ESL Library
Intermediate Kwanzaa
As part of a study of holiday traditions, language learners read about the creation of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival created by Dr. Maulana Karenga to celebrate traditional African values.
Curated OER
Literature and the Language Arts
Reading involves more than simply picking up a text and saying the words aloud. A practice guide introduces readers to key skills such as making inferences, finding the main idea or theme, and using context clues. Each skill contains a...
Literacy Design Collaborative
Analyzing Language through Dialogue and Internal Monologue in "The Scarlet Ibis"
James Hurst's short story "The Scarlet Ibis" provides eighth graders with an opportunity to sharpen their literary analysis skills. After a close reading of the text, class members highlight and annotate parts of the dialogue and...
Poston Butte High School
Literacy Language Kit for the Book Hi! Fly Guy
Create a buzz in your class with this collection of learning activities for the book Hi! Fly Guy. Including a list of comprehension questions, a sequence of events activity, a summary writing assignment, and a vocabulary list, this...
College Board
2001 AP® English Literature and Composition Free-Response Questions
Do 100 years make a difference? Scholars compare two poems written 100 years apart. They also analyze characterization used in a passage from Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. A final essay question allows writers to choose a piece of...
Curated OER
Hispanic and English Literature
Eleventh graders listen to a brief history instructional activity about the 40's and 50's mid-West America and the Migrant workers that worked the fields. Next, learners will read a short story written by Tomas Rivera (both in Spanish...
Internet Archive
Introduction to Latin Language
Begin teaching your learners—and yourself—some basics about the Latin language with the inquiries available in this resource. Although the questions are linked to a textbook of unknown origin, they offer a good beginning on where to...
Curated OER
English Vocabulary Skills: AWL Sublist 4 - Exercise 6b
In this online interactive English vocabulary skills worksheet, learners answer 10 matching questions which require them to fill in the blanks in 10 sentences. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Gender Neutral Language
Tackling gender issues in your class? This online quiz about gender neutral language might be for you! Learners re-write 10 sentences using gender neutral language. When they have finished re-writing each sentence, they can check their...
Curated OER
English Vocabulary Skills: AWL Sublist 6 - Exercise 3b
In this online interactive English vocabulary skills worksheet, students answer 10 matching questions which require them to fill in the blanks in 10 sentences. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Two Sides, Same Coin: How Political Beliefs Influence Language Use
Learners read several magazine articles on the same topic written from different political perspectives, paying particular attention to the diction, syntax, and arguments presented in support the point of view expressed. They then select...
Curated OER
Slang and Language Change
Slang, as an example of language change in action, is the focus of a short lesson that asks learners to contribute examples to a class list of terms that they use to separate themselves from other groups or adults. Consider expanding the...
Curated OER
Language Play
Can you say it 10 times fast? Tongue twisters are a fun way to practice reading fluency. Learners read five common twisters, then make up one of their own! Discuss why some words and phrases are difficult to say quickly, and be sure to...
Cloud Front
Grammar Camp Worksheet Packet
Whip your students' grammar skills into shape with this series of practice worksheets. Touching on all eight parts of speech, these exercises challenge learners to identify the relationships between different words...
Curated OER
Figurative Language: Simile and Metaphor
What is figurative language? Introduce your young learners to the most popular forms of figurative language: the simile and the metaphor. Start by reading "Willow and Ginkgo" by Eve Merriam, and identify where similes are used. Then look...
Curated OER
Formal and Informal Language
Use this resource to prepare your class for an interview unit, a presentation activity, or to simply rid their writing of informal expressions. It prompts learners to identify whether listed expressions are formal or informal. Note: The...
Curated OER
English Skills Worksheet
To practice English skills using spelling words, learners answer 10 questions, some of which ask them to use a spelling list, though none is included. The questions cover the following topics: spelling, parts of speech, alliteration,...
Curated OER
Native Language Arts Seasonal Poem
Intended for native Spanish speakers, this plan provides an opportunity to create a class semantic web describing the different seasons and listen to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons." Learners will work together to revise their semantic webs,...
Curated OER
Analyze Author’s Techniques, Including Figurative Language
Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem "He Had His Dream" is the focus of a quick exercise. Pupils read the poem and answer four multiple choice questions and one short answer question about specific lines in the poem and the author's purpose....
Curated OER
"Painting" More Expressive Language
Young scholars listen to the book Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me, by Eric Carle. They create an illustration using a computer paint program. Learners type one sentence describing their picture into a text box in the paint program...
Curated OER
English Skills: Vocabulary and Spelling Practice
Learners complete various activities using their spelling words, which are not provided on the worksheet. Activities include using spelling words alliteratively, finding synonyms, using words in sentences with specified parts of speech,...
Film English
If At First You Don't Succeed
When faced with a challenge, how do your pupils respond? Starting with character analyses, learners participate in a lesson about appearances and perseverance. They watch a short film, talk about common English expressions, and write a...
Film English
365 Grateful
Encourage gratitude with a short film. Pupils first explore what grateful means and come up with five things they are grateful for. After a discussion, they watch the short film twice and discuss the content after each viewing,...
Curated OER
Fighting Fake News
Fake news. Alternative facts. Internet trolls. In an age of Newspeak, it's increasingly important to equip 21st century learners with the skills needed to determine the legitimacy of claims put forth on social media, in print, and in...