Don’t you just wish that there was a guide for teaching English?
I have good news: there is! And I bet that’s why you’re here.
You are reading: Best books for esl students
Unless you’re an all-knowing superhuman, a good ESL textbook is what you need.
A great English as a Second Language book can be a wonderful asset to help maximize class time.
can help you brainstorm effective activities, set up games, create specific lesson plans, and provide specialized assistance to different types of learners.
sounds great! but you may have the best kind of problem: too many options.
Between amazon, teacher message boards, and endless resource rooms, it can be hard to decide on one or two textbooks to use.
And hey, we teachers have to make sure our money goes all the way.
don’t worry! I’ve compiled a list of some of the best esl textbooks for you to use in your classroom. Whether you’re teaching kids or adults, beginners or more advanced students, these books will help. to make the most of your class time.
content
- how do you choose a good esl textbook?
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- is the book written by professionals or experts?
- how Is this book specialized for children or adults?
- Is this book flexible?
- the textbook does not make the teacher
- the complementary exercises are important
- “esl activities and minibooks for every classroom” by kama einhorn
- “esl curriculum for kids: learning english with laughter” by ms. daisy a. stocker m.ed. & dr george a. stocker d.d.s.
- “assessment and esl: an alternative approach” by barbara law
- “esl teacher activity kit” by elizabeth claire
- “let’s go” series ” by Ritsuko Nakata, Karen Frazier, Barbara Hoskins & carolyn graham
- “oxford discover” series by lesley koustaff & susan rivers
- “esl classroom activities for teens and adults” by shelley ann vernon
- “compelling conversations” by eric h. roth
- “keep talking” by friederike klippel
- “english the american way” by sheila mackechnie murtha m.a., jane airey o’connor m.ed.
- “practical use of english” by michael swan
- “archive of american english” by christina latham-koenig & clive oxen
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
See Also: The 9 Books Every Artist Should Have on Their Shelf | Artwork Archive
how do you choose a good esl textbook?
When I was choosing the best esl textbook for the classroom to include on this list, I took a few factors into consideration.
I’m sure you don’t want to limit yourself to just my options. therefore, I will share the three most important questions to consider when choosing a textbook in the future!
Is the book written by professionals or experts?
You want to look for ESL books that have been written by a professional (or professionals) who have been in the business of teaching English for a long time.
They know what they are doing and they have a lot to offer. they know the needs of both new teachers just starting out and experienced teachers looking for a way to enhance their existing curriculum.
how is this book specialized for children or for adults?
The list is divided into two different categories: textbooks that were made with children in mind (or have features that would work well with children), and textbooks that were designed to accommodate older learners and adults.
The authors of these books understand that teaching children and teaching adults have their unique challenges and have therefore created textbooks that specialize in one or another group.
Is this book flexible?
In today’s classroom, flexibility is a must. Gone are the days of teaching from a textbook for the entire class period. Gone are the days when it was believed that all students were at the same level of learning. we know that teaching and learning are more complete experiences that must be full of activity and variety to maximize learning.
With that in mind, each of these textbooks is highly flexible and designed to be used and referred to as needed in different situations. You don’t have to read all the chapters to use them effectively!
things to consider for esl textbooks
the textbook does not make the teacher
These books are great but they are nothing without a good teacher. Make sure, as a teacher, that the textbook is only used as a reference for the material and activities and that it is not overly relied upon to teach students. remember: the textbook doesn’t know your students, you do!
the complementary exercises are important
Don’t be afraid to mix and match textbooks with other supplemental materials! listening activities and activities with TV shows and movies are always great ways to keep students engaged and learning. Don’t hesitate to ask for the help of a good app! It’s the 21st century!
Using authentic content with textbooks is especially important: the textbook teaches your students the concepts, while the native media shows them how to use them in action.
So what is authentic content? basically any form of mass media that native speakers consume. That could mean anything from that new novel that just came out to a classic TV series and more.
Before using native level material, you will need to prepare students for sometimes feeling overwhelmed or lost. it will also require more work on your part to link the content with additional exercises and materials from your existing textbooks, as well as to track who is doing what and when they are doing it.
If all that sounds too challenging, consider using a virtual immersion program. For example, Fluentu allows you to assign authentic English videos to your students and set a due date. this allows you to choose which content would most complement your studies in the classroom.
You can also monitor how often your students watch assigned videos, as well as their scores on post-video review quizzes. Quizzes include oral, multiple-choice, and fill-in-the-blank questions.
Students themselves can choose to learn from additional videos that pique their interest, and instant definitions pop-up from interactive captions can address the frustration that comes from not understanding a word.
In addition, students can click on a word for a more detailed definition, along with contextual examples in text and video form. this same function is also available by typing a word in the search bar.
apart from the website, the program is available on both ios and android.
as you can see, an app like fluentu combined with a good textbook can be a particularly effective combination.
best esl textbooks to teach kids and younger students
“ESL activities and minibooks for all classrooms” by kama einhorn
at a glance:
This scholastic textbook is packed with activities and other fun resources that teachers can use to liven up their classrooms.
Whether you are working with students who just need to brush up on their English skills or with students who have never spoken the language before, there is sure to be an activity here that will benefit all levels and learning styles!
The book takes teachers from the nerves of the first day of a brand new classroom, to the different basic concepts and vocabulary that children should know by the end of the unit.
It’s packed with useful information, sensitive to different learning levels and possible cultural differences, and comes with mini-books and flashcards that you can copy and use in class.
Before you buy, please note that this is not an activity book, but rather a great resource for tips and information on teaching young children. The core of the book consists of the aforementioned mini-books and flashcards, which can be used as supplemental activities to your main lesson plan.
highlights:
- Minibooks for the Classroom: One of the best features of this book is the not-so-small collection of minibooks it includes. Accompanying each chapter of the textbook are books to help students in the early stages of literacy. these little booklets are patterned, predictable, and packed with content that matches the chapter’s thematic content.
- help to start class off on the right foot: this book comes with an extremely helpful guide section that has tips on how to run the first week of school. this section has tips on how to make students feel welcome and help them enter the process of learning the English language.
For example, one tip this section of the book gives is to take a photo of the entire class on the first day and give each student a copy of the photo with everyone’s name tagged on the photo. This way, students can get to know each other and start building a foundation for socializing!
“esl curriculum for kids: learning english with laughter” by mrs. daisy a. stocker m.ed. & dr george a. stocker d.d.s.
at a glance:
laughter is a universal language. In this textbook, the authors know the power of a good laugh and use it to help children learn.
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This book is part of a set, and each book consists of a student book to introduce students to new concepts with your guide, a practice workbook for independent work, and a teacher’s guide to help you and give you more advice. it is suggested that you buy all three, but if you only want one, I recommend choosing the student book or the workbook.
These books are designed for students under the age of seven, who have never had an introduction to the English language before. The student book and the practice book are packed with exercises and activities designed for children to have fun while learning English.
Help your youngest students learn the basics of the English language through coloring activities, rhymes, mazes, puzzles, and other fun English learning experiences for kids.
highlights:
- designed especially for very young children: the letters of these books are very large to fit the smallest children. Inside the book there are many tracing worksheets to help guide younger learners in writing their first words in English.
- fun worksheets with elements of a coloring book: Because this book is focused on younger learners, it comes with lots of entertaining worksheets that have oral instructions to help students hear the English language on the go.
For example, a coloring worksheet may have specific instructions that the teacher must read aloud to the students. another instructs students to color two of the three illustrated balls orange.
“assessment and esl: an alternative approach” by barbara law
at a glance:
Assessment is necessary for teachers to know where their students are in the learning process, but traditional tests may not always provide the most accurate results. classroom, is a great resource for teachers working with ESL students and looking for an alternative way to assess their students’ progress.
In this book, the authors focus on providing teachers with methods to document and track the learning process of English learners. the book contains many examples of student stories and their unique struggles to illustrate key points.
Written in a friendly and engaging manner, this book will help you implement assessment strategies that are realistic, contextual, and allow for mistakes, which the authors say are an important part of the learning process.
highlights:
- Focuses on four themes of language learning: This book explores the themes of real language, integrated and whole language, an enabling environment, and continuous learning.
The authors demonstrate the different types of evaluation that accompany these four themes. here’s a quick snippet to help you get a sense of the authors’ realistic approach to evaluation: “real language refers to language that has a realistic purpose. students are learning the language for more reasons than just to please the teacher.”
“esl teacher activity kit” by elizabeth claire
at a glance:
don’t be fooled by the fact that this book was written in 1998. it still has a lot to offer and is perfect for esl teachers just starting out in the classroom.
This English as a Second Language book includes simple yet highly effective language activities that are engaging for children of all ages.
is packed with activities for children in an English as a Second Language classroom, starting with a set of total physical response activities that will keep them active and learning with their whole body.
The book follows a logical progression, organized from the first vocabulary children will need to learn (such as basic commands from the teacher and verbs they will use in the classroom) to games, activities, crafts, integrated English in other content areas, even social and cultural activities and much more, with an emphasis on physical activity.
highlights:
- Comprehensive, with clear instructions: This book is incredibly comprehensive, providing step-by-step guidance and very clear instructions for each activity. each activity clearly states the age group it will work best with, the items the teacher may need, and the level of learning with which it is appropriate.
- contains many different types of activities: There is an absolutely huge variety of activities in this book, ranging from worksheets to outdoor games. they’re all great for helping shy students get out of their comfort zone and start speaking English!
- includes additional tools and tips for teachers: this book also comes with a handy checklist of grammar and language structures along with tips on how to run an esl classroom as smoothly and effectively as possible.
“let’s go” series by ritsuko nakata, karen frazier, barbara hoskins & carolyn graham
at a glance: Adding a little fun and color can always make studying a lot less tedious for young learners. The “Let’s Go” series appeals to the K-6 crowd with bright, engaging images and an accompanying audio CD.
The book is aimed at children who are just beginning to learn the language, so the content is mainly focused on awakening their interest in engaging and interacting with English. the main goal is to get your students talking and participating in conversations. The reading and writing activities and exercises are simple and direct, designed to promote the confidence of your students.
each notebook includes an audio cd with read alouds and songs. these can be used to supplement lessons or as stand-alone group activities. They sure can make your students stand up, move and sing!
you may find the recordings on the cd a little dated or too simple for your students; if that’s the case, you can easily pair the book with videos or music from youtube, for a more modern option.
Be sure to buy a new copy of the book, as some reviewers have complained about receiving a second-hand exercise book or not receiving the accompanying cd. don’t worry though: there are additional resources online for your students to use, including a downloadable version of the cd that comes with the book.
You can also find a colorful online dictionary and downloadable extras like coloring pages, videos and more!
highlights:
- audio content: the audio cd works to improve the student’s listening skills and encourage the vocal use of the language. Songs, chants, and drum tracks are used to keep studies challenging and to practice pronunciation and intonation.
The authors base the importance of this resource on the belief that children can apply their “natural music and movement abilities” to language learning.
“oxford discover” series by lesley koustaff & susana rivers
at a glance: Striving to make learning interesting and familiar to children, this fun series of six books can certainly make learning English more engaging. may be particularly appealing to the deep thinkers of your class.
Like most ESL books aimed at kids, these books also teach concepts concisely and offer plenty of practice with a variety of exercises. content also includes information about the world outside the classroom, from the environment to modern technology.
The books also provide plenty of critical thinking questions to stimulate children’s natural curiosity. These types of thought-provoking questions are often included to promote student intrigue; if used as a general classroom activity, they can also increase the willingness to speak in the classroom.
The teacher’s pack includes a teaching guide, audio CDs for use in the classroom and visual materials such as posters.
In addition to offering tips and strategies for lesson plans, the guide also includes resources such as phonics worksheets and assessment charts. You also get access to an electronically accessible classroom presentation tool that you can project onto a screen.
highlights:
- includes valuable resources for teachers: the teacher’s pack can make a big difference in your lessons. much is provided, primarily for your convenience, which makes it much easier to navigate the book and keep track of your students’ progress.
- promotes critical thinking: there are Lots of fun questions packed into the pages that will make the gears turn in your students’ heads. They are also great icebreakers and talking points, as students will be able to share their personal insight. questions include:
“how can we make music?”
“what do different cultures contribute to the world?”
best esl textbooks to teach adults
“esl classroom activities for teens and adults” by shelley ann vernon
at a glance:
Classroom activities aren’t just for kids, they’re for adults too! Just like younger students, teens and adults learn better and more effectively when they are engaged, interested, and having fun.
This book focuses on fluency and grammar, and its pages are packed with 175 activities, games, quizzes, and exercises that have been formulated specifically for more mature learners.
The first thing you’ll notice about this book is the sheer variety of exercises and games that would be overwhelming if they weren’t so neatly organized. The author of this book believes that fun and games have as much a place in the adult ESL classroom as they do in a children’s classroom.
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The key point of this book is not only to make the lessons fun for the students, but also to make the lessons fun for you! aims to imbue your lessons with energy and motivation that will get students talking, even those who are normally most hesitant to participate.
highlights:
- Sensitive to Many Types of Learners: The author provides detailed advice on how to take into account students’ cultural backgrounds, personalities, and different learning styles. the book even offers different activities specific to those different types of learners!
- flexible options for more advanced learners: hands down, some of my favorite parts of this book are creative writing prompts and games offered to work with advanced learners.
The book provides interesting suggestions that are flexible to be as challenging or as simple as needed depending on the student. here is an example activity description from the book:
“call my bluff definitions”: In this game, students write three different definitions for a word they look up in the dictionary. two of the definitions must be true and one of them must be false. Once everyone in the class has done this, students should take turns reading their definitions out loud while the other students try to figure out the false definition.”
“compelling conversations” by eric h.
at a glance: One of the biggest differences between teaching children and teaching adults is that adults not only need to learn the English language, but they also need to be able to converse effectively with other people. people in english speaking adults. In this book, the author helps students improve their fluency and conversation skills by showing them how to share their own life experiences and reflections.
This book focuses primarily on the spoken and oral aspects of learning English for advanced learners of English as a second language. its goal is to improve fluency for advanced learners through discussions of topics that are sure to remain relevant for a long time, such as personal experiences, proverbs, quotes, and more.
To that end, the textbook features 500 vocabulary words, 250 American proverbs and idioms, and 500 discussion quotes. It also includes over 1,350 conversation starters, so you’ll never run out of things to discuss! each chapter has a different theme that ranges from exploring daily habits to favorite pet peeves.
Best of all, this book isn’t just a how-to or list of instructions for teachers. instead, it is a workbook for students to interact with each other and have conversations. There are instructions for interviewing your classmates, working in groups, and engaging in authentic discussions.
highlights:
- promotes critical thinking: You won’t find common phrases or memorization in this book. instead, use thematic chapters full of proverbs and quotes to drive discussion in the classroom.
- supported by thematic quotations: after each activity, there is a section “the conversation continues” with a list of quotes related to the topic. Here are some examples of quotes you’ll find in this book:
“conversation means being able to disagree and still continue the conversation.” —dwight macdonald
“keep it light, bright and polite”. —English proverb
“do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are”. —theodore roosevelt
“keep talking” by friederike klippel
at a glance: Getting your students to speak can be a monumental task in itself, but it can be even more difficult to keep them motivated to keep talking. In this “old but golden” guide for English teachers, Friederike Klippel offers strategies and tips for keeping your students engaged in conversation.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part describes a series of speaking exercises, ranging from interviews to mimicry, provided with notes and explanations of your language goals, your target level, and the time and preparation required. the second part provides the worksheets that would accompany these activities, which can be used by students to reinforce their skills.
This guide was first published in 1985, but (for good reason) it remains a valuable resource for instructors. the activities, grouped into 13 sections within the book, are diverse and are intended to promote the activity of students of all levels. the content is well organized and easy to navigate, and the index indicates where you can find materials for different grammatical concepts.
highlights:
- provides over 100 exercises: the variety of exercises is quite impressive. they are the kind of activities that are just enough to be invigorating but not too demanding for the students. plus, the book also suggests slight variations to spice things up a bit.
- provides accompanying worksheets: these can be easily photocopied and distributed to students to supplement their studies.
- Helpful tips: Tips and explanations are provided on how to carry out certain activities and what students should know before participating in them. The author also describes what he can expect from his students. here is a quote explaining the rationale for adding a personal level to some of the exercises:
“since our language is closely related to our personality and culture, why not use the process of acquiring a new language to gain more information about our personality? and culture?”
“english the american way” by sheila mackechnie murtha m.a., jane airey o’connor m.ed.
at a glance: This best-selling textbook is divided into thematic units with fun chapter titles like “taking a walk” and “dining in style.” each unit covers topics that Americans encounter every day and uses these topics as a foundation for learning English grammar.
for example, in the chapter “going for a ride”, students will learn vocabulary related to cars, the dmv, police officers and driving in general, at the same time they learn the present simple, comparative words and superlatives.
the book contains many sample dialogues and conversations, which you can also listen to on the audio cd and mp3s that accompany the book. Unlike the dialogue in other books, which can sound forced and unnatural, the conversations in this textbook are natural and realistic, giving adult learners some great examples of what they might hear in real life.
In addition, both the dialogue and the accompanying instructions are written in a friendly, often playful way that makes learning with this book easy and engaging.
highlights:
- Uses authentic conversations that use slang and common phrases: This curriculum does not shy away from teaching about American slang, idioms, and other useful phrases that Americans use on a daily basis. li>
- discusses etiquette: students are taught what kind of English language is appropriate for a variety of settings.
- provides tips for Pronunciation: Throughout the book there are “pronunciation prompts” that provide students with helpful pronunciation hints. here’s an example from unit one:
“in spoken English, we often drop the -ing ending on words. this means that how’s it going will sound like how’s it going. nothing sounds like nothing.”
“practical use of english” by michael swan
at a glance: Grammar is one of those issues that is always bound to cause confusion and struggle. It doesn’t help that it has a reputation for being dry and overly technical. Considered an important resource for teaching the English language, this reference guide outlines the grammatical problems your students are likely to encounter.
The book prepares you for what to expect when you delve deeper into teaching grammar. It also works to boost your own confidence in your knowledge of English grammar, so you can deliver clear and concise lessons. But in addition to explaining grammar rules, the text also provides advice on how to deal with common problems that can make concepts difficult for students to grasp.
The content can be applied to students of any level, but if you really want to delve into the use of grammar and potentially have your own students read it, you can reserve it for intermediate or advanced students. Although the book was originally formatted for British English, there are also discussions about the differences between it and American English.
highlights:
- Prepares you for teaching grammar: Many English grammar concepts are meticulously organized and explained, giving you a stronger foundation for any planned grammar lesson.
- great for specific practice: often students struggle with some selected grammar rules, but are otherwise adept at others. this book can help you address specific pain points without getting in the way of other teachings. it can also help prepare you and your students for cases where English grammar seems to bend its own rules.
“American English archive” by christina latham-koenig & clive oxen
at a glance: This series of six books covers a comprehensive English curriculum. The first book is aimed at “beginning” students (approximately A1 level), with each book progressing in difficulty to the final book intended for advanced students (approximately C1 level).
the books are very well organized. Within the first few pages, you get a clear outline of each chapter (called an “archive”) and the grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation lessons to be learned in each. Each odd file ends with a “Practical English” section that helps put the concepts learned into real-life situations. each even numbered file ends with a review section.
No doubt steps were taken to make the book more appealing to adult learners. there are plenty of supporting illustrations and photographs accompanying each page. texts and advertising notes also detail information relevant to the lives of students, whether it is family or scientific statistics.
You can also take advantage of the online practice resource and implement it into your students’ homework. the website contains interactive exercises and review questions that can reinforce lessons learned.
highlights:
- focuses on students’ ability to speak: In general, the main goal of this series of textbooks is to “get students talking”. lessons prepare students for oral competition, whether in class or elsewhere.
- designed to have a more “modern” look: this can make students texts are more accessible to adult learners. the organized format, packed with engaging content, can reinforce students’ willingness to use books extensively.
Textbooks don’t have to be the curse of excitement in the classroom!
The right ESL textbook, along with your assertiveness and creativity, can make English lessons fun and comfortable for both you and your students.
Good luck in your adventure of teaching English!
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
See Also: The 9 Books Every Artist Should Have on Their Shelf | Artwork Archive
- Focuses on four themes of language learning: This book explores the themes of real language, integrated and whole language, an enabling environment, and continuous learning.
