The English Blog is devoted to providing you high-quality ESL lesson plans to ensure maximization of your potential as an ESL teacher. While we generally focus on tailor-making our lesson plans for our readers and subscribers, we also enjoy providing free lesson plans created by
our own team of ESL professionals.
We will continue updating this page with new ESL lesson plans, but if you would like individualized lesson plans specifically tailored to your own teaching style and needs as a teacher, get in touch with us.
What-Ifs
LESSON TITLE | What-Ifs |
Class Objectives | Students use what-ifs in a conversational context and in non-hypothetical/hypothetical situations. |
Learning Outcomes | Listening and Writing Present Real and Unreal Conditionals |
Duration | 3 hours |
Student Level | A1 – B1 |
Medium of Instruction | Physical or Online |
ENGAGE |
What-If Game: Have the students randomly pick a question from the list below (you may also cut this into strips of paper). With a partner, the students answer these questions together. Additionally, encourage them to ask the question “Why?” after each partner answers to elicit an explanation. The questions are generally easy to answer, but some may present some sort of moral dilemma. Listen in on the conversations, giving conversation pointers to the students. You may add more questions according to your students’ levels. After the students have gone through the list, have them create their own what-if scenarios to ask their classmates. Have them go around the classroom and ask their peers their questions, following the same format from the previous activity. |
STUDY |
The lesson for this session revolves around conditionals. More specifically, the following: • Present Real Conditionals (“If” vs. “When”) • Present Unreal Conditionals Prepare a presentation that showcases the different sentence formations of real and unreal conditionals. Give concrete examples, exercises, and worksheets to enhance learning. Presentation, worksheets, and handouts are available through our premium lesson plan writing service! Contact us for more information. |
ACTIVATE |
Have the students watch this video. You may want to set the playback speed to 0.75. After the video, discuss some things that would happen if humans disappeared according to what they just watched. After eliciting some responses, have the students think what would happen if we disappeared and have them write their ideas on the board. The students now write an article on: “What if life as we know it ended tomorrow?” Their article should be able to answer the following but not necessarily in order (you may want to write this halfway through the activity so that they do not limit the ideas of the students): 1. How would the world end? 2. What are some things you would do before the world ended? 3. How would you spend your last few hours? 4. What if you were the lone survivor of the end of the world? Since this is a writing activity, allow the students to write their ideas down while answering their questions, but also encourage them to use their own grammar knowledge in forming their ideas. Have them submit their papers. You may ask someone to read their work, but it’d be better if they also got written feedback during the next session |
What if you had unlimited money? | What if the world was ending tomorrow? |
What if you had superpowers? | What if you could see the future? |
What if you failed your next exam? | What if you ran out of money? |
What if you could stop time? | What if you could change the past? |
What if you saw $3000 on the ground? | What if you could change your appearance? |
What if you could travel back in time? | What if you could talk to animals? |
What if you used the public toilet and discovered there was no toilet paper? | What if your cell phone fell in the toilet? |
What if your social media was deactivated? | What if you gained 1 million followers on Instagram? |
What if you lost your eyesight tomorrow? | What if you became the president of your country? |
What if you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life? | What if you could never find love? |
What if you were a celebrity? | What if you always spoke the truth and could never lie? |
Childhood Memories
LESSON TITLE | My Childhood Memories |
Class Objectives | Students learn how to tell stories from the past. |
Learning Outcomes | Speaking and Writing in the Simple Past/Past Perfect/Past Continuous Tenses |
Duration | 3 hours |
Student Level | A1 – A2 |
Medium of Instruction | Physical or Online |
ENGAGE |
Have the students think of their favorite toys/objects when they were young, then let them describe these childhood toys/objects with a partner, and vice versa. After they have taken turns describing, they answer the following questions: • In what instances would you play with these toys? • What made this toy/object significant in the past? • Do you still hold onto these toys/objects now? Why or why not? • What is the most special memory you have with this toy/object? After the mini discussions, ask the students to talk about their childhoods with their partners. (you may choose to emphasize these points or make your own to direct the discussions).What were they like as children? What were their hobbies and interests? What did they want to be in terms of their careers? What were some memorable childhood events that helped shape them today? What are some habits/mannerisms they developed during their childhoods? Have these habits/mannerisms stayed true until now? |
STUDY |
Prepare a presentation on the different forms of past tense and how to effectively utilize them. Additionally, emphasize the differences in terms of grammatical use and meaning. This segment would probably take at least an hour. The most important part of this lecture is to have the students give their own examples, then transform these sentences into the different forms of past tense while observing how the meaning changes. A good practice in terms of preparing a presentation for these kinds of topics is to provide visual examples as well. You may ask the students to act out the different sentences the way they understand them. This is a good way to engage them during the discussion as well. Avail our premium lesson plan writing services to receive a PowerPoint presentation from us! Contact us for more details. |
ACTIVATE |
Writing a Children’s Book A lot of children’s books are based on real-life situations and authors’ experiences, albeit a bit dramatized and/or exaggerated. For this activity, the students are tasked to be an author of an upcoming children’s book. The book should be based on their life stories; however, they are encouraged to exaggerate some points in order to enhance their stories. You may give the students some examples as guidelines. Please take note that they should use the third-person perspective when preparing their books. After they have finished writing, have the students present their work to the class (similar to a storytelling session). You may also play some background children’s music to increase the enthusiasm of the class! Provide constructive feedback, as well as ask the class for some points for improvement and areas of excellence. |
Food and Culture
LESSON TITLE | Food and Culture |
Class Objectives | Students use adjectives to describe cultural practices and also practice critical thinking and cultural sensitivity. |
Learning Outcomes | Adjectives |
Duration | 3 hours |
Student Level | B1 – B2 |
Medium of Instruction | Physical |
ENGAGE |
My Favorite Food Prepare a Padlet board with the question: “What is your favorite dish?” Have the students submit their answers using IMAGES ONLY. Once everyone has submitted, have the students work with a partner, then have them describe their favorite dish to their partners without disclosing the actual dish. Encourage them to give colorful descriptions. Once the students have guessed the dishes, have them discuss the following questions: • What makes this your favorite dish? • Where and when would you usually eat this dish? • Can you cook/make this dish? • Do you think your favorite dish says something about your personality? If so, what do you think your dish represents in terms of your personality? Cultural Cuisine One of the best signifiers of a culture is its food. Food represents a part of history and culture. Have the students discuss with their partners some cultural cuisines that represent such aspects. For example, in the Philippines, bihon is considered a cultural cuisine because it represents the cultural homogeneity of the Chinese and the Filipinos throughout history. Here are some guide questions for the students: • What does this dish represent in terms of your culture’s history? • Are there any significant events tied to this dish? • Is this dish eaten during a special holiday? Why? • Do you like this dish? How does it taste? |
STUDY |
The discussion for today revolves around adjectives describing culture. Recap the lesson on adjectives, then give the students a word list for adjectives to describe culture. A list has been prepared below, but it is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED that you prepare a list as well in order to tailor-fit the difficulty. Go through the list with the students. Then have them work with their partners to fill out the worksheet, as well as give examples. This worksheet might take time, so encourage them to work together and discuss when they finish answering. |
ACTIVATE |
Around the World Divide the class into groups (3 members minimum, if possible). From the list below, have them randomly choose a country. The task of the groups is to prepare a presentation regarding the culture they selected, focusing on the following points: • Cultural Dishes • Description of Cultural Dishes • Economic Standing • National Language • Notable Figures • National Holidays/Notable Celebrations • Unusual Practices (if any) • Student Analysis (What do their cultural dishes represent in terms of their culture?) Give the students ample time to prepare their presentations. Emphasize the last question, as this is the main topic of the day. It’s important for the students to analyze their food culturally in order to explain certain aspects of their culture. |
Saudi Arabia | Mexico |
Italy | South Africa |
Spain | Brazil |
Germany | Singapore |
Maldives | Guam |
Japan | Indonesia |
Malaysia | Costa Rica |
Laos | France |
Mauritius | Greece |
Adjective | Meaning | Example |
Contemporary | ||
Modern | ||
Traditional | ||
Conservative | ||
Liberal | ||
Dominant | ||
Patriarchal | ||
Tribal | ||
Cosmopolitan | ||
Monarchy | ||
Xenophobic | ||
Medieval | ||
Authoritarian | ||
Progressive | ||
Religious | ||
Refined | ||
Profound |
Dream Jobs
LESSON TITLE | Dream Jobs |
Class Objectives | Students learn possible job interview questions, as well as how to respond to unexpected questions. |
Learning Outcomes | Speaking and Listening in Business English |
Duration | 3 hours |
Student Level | A1 – B1 |
Medium of Instruction | Physical or Online |
ENGAGE |
Start the class by showing this video from Disney Kids. Have the class take key points from the video, such as general themes, patterns, and relationships. After the short video, have the students discuss in pairs the following questions: • What is the video all about? • What general themes and concepts are presented? • What is your dream job? What has inspired you to have this job? • What are some skills you practice in order to attain this dream of yours? • Do you think you could achieve this dream? Why or why not? You could also supplement the students’ discussions by adding your own insights or examples. It’d also be enriching to add your own experience. After the discussion, each student prepares a “show and tell” presentation of their dream jobs. This speaking exercise is for them to be able to practice public speaking without the pressure of a difficult topic. The speech is free form, so it’s up to them to keep the audience interested. Have the students present their “show and tell” and give constructive insights and comments. |
STUDY |
A job interview is a vital and essential aspect of one’s career. Job interviews are generally very simple; however, trained specialists such as human resources personnel, recruiting personnel, etc., have certain skills that help them determine if an individual is suited for a certain job, even through simple conversations. A lot of psychology is involved in job interviews, which makes it quite daunting if a person is not well prepared. The discussion for the day revolves around job interview questions, and how to go about them when answering these questions. Go to this website. A sample worksheet is given below. Have the students answer their worksheet first in pairs to see how they’d understand these questions. Prepare a presentation to present the strategies, as well as example answers to these questions. |
ACTIVATE |
Job Interview Divide the class into 2 groups: one group is the candidates; the other is the interviewers. The job of the interviewers is to prepare at least 15 questions to ask the candidates. The questions they ask can be part of the worksheet, but it is highly encouraged for them to create their own questions. While the interviewers are preparing their questions, the candidates can also prepare their 15 questions when they switch roles. After everyone has prepared, have the students conduct the interview. You may give key points and insights while the interviews are happening or write them down on the board. After the first round, have the students switch roles. |
Interview Worksheet
Job Interview Question | Strategies | Possible Answer |
What are your weaknesses? | Mention weaknesses, but highlight strengths. Focus on professional strengths, rather than personal. | There are times in which I communicate with my colleagues, and I tend to speak fast. This is why I always ensure understanding by asking clarifying questions before ending the conversation. |
Why should we hire you? | ||
Why do you want to work here? | ||
What are your goals? | ||
Why did you leave your last job? | ||
When were you most satisfied in your job? | ||
What can you do for us that other candidates can’t? | ||
What are the three positive things your last boss would say about you? | ||
What salary are you seeking? |
Creative Writing
LESSON TITLE | Creative Writing |
Class Objectives | Students learn how to use adverbs and adjectives to write a creative essay/short story. |
Learning Outcomes | Using Descriptive Adjectives and Adverbs |
Duration | 3 hours |
Student Level | A2 – B2 |
Medium of Instruction | Physical or Online |
ENGAGE |
Adverb-Verb Charades Prepare two sets of words: adverbs and verbs (there are some prepared below, but feel free to add your own). The students play a game of charades; however, the game is much more difficult because they have to act out both the verb and the adverb, which may be quite difficult. So, you may opt to give your students clues about what the words are in order to shorten the activity. |
STUDY |
Recap on Adverbs and Adjectives Present a recap on adjectives and adverbs to the students, as this is the central topic of discussion for this session. Additionally, have the students create a word bank with a partner (similar to the one used for the game, but with adjectives). Encourage them to produce more complex adjectives and more elaborate adverbs. You may also give them additional vocabulary to strengthen their word bank. Creative Writing (Prepare a Presentation for Discussion) Creative writing is a form of descriptive essay which utilizes adverbs and adjectives to give life and color to a story. It’s usually used for fiction writing and heavily revolves around the author’s imagination. It’s a form of literature that encourages a reader to use his/her imagination, so it’s a very interactive process. You can also discuss some additional descriptions. With the description out of the way, have the students think of their favorite fictional/creative literature (may be a book, a poem, a fable, an urban legend, etc.), and have them share these stories with their partners. Listen to their conversations, then add in your own insights, or ask them further questions. Encourage the students to use more complex adjectives and adverbs when telling their stories to their partner to let them paint a clearer picture. |
ACTIVATE |
Creative Writing Challenge Creative literature usually revolves around a specific theme/narrative so that the stories themselves do not go out of place. This final activity tests the students’ creativity, as well as their grammar knowledge. The students are to choose a topic from below and write either a poem or a short story. Give them ample time to write and guide them through the process, as this activity is challenging. After the students have written their creative literature, have them present their works in front of the class through a live reading. |
Friendship | Dreams |
Heartbreak | Selfishness |
Identity | Happiness |
Hygiene | Hope |
Anger | Boredom |
Elevator Pitch
LESSON TITLE | Elevator Pitch |
Class Objectives | Students learn the application of business English for idea presentation and how to translate ideas into business terminologies. |
Learning Outcomes | Preparing and Presenting an Elevator Pitch |
Duration | 3 hours |
Student Level | A2 – B2 |
Medium of Instruction | Physical or Online |
ENGAGE |
Have the students think of a product they cannot live without. There is no limit to the concept of this product. It may be anything they can think of. With a partner, have the students answer these questions: • What’s this product? • What makes this special? • What do you think would happen if this product were discontinued? • What are some changes you would like to make to this product? • What would make you purchase this product? Have the students go on their phones and look for advertisements or marketing materials of their product, and have them share these with their partners. The partners are then to write down some ideas or concepts that make this product special. Take important key concepts from the students and write them down on the board for further discussion. |
STUDY |
Now that the students are able to share their ideas, distribute the vocabulary list below to the students. This will serve as a guide throughout the class session, and the teacher is encouraged to use these words to help the students understand the meanings. There is no need to go over the list one by one. Effective Business Presentations In preparation for the activity, go over some tips and guidelines on how to conduct an effective business proposal pitch. Here are some websites that can help you create your discussion. • Forbes • Visme It is best for the students to come up with their own techniques in pitch delivery so that they are comfortable with the way they deliver their material. The most important aspect of public speaking is that the students are able to find a comfortable method of delivery. Emphasize that there is no right or wrong way to deliver a pitch; there are only different ways to do it. |
ACTIVATE |
The students are now tasked to do an elevator pitch. An elevator speech is a persuasive form of public speaking that tests the students’ creativity and idea formation. An elevator pitch is a quick introduction to a business idea that is no longer than 1 to 2 minutes. The pitch should contain the following elements: • Who are you? (credibility and endorsement) • What is the business about? • What will set it apart from competitors? • A call-to-action (What will happen next?) Allow the students around 20 minutes to craft their elevator pitch while guiding them throughout the process. After they have accomplished writing down their pitch, have them deliver their ideas in front of the class. In this activity, the other students serve as the board members. Have the other students write down questions, insights, or constructive criticisms. After each student, review the student’s pitch and talk about ways to improve. Synthesis Conclude the class by asking the students for some tips and tricks they should remember when preparing a business pitch. Go over these ideas and emphasize ones that would be helpful to the students. |
Vocabulary List | Meaning |
Advertisement | |
Social Media | |
Contract | |
Proposal | |
Comprehensive | |
Import | |
Export | |
Deliverables | |
Minutes of the Meeting | |
Graph | |
Chart | |
Forecast | |
Human Resources | |
Public Relations | |
Stakeholders | |
Investors | |
Feedback | |
Monitor | |
Innovative | |
Novelty |
Small Talk for Socializing
LESSON TITLE | Small Talk for Socializing |
Class Objectives | Students learn how to hold conversations with strangers, as well as how to practice communication ethics and sensitivity. |
Learning Outcomes | Basic Communication Ethics |
Duration | 3 hours |
Student Level | A2 – B2 |
Medium of Instruction | Physical |
ENGAGE |
Create a Padlet board and task the students to share their ideas on good topics for small talk. Their posts should just contain an image so that you may use these images for further discussion. After the students have posted their insights, the teacher can go over the images with the students and ask them for personal experiences as well. You may also add in your own ideas. Now that the students have an idea about small talk topics, with a partner, the students create a list of small talk topics to avoid. After the students have compiled their lists, have them write these topics on the board. You may also ask the students further questions or ask them on how to change these taboo small talk topics into acceptable ones. This part should be able to provide the class meaningful insights, as well as spark a mini debate. |
STUDY |
The lesson for this session revolves around strategies for effective communication. This involves a lot of aspects, so we suggest finding your own materials that are suitable for your students. We also suggest using this website as a basis for constructing your presentation: HelpGuide. However, do keep in mind some key concepts of effective communication: verbal and non-verbal cues, art of listening, questioning, empathy, cultural sensitivity, ethics and morals, and mindfulness. There is no perfect comprehensive list for effective communication, as it is a very dynamic field that constantly evolves. |
ACTIVATE |
Can you hold a small talk conversation? In this activity, the students are divided into two groups: active and passive. The active students are given small sheets of paper containing topics for small talk. Their task is to initiate and hold a conversation with their passive partners. The passives are tasked to end the conversation politely. Each round is 2 minutes, then the students switch roles. Ensure that the students stay within ethical grounds during the conversation. Note: passives cannot use external reasons to end conversations; they have to be within the grounds of the situation. They may use non-verbal cues to end conversations, but they have to be polite. |
Weather | Directions |
Food | Celebrities |
Goals and Dreams | Transportation |
Trends | TV Shows |
Music | Hobbies |
Sports | Movies |
Travel | Career |
ACTIVATE |
Small Talk Questions The students are now tasked to create at least 5 small talk questions on their own. Have them write on pieces of paper, then add them to a box of questions. The students now go around the classroom, initiating conversations with their classmates and asking them questions from the box. The goal of this activity is similar to the previous one; however, both students now try to carry the conversation and see how long they can keep the conversation going. It’s encouraged for them to time each interaction to give them an idea of how well they can converse. Note: the questions should be open-ended. You may also give your own challenging conversation questions (taking ethics into consideration). |