Podcast: Militarized Police

Blurring the lines

Have your students been following the clash between civilians and police officers in Ferguson, Missouri? Today’s podcast features a reading from our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan on Militarized Police. In this NEW lesson plan, students read about the militarization of police in America. They also discuss the different roles of soldiers and police. Students work together to identify high-risk situations that require an aggressive police response. A grammar review exercise on “however” is included. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Discussion Starters section.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Surrogate Mothers.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 225th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on Robin Williams.

Podcast: Grandparents’ Day

The first Sunday after Labor Day

Throughout the world, people use different names to address their grandparents. This is the case even in English-speaking countries. No matter what they are called, grandparents are often cherished by their grandkids, and vice versa. Today’s podcast features a reading from our Everyday Holidays lesson plan on Grandparents’ Day. In this lesson, students read about the holiday and talk about the role of grandparents in their own lives. They also practice identifying word forms. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Every Day is A Holiday section.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Surrogate Mothers.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 226th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on Militarized Police.

Whitney Houston | Podcast #102

This past weekend, Whitney Houston’s loved ones laid her to rest in New Jersey. She was 48 years old. Our podcast today is about Whitney Houston’s life. In the related lesson plan, students read a short bio on the African American music star with the unforgettable voice. In addition to vocabulary review, they discuss where they were at the time of her death and how “The Queen of Pop” (also called the Prom Queen of Soul) compares to other stars. View our entire Black History Month lesson plan collection with 15 more related lesson plans.

Go to Whitney Houston Lesson plan.

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 over 100 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: George W. Bush

“Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist attacks.”
~ George W. Bush, September 11, 2001

Will you be talking about 9/11 with your students this week? George W. Bush became a wartime president the moment the first airplane flew into the World Trade Center. This week’s podcast features a reading from our American Presidents lesson plan on George Bush. In this lesson plan, students read a brief bio about the 43rd president of the United States and learn about how his role as commander-in-chief changed in the blink of an eye. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our American Presidents section. You may also be interested in our September 11 and 9/11 Heroes lesson plans.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Surrogate Mothers.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 227th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on Grandparents’ Day.

International Women’s Day | Podcast #104

March 8 is International Women’s Day. This week’s podcast offers an audio preview of the high-intermediate lesson plan from the ESL-Library. In the related lesson plan, students read about the history of International Women’s Day and discuss women’s struggles for equal rights around the world. The lesson includes vocabulary building, pair and group work, and comprehension questions. Students are also introduced to some interesting idioms related to equality and the fight for rights, such as “to get one’s foot in the door” and “to be on equal footing”. View our entire Holiday section for other upcoming holiday lessons that you can use in your language class.

Go to International Women’s Day Lesson plan.

Coming soon to our podcast…Superstitions.

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 over 100 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: Should the Elgin Marbles be returned to Greece?

The Parthenon was built by the Greeks between 447 and 432 BC. In the 1680s, the Parthenon was partially destroyed in a war between the Turks and the Venetians. The ruins became famous in the 1800s after Lord Elgin took some decorative pieces of it to put on display in Britain. This week’s podcast features a reading from our lesson plan about the Parthenon. In our Famous Places lesson plan, students read a brief history about the Parthenon and have a discussion about ancient monuments. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Famous Places section.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Surrogate Mothers.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 227th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on George Bush.

Cocoa Fields Podcast #106

If you’ve taken some time to browse through our library, you probably know that ESL-Library is very interested in Human Rights issues. This week’s podcast offers an audio preview of our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan on child slavery in cocoa fields. In the related lesson plan, students read about the cocoa fields of West Africa. Students learn some basic history, and practise agreeing and disagreeing about related issues. The lesson includes vocabulary building, comprehension questions and discussion questions. View our entire Discussion Starters section for topic based lessons that will get your students talking about issues that matter today.

Go to Cocoa Industry Lesson plan.

Coming soon to our podcast…Superstitions.

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 over 100 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: How many clocks are inside the Pentagon?

You know what the Pentagon looks like just by the name, but do you know anything else about it? The Pentagon is the home of the US Department of Defense. Though its official address is Washington, DC, the building is actually in Arlington, Washington. This week’s podcast features a reading from our ready-made lesson plan about the Pentagon. In our Famous Places lesson plan, students learn all sorts of interesting statistics. If your students need practice with numbers, have them write down the numbers that they hear while listening to the podcast.  Check out how to use this podcast for a dictogloss activity. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Famous Places section.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Surrogate Mothers.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 228th episode.

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

Holidays: April Fools’ Day

April Fools’ Day pranks aren’t as simple as they used to be! These days pranksters use various methods to fool the masses, including email, tweets, Facebook updates, product launches, and YouTube videos. Check out this week’s podcast for examples. In our related lesson plan, students learn about trickery, including The April Fish. Visit ESL-Library to print out the April Fools’ Day holiday lesson that goes with today’s podcast. This lesson comes with vocabulary review, a reading, comprehension questions, pair work, and idiom practice. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Holiday lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Related in the ESL-Library
WarmUp: You’re Pulling My Leg

Coming soon…Superstitions

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, Holiday or Health 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.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 107th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast Don’t Forget to Floss!.

Health Matters: 5 Reasons to Floss

Our Health section is full of lessons based on lists. Our Dental Care lesson features a list called 5 Reasons to Floss. Visit ESL-Library to print out the health lesson that goes with today’s podcast. This lesson comes with a warm up, a reading, a vocabulary review, comprehension questions, listening practice, a role-play, and an activity where your students will create a poster for a dentist’s office. Preview all of ESL-Library’s Health lessons here. If you have any suggestions for topics, please leave a comment.

Related in the ESL-Library
Everyday Dialogues: Going to the Dentist

Coming soon…Superstitions

Please introduce your students to our FREE podcasts. These can act as a preview to our Mini-Biography, Discussion Starter, Grammar Story, or Holiday or Health 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.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 106th episode.

Check out last week’s podcast on Cocoa Fields.

Podcast: Surrogacy

A Labor of Love

Today’s podcast features a reading from our NEW Discussion Starters lesson plan on Surrogacy. In this lesson, students read about various reasons why people commission surrogate mothers. Students also discuss whether surrogacy should be regulated by the government or banned. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Discussion Starters section. If your students enjoy this topic, check out our full list of materials on Controversial and Taboo topics.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Depression.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 229th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on The Pentagon.

Podcast: Depression

How to Support a Friend with Depression

The great comedian Robin Williams once said that the worst thing in life was not to be alone, but to end up with people who made you feel alone. Robin Williams took his own life while battling depression. This loss brought a lot of attention to mental illness in the US and around the world. Today’s podcast features a reading from our new Health Matters lesson plan on Depression. In this lesson, English learners read 10 Ways to Support a Friend with Depression. Students discuss signs and symptoms of clinical depression vs. what it feels like to have the passing blues. Learners also review the uses of “depressed” and “depressing.”

To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL-Library and choose our Health Matters section. Not a subscriber? Join today!

Check out our full collection of Ready-to-Print Health Matters Lesson Plans.

Podcast: Columbus Day

Does Columbus Deserve an Annual Parade?

Students around the world are taught about the explorations of Christopher Columbus. What they learn about this historic figure varies from country to country. Are traditional views of Columbus beginning to change? Today’s podcast features a reading from our Every Day is a Holiday lesson plan on Columbus Day. In this lesson, students read a short bio about Columbus and discuss some of the reasons why this explorer may not deserve the credit he often gets. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Every Day is A Holiday section.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Gender Inequality.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is episode #231.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on How to Support a Friend with Depression.

Podcast: Ladies of Liberty

The Women Who Weren’t Invited

On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was officially accepted in New York City as a gift from France. The Lady of Liberty was the only female in attendance at the unveiling ceremony, however. Today’s podcast features a reading from our low-level Mini Biographies lesson plan about the Ladies of Liberty, also known as the “suffragettes,” who protested at this event. In the full lesson plan, English learners read a short passage about the American women who fought for rights and freedoms in the 19th century. This lesson includes a short reading, comprehension questions, and a few word puzzles. 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.

We also invite you to try our Famous People lesson plan about the Statue of Liberty or our American Presidents lesson plan on Grover Cleveland (the 22nd and 24th US president).

If you’re not a subscriber, join ESL Library today. We hope you’ll share this free listening practice with your students.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Gender Inequality.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is Episode #232.

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

Podcast: Gender Inequality

Leveling the Playing Field

Today’s podcast features a reading from our NEW high-intermediate Discussion Starters lesson plan on Gender Inequality. In this lesson, students read about the various reasons why women still struggle with inequality in the workplace. Comparisons are made between women in developed nations and women in developing nations. Students also discuss Emma Watson’s opinion about “feminism” and the need to get men more involved in the conversation. A review of parentheses is included. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Discussion Starters section. If your students enjoy this topic, check out our full list of materials on Controversial and Taboo topics.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Modern Education.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is Episode #234.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on The Right To Die.

Podcast: 25 Years Since the Fall

November 9, 2014 marked the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This week’s podcast features a reading from our ready-made Famous Places lesson plan about the Berlin Wall. In our newly updated lesson plan, students learn some basic history about the Berlin Wall. They review vocabulary and discuss border crossing issues. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Famous Places section. We also have a low-intermediate Berlin Wall lesson plan in our Mini-Biographies section.

Learn how to use this podcast for a dictogloss activity.

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

Coming soon to our podcast…Mandatory Voting.

Introduce your students to iTunes today! This is our 235th episode.

Check out previous podcasts here, including last week’s podcast on Gender Inequality.

Podcast: Thanksgiving

(Intermediate)

Harvest festivals are celebrated around the world. In North America, this celebration is called Thanksgiving. In the US, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Thursday of November. This week’s podcast features a reading from our intermediate Thanksgiving lesson plan. In our newly designed lesson plan, students learn some interesting history about harvest festivals around the world. They also learn new vocabulary and practice sharing information with a partner. 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.

You will also find a low-intermediate Thanksgiving lesson plan in our library. (Podcast preview)

This episode is also available on iTunes. This is episode #236.

Find our previous podcasts here, including a recent podcast about the Berlin Wall.

Podcast: Kwanzaa

(Intermediate)

Kwanzaa is a festival that celebrates African culture and traditions. It starts on Dec 26 and ends on January 1. ESL Library has an intermediate level lesson plan about Kwanzaa in our Holidays & Events section. This week’s podcast features a reading from this lesson plan. In the lesson, students learn some brief history about the festival, including some of the important symbols. They also review and practice related words, idioms, and expressions. 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 #237.

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

Podcast: Christmas

(Beginner)

Throughout December, people celebrate the season of Christmas by decorating, spending time with family and friends, and offering gifts. This week’s podcast features a reading from our NEW Beginner level lesson plan. In this easy English lesson, students learn and practice using some basic Christmas vocabulary. They also review prepositions of place and practice asking and answering questions with “How many?”. You can preview the reading through this podcast to see if it is appropriate for your language learners. You can also assign it for extra listening practice or use it as a pronunciation reference. To see the full transcript and use the ready-made lesson plan in class, log in to ESL Library and choose our Beginner level lesson from our Holidays & Events section. You will also find our newly designed Low-Intermediate and Intermediate Christmas lesson plans. Check out our Intermediate Christmas podcast here.

Your students can also find this episode on iTunes. This is episode #238.

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

Protests | Podcast #117

At ESL-Library, we understand that language students want to talk about real issues. Over the past few years, protests have been taking place all over the world. Some groups are protesting corrupt governments, and others are protesting war or unemployment. The one thing most protests have in common is that people are fighting for a better life. Here in Canada, many students are protesting tuition hikes. Today’s podcast feature a reading from our NEW Discussion Starters lesson on Protests. In the related lesson plan, students read a short article about protests and riots. The lesson includes vocabulary review, comprehension questions, discussion questions, and an optional research project. We also encourage you to show “the pots and pans” video that we posted last week on our blog. View our entire Discussion Starters section for more lesson plans hat will get your students talking about issues that matter today.

Go to Lesson plan on Protests. Not a member yet? Join ESL-Library here!

Coming soon to our podcast…Fair Trade.

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 over 100 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.