This works best as a starter to a class of improv games. It provides a bit more structure, allowing kids to ease into it and be a bit freer in other improv theatre games! This works best if you can project it on the wall. Make sure you have the teacher handout so that you can see in advance how many people are needed for each sketch. Get the right number of volunteers for each before showing the card. (Smiley faces indicate how many people!)

This is a simple activity to lead a conversation class with a low-level group of ESL learners. It may be adapted for a 1-1 lesson by simply the teacher being the partner. Print and cut out cards. Separate into 2 groups - questions and answers, and sentence prompts and extra general questions. Part 1 of the lesson: Organise students in pairs. Teach basic questions used when meeting someone for the first time by having students match questions to answers. Once they have matched pairs, have then organise the questions and answers into how they think the conversation would flow. Have pairs act out the dialogue. Tell students to act out the dialogue again but only using the questions. They should use the dialogue answers as models to create their own sentences about themselves. Part 2 of the lesson: Put 2 pairs together from Part 1 in order to form groups of 4. Hand out the second group of cards and tell students to mix them up face down. Students take turns drawing a card and must create a sentence using the prompt. If they draw a question card, they may ask anyone in the group the question. They should be encouraged to ask follow-up questions (depending on how strong the students are).

Visual presentation of the adverbs of frequency for ESL beginners, along with a present simple speaking chart to guide production of full sentences.

A quick worksheet for pupils to practice correct spelling of common jobs. Also a question for discussion afterwards.

Shape Monster story - to be printed, cut and folded into a small book. Pupils should be instructed to draw the correct shape and colour according to the book text.

ESL Kids game to reinforce use of ‘a’ or ‘an’ along with pronunciation of included vocabulary (pictures on the cards) and structure ‘have you got’. Game play goes just like go fish! A: Have you got a box? B: No, I haven’t. Have you got an umbrella? A: Yes! I have. The winner is the one with the most pairs when someone goes out. When someone goes out, those with cards in their hand need to subtract the number of cards from their pairs; ie, I have 2 pairs, so 4 cards, on the board. I am left with 3 cards in my hand when my partner goes out. Therefore, my score is 1 card.

Essay writing template for teenagers to help structure an essay on the best inventions from the last 100 years.

Help improve writing by expanding pupil’s knowledge of a range of linking words. 1 - cut out activity to organise by function 2 - cut out a selection of linking words to insert into a text 3 - organised list of linking words with gap fill activity

Images and cut out activity for ESL learners to understand using ‘so’ ‘such’ ‘too’ and ‘enough’. Cut outs - match sentences and identify word order Images - can be projected as a presentation or printed as handouts, students need to describe the pictures using the target vocabulary and their imagination for example (3rd image): The beach was so busy we couldn’t find a place for our sunbeds. It was such a busy beach we couldn’t find a place for our sunbeds. There were too many people on the beach to find a place for our sunbeds. There wasn’t enough space on the beach to find a place for our sunbeds.

Picture cards with egg related idioms, pictures and definitions. Full page posters plus handout

A quick colourful visual guide of the core tenses in English. Intended to be used alongside instruction on the meaning and function of tenses, but useful as an overview and sort of checklist for pupils. 2 versions are included - one full A4 size, the other has 2 images on 1 sheet to be cut as smaller handouts.

2 separate card games, both follow the rules just like the game ‘Uno’. Suitable for young learners of English from about age 5 to 12. Game play for both is suitable for 2-8 players. I have used them successfully with both individual pupils where game play was only myself and my pupil, up to groups of 8 in a classroom. Deck 1: Print 2 or 3 copies (depending on size of the group) double sided per group, cut out cards and shuffle. Deal 5-7 cards, depending on size of the group and age* Pupils must put down a card with either the same character or same pronoun. Only one card can be put down at a time (I know, this varies from the proper Uno, but makes it work better). When they put down a card, they should say the full sentence to get some speaking practice. If a player does not have a card, he/she must pick up one card. If that card can be played, then he/she can put it down. If not, he/she misses a turn and it goes to the next player. As a variation with older children, it also works to have to pick up until you can play. It gets a bit crazy sometimes with one person having 10+ cards in their hand, thus not suitable for the little ones. Chesire Cat - wild card. Can be played on any card and any card can be played on it. Draw 2 - can only be played on the correct character or another Draw 2 card. It makes the next player take 2 cards. That player then takes his/her turn - if he/she puts down another Draw 2 card, the next player takes 4 and so on. Winner - first person to get rid of his/her cards. Deck 2: This is a much bigger set than Deck 1, so only one copy per group is necessary. Print pages 1-7 single sided, then reload and print page 8 seven times on the reverse side, or use card stock so pupils can’t see through the cards. Game play proceeds as with Deck 1, except pupils put down cards with the same pronoun or same verb. Balloon cards are wild. *Dealing: younger children up to about 7 tend to do best with a maximum of 5 cards due to their small hands. Also, if you have a large group it’s best to only start with 5 cards so that there will be enough for a discard pile. **These cards are meant to accompany Alice in Wonderland (A2 reader). They use words and grammar found throughout this story. Look at my other resources for more games and activities part of this unit.

These activities are intended to lead into a larger project on giving a presentation. The idea is that pupils will choose a controversial issue to then use their presentation skills to prepare a talk for the class. Start with the starter picture projected on the board or as a handout. Use the phrase and image to push pupils to give their opinion and back it up. Break pupils into small groups and hand out the list of controversial statements. Have them discuss each. Get pupils to brainstorm a big list of controversial issues on the board which might make good presentation topics. Instruct pupils to choose one for which they must prepare a presentation. This may be done as homework or if presentation skills have been an ongoing topic, it could be blended into class preparation.

Powerpoint presentation with integrated youtube video Topic: Body language Target audience: Teen ESL learners Lesson: START - first slide - general discussion questions about what body language is VOCAB - move forwards to video - first slide has a list with blanks. Tell students to write this in their notebook and fill it in while waiting. Play the video - students need to write the word if they know it Check - make sure all students understand what the words mean Brainstorm other body language words PAIRWORK Students are asked to brainstorm at least one adjective that connects to each body language word (for example sad - frown) Move to the next slide and collect students’ ideas. The point here is not right or wrong answers, but for students to remember what the words mean and to justify why they associate each action/gesture with the adjective. CLASS OR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION Move to the last slide - as a class or in small groups, have students discuss the questions which all relate to body language

Best used for an ESL group, but could also be used as an ice breaker in any other class. Includes a bunch of bizarre questions to ask each other as an ice breaker / conversation starter, for example 'why do pyjamas have pockets?'

Card game with singular and plural forms of different nouns, covering the different spelling rules (x, sh, ch, irregulars, etc.). The cards should be printed either on coloured paper or card stock, or using the final page on the opposite site so that pupils cannot see through them. They can be used to play memory or Go Fish. The second file contains various KS2 exam practice about plurals. The crossword is best assigned as homework for extra practice.