Preamble
“My friend, you need to find a job where you can play all day”, is the comment I got from one of my best friends, Jez, back over 20 years ago while we were staying in a shared London council house, and he saw me painting to relieve the boredom of the cold and wet winter outside. Before I had committed to study a degree at university, I was overseas soul-searching, trying to find what career path I really wanted to follow.
His comment really got me to thinking… what sort of job can I do that could incorporate play? I ruled out joining a circus, mainly because I’m not really sporty enough to be an acrobat, and clowns tend to freak me out. Gamer was also ruled out as I don’t like playing computer games enough. The head-scratching continued…
Eventually, this led me to focus my studies on education. Maybe if I studied education, I could play? Granted, in my first few years of teaching, I was guilty of resorting to the more traditional, boring and uninspiring, chalk ‘n talk teaching methods... it was anything but play. It’s all I knew and I didn’t know better. But I was bored, my students were terrors, because they were restless and unengaged. I was unwillingly put in the role of disciplinarian and substitute parent, a role which I despised.
It was not until I studied a CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults), and started working as an ESL teacher, that I truly grasped how important play is in education. I may currently be just over 40 years old, but I still enjoy games and playing, which is why I try to incorporate these into all the lessons I teach. Naturally, games and activities should be carefully considered in order to be educationally- and pedagogically-sound.
Educational Play
The benefits of incorporating educational play in classrooms are immense and cannot be understated or underestimated. Play is one of the first languages we learn, we learn by doing.
For the sake of brevity, listed are the top advantages:
1. Memorable
Firstly, games are a memorable way to reinforce the subject matter we teach.
2. Learning Styles
In addition to this, games help to address the various VARK (Visual-Audio-Reading/Writing-Kinesthetic) learning styles.
3. Suggestopedia
Another added bonus is that we are more apt to learn in an environment which is more relaxed and less restrictive.
Using games and activities, as opposed to traditional chalk ‘n talk teaching methods helps to put the focus on the students and promotes a truly student-centred learning environment.
A Wee Soapbox Moment
Furthermore, it is felt that students don’t really engage with one another in a meaningful way, and opt to stare at the impersonal screen of a smartphone, when they could be using this technology to interact with one another, through games and activities.
In addition to this, it is said that the greatest currency of our time, is our attention, due to there being so many distractions out there. Games help draw the attention back to where we want it to be.
Having said the above, the irony of using technology to promote learning does not escape me, but I think it’s high time we reclaim technology and use it to its greatest potential.
Sharing Is Caring
Note: one thing I love about this industry, is that people are extraordinarily generous and gladly share their self-made materials with fellow teachers. I highly recommend doing the same and pay it forward if you create your own resources. It only takes a few extra minutes of your time.
Another thing that ought to be pointed out: I am by no means sponsored or have any dog in the game, so to speak, for recommending these sites. It’s purely just me, paying it forward and hope some good karma returns :)
I am a TESOL Teacher Trainer and an ESL Teacher, but many of these websites can be used for a multitude of subjects and disciplines.
Access to some of the resources listed may require registration, but all of them are free for access to basic account membership. An extra, optional fee is offered to upgrade to premium membership.
The websites and platforms have been grouped into the following catagories, namely:
Surveys & Polls
Videos
Music & Songs
Games
Quizzes
Activities
Skills
Multimedia
Without further ado, here is the first installation of my favourite websites which I use in my lessons.
Set 1: Surveys & Polls
Using polls and surveys in an adult ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom can be an effective way to engage students, promote language practice, and gather valuable feedback. Here's how you can incorporate polls and surveys into your ESL lessons:
Choose Relevant Topics: Select topics that are relevant and interesting to your students. This could include questions about their interests, hobbies, daily routines, or opinions on current events.
Select the Right Tools: Decide on the tools you'll use to conduct the polls or surveys. A comprehensive A-Z list of these tools is listed below. These platforms can be used for virtual classes, as well as in-person classes.
Introduce Vocabulary: Before conducting the poll or survey, introduce any new vocabulary or expressions that students might encounter. This ensures they understand the questions and can respond accurately.
Model Responses: Model how to respond to the poll or survey questions. Provide examples of possible answers to demonstrate the type of language you expect from the students.
Conduct the Poll or Survey: Administer the poll or survey to the class. Encourage students to respond honestly and express their opinions freely. Depending on the tool you're using, you may display the questions on a screen or distribute paper surveys.
Discuss the Results: Once all responses are collected, analyze the results together as a class. Encourage students to compare their answers, discuss any differences, and explain their reasoning. This provides an opportunity for meaningful language practice and fosters communication skills.
Follow-Up Activities: Design follow-up activities based on the poll or survey results. This could include group discussions, role-plays, debates, or writing assignments that further explore the topic.
Reflect and Revise: Reflect on the effectiveness of the poll or survey activity and make any necessary revisions for future use. Consider students' feedback and preferences to tailor future activities to their needs and interests.
Regular Integration: Incorporate polls and surveys into your lesson plans on a regular basis to keep the activities fresh and engaging. This allows students to practice their language skills in a variety of contexts and topics.
Encourage Participation: Finally, create a supportive and inclusive environment where all students feel comfortable participating in the polls and surveys. Encourage shy or hesitant students to share their thoughts and opinions, and provide positive reinforcement for their contributions.
By incorporating polls and surveys into your adult ESL classroom, you can enhance student engagement, promote language learning, and gain valuable insights into your students' interests and needs.
Best e-Resources for Surveys & Polls
These platforms offer a variety of features and customization options, making them suitable for creating polls and surveys tailored to the needs of ESL students.
Modern online survey creators like Super Survey allow you to add questions in a simple editor, send out a link to survey participants and automatically report on survey results.
Google Forms is a free tool provided by Google that allows you to create surveys and quizzes easily. It's intuitive to use and offers a range of question types suitable for ESL students.
Facilitate group conversations and learning with interactive slides that get remote, hybrid, and in-person audiences leaning in with a variety of tools including word clouds, quizzes, polls and more.
Create interactive polls, surveys, quizzes & forms. Create from scratch or start from a template.
Poll Everywhere is a versatile platform that allows you to create live polls, word clouds, and other interactive activities. It's great for engaging ESL students in real-time feedback and participation.
Create and bring your ideas to life with the survey tool used by people all over the world.
SurveyMonkey is one of the most well-known survey tools, offering a wide range of survey templates and advanced features for analyzing data.
Make beautiful free online surveys twice as fast. Modern online survey creators like Super Survey allow you to add questions in a simple editor, send out a link to survey participants and automatically report on survey results.
Typeform offers visually appealing survey templates and a user-friendly interface. It provides a free plan with basic features and allows for more engaging survey designs, which can be beneficial for ESL students.