Podcast: Giving Instructions

Expressions to Use when You Are the Teacher

Your students are probably used to listening to you give instructions. But do they know how to give other people instructions? They may need to teach a friend how to make something or teach a driver how to get somewhere. Today’s podcast offers some useful expressions and transitions that students can use when giving instructions. These expressions are taken from our ready-made Functional English lesson plan on Giving Instructions. 

Things to Listen For

• An Introduction
• Transitional Words & Phrases for Step-by-Step Instructions (First, Second, Lastly)
• An Example with Imperative Verbs: How to Use a Coffee Machine
• Useful Words and Phrases for Offering Feedback and Help
• A Conclusion

To use the lesson plan with your students, log into your ESL-Library account, and choose our Functional English section. Not a member yet? Subscribe today!

Introduce your students to iTunes today. This is our 209th episode!

Podcast: Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus is in the news again! Underwater explorers believe they may have found the shipwreck of Columbus’s flagship, the Santa Maria. Today’s podcast features a reading from our newly designed Famous People lesson plan about Christopher Columbus. In the ready-made lesson plan, students read a brief bio about the explorer. They learn new vocabulary, discuss Columbus’s journeys, and review nationalities. Why did Columbus call people from the Bahamas, Indian?

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Famous People Lesson Plans.

Coming soon to our podcast…Paternity Leave.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 209th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on Giving Instructions.

Podcast: World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day takes place annually on May 31. Every year there is a new theme to help raise awareness about the health concerns of tobacco. The theme for 2014 is about raising taxes on tobacco. Today’s podcast features a reading from our newly designed Every Day is a Holiday lesson plan about World No Tobacco Day. In the ready-made lesson plan, students learn the history of this day of awareness. They also learn and practice new vocabulary and discuss smoking and health-related issues. Share this podcast with your students, and try our lesson plan in class on May 31.

Related in the ESL Library

Health Matters: Smoking
Mini Debates: Smoking Ban
Mini Debates: Legalizing Marijuana
Famous Things: Cigarettes
Discussion Starters: Bad Habits

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Every Day is a Holiday Lesson Plans.

Coming soon to our podcast…Paternity Leave.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 211th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on Christopher Columbus.

Podcast: Dionne Quintuplets

80th Anniversary of the Birth of the First Quints

May 28 is the 80th anniversary of the birth of the first quintuplets. Two of the Dionne Quintuplets still survive today, and they have written a book to tell about their difficult lives. Today’s podcast features a reading from our beginner level Mini Bios lesson plan about the Dionne Quintuplets. In the newly designed lesson plan, students read a short article about the world’s first surviving quintuplets. Students also learn and practice new vocabulary and check their comprehension. Share this podcast with your students, and try our ready-made lesson plan in class. (Be sure to print out the latest version.)

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Mini Biography Lesson Plans.

Coming soon to our podcast…Paternity Leave.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 212th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on World No Tobacco Day.

Podcast: Paternity Leave

Daddy’s on Diaper Duty

This week’s podcast features a reading from our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan on Paternity Leave. Paternity leave is becoming more common as gender equality improves in the workplace. Even though many dads are offered time off with their newborns, most refuse to take it. In the full lesson plan, students answer comprehension questions, learn new vocabulary, and discuss reasons why many dads don’t take paternity leave even when they are offered it. This lesson also reviews the structure for expressing unexpected situations (despite, in spite of, even though, etc.).

To see the full transcript, log into your ESL-Library account, and choose our Discussion Starters section. Not a member yet? Subscribe today!

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 213th episode!

Podcast: Aboriginal Day

The Longest Day of the Year

In 1996, the governor general of Canada declared June 21 as Aboriginal Day. June 21 is also the beginning of the summer solstice. Today’s podcast features a reading from our newly designed Every Day is a Holiday lesson plan on Aboriginal Day. In the ready-made lesson plan, students read a brief bio about this holiday and its origin. They review new vocabulary and discuss the topic of multiculturalism. Should Aboriginal Day be a public holiday throughout Canada?

Coming soon to our podcast…Hosting the World.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 215th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on the World Cup.

Podcast: Hosting the World

Do we need to lower the golden standard?

Hosting the world for a mega-sporting event should fill a nation with pride. If this is the case, why are so many Brazilians begging FIFA to go home? A recent poll suggests that over 60% of Brazilians don’t think their nation should  be hosting this costly event. This statistic alone will get your students talking. Today’s podcast features a reading from our NEW high-intermediate Discussion Starters lesson plan on Hosting the World. In the full lesson plan, students answer comprehension questions, learn new vocabulary, and discuss possible solutions for reducing the cost of hosting international events such as the Olympic Games or the World Cup. Should neighboring countries share the burden and honor of hosting? Give your students something important to talk about!

To see the full transcript, log into your ESL-Library account, and choose our Discussion Starters section. Not a member yet? Subscribe today!

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is episode #216.

Podcast: Christmas | Podcast #92

Will you be teaching about the history of Christmas this month? ESL-Library has Christmas lesson plans for beginner and high-intermediate learners. Today’s podcast features a reading from our intermediate lesson plan on Christmas. Please share today’s podcast on Christmas with your English learners. This lesson is suitable for intermediate to advanced learners. The full printable Holiday lesson contains a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review and a group activity. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please share our iTunes podcast with your students, so that they can subscribe to our FREE podcast as well as other podcasts designed specifically for language learners. Your students will thank you for the English listening materials that they can listen to during the holiday break. Let 2012 be the year your students start listening to English online!

Podcast: World Cup

(Intermediate)

The World Cup is the most highly anticipated sporting event in the world! ESL Library has an intermediate and a beginner-level lesson plan about the World Cup. You’ll find these lesson plans in our Holiday & Events section. This week’s podcast features a reading from our Intermediate lesson plan. Students learn some brief history about the event. They also review and practice new words in a competitive vocabulary match. You can preview the reading through this podcast to see if is appropriate for your language learners. You can also assign it for extra listening practice. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Holidays & Events section.

Your students can also find this episode on iTunes. This is episode #214.

Find our previous podcasts here, including a recent podcast about Paternity Leave.

Podcast: World Cup

(Low Intermediate)

Are your students watching the World Cup this month? ESL Library has a low-intermediate lesson plan about the World Cup. You’ll find this lesson plan in our Holiday & Events section along with our intermediate lesson plan. This week’s podcast features a reading from our low-intermediate lesson plan (find our intermediate World Cup podcast here). In this lesson, students read a few short paragraphs about the event. They also review and practice new vocabulary. The idiom “on the ball” is taught through a fun “fact or fiction” reading about Pickles the dog. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Holidays & Events section.

Your students can also find this episode on iTunes. This is episode #217.

Find our previous podcasts here, including our Intermediate World Cup lesson and a recent podcast about Hosting the World.

New Year’s Around the World

What does Julius Caesar have to do with New Year’s? Which God is January named after? How do Australians celebrate New Year’s Eve? What about New Yorkers or people from Japan? Find the answers to these questions in our full high-intermediate/advanced Holiday lesson. Our beginner and high-intermediate lessons include a reading, vocabulary review activities, comprehension questions, discussion questions and group activities. If your school is on break this week, please try our lesson when you return to class. Happy New Year! For a lower level podcast on New Year’s check out last year’s post.

Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday here.

Coming soon…Censorship.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our featured lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy!

Podcast: Ordering Fast Food

Everyday Dialogues

In English-speaking countries, non-native speakers have to read a menu and order food in English. They also have to respond to standard questions and state any food preferences they may have. At busy fast-food restaurants, this needs to be done quickly. Miscommunication can lead to a disappointing meal. Taking too long at the counter, can cause frustration for restaurant workers and other customers. ESL Library has a NEW Everyday Dialogues lesson plan on Ordering Fast Food. In this lesson, students read a short dialogue and practice useful phrases to use at a fast-food counter or drive-thru window. Students also work in pairs to write and practice their own dialogues. This week’s podcast features a model conversation from the lesson plan.

To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Everyday Dialogues section. You may also be interested in our editor’s post about Fast Food Vocabulary: American Vs. British English and our collection of ESL Materials related to Food. 

Your students can also find this episode on iTunes. This is episode #218.

Find our previous podcasts here, including three podcasts related to the World Cup.

Hip Hop and Rap

What do Kool Herc, the Beastie Boys, and Eminem have in common? You guessed it! They all contributed significantly to the musical genre fondly known as Hip Hop. Today’s podcast features a NEW reading from our Famous Things section. In our intermediate lesson on Hip Hop and Rap, students learn the history behind this popular music genre and culture. They review important vocabulary and create their own rap. Like all of our Famous Things lesson plans, this lesson comes with pre-reading questions, a reading, comprehension questions, and vocabulary review. Give your teens lessons they are interested in! They’ll forget they are learning English. Our Discussion Starters section also has some great topics for teens. Check it out!

Preview all of ESL-Library’s Famous Things here.

Coming soon…Censorship.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our featured lessons or as extra listening homework. You can also use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session. If you like using our podcasts with your English learners, check out iTunes to see which other podcasts our listeners enjoy!

Podcast: Blue Jeans

Famous Things

Do you love wearing blue jeans? Personally, I love light wash, low-rise flare jeans, even though dark, skinny jeans are more in style. What’s your favorite style of denim? Do you know the history of blue jeans? This week’s podcast features a reading from our Famous Things lesson plan about Blue Jeans. In this lesson, students learn some brief history about blue jeans. They also take part in a class survey about their favorite style of jeans. This lesson includes a review of comparative adjectives.

To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Famous Things section.

Your students can also find this episode on iTunes. This is episode #219.

Find our previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast about Ordering Fast Food.

Famous People: Margaret Thatcher | Podcast #96

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minster of the UK from 1979-1990. Her nickname was ‘The Iron Lady’. A film called “The Iron Lady” was just released with Meryl Streep starring as Britain’s former leader. After the film was released, one of our subscribers requested a lesson on this important historic figure. We were thrilled to fill this request, and we have now added the new Margaret Thatcher lesson to our library. You can introduce your students to this important historic figure via our podcast and ready-made lesson plan. Perhaps it will inspire your students to go and see the film! [It's red carpet season and Meryl Streep just won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher! Try our related  Red Carpet Warm up. ]

The full printable Famous People lesson contains a warmup task, reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, discussion questions, and a writing assignment. You may also want to show this video on how Meryl Streep got into the role of Margaret Thatcher in preparation for the film. We also have a lesson on Ellen Sirleaf, another ‘Iron Lady’ who has been in the news lately. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Coming soon to our podcast…Michael Jackson.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find all 96 ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Podcast: Amelia Earhart

Mini Biographies

Do your students enjoy a good mystery? Do they also enjoy learning a bit of history? Amelia Earhart’s missing plane is one of America’s unsolved mysteries. This week’s podcast features a reading from our Mini Biographies lesson plan about Amelia Earhart. In this low-intermediate lesson, students learn some brief history about the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. This lesson includes vocabulary review exercises and reading comprehension questions. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Mini Biographies section.

Your students can also find this episode on iTunes. This is episode #220.

Find our previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast about Blue Jeans.

Podcast: Modern Slavery

Can we slave-proof humanity?

This week’s podcast features a reading from our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan on Modern Slavery. Even though slavery is illegal in every country of the world, there are approximately 30 million humans enslaved today. In the full lesson plan, students answer comprehension questions, learn new vocabulary, and discuss how to prevent slavery in their own backyards. Modals of obligation are reviewed.

To see the full transcript, log into your ESL-Library account, and choose our Discussion Starters section. Not a member yet? Subscribe today!

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is espisode #222.

Podcast: Ocean Garbage

More Plastic Than Plankton

This week’s podcast features a reading from our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan on Ocean Garbage. In 1997, Captain Charles Moore discovered a massive pile of garbage swirling around the Pacific Ocean. When marine biologists looked at it closely, they realized that the trash pile was made up of hazardous microplastics. In the full lesson plan, students learn about the dangers of Ocean Garbage. They answer comprehension questions, learn new vocabulary, and discuss how plastic beverage containers are destroying our waters. This lesson includes a grammar review of “look,” “appear,” and “feel.”

To see the full transcript, log into your ESL-Library account, and choose our Discussion Starters section. Not a member yet? Subscribe today!

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is espisode #223.

Discussion Starters: Groundhog Day | Podcast #99

Will the groundhog see its shadow this year? Our NEW Groundhog Day lesson plan introduces students to this unique tradition that began in the Weather Capital of the World. Not all countries rely on a groundhog for weather predictions, though. Find out how people predict winter in other countries, such as Serbia and Portugal. The full printable Discussion Starters lesson contains discussion questions, a reading, comprehension questions, vocabulary review, and a role play activity.

Coming soon to our podcast…Black History Month.

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Biography, Holiday, Discussion Starter, or Grammar Story lessons. They can also serve as extra listening homework to help your learners develop an understanding of the rhythm of English. Some teachers use our weekly podcast (posted every Wednesday) as a warm up for an online tutoring session.

Find all of ESL-Library podcast episodes on iTunes. You’ll also find related podcasts that our listeners enjoy. Don’t forget to share the link with your students.

Podcast: Robin Williams

A Comic Genius

Are your students talking about Robin Williams this week? This comic genius touched the lives of people all over the world. Whether you loved him as Mork from Ork or the Genie of the Lamp, his voice will surely stand the test of time. Today’s podcast features a reading from our NEW Famous People lesson plan about Robin Williams. In this NEW lesson plan, students read a brief bio about Robin Williams. They also learn some English expressions related to laughter and take part in some Improv skits. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Famous People section. (Non-subscribers can download our Robin Williams lesson free until Aug. 30, 2014.)

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Functional English Lesson Plans.

Coming soon to our podcast…Militarized Police.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 224th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on Ocean Garbage.