can squeeze a few minutes of nirvana into your kids' classes. Just remember, there has to be a language point - are the kids speaking, reading, writing or listening English? Is it fun? Is it motivating? Of course it is. I came across this Kids Party Games website while preparing for my daughter's birthday party and thought some of these would be great in a kids' class. [Not the ones that involve armed gangs!]

Here's the link: http://www.partygamecentral.com/ follow the links to kids' party games.

Wordsearches are an enjoyable way of revising vocabulary. They can create a few minutes of calm in your lessons. The following page offers a quick and effective resource to make your own wordsearch - use the save as text option, then cut and paste the finished wordsearch and past into your word-processing application of choice.

Go to Puzzle Maker Website

Lesson Plans and materials

If you're looking for a change from your regular course book and are stuck for ideas, here are ac couple of excellent sites where you can download lesson plans to use as you wish:

• Onestopenglish.com
• Teaching English

Both are well established sites and "Teaching English" is the work of the BBC and British Council. Both offer very good resources, but as with anything, be sure to check out the materials before taking them into the classroom

The British Council website is a good source of teaching tips and useful information; you can find teaching materials at http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-elt-resources.htm, while the British Council has teamed up with the BBC to produce the "Teaching English" website: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/ I have yet to check this out myself, so let me know what you think on the discussion board

Teaching one-to-one

Most English teachers find themselves giving one-to-one lessons at some stage or other. Many find it a refreshing break from the classroom, often it's a chance to get to know someone well and make a real and lasting difference to their learning in a relatively small period. If you're really lucky, you'll get to meet people like Rodrigo, [pictured left with my colleague June on a trip to York], who was studying English for business in Sheffield and taught us a thing or two about football and having a positive attitude.

For a wealth of advice and practical teaching ideas go to One Stop English

TEFL China Tea-Room

For sheer adventure and cultural interest, you probably can't beat China. Get the inside track from the people who really know what it's like to work in the world's fastest growing English teaching market. Subscribe to their email list and be enlightened: http://teflchina.org/

 

There are loads of online resources for EFL teachers