New Year’s Resolutions in the ESL Classroom: Small Goals, Big Impact I recently started reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, and it has stayed with me as I plan for the new year. One of his central ideas is that small habits shape nearly every area…

December can be a joyful time in the classroom — but for ESL teachers, it can also feel overwhelming. Holiday excitement is high, attention spans are short, and many seasonal activities don’t always meet the language needs of English learners. That’…

Why Teaching American Christmas Traditions Matters for ELL Students Every December, I love bringing a bit of holiday magic into my classroom with a “Holidays Around the World” unit. But over the years I noticed a challenge: many English Language Le…

Thanksgiving Vocabulary Strategies for ELLs: Building Social Studies Content Through Games I sometimes hear ELL teachers complaining that their students aren’t picking up vocabulary—especially content-area vocabulary—quickly enough. They often say,…

Do you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? It’s a Thanksgiving tradition filled with music, color, and giant balloons floating through the streets of New York City. Now imagine bringing that same excitement into your classroom—while celebrati…