1. Classroom Items BEGINNING ESL LESSON
Lesson Tips: Teaching students how to name the items in the classroom is a great lesson for the first week of school. It helps beginning ESL students feel comfortable at their new school. A fun lesson activity is for the teacher to point to items in the classroom and have students identify them verbally. Groups can also create labels and tape them to the classroom items.
BEGINNING ESL LESSON

2. teacher She is a teacher. She is teaching math.
Teaching Tip: Discuss the math problem shown on the board. Point out the clock and the teacher’s pointer.

3. student She is an ESL student. She is learning English.
Teaching Tip: Review the colors of the binders behind the ESL student.

4. calendar This is a calendar. The calendar is hanging on the wall.
Teaching Tip: Ask students what month they “go back to school”.

5. desk and chair This is the teacher’s desk and chair.
Most teachers have a computer on their desk.
Teaching Tip: Most classrooms have tables and chairs for students, not desks and chairs. Let students know that when you say “your desk” you mean their table.

6. dictionary This is a dictionary.
Students look up words in a dictionary.
Teaching Tip: Give students a vocabulary list and have them look up the words and write the definitions.

7. paper This is notebook paper. Students write on notebook paper.
Teaching Tip: Have students make dividers for their three-ring binders. Review the top, bottom, right, and left margins of a piece of notebook paper. Also, show ESL students the difference between the front and back of a piece of notebook paper.

8. pencils Students write with pencils.
These pencils are yellow. The have sharp tips.
Teaching Tips: Show illiterate students and kindergartners how to hold a pencil. Show new students where the classroom pencil sharpener is located.

9. eraser Students use erasers to erase mistakes.
It’s easy to erase mistakes if you write with a pencil.
Teaching Tip: Show students how to erase mistakes completely when taking Scranton tests.

10. bulletin board This is a bulletin board.
Papers are hanging on the board.
Teaching Tip: Have students point to the bulletin board in your classroom.

11. globe A globe is a round map of the world.
The oceans on the globe are blue.
Teaching Tip: Have students hold the globe and point to where they are from. Take pictures of them with a digital camera.

12. map A map is a diagram that shows borders. This is a map of the world.
Teaching Tip: Take a group picture of your class in front of a world map. Download a blank world map from and have the class color and label the continents, oceans, and their country, state, or city of origin.

13. The End www.elcivics.com
More free ESL lessons are available at Thanks and happy teaching from Christina Niven.