Sunshine's Secondary ESL Studio

Teaching By Any Other Name with ESL students can be really powerful—but only if they actually connect with it.

This is one of my favorite lessons for helping students explore identity, culture, and belonging in a way that feels real to them.

I use a mix of:
✔️ listening activities
✔️ discussion prompts
✔️ scaffolded reading & writing

…and the conversations that come out of it are always worth it.

If you’ve taught this story (or are planning to), this might give you a few fresh ideas to try.

Link is in the comments 👇

Looking for a way to actually keep your ESL students focused during listening activities?

This cloze listening activity has been a game-changer in my classroom. My students stay engaged because they’re actively listening for specific words instead of zoning out.

✔️ Includes audio
✔️ Fill-in-the-blank passages
✔️ Works for A2–B1 ESL teens
✔️ Easy to use for whole group, centers, or sub plans

If your students struggle with listening, this is a simple shift that makes a big difference.

Link is in the comments 👇

Planning for next year already? 👀

If you teach high school ESL, you know how hard it is to find resources that actually work across levels and don’t take hours to prep.

I put together a quick post breaking down some of my go-to grammar and speaking resources that help me save time and keep students engaged.

They’ve been especially helpful for:
✔ mixed-level classes (A1–B2)
✔ daily speaking routines
✔ grammar practice that doesn’t feel boring

I also included a free sample if you want to try it out first.

👉 Link in the comments

Tired of grammar activities that feel like busy work?

I started using grammar task cards with my ESL teens, and the difference was immediate—more participation, more confidence, and way less resistance to grammar practice.

They’re simple, flexible, and actually keep A1–A2 students engaged without feeling childish.

I use them for:
✔️ bell ringers
✔️ stations
✔️ partner work
✔️ quick review games

If you want to see how I use them in my classroom (and what’s included), I shared everything here 👇

Link in the comments

A former ESL student left this dragon in my classroom for me to “take care of”! 🧡

Somewhere along the way ESL teachers become part teacher, part translator, part counselor…and apparently part dragon babysitter! 😆

What’s the most random thing your students have asked you to take care of?

Freebie Alert 👀

If you’ve ever struggled to make poetry meaningful for your ESL students, this one might surprise you.

I started using “I, Too” by Langston Hughes and it turned into one of the most powerful discussions we’ve had all year. The language is simple, but the message really hits—and my students actually connected to it.

I put together a scaffolded lesson with:
✔️ vocabulary support
✔️ speaking prompts
✔️ writing activities
✔️ and a free handout

If you want to see how I use it in my classroom, I shared everything here 👇

Link in the comments

🚨 FREEBIE ALERT for ESL Teachers! 🚨

If you’re teaching beginners, you already know how hard it is to find reading that isn’t too hard… or too simple.

I put together a free ESL reading sample using a scaffolded version of The Necklace that actually works for A1 students.

It includes:
✔ simplified, beginner-friendly text
✔ visual supports to help comprehension
✔ a real story (not boring or babyish)

It’s one of my favorite ways to build confidence with ESL reading for beginners.

You can try it with your students right away 👇
Link in the comments

🚨 FREEBIE ALERT for ESL Teachers! 🚨

If you’re working with beginner ESL students, you know grammar practice can either go really well… or completely lose them 😅

These free grammar task cards are one of my favorite ways to keep things simple, structured, and actually engaging.

They’re:
✔ beginner-friendly
✔ easy to use (print-and-go)
✔ great for stations, partners, or quick review

I shared how I use them in my classroom—and there’s a free A1 sample inside if you want to try them right away 👇

Link in the comments

Getting beginner ESL students to actually TALK can be tough…

You ask a question…
You get silence… 😅

One thing that’s worked really well for me is using simple “Would You Rather?” prompts.

They give students a choice, a structure, and just enough support to actually respond—without feeling overwhelmed.

I shared one of my go-to beginner ESL speaking activities—and there’s a free sample inside if you want to try it with your students 👇

Link in the comments

Teaching ESL summer school can be exhausting… but it can also become one of the most rewarding parts of the year.

Last summer, I spent 5 weeks teaching ESL teens for 6 hours a day as they worked to earn an entire year of credit. By the end of the program, we had built such a strong classroom community that we invited families in for a final project celebration. ❤️

It made me reflect on the activities that actually helped keep students engaged during those long summer days — especially speaking games, collaborative challenges, listening activities, and low-prep ESL ideas that still felt meaningful for teens.

I put together a new blog post sharing some of the summer school ESL activities that worked best for my high school students.

Link in the comments 👇

Teaching The Necklace in an ESL class can be rough—especially with mixed levels.

I started creating my own The Necklace ESL adaptation (A1–B2) so all of my students could actually access the story… and it completely changed how my class responded to it.

In this post, I break down exactly how I scaffold it—and there’s also a 🎁 FREE A1 version of the adapted text you can try with your students.

Link in the comments 👇