Teachers are always in need of lesson materials and inspiration and we are here to help you! The Via Lingua Florence staff and some of our former trainees have compiled a list of useful online resources that we consistently use (and rely on)!
Keep in mind that you can always do a Google search for what you need and for better search results, try putting both ESL and EFL in your search strings.
Elllo has hundreds of audio and video clips spoken by both native and non-native speakers. It’s important for students to hear people from all over the world speak English.
FluentU itself is a paid program, but they have an English blog that is free to read and packed with teaching suggestions, lesson ideas, and resources.
ESL Video has video clips that can be searched and categorized by topic and level. The videos also have lesson plan materials ready to use with your students.
TED is famous for its talks all over the world. Not only can students watch TED Talks about various topics, but TED speakers are effective presenters that can provide great examples for your Business English students.
Ted-Ed is a branch of TED and is tailored to use in the classroom with videos available in all school subject areas. Ted-Ed videos are typically shorter than regular TED talks and each video comes with quizzes and resources.
Wing Clips is another video resource but is unique in that it has clips from famous movies that are censored, making most of the video appropriate for the classroom. You can search by movie title or by a theme, such as: friendship, relationships, and communication.
Pinterest is often not the first website that comes to mind when we think of teaching English but it actually has a wealth of activities and inspiration. Just type in any topic or grammar point you are interested in teaching and you will find plenty of worksheets, games, and ideas.
One Stop English is exactly what the name implies: a one stop shop. It has everything from current news articles, to flashcards, to exam preparation material.
British Council has interactive listening exercises and flashcards for kids and adults on all different topics, such as jobs and daily routines. British Council also has an associated podcast that you can use with your students or recommend to them.
N.P.R. (National Public Radio) is not made for the English-learning world, but it is an excellent website for current news articles in many different categories (sports, technology, environment, etc.) and often has an associated audio version. These articles can be used with intermediate and advanced students, as they facilitate stimulating conversations.
Teach This provides fun, communicative ways to teach different areas of grammar. Some materials require a paid membership but you can still find many free worksheets and activities.
Fun with Grammar is just what it says – a collection of fun grammar activities for different grammar points. This is a fantastic way to engage your students more with grammar and take them outside of the typical text book.
TEFL.net does not have the most exciting graphics or layout, but it is packed with lesson ideas and materials in all different skill areas.
I-TESL-J is a compilation of open-ended conversational questions categorized by topic. These questions are a wonderful base for a speaking lesson or a place for inspiration for your own lessons.
Cambridge Learning English is a highly-reputable website as it is curated by the esteemed publisher Cambridge and has free speaking, grammar, writing, listening, and reading lessons.
Waygook is a website of community forums catered primarily to Korean students but prides itself on being adaptable to students all over the world. What is unique about this website is that it is constantly updated by teachers who are members of the site, so the ideas are fresh and other members will often add suggestions to further enhance or improve the ideas.
News in Levels has some of the latest news stories adapted to different levels in written and audio format and has supplementary materials included, such as follow-up questions and gap-fills. Teachers can also share the link with students so that students can work autonomously, which students really appreciate.
Breaking News English is very similar to News in Levels except that it has more of a listening focus overall. The news stories are adapted to different levels, so if one version is too easy or too difficult the student can try a different version.
ESL Brains is a collection of videos with different grammar and vocabulary focuses. It is also one of the most modern-looking and easiest websites to navigate as it has a simple, fresh layout.
BBC Learning English focuses much more on pronunciation than many other ESL/EFL websites. Here, students and teachers can find interactive pronunciation activities so students can practice speaking more clearly and fluidly. Like the other sites listed above, BBC Learning English also has lessons in the other skill areas.
Happy Teaching!