BusyTeacher.org

As the site explains, it “was created in 1998 as a resource for researching ESL/EFL ideas and creating lessons/courses as quickly as possible.” ESL Flow does just that; it includes numerous Word documents, PDFs, and links to online resources elsewhere. The list of topics included on the site is endless, and teachers will be able to find something for just about any skill, topic, or proficiency level. It’s a fabulous starting point for making one’s own materials. I use this site more than any other to get ideas for lessons and when I want to add some variety to my materials. Often, I will use the resources on the site as a launching tool; I often begin with the worksheet provided and tweak it to fit my needs. However, for those teachers who would prefer to “grab and go”, there are many worksheet and games that are ready for use without modification. Resources are categorized by topic, skills, and three proficiency levels (beginner, pre-intermediate, and intermediate). However, many of the materials available are suitable for advanced learners.

I have some favorite sections on the site that I visit regularly. I can always count on ESL Flow when I am hurried for time or just out of ideas. The “Teachers Tools” section of the site has some awesome resources like a paragraph scrambler and a word search maker, which can be customized for the vocabulary words for a particular course.

The speaking and icebreakers portion of the site is another standby. The materials here are especially good for lower-level classes.

A number of the categories are difficult to find elsewhere. The selection of lesson plans, games, and activities on ESL Flow for Classroom language and jobs and careers are especially unique and extensive. I use them often.

PROS:

1. 1

   ESL Flow is easy to use

   The design of the website is clear and easy to navigate. I can spend hours looking for materials on the site. It seems like there are endless layers of new categories. I’ve never been disappointed when I’ve gone to ESL Flow seeking something for a lesson. So often, I will find that categories that I hadn’t even intended to search end up providing me with the perfect resources for what I am teaching. I would say that this site is the most easily accessible and extensive online collection of materials that I’ve found, and I would consider it essential for any English as a Second or Foreign Language teacher. Those who are teaching abroad with limited resources will be helped greatly by familiarizing themselves with this site. Furthermore, because many of the materials are links from other sites on the web, it’s a great way to do some exploration of what’s out there in other places on the Internet.

CONS:

1. 1

   Some of the links are misplaced or no longer active

   It can be disappointing to click on a potential resource only to find that its disappeared. There are many of these such links on ESL Flow, and it doesn’t seem that the site is updated often. Also, because the site is so extensive, some of the resources are seemingly wrongly filed. A number of entries are posted in multiple places, which is actually a good thing, but some items are misleading at times. It definitely takes a bit of time to sort through some of the less common categories, but it’s worth the trouble.

I recommend this site to any ESL or EFL teachers.

This is my absolute favorite site as a teacher. It’s a great place to find materials on essential and less-common ESLflow is a vast array of teaching resources, particularly materials and lessons plans. Everything is free, and there’s no need to sign up. The array of topics is different than many others sites, and most of the resources are ready to be used, and for the more creative teacher with more time on her hands, the site is an excellent place to get ideas and documents that are easy to modify and fit to serve one’s own needs.

The downside to using this website is the old or inactive links to quite a few of the materials, but this can be overlooked as a result of the many wonderful resources that are current. I’d be curious to hear if anyone else has discovered this great site. Are there any other instructors out there who regularly rely on this site like I do?

This is a guest review by an independent author. This review reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of BusyTeacher.org as a publication.