Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening ESOL Resources
These curated resources support the four core language skills that underpin English language learning. They can help teachers develop communication, comprehension and confidence through practical activities, downloadable resources and audio-based materials.
These resources cover:
- Reading activities and comprehension tasks
- Writing exercises and language development activities
- Speaking and discussion resources
- Listening practice and audio-based learning
- Downloadable books and reading materials
- Podcasts and audio materials for ESOL learners
- Literacy support and resources for learners facing literacy challenges
- Integrated skills activities combining multiple language areas
- Everyday communication and functional English
- Digital learning tools and online activities
- Practical materials for classroom and independent learning
Resource links
Activities for ESL students
This website offers crosswords and quizzes at different levels for ESL learners. Also has bilingual quizzes for learning vocabulary.…
AramcoWorld
A series of videos about places, people and culture in the Arabic world. There are some resources to go with …
Ascentis Resources
The Ascentis website includes free, downloadable ESOL teaching resources linked to the ESOL core curriculum at different levels.…
BBC – Learning English for Work
Short podcasts to improve your English at work.…
BBC Learning English – Real Easy English
Real conversations in easy English to help you learn English. BBC Learning English presenters talk about a new topic each …
BBC Learning English – The Reading Room
Short magazine-style articles about a range of topics. For teaching and practising reading at Intermediate level.…
BBC Radio – Learning English Conversations
Everyday expressions and real English conversations to help make your everyday conversations easier.…
BBC Skillswise English for Adults
Activities to improve reading, writing, spelling,and grammar. Videos and downloadable worksheets…
Black Cat Graded Readers
ENGLISH – Graded Readers for Primary, Secondary School, University and Self Learners. Choose the title that best suits your students and …
Books Beyond Words
A set of picture-focused stories for people who may struggle to read words. Every story is co-created with …
Books Unbound
This is a US based website aimed at children, but it has some useful information about different ESOL communities, and …
Breaking News English
ESOL resources at 7 levels, based on news stories. Uses US English.…
British Council Business English
A set of ESOL teaching resources to help learners improve their English for the workplace and learn about business topics. …
British Council Teaching English
General resources for teaching adults.…
Climate change themed podcasts
10 podcast programmes including downloadable notes (the climate connection)…
Conversation Questions for the ESL/EFL Classroom
A Project of The Internet TESL Journal, this provides conversation prompts for a large variety of different topics.…
Creative Language Practices Through a Translingual Lens: A Toolkit
A creative language toolkit developed for multi-lingual classrooms, using arts-based methods and creative practices.…
Education and Training Foundation: ESOL
ESOL resources that were on the Excellence Gateway. Includes Grammar and Skills work for reading, writing, speaking and listening.…
English Banana
Free printable resources for ESOL and ESL. Includes worksheets, books, podcasts, videos, learning material, and other resources for ESOL teaching …
English Club
ESL resources, some of which are suitable for ESOL. Includes a useful glossary of English grammar terms.…
English for Action
Support and materials for participatory ESOL. Includes the ESOL Podcast and Love ESOL.…
English-speaking Union (ESU)
Lesson plans and resources to help support speaking in class, including Listening and Response, Expression and Delivery, and Debate.…
ESL Bits
Resources to help learners improve their reading and listening in English.…
ESL Discussions
14,180 English Conversation Questions: * 709 discussions. * Ready-to-print handouts. * Everyday & controversial topics.…
ESL Video
ESL Video offers free online English listening and grammar activities, free teaching material, the ESL Video quiz maker tool to …
ESOL Books
Course books for groups of ESOL literacy learners – not free, but there is a discount if you buy a class …
ESOL Courses
Free online English lessons, including resources and activities. Some nice resources on Life in the UK and British Culture.…
Free e-books for reading practice – All levels
A padlet of free e-books for reading practice at all levels for ESOL learners.…
Gatehouse Books
Commercial resource: A selection of readers designed for adults – good quality and well designed with topics appropriate for ESOL learners. …
Happy and Healthy in Hull
A wonderful free PDF download of a magazine made by and for ESOL learners. Includes topics such as the NHS, …
Heart and Parcel English Resources
Heart and Parcel have created open access homemade English activities based on our cookbook learner’s recipes and stories. These …
Helbling Graded Readers
A wide selection of adapted classics and original fiction chosen to appeal to language learners of all ages and levels …
It Takes a Community – Un/Documented Podcast
Un/Documented offers a well-needed dose of hope by celebrating all the amazing people working in communities to create …
Learning English with Cambridge
Online activities for adult and young people. ESOL teachers can select downloadable materials by level and topic, including grammar.…
Learning Unlimited
A range of resources, some free and some commercial. They include reading books at different levels and resources targeted specifically …
Leeds Libraries – Easy Readers available to borrow from Borrowbox
Leeds libraries provide collections of learning to read English books for ESOL students both through Borrowbox and in physical form. …
Luke's English Podcast
Luke’s English Podcast is an award-winning audio show for learners of English as a foreign language. There are …
Magazines for ESOL and EFL teachers
Magazines for learners of English
A list of magazines aimed at learners of English – some are for use in schools, but the content can be …
NALA: Digital Matters
NALA is the National Adult Literacy Agency. This is a guide to technology for adults improving their literacy, numeracy and …
NATECLA Scotland ESOL Literacies Readers
Newly developed ESOL worksheets to go along with the Literacies Readers – really useful for teachers of those with Literacy learning …
NATECLA Scotland ESOL Literacy Readers
NATECLA Scotland has created a set of ONLINE Readers designed primarily for ESOL Literacy Learners.…
National Literacy Trust
Literacy resources for school age children, but includes some free themed resources that will be useful for ESOL learners ie. …
New internationalist – Easier English Wiki
Would you like to get your learners engaged in topics relating to global justice? More than 150 READY LESSONS HERE …
News in Levels
World news stories for learners of English at 3 different levels of difficulty. There is also an app that students …
Omniglot
An online encyclopedia of writing systems in a wide range of different languages. Useful for literacy teaching.…
Our Languages: ESOL Research Project
This website presents a series of teaching materials for ESOL teachers wanting to explore the theme of ‘languages’, and how …
Participatory ESOL
In Participatory ESOL the wealth of experience that learners bring to the classroom is recognised, lessons are co-constructed and …
Participatory ESOL Taking Stock Podcast
This series of 5 podcasts accompanies a research paper which looked at the impact of Participatory ESOL on ESOL over …
Radio ESOL
A selection of interviews with ESOL students, done by Leeds City College. Great for listening practice and sharing experiences with …
Reading Rockets
Includes a useful guide to using newspapers to enhance learning in reading classes. Aimed at school teachers, but the ideas …
Sanctuary Diaries – Chapel FM
In collaboration with VOICES network – a podcast all about the experience of going through the asylum process & being a sanctuary …
Simply Stories
Short, engaging and accessible fiction books for adults in English and available in a range of other languages. The backlist …
Skills Builder Hub
The Skills Builder Hub gives you access to a huge array of resources for building essential skills with learners of …
Skills for Life Network
The Skills for Life Network have made Gatehouse Books for Pre-Entry level literacy available for a fee. There are …
Start having courageous conversations about refugee rights
Speak up for Sanctuary is a programme designed by City of Sanctuary UK to support people who may have little …
The Bell Foundation Prison and Community ESOL Program
Free ESOL worksheets for independent learning in prisons and community settings. If you are delivering ESOL classes or have contact …
The Big Picture: Materials and Resources for ESOL tutors
A great set of resources for ESOL tutors to use with learners with literacy issues. Focused on themes such as …
The English Hub for Refugees
Materials developed to help support refugees with the topics they need to know about at a variety of different levels, …
The ESOL Podcast – Why ESOL is important
This fortnight’s episode of The ESOL Podcast is from Kirklees College. ESOL students there decided to record an episode …
The ESOL Podcast s3 e6 – Learning English in the UK
Following on from last fortnights episode where ESOL students in Yorkshire shared their tips on learning English, in this episode …
The ESOL Podcast S3 E7 – Climate Change
For the first ESOL Podcast episode after the Easter break, the important issue of climate change is revisited.…
The ESOL Podcast S3. E1 – The Cost of Living Crisis in the UK
The ESOL Podcast returns for series 3. In the first episode of the new series, ESOL students from Idea Store …
The ESOL Podcast TEP s3 e10 – Belonging
This episode of The ESOL Podcast ESOL was made by an ESOL group in Liverpool.…
The ESOL Podcast TEP s3 e11 – Landmarks in London
The final episode of series 3 of the ESOL Podcast was made by an ESOL students at Idea Store Learning …
The ESOL Podcast TEP s3 e8 – How to use technology to improve English
In this fortnight’s episode ESOL students from Adult Learning in the East Riding of Yorkshire talk about how technology …
The ESOL Podcast TEP S3 E9
How ESOL helps us achieve our goals.…
The Other Side of Hope
the other side of hope: journeys in refugee and immigrant literature is a UK-based literary magazine edited by immigrants & …
The Times – News Literacy Resources
An inspiring programme giving students the journalistic tools to think critically and confidently about the news. The programme is aimed …
Twinkl
ESOL Resources for adults curated by Twinkl.…
VOICES Network Podcast
The VOICES network is a collective of refugees and people seeking asylum. Together, they speak out about issues that affect …
Writefix.com
Improve writing skills with clear examples and strategies, ideal for IELTS students, teachers, and academic English learners. Argument essays, graphs, …