Learn how to make the most of your Ellii subscription with tips from our publishing team.

Teaching with Ellii

Posts describing lessons or activities for the ESL classroom.

Activities

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<section>
<p dir="auto">If you lead an English conversation group, you know every week can bring new faces and often a wide range of proficiencies.</p>

<p dir="auto">Ellii has you covered with a variety of content and tools to ensure your conversation groups are lively and impactful, without requiring endless prep time.</p>

<p dir="auto">You don&#39;t have to reinvent the wheel for every session. Ellii&#39;s content and gamified tools are built to spark real conversations. Here&#39;s how to put each one to work.</p>

<h2 dir="auto">Discussion Starters</h2>

<p dir="auto">Students love talking about real issues affecting the world. With over 180&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/discussion-starters" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Discussion Starters</a>&nbsp;lessons on current issues like the cost of living and fast fashion, this section gives you full lessons created to get students talking about issues that matter to them. This lesson section is aimed at low-intermediate to advanced learners.</p>

<h3 dir="auto">Tips:</h3>

<ul dir="auto">
	<li value="1">Set a timer and rotate pairs or small groups during the Discussion task so students practice speaking with different people.</li>
	<li value="2">Check out these lessons that come in multiple levels&mdash;great for differentiation!
	<ul>
		<li value="1"><a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/5543-goal-setting" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Goal-Setting</a>&nbsp;(Low Int) /<a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/5541-goal-setting" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Goal-Setting</a>&nbsp;(Adv)</li>
		<li value="2"><a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/3235-climate-change" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Climate Change</a>&nbsp;(Low Int) /&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/1263-climate-change" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Climate Change</a>&nbsp;(High Int)</li>
		<li value="3"><a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/4303-culture-shock" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Culture Shock</a>&nbsp;(Low Int) /&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/4300-culture-shock" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Culture Shock</a>&nbsp;(Adv)</li>
		<li value="4"><a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/4016-phobias" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Phobias</a>&nbsp;(Low Int) /&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/4030-phobias" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Phobias</a>&nbsp;(Adv)</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

<h2 dir="auto">Photo Prompts</h2>

<p dir="auto"><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/photo-prompts" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Photo Prompts</a>&nbsp;use real pictures to spark discussion and storytelling&mdash;useful for mixed proficiency groups.</p>

<h3 dir="auto">Tips:</h3>

<ul dir="auto">
	<li value="1">Start simple. Ask students to describe what they see, and then extend the conversation by asking what they think is happening outside the frame.</li>
	<li value="2">Split the group into pairs with the same photo and have them compare their descriptions.</li>
	<li value="3">Easily differentiate your activity. Beginners can name objects and describe the scenes, while advanced students can speculate about backstory and make predictions.</li>
</ul>

<h2 dir="auto">Silent Clips</h2>

<p dir="auto"><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/silent-clips" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Silent Clips</a>&nbsp;are short, wordless videos of people and moments, covering categories like body language, holidays, and workplace gestures. Because there&#39;s no dialogue, students have to interpret tone, facial expressions, and context clues.</p>

<h3 dir="auto">Tips:</h3>

<ul dir="auto">
	<li value="1">Use a body language clip to launch a discussion on cultural differences based on gestures.</li>
	<li value="2">Put students in pairs to create and present a dialogue based on the silent clip.</li>
	<li value="3">Ask students what they think the person is thinking or about to say, and then have them say their answer out loud and compare with a partner.</li>
</ul>

<h2 dir="auto">Dilemmas</h2>

<p dir="auto"><a href="https://ellii.com/gather/dilemmas" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Dilemmas</a>&nbsp;are interactive, high-engagement activities, ideal for sparking thought-provoking debate while building critical thinking skills. Students use their own devices to participate. No prep required!</p>

<h3 dir="auto">Tips:</h3>

<ul dir="auto">
	<li value="1">Give your students sentence stems and key vocabulary to boost confidence and participation. Students can check out the Useful Language feature in each Dilemma for additional support.</li>
	<li value="2">Have students work in groups to create their own dilemma and share with the group.</li>
</ul>

<p dir="auto">Mix and match activities based on your students&#39; levels and how much energy the room needs that day. As you&#39;re exploring the platform,&nbsp;<a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/217-how-to-use-folders" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">save content to a folder</a>&nbsp;for easy access!</p>

<p dir="auto">&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="auto">If you enjoyed this blog post, we think you&#39;ll love this post too:</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/boost-student-talk-time-with-the-line-up-game">Boost Student Talk Time with the Line Up Game</a></li>
</ul>
</section>
</article>

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Conversation Groups Made Easy: Get Students Talking with Ellii

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Starter courses for each level with a suggested teaching order from the ESL Library publishing team.

Courses

Discover what's new or coming soon, including upcoming lessons and resources and product feature updates. 

Announcements

<p>Are you teaching US history and government and/or&nbsp;preparing students for the NEW civics test (2025 version) and naturalization interview? You are changing lives, and Ellii wants to help!</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Yes! Ellii has prep materials for the US Naturalization Interview, including the new civics test, the N-400 review, and the reading &amp; writing tests.</p>
</blockquote>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RnVVjGXlWY8?si=S0nzou1pRPyNfZB9" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>We began working on new content as soon as the notice went out about the new test (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025) and have just finished up this project (June 2026).&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What has changed with the 2025 Civics Test?</h2>

<ul>
	<li>If applicants applied before or within 30 days of the notice (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025), they take the 2008 test.</li>
	<li>If applicants&nbsp;applied 30 days or more after this notice (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025), they take the 2025 test.</li>
	<li>On the new (2025) test, the&nbsp;USCIS officer will ask applicants to answer up to 20 out of&nbsp;128 civics test questions&nbsp;to prove their&nbsp;knowledge of&nbsp;US&nbsp;history and government.</li>
	<li>USCIS officers will&nbsp;stop&nbsp;after the&nbsp;applicant answers&nbsp;12 questions correctly OR misses 9 questions.</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> Scroll down to the bottom of this post for useful external links to resources regarding these updates.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What order should I teach Ellii&#39;s US Civics &amp; Citizenship Prep content in?</h2>

<p>Here is our recommended teaching order for the Study Packs:</p>

<h2>US History &amp; Civics Test</h2>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/principles-of-us-government" target="_blank">Principles of American Government</a>&nbsp;(Questions 1&ndash;15)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/system-of-government-1" target="_blank">System of Government 1</a>&nbsp;(Questions 16&ndash;30)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/system-of-government-b" target="_blank">System of Government 2</a>&nbsp;(Questions 31&ndash;45)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/system-of-government-3" target="_blank">System of Government 3</a>&nbsp;(Questions 46&ndash;62)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/rights-responsibilities" target="_blank">Rights &amp; Responsibilities</a>&nbsp;(Questions 63&ndash;72)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/colonial-period-independence" target="_blank">Colonial Independence</a>&nbsp;(Questions 73&ndash;89)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/the-1800s" target="_blank">The 1800s</a>&nbsp;(Questions 90&ndash;99)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/recent-american-history" target="_blank">Recent American History</a>&nbsp;(Questions 100&ndash;118)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/symbols-holidays" target="_blank">Symbols &amp; Holidays</a>&nbsp;(Questions 119&ndash;128)</li>
</ol>

<h2>N-400 Form Interview</h2>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/n-400-interview-parts-1-4" target="_blank">N-400:&nbsp;Part 1&ndash;4</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/n-400-interview-parts-5-8" target="_blank">N-400: Part 5&ndash;8</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/n-400-interview-part-9" target="_blank">N-400: Part 9A&ndash;9D</a></li>
</ol>

<p><img alt="N-400 Study Packs" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5594/content_Screenshot_2026-06-23_at_1.44.26_PM.png" style="width: 2760px; height: 784px;" /></p>

<h2>Reading &amp; Writing Tests</h2>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/naturalization-interview-reading-writing-test" target="_blank">Reading &amp; Writing Tests</a></li>
</ol>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/naturalization-interview-reading-writing-test" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5593/content_Screenshot_2026-06-23_at_10.01.23_AM.png" /></a></p>

<h2>About Ellii&#39;s US Civics &amp; Citizenship Interview Prep Study Packs</h2>

<p>Ellii Study Packs allow you to assign your students bundled content easily with one click. Visit our <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=45&amp;page=1" target="_blank">US Civics</a> category in Courses &amp; Packs&nbsp;and watch this content&nbsp;grow.<br />
<br />
If you and your students like Ellii&#39;s videos, you&#39;ll love the NEW study packs. Each video lesson comes with practice tasks, including vocabulary review, comprehension, and speaking practice.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/colonial-period-independence/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="Colonial Period &amp; Independence Study Pack on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5012/content_US-Civics-Test-Prep-Colonial-Period-and-Independence_OG.png" /></a></p>

<p>For example, this pack about&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/the-1800s/materials" target="_blank"><b>The 1800s</b></a><b>&nbsp;</b>features video lessons and practice about western expansion and the Civil War. Students practice questions <strong>90&ndash;99 </strong>of the civics test. Expand your students&#39;&nbsp;knowledge with related lessons from our library, such as lessons on historic figures from this period, including <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3185-harriet-tubman" target="_blank">Harriet Tubman</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3473-frederick-douglass" target="_blank">Frederick Douglass</a>, and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2881-susan-b-anthony" target="_blank">Susan B. Anthony</a>.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/the-1800s/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="The 1800s US Civics Test Prep Study Pack on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5013/content_US-Civics-1800s_OG.png" /></a></p>

<p>Another pack features video lessons and practice about conflict and change in <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/recent-american-history/materials" target="_blank">Recent US History</a> (the 1900s and early 2000s). Students practice questions <strong>100&ndash;118&nbsp;</strong>of the civics test. Expand your students&#39;&nbsp;knowledge with related lessons from our library, such as lessons on historic figures from this period, including <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1535-franklin-d-roosevelt" target="_blank">Franklin D. Roosevelt</a>, the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2856-the-vietnam-war" target="_blank">Vietnam War,</a> and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1466-september-11th" target="_blank">September 11th</a>.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/recent-american-history/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="Recent US History US Civics Test Prep Study Pack: The 1900s and early 2000s" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5054/content_US-Civics-Recent-US-History_OG.png" /></a></p>

<p>In addition to the history and civics packs, we have packs to prep for the N-400 interview as well as the Reading &amp; Writing test. This comprehensive package of content is all your students need to prepare for the Naturalization Civics Test.</p>

<p>Did you know? You can also send content individually to just the students who are studying for the test.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-individual-student-assignments" target="_blank"><img alt="individual assignments on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5014/content_Screen_Shot_2025-11-14_at_11.12.24_AM.png" /></a></p>

<h2>Ellii&#39;s US Civics &amp; Test Prep Videos</h2>

<p>Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep" target="_blank">US Civics &amp; Test Prep</a> videos are&nbsp;also available in our Media Gallery if you prefer not to assign the packs and tasks. These videos&nbsp;build history and government knowledge while offering practical test-taking tips. Choose from short, digestible clips or full-length video lessons with chapter divisions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/colonial-period-independence" target="_blank"><img alt="US Civics Test Prep videos" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5010/content_Civics-Video-Colonial-Period-and-Independence_OG-play.png" /></a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/the-1800s" target="_blank"><img alt="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/the-1800s" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5011/content_Civics-Video-1800s_OG-play.png" /></a></p>

<p>Videos include a real teacher from Ellii, real&nbsp;photographs, useful drawings, and real questions and possible answers from the test.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/video/recent-american-history" target="_blank"><img alt="Recent US History video " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5055/content_Screen_Shot_2025-11-19_at_3.11.32_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>You can also find the complete collection of <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-citizenship">N-400 Interview Prep videos</a> in our Media Gallery. These video lessons&nbsp;cover every question from Parts 1 to 9 of Form N-400 and include&nbsp;mock dialogues, interview tips, vocabulary explanations, and plenty of&nbsp;speaking and listening practice.</p>

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Collections</h2>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics" target="_blank">US Citizenship &amp; Naturalization</a></h3>

<p>This<strong> </strong>collection category<strong> </strong>offers six ready-made collections of EL Civics content focusing on US law, government, history, and culture. This content will help prepare ELLs for life and citizenship in the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lessons/american-presidents" target="_blank">American Presidents</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-institutions" target="_blank">American Institutions</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-trailblazers" target="_blank">American Trailblazers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-holidays" target="_blank">American Holidays</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/us-history" target="_blank">American History</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/us-landmarks" target="_blank">American Landmarks</a></li>
</ul>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/el-civics" target="_blank">EL Civics</a></h3>

<p>This collection category features curated content for pre-approved civics objectives <strong>(COAAPs)</strong> selected by California agencies supporting adult ed. Search for content that is specifically related to the needs assessment of your students and use this content toward&nbsp;the 30 hours of instruction your learners need before doing related assessments.</p>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/nations-regions/americana" target="_blank">The United States</a></h3>

<p>Our content library is full of lessons about American facts, figures, and firsts. This collection highlights some of our most popular lesson content related to the US, including presidents, famous people, and holidays.</p>

<h2>Popular Ellii Lessons</h2>

<p>Use the <strong>Search</strong> field on Ellii to find lessons on topics you are covering, and reach out to us if you can&#39;t find what you&#39;re looking for. Here are some popular US civics lessons:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5757-us-immigration-rights" target="_blank">US Immigration Rights</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2277-american-citizenship" target="_blank">American Citizenship</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3836-n-400-vocabulary" target="_blank">N-400 Vocabulary</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2676-the-united-states" target="_blank">The United States </a>(Listening in English)</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2263-map-of-the-us" target="_blank">Map of the US</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1505-george-washington" target="_blank">George Washington</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2779-trail-of-tears" target="_blank">Trail of Tears</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3172-the-us-constitution" target="_blank">The US Constitution</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5636-the-bill-of-rights" target="_blank">The Bill of Rights</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4037-the-declaration-of-independence" target="_blank">The Declaration of Independence</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2764-the-supreme-court-us" target="_blank">The Supreme Court</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3381-election-day-us" target="_blank">Election Day</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/video/republicans-democrats" target="_blank">Republicans &amp; Democrats</a> (explainer video)</li>
</ul>

<h3>Useful External Resources for 2025 Updates</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/18/2025-18050/notice-of-implementation-of-2025-naturalization-civics-test" target="_blank">Notice of Implementation of 2025 Naturalization Civics Test</a> (09.18.2025)</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/brochures/USCIS-2025-Civics-Test-Study-Guide.pdf" target="_blank">One Nation, One People Study Guide (2025)</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/2025-Civics-Test-128-Questions-and-Answers.pdf" target="_blank">128 Civics Questions (2025)</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/find-study-materials-and-resources/check-for-test-updates" target="_blank">USCIS Comparison of 2008 / 2025 Test</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5n2h5rdfojhykxegok15a/Natz_Test_Comparison_A_2008-2025.pdf?rlkey=47rpmtohvcrqazh1uf17h8o7k&amp;e=1&amp;st=r1lxr88r&amp;dl=0" target="_blank">Bill Bliss&#39;s Comparison Chart of 2008 / 2025 Test</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship" target="_blank">USCIS Citizenship Resource Center</a></li>
</ul>

US Naturalization Interview & Civics Test Prep Curriculum Now on Ellii

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<p>At Ellii, we have a variety of lessons, resources, courses, and visuals that you can use in your classes to explore career pathways.</p>

<p>If your students are not quite ready for full workplace courses, our&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways" target="_blank">Career Pathways</a>&nbsp;lesson section offers simple lessons on a variety of jobs categorized by career cluster.</p>

<p>These exploratory digital lessons are intended for high-beginner to low-intermediate learners. At Ellii, we understand that digital literacy is an essential skill to explore with your students.</p>

<p>If you haven&#39;t tried assigning digital lessons with your adult learners, this is a great section to start with. The digital lessons in this section follow a simple, familiar template. We use straightforward instructions and a consistent lesson flow to help your students become comfortable with our most common digital task types: vocabulary, reading and listening, comprehension, and quiz. You can also use these lessons with higher-level students by incorporating extra communicative tasks&mdash;ideas we&#39;ll be sharing in this post.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What&#39;s new?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>In addition to adding dozens of new digital lessons to this section, we&#39;ve added <strong>one-page printable career summaries&nbsp;</strong>to each Career Pathways lesson. This handout gives students something physical to hold on to and take notes on as they work through the digital lesson. You can print these summaries out or present and annotate them on a whiteboard. By default, your students will receive the PDF in their assignment when you add it to a class (unless you uncheck the PDF box&mdash;see below). You can add a note if you want students to use or print the PDF. Please show your students exactly where to find the PDF handout on their student dashboard.</p>

<h3>Where teachers include the PDF version (and where students can find it)</h3>

<p><img alt="How to add a note and include the PDF in your assignment on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5423/content_teacher-pdf-note.png" /><br />
<img alt="where a student can find the PDF in an Ellii assignment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5422/content_student-pdf.png" /><br />
<br />
Here is what the career summaries look like.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="career summary chart for construction workers" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5420/content_Screenshot_2026-04-29_at_11.13.02_AM.png" /></p>

<p>Below are some suggested activities that you can do with these additional handouts either before or after you work through the related lesson.</p>

<h2>Warm-ups</h2>

<p>Before doing or assigning the full lesson, present the summary chart and give students a chance to write down anything they know or want to know about the profession. Ask for a show of hands to find out:</p>

<ul>
	<li>if students are interested in doing this type of work</li>
	<li>why students might or might not be drawn to this career</li>
	<li>what related jobs there might be</li>
	<li>if they know anyone who does this work&mdash;and if so, what that person likes or doesn&#39;t like about their job</li>
	<li>how this job compares to another career you&#39;ve been discussing in class</li>
</ul>

<h2>Pair &amp; group activities</h2>

<p>The classroom setting is ideal for exploring these summaries further. Here are some activity ideas:</p>

<p><strong>Jigsaw Expert:</strong> Give each student a different career to summarize and then put students in groups to share what they&#39;ve learned. Encourage students to jot down notes from the discussion onto their chart.</p>

<p><strong>Speed Dating: </strong>Each student gets a different career chart to ask and answer questions about for a short, timed exchange.</p>

<p><strong>Mock Interviews: </strong>Distribute a variety of career summary charts and place students in pairs to role-play as interviewer and interviewee for the career they receive.</p>

<h2>Writing &amp; research</h2>

<p><strong>Paragraph Summary</strong>: Invite students to write a paragraph summarizing the information from the chart.</p>

<p><strong>Job Ads:</strong> Have students write a short job ad for the career based on information from the chart and the reading.</p>

<p><strong>Compare &amp; Contrast:</strong> Encourage students to compare this career to another one you&#39;ve already covered. Provide some useful sentence stems to support the writing.</p>

<p><strong>One More Thing:</strong> After completing the lesson, have students add one thing they learned from the reading that isn&#39;t already on the chart. Take it a step further by encouraging them to do a little research of their own&mdash;what&#39;s one thing they could teach someone else about this career that wasn&#39;t covered in class?</p>

<p><strong>Is This Career for Me?:</strong> Encourage students to journal informally about the careers you explore. Is this a career worth considering? Why or why not? This&nbsp;is also an optional speaking task in each lesson.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>What ideas do you have for using these career summaries in a classroom setting?</p>
</blockquote>


How to Use Ellii's Career Summary Charts

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Ellii & the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) for Adult Education

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<p>Growing demand for career-specific, workplace English content has driven the Publishing team at Ellii to work hard at expanding our IET materials.</p>

<blockquote>
<h3><strong>What is IET?</strong></h3>

<p><strong>IET</strong> stands for <strong>Integrated Education and Training</strong>. It is a model that provides adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation and training for a specific occupation.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Ellii offers a vast library of lessons, courses, videos, and assessments designed to teach fundamental English language skills while preparing students for immediate workforce entry or career advancement.</p>

<h3><strong>Here&rsquo;s How It Looks in the Classroom</strong></h3>

<p>Instead of a generic lesson on &quot;prepositions,&quot; an IET lesson might teach prepositions through <strong>hazard communication</strong>. (e.g., &quot;The safety goggles are <em>in</em> the cabinet <em>above</em> the workbench.&quot;)</p>

<h2><strong>Where to Find IET Content on Ellii</strong></h2>

<p>There are three main sections to visit on Ellii if you&rsquo;re in search of IET content:</p>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways">Career Pathways Lesson Section</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs?page=1&amp;level=&amp;material=&amp;category=6">Workplace Courses &amp; Study Packs</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace">Media Gallery Workplace Videos</a></li>
</ol>

<p><em>This <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT7zMtV9npQ">video</a> quickly walks you through how to navigate each of these sections.</em></p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HT7zMtV9npQ?si=NEmY8EDC__A3swGX" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3><strong>1. Career Pathways Lesson Section</strong></h3>

<p>Our <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways">Career Pathways</a> collection is booming with new lessons, now categorized into career clusters such as <strong>Health Science</strong>, <strong>Financial Services</strong>, and <strong>Hospitality &amp; Tourism</strong>. These digital-only lessons introduce your students to various roles within the English-speaking workforce.</p>

<p>Designed for <strong>high-beginner to low-intermediate</strong> learners, each lesson provides a deep dive into specific careers&mdash;covering necessary education, required experience, and common daily duties. They&#39;re a perfect fit for IET programs or motivated students looking for independent self-study.</p>

<p>Explore our recently added lessons:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/6081-working-as-a-restaurant-manager">Working as a Restaurant Manager</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/6065-working-as-a-bank-teller">Working as a Bank Teller</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/6055-working-as-an-accountant">Working as an Accountant</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Ellii IET lessons " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5354/content_IET-lessons-Ellii.png" /></p>

<h3><strong>2. Workplace Courses &amp; Study Packs</strong></h3>

<p>If you need a more comprehensive set of IET materials than a single lesson provides, our Courses and Study Packs offer curated content in a logical, ready-to-teach sequence.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Study Packs</strong> are short bundles of 3&ndash;6 lessons centered around a specific theme, skill, or grammar structure.</li>
	<li><strong>Courses</strong> are in-depth modules based on common workplace scenarios. These often include video instruction and assessments to help you track student progress.</li>
</ul>

<p>We offer specialized content in areas like <strong>healthcare</strong>, <strong>dentistry</strong>, and <strong>paraeducation</strong>. Check out our most recent additions:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-entrepreneurs-1">English for Entrepreneurs</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-commercial-drivers">English for Commercial Drivers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-baseball-players-1">English for Baseball Players</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Ellii IET courses" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5355/content_IET-courses-Ellii.png" /></p>

<h3><strong>3. Media Gallery Workplace Videos</strong></h3>

<p>If you&rsquo;re looking for high-impact visual aids, look no further than Ellii&rsquo;s <strong>Media Gallery</strong>. This section is packed with photos and videos designed to bring workplace scenarios to life.</p>

<p>Our <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job">workplace flashcards</a> provide clear, useful imagery for career-specific terms&mdash;from safety gear like <a href="http://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/phlebotomists?search=safety&amp;flashcard=8884">face masks</a> to professional tools like <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/phlebotomists?search=stethoscopes&amp;flashcard=10013">stethoscopes</a>.</p>

<p>Take a look at these examples intended to teach career-specific skills, model workplace behavior, and build essential vocabulary:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job">At Work &amp; On the Job Flashcards</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/nursing-vocabulary">Workplace Silent Clips</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/pre-employment-phrasal-verbs">Pre-Employment</a> &amp; <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/employment-phrasal-verbs">Employment Phrasal Verbs Videos</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Ellii IET videos" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5356/content_IET-videos-Ellii.png" /></p>

<h3><strong>Bonus IET Materials</strong></h3>

<p>While the three sections above are our top recommendations, you can find even more job-readiness resources tucked into these popular Ellii categories:</p>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/gather/dilemmas"><strong>Ellii Dilemmas</strong></a><br />
	Spark critical thinking and debate with workplace-specific scenarios. These interactive activities are perfect for practicing &quot;soft skills&quot; like negotiating, turn-taking, and professional disagreement.
	<ul>
		<li><em>Try these:</em> <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/dilemmas/the-crooked-coworker">The Crooked Coworker</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/dilemmas/the-inflated-launch">The Inflated Launch</a>, or <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/dilemmas/the-unfair-demand">The Unfair Demand</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/business-matters"><strong>Business Communications</strong></a><br />
	Found within our Business Matters section, these lessons target advanced students and cover high-level professional interactions.
	<ul>
		<li><em>Try these:</em> <a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/3357-negotiating">Negotiating</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/5625-active-listening">Active Listening</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/4374-performance-reviews">Performance Reviews</a>.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/real-world-reading"><strong>Real-World Reading</strong></a><br />
	Bring authentic &quot;realia&quot; into your classroom to help students navigate essential workplace documents.
	<ul>
		<li><em>Try these:</em> <a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/4399-workplace-safety">Workplace Safety</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/4042-employee-benefits">Employee Benefits</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/3953-operating-instructions">Operating Instructions</a></li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ol>

<h2><strong>Ready to Boost Your IET Curriculum?</strong></h2>

<p>Whether you are looking for a quick vocabulary deep dive, a comprehensive multi-lesson course, or engaging media to spark classroom discussion, Ellii&rsquo;s IET content has you covered. By integrating these resources, you can provide your adult learners with the practical language skills they need to succeed in the modern workforce.</p>

<p>We&#39;re constantly adding new vocational areas and workplace scenarios, so keep checking back for more great material to support your IET program!</p>


3 Places to Find IET Materials on Ellii

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<h1>We&#39;re unwrapping another year of content at Ellii...</h1>

<h2>🎶 Sing it with me!&nbsp;🎶</h2>

<h1><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/new-in-2025" target="_blank">New in 2025</a></h1>

<hr />
<h2>January</h2>

<p>🎶 In the first month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/casas-test-preparation" target="_blank">CASAS Reading STEPS Level D</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="CASAS STEPS Practice Tests on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5082/content_month-1.png" /></p>

<h2>February</h2>

<p>🎶 In the second month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li>a <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/famous-people/5306-ayrton-senna" target="_blank">lesson request</a> from our Brazilian CTO (who could say no?)&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>We added lots of new content about famous Brazilians this year as well as two Study Packs!</p>

<p><img alt="lessons on famous Brazilians on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5083/content_month-2.png" /></p>

<h2>March</h2>

<p>🎶 In the third month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li>a historic&nbsp;lesson in <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/that-s-news-to-me" target="_blank">That&#39;s News to Me</a>&nbsp;(Canada&#39;s Next Prime Minster)</li>
</ul>

<p>We added new lessons to this section every week, using content from our media partner, <strong>The Associated Press</strong>. We also added current events&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/current-events" target="_blank">videos</a> and <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/photo-prompts">photo prompts</a>!</p>

<p><img alt="That's News to Me lessons including Canada's New Prime Minister" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5084/content_month-3.png" /></p>

<h2>April</h2>

<p>🎶 In the fourth month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li>a lesson on&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/discussion-starters/5429-cryptocurrency" target="_blank">Cryptocurrency!</a>&nbsp;(followed by many more <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/discussion-starters" target="_blank">Discussion Starters</a> lessons and warm-up videos by our newest Publishing team members)</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Discussion Starters lessons on Ellii, such as cryptocurrency" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5085/content_month-4.png" /></p>

<h2>May</h2>

<p>🎶 In the fifth month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/soft-skills-for-hospitality-workers" target="_blank">Soft Skills for Hospitality</a>!</li>
</ul>

<p>Search &quot;soft skills&quot; for all of the new content we added on our &quot;theme of the year&quot; for 2025.</p>

<p><img alt="Soft Skills for Hospitality on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5086/content_month-5.png" /></p>

<h2>June</h2>

<p>🎶 In the sixth month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course" target="_blank">Conversation Phrases with Lise</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>Ellii&#39;s video team focused on &quot;speaking&quot; content for&nbsp;2025.</p>

<p><img alt="Conversation Phrases course on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5087/content_month-6.png" /></p>

<h2>July&nbsp;</h2>

<p>🎶 In the seventh month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li>a new section for <strong>Adult Literacy</strong> (<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/first-five" target="_blank">First Five</a>)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>We added 29 new lessons to this section as well as&nbsp;several <strong>Language Ladder</strong> packs!</p>

<p><img alt="Adult Literacy section on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5088/content_month-7.png" /></p>

<h2>August</h2>

<p>🎶 In the eighth month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/picture-stories" target="_blank">Young Learner stories</a> with Benji!</li>
</ul>

<p>New Benji lessons this year were about Benji&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/5653-workday" target="_blank">Workday</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lesson/5866-vacation">Vacation</a>!</p>

<p><img alt="young learner picture stories on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5089/content_month-8.png" /></p>

<h2>September</h2>

<p>🎶 In the ninth month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li>a<strong> print-based course </strong>that took our whole team&#39;s&nbsp;energy!</li>
</ul>

<p>Due to popular demand, we have started making printable versions of our workplace courses, starting with&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/nursing-assistants">English for Nursing Assistants</a>&nbsp;and moving on with four more in 2025.</p>

<p><img alt="printable workplace courses on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5090/content_month-9.png" /></p>

<h2>October</h2>

<p>🎶 In the tenth month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li>Ellii Up E! (the latest course in our ready-made <a href="https://ellii.com/packs?page=1&amp;level=&amp;material=&amp;category=43" target="_blank">General English</a> curriculum)</li>
</ul>

<p>More General English courses coming throughout 2026!</p>

<p><img alt="General English courses" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5093/content_month-10.png" /></p>

<h2>November</h2>

<p>🎶 In the eleventh month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li>Videos on <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep" target="_blank">US history</a> (Study Packs too!)</li>
</ul>

<p>More US civics and test prep content coming throughout 2026.</p>

<p><img alt="US Civics Test Prep on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5091/content_month-11.png" /></p>

<h2>December</h2>

<p>🎶 In the twelfth month of 2025, Ellii brought to me...</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/gather/dilemmas" target="_blank">Ellii Dilemmas</a> like <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/dilemmas/the-pet-policy" target="_blank">The Pet Policy</a>!</li>
</ul>

<p>We&#39;ve also added lots of new beginner-level <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/polls" target="_blank">Ellii Polls</a>. A big request from teachers in 2025!</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii Dilemmas" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5092/content_month-12.png" /></p>

<h2>Who&#39;s counting?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>We are! Here&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/new-in-2025" target="_blank">everything</a> we added to Ellii&#39;s content library in 2025. Subscribers have access to all of this content, plus everything else we&#39;ve added to Ellii in&nbsp;the last 20+ years.</p>

<blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>253 lessons &amp; resources</li>
	<li>60+ Ellii original videos</li>
	<li>70+ AP videos &amp; silent clips</li>
	<li>9 flashcard categories (46 new flashcards)</li>
	<li>45 study packs</li>
	<li>14 courses</li>
	<li>44 polls &amp; dilemmas</li>
	<li>40 blog posts&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<h2>Who makes all of this content at Ellii?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Humans,&nbsp;of course! At Ellii, we have a small but mighty team of real-life materials writers, editors, proofreaders, designers, artists, producers, and other helpers (including our own daughters who offer summer help)!&nbsp;We also have a partnership with The Associated Press and owe a little shout-out to our AI assistant, aka &quot;ElliiBot,&quot;&nbsp;this year.<br />
<br />
Here&nbsp;is Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;2025 content and marketing team, including staff and contractors! A huge thank-you to all of our contributors.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Tanya, Head of Video Production</p>

<p>Ann, Head Editor</p>

<p>Saori, Lead Designer</p>

<p>Lula, Motion Graphics Designer</p>

<p>Alison, Content Support Specialist</p>

<p>Zara, Materials Writer</p>

<p>Steve, Illustrator</p>

<p>Laura, Course Writer</p>

<p>Felicia, Materials Writer</p>

<p>Kate, Assistant Editor</p>

<p>Lise, Video Content Producer / Marketing Lead</p>

<p>Sarah, Designer&nbsp;</p>

<p>David, British English Editor</p>

<p>Emily, Blogger</p>

<p>Jaksyn, Jr. Materials Writer</p>

<p>Sofia, Jr. Publishing Assistant</p>

<p>Tara, VP of Publishing</p>
</blockquote>

<p>That&#39;s a wrap. If you think this is awesome, you should see what Ellii&#39;s Product team was up to this year. Stay tuned!<br />
<br />
~ Tara&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/warm-ups-fillers/2221-how-to-make-a-paper-snowflake" target="_blank"><img alt="How to Make a Snowflake lesson" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5101/content_IMG_8151.jpeg" style="width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a></p>

<p class="caption">Ellii&#39;s VP of Publishing (Tara Benwell) on winter break at Blue Mountain, featured with 3-D snowflakes from our <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/warm-ups-fillers/2221-how-to-make-a-paper-snowflake" target="_blank">How to Make a Snowflake</a> lesson.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Did you enjoy using Ellii&#39;s content this year? Please leave&nbsp;us a love&nbsp;note below that we can add to our <a href="http://ellii.com/tour/testimonials">Testimonials</a> page.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


The 12 Months of Ellii (in 2025)

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Find quick links to each episode of the Teacher Think-Aloud podcast, hosted by Shélynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean and sponsored by Ellii.  

Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast

<p>In Episode 77 of <a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, Shé sits down with Ben Buckwold (Founder &amp; CEO of Ellii) and Tara Benwell (VP of Publishing at Ellii) to explore the story behind one of Ellii’s most creative classroom tools: <a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/dilemmas" target="_blank">Ellii Dilemmas</a>. Born, quite literally, on a cocktail napkin, this interactive activity invites students to wrestle with moral and everyday dilemmas through authentic dialogue, reflection, and debate.</p>

<p>Ben and Tara share how Ellii Dilemmas grew from a moment of procrastination into one of the platform’s fastest-growing features with thousands of teachers already using it worldwide. The conversation covers the tool’s pedagogical design, from its built-in discussion scaffolds and “Speak Up” feature to the way it fosters empathy, critical thinking, and social-emotional learning. </p>

<p>Together, we unpack how moving from debate to dialogue can transform speaking practice into something deeply human and reflective.</p>

<blockquote>“ It’s a way for students to engage, have a conversation, a debate, a discussion, a dialogue, and to just really get into it.”  — Ben Buckwold</blockquote>

<p><div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JNk03oadJgI?si=jxGkKYLzZJPsqhKM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></p>

<p><strong>Get featured on the podcast!</strong><br>
The <a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a> is looking for contributions to their annual Friends of the Podcast episode in which they feature voices from teachers around the world. In past years, these episodes have focused on <a href="https://youtu.be/6XfSr9oolcE?si=DR_JsVtLKImIXxio" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">teaching contexts around the world</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/Gh7SQJbEEmQ?si=UT3ZIxht0mQOECSu" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">AI in ELT</a>. This year, they're asking contributors to get back to basics and reflect on what areas they want to work on in their teaching practice. </p>

<p>Participating is easy: all you need to do is listen to a short prompt and leave a voice memo at <a href="https://bit.ly/backtobasics26" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/backtobasics26</a>. <strong>The deadline to participate is December 15, 2025.</strong></p>

<p>🎙️ <strong>Listen now on your favorite platform:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2zv5mVNpSqkDNiNbQlnm7B" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>  </li>
</ul>

<p>🔗 <strong>Follow The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast on social media for more updates:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/teacherthinkaloud" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thinkaloud_pod/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/thinkaloudpod.bsky.social" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluesky</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/teacher-think-aloud/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li>
</ul>


Ellii Dilemmas: Sparking Real Dialogue in the ELT Classroom (with Ben Buckwold & Tara Benwell)

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<p><em>This post answers frequently asked questions about Ellii&#39;s Placement Tests. For general questions about Ellii&#39;s assessment content, view this related post: <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/ellii-assessments" target="_blank">How to Find Assessments on Ellii</a></em></p>

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Placement Test (<em>Autograded</em>)</h2>

<p>The <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5606-ellii-placement-test-autograded" target="_blank">Ellii Placement Test </a>(autograded) is designed to help teachers or administrators&nbsp;determine the Ellii level of a new English language student. This short, autograded test does not include writing and speaking tasks.&nbsp;Students have&nbsp;<strong>30 minutes</strong>&nbsp;to complete the Ellii Placement Test. There is also a printable version with downloadable audio available if schools prefer this method.</p>

<p>The Ellii Placement Test (autograded) has 30 multiple-choice questions and is divided into 3 sections:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Part 1: Listening (3 recordings, 9 questions)<br />
Part 2: Grammar (12 questions)<br />
Part 3: Reading (3 readings, 9 questions)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For the most accurate scoring, teachers should encourage&nbsp;students to skip questions they can&#39;t answer rather than guessing.</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>Score Range = Ellii Level</strong><br />
<br />
0-3% = Pre Beg<br />
4&ndash;17% = Low Beg<br />
18-40% = High Beg<br />
41-63% = Low Int<br />
64-83% = High Int<br />
84-97% = High Int &ndash; Adv<br />
98-100% = Adv</p>
</blockquote>

<p>After completing the assessment, students are assigned a score and suggested a level placement. This helps teachers decide which Ellii materials to use with their students.<br />
<br />
The type of level teachers&nbsp;see is based on the settings they have selected on their <strong>Account</strong> page (Ellii, CLB, CEFR, ELD, NRS). A percentage score will also be shown.</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Placement Test (<em>Speaking &amp; Writing</em>)</h2>

<p>The<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4226-ellii-placement-test-writing-speaking" target="_blank"> Ellii Placement Test (Writing &amp; Speaking)</a> assesses all four skills and is designed to help teachers determine the Ellii level of a new English language student. Teachers can also consult our&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/equivalencies">Equivalency Scale</a>&nbsp;to determine which materials are best suited for their&nbsp;students based on their level preference.</p>

<p>We recommend giving students a time limit of&nbsp;<strong>60 minutes</strong>&nbsp;to complete this test in order to get the most accurate level placement. If assigning the digital version, teachers can include this guideline as a note: &quot;Please use a maximum of 60 minutes to take this test. I will see the time taken after you submit your answers.&quot;</p>

<p>A printable version with suggested rubrics for the speaking and writing portion is available in the Teacher PDF. If students are taking the digital version, teachers may want to share expectations so students understand what they will be looking for in a response. There is also an <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4798-ellii-placement-test-ireland">Irish version</a> of this test.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This test is divided into 5 sections:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Part 1: Listening (6 recordings, 12 questions, 20%)<br />
Part 2: Grammar (16 questions, 27%)<br />
Part 3: Reading (3 readings, 9 questions, 15%)<br />
Part 4: Writing (3 short answers, 1 long answer, 22%)<br />
Part 5: Speaking (1 long answer, 16%)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For the most accurate scoring, students should be encouraged to skip questions they can&#39;t answer rather than guessing. Here is the suggested level placement for the full test with speaking and writing portions.</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>Score Range = Ellii Level</strong><br />
<br />
0-3% = Pre Beg<br />
4&ndash;17% = Low Beg<br />
18-40% = High Beg<br />
41-63% = Low Int<br />
64-83% = High Int<br />
84-97% = High Int &ndash; Adv<br />
98-100% = Adv</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The score and suggested level will help teachers decide which Ellii materials to use with their students. The type of level teachers see is&nbsp;based on the settings they have set up on their Account page (Ellii, CLB, CEFR, ELD, NRS). A percentage score will also be shown.&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Exit Test</h2>

<p>To assess students&#39; gains since they took the autograded <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5606-ellii-placement-test-autograded" target="_blank">Ellii Placement Test</a> or to use an alternative version of the autograded Ellii Placement Test, teachers can assign the&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5607-ellii-exit-test-autograded">Ellii Exit Test</a>.&nbsp;This is an additional autograded proficiency test with different questions at the same difficulty and with the same number of questions as the autograded Ellii Placement Test. Some teachers also use it to deter cheating or to offer extra practice taking assessments. Students have 30 minutes to complete the test.&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Proficiency Level Account Settings</h2>

<p>Under <strong>Account</strong> settings (top right on Ellii), teachers can adjust their level preferences to the ones they want to see on the materials. Teachers choose the&nbsp;generic&nbsp;<strong>Ellii</strong> level (Pre Beg &ndash; Adv) with the option to add one of the following level systems:&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>Canadian Language Benchmarks: </strong>CLB 1&ndash;12<br />
<strong>Common European Framework: </strong>CEFR A0&ndash;C2<br />
<strong>English Language Development:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>ELD 1&ndash;6<br />
<strong>National Reporting System: </strong>NRS 1&ndash;6</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/equivalencies" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4927/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_1.54.43_PM.png" /></a></p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Equivalency Scale</h2>

<p>If you want to know more about Ellii&#39;s levels, consider reviewing our <a href="https://ellii.com/equivalencies" target="_blank">Equivalency Scale</a>. You can find this comparison scale on the footer of the site.&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii Solo</h2>

<p>If your school has <a href="https://ellii.com/solo" target="_blank">Ellii Solo</a>, Ellii&#39;s self-study solution designed for pre-enrollment learning paths, computer lab programs, and independent learning initiatives, students will take the <strong>Ellii Placement Test </strong>when they first begin the program. This test is the same autograded test that teachers assign on Ellii. After taking the test, students will be directed to ready-made pathways of self-study packs and courses most appropriate for their level. The proficiency level will be displayed the way the administrator has chosen (e.g., Ellii + CLB).<br />
<br />
<img alt="Ellii Solo Level" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4928/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_3.25.40_PM.png" /><br />
Students must complete a pathway or retake the placement test in order to unlock higher-level pathways.&nbsp;<br />
<img alt="Ellii Solo Pathways" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4929/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_3.35.56_PM.png" /></p>

<p>Students using Ellii Solo can also access the&nbsp;Library if they choose to explore courses, packs, and videos&nbsp;without using the guided pathways.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii Solo Navigation bar" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4930/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_3.37.18_PM.png" />We hope <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_blank">Ellii&#39;s diagnostic assessments</a> help you and your learners find the content and courseware you need to ensure proficiency success!</p>


All about the Ellii Placement Test

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<h1>The ultimate all-in-one platform for ELT teacherpreneurs</h1>

<p>Years ago, I was teaching English at a university an hour&rsquo;s drive from my home. Luckily, I had three English-teacher friends all commuting to the same city. Our daily carpool conversations usually revolved around classroom dilemmas and teaching methodology. Very often, while brainstorming our lesson plans, one of us would say, &ldquo;Ellii has the perfect lesson for that!&rdquo; or &ldquo;Today is an Ellii day!&rdquo; (Of course, back then, it was ESL&nbsp;Library, but you get the idea.)&nbsp;Ellii was the most popular resource in school.</p>

<p>When I left classroom teaching and became an independent &ldquo;teacherpreneur,&rdquo; turning to Ellii was a no-brainer.&nbsp;<strong>Here&rsquo;s why Ellii has everything I need to run my teaching business</strong>.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1107880312" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h2>Engaging, ready-made lessons for every student</h2>

<p>Like many independent teachers, my students range widely in age and level on any given day. I always count on Ellii to meet each student&rsquo;s needs and interests.</p>

<p>When a shy middle school student came to her first 1:1 lesson terrified to speak English, Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/true-grammar-stories">True Grammar Stories</a> got her excited to discuss trailblazers like Ruby Bridges and fascinating places like Chile&rsquo;s Marble Caves.</p>

<p>When a socioeconomics student felt &ldquo;stuck&rdquo; expressing her opinions, Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/discussion-starters">Discussion Starters</a> lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2775-universal-basic-income">Universal Basic Income</a> gave her the language to communicate more deeply on a real-world topic that truly mattered to her.</p>

<p>When the cashier at a convenience store in Cyprus asked me to explain the present perfect tense, I pulled up Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1597-present-perfect">Present Perfect</a> Grammar Practice Worksheet&nbsp;on my phone for an impromptu grammar lesson. He responded, &ldquo;You just clarified in five minutes something that has confused me my whole life!&rdquo;</p>

<p>Ellii offers a massive library of&nbsp;<strong>high-quality, ready-made lessons</strong>, interactive games, engaging videos, and more&mdash;with new materials added daily. Ellii&rsquo;s content isn&rsquo;t just interesting and current; it&rsquo;s designed by real teachers to foster meaningful language encounters and genuine human connection.</p>

<p><img alt="Search results for &quot;travel&quot; showing 210 results in Lessons &amp; Resources" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4832/content_Lesson-Search.png" /></p>

<h2>Super simple class management</h2>

<h3>Student accounts</h3>

<p>As a private teacher, I need a simple system to keep track of everyone and give each student a personalized learning experience. Ellii&rsquo;s <strong>built-in LMS</strong> (Learning Management System) is perfect for this.&nbsp;Ellii offers an <a href="https://ellii.com/pricing"><strong>affordable Individual plan</strong></a> that comes with 35 student licenses.&nbsp;Students can be placed into an unlimited number of classes. I can create a class for one specific student or add multiple students to the same class.</p>

<h3>Drag-and-drop lesson prep</h3>

<p>With Ellii&rsquo;s kanban-style&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/try-class-prepping-with-elliis-lesson-planner"><strong>Lesson Planner</strong></a>, class prep is a breeze. I just drag and drop content into the Prepping, Teaching, or Taught lanes to get ready for upcoming classes, assign tasks to my students, and keep track of what&rsquo;s been done. I have full control over the timing and pace of each student&rsquo;s learning journey. My business students appreciate a structured, intentional flow of exercises. My grammar fanatics love having a curated collection of tasks to tackle. And my conversation students enjoy seeing connected topics and feeling a sense of progress in their language development.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii's drag-and-drop Lesson Planner showing lessons in the Prepping, Teaching, and Taught lanes" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4833/content_Lesson-Planner.png" /></p>

<h3>Flexible organization</h3>

<p>Whenever I&rsquo;m browsing Ellii&rsquo;s content library, something always catches my eye. I can quickly &ldquo;<strong>like</strong>&rdquo; lessons or save content to customizable&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/folders"><strong>Folders</strong></a>. I can also create <a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_sets"><strong>Flashcard Sets</strong></a> to share with my students. Whether I&rsquo;m planning days ahead or pulling things together last minute, Ellii keeps me organized.</p>

<h3>Streamlined grading &amp; feedback</h3>

<p>Ellii&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-grade-feed"><strong>Grade Feed</strong></a>&nbsp;also makes it easy to monitor and support my students&rsquo; progress. I can leave meaningful feedback with stars, written comments, and&mdash;my personal favorite&mdash;audio responses. When I&rsquo;m pressed for time or just need a little inspiration, the suggested responses (created by an Ellii writer) and&nbsp;<strong>Ellii Bot</strong> (built-in AI assistant)&nbsp;are lifesavers.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii's Grade Feed showing a student's answer and Ellii Bot's suggested response" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4834/content_Grade-Feed.png" /></p>

<h3>Built-in support &amp; professional development</h3>

<p>Teachers spend hours a day connecting with students, but running an independent teaching business can still feel isolating. Over the years, I&rsquo;ve leaned on Ellii for support and guidance.</p>

<p>Ellii is built by teachers, for teachers. Beyond great lesson content, Ellii supports teachers with a weekly&nbsp;newsletter, a huge library of&nbsp;teacher resources, and tons of&nbsp;tutorials, demo videos, and practical&nbsp;teaching tips. When I&rsquo;m looking for a curated sequence of lessons, I turn to Ellii&rsquo;s ready-made&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?page=1"><strong>Courses</strong>&nbsp;<strong>&amp;</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Study Packs</strong></a>. When I&rsquo;m not sure what to teach next, I check the <a href="https://ellii.com/discover"><strong>Discover page</strong></a> and <a href="https://ellii.com/calendar"><strong>Lesson Calendar</strong></a> for fresh content and timely topics. If I&rsquo;m ever stuck on how to break down a tricky language point, I head to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog"><strong>blog</strong></a>&mdash;it&rsquo;s full of expert insights and inspiring stories from the Ellii team and guest writers from the English teaching community.</p>

<h2>Teacher webinars</h2>

<p>And coming soon, Ellii is launching a brand-new<strong>&nbsp;webinar series for independent teachers</strong>!&nbsp;Join our free, practical sessions led by experienced educators who understand the unique challenges of private teaching. Register now for one of our&nbsp;upcoming webinars on <a href="https://www.crowdcast.io/c/teachwithellii-aug28" target="_blank"><strong>August 28 at 2:00 pm ET</strong></a> or <a href="https://www.crowdcast.io/c/teachwithellii-aug29" target="_blank"><strong>August 29 at 11:00 am ET</strong></a>.</p>

<p>Discover how Ellii can be your full teaching tool kit&mdash;everything you need to help your business thrive!</p>


Run Your Independent Teaching Business with Ellii

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<p>Have you heard the talk of the town? Ellii&nbsp;has a new <strong><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials">Conversation Phrases</a></strong> course!&nbsp;</p>

<p data-end="438" data-start="251">This video-based course is designed to help students improve their speaking&nbsp;skills and&nbsp;focuses on <strong>reduced pronunciation</strong> for more natural, fluent speech.</p>

<p data-end="745" data-start="440">Throughout the course, students will become familiar with <strong>useful, everyday phrases</strong> they can use to greet people, make plans, make small talk, talk about preferences, and wrap up a conversation. Each video lesson also leads students through oral reduced pronunciation practice and provides opportunities for speaking in a guided conversation.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-end="745" data-start="440">By the end of this course, students will gain the confidence they need to <strong>interact comfortably</strong> in various everyday conversations.</p>

<p data-end="807" data-start="747">Watch the <strong>introductory video</strong> from this course to learn more:</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1098554567" width="640"></iframe></div>

<p data-end="859" data-start="811">The course includes the following <strong>lesson topics</strong>:</p>

<ul data-end="1010" data-start="861">
	<li>How to Start a Conversation</li>
	<li>How to End a Conversation</li>
	<li>How to Make Plans</li>
	<li>How to Make Small Talk</li>
	<li>How to Talk about Likes &amp; Dislikes</li>
</ul>

<p data-end="1371" data-start="1012">Each video-based lesson introduces 12 to 15 <strong>common, conversational phrases</strong> grouped into four sets of questions and responses. Students will hear natural examples of colloquial phrases and expressions, practice reduced pronunciation, and role-play guided conversations. The final video also teaches students how to agree and disagree with someone in a conversation.</p>

<p data-end="1542" data-start="1373">This&nbsp;course includes two digital <strong>assessments</strong> (a mid-course and final assessment) and an optional speaking task that teachers would need&nbsp;to review and score manually.</p>

<p data-end="1693" data-start="1544">You can find our new&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials"><strong data-end="1605" data-start="1557">Conversation Phrases</strong></a>&nbsp;course in the&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=2&amp;page=1">Life Skills</a> section in&nbsp;Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?page=1">Courses &amp; Study Packs</a>.</p>

<p data-end="1842" data-start="1695">From the course page, you can easily click the <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials">&quot;Add to class&quot;</a> button to assign lessons to your students right away or schedule them through your <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/try-class-prepping-with-elliis-lesson-planner">Lesson Planner</a>.</p>

<p data-end="1979" data-start="1844">Don&rsquo;t forget to check out the <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials">Materials</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/overview">Overview</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/notes">Teachers&#39; Notes</a>&nbsp;tabs&nbsp;for helpful resources and teaching suggestions.</p>

<p data-end="2119" data-start="2104">We hope you and your students enjoy this new type of course!</p>


Introducing Ellii's New Conversation Phrases Course

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<p>If you&rsquo;re a teacher using Ellii, you&rsquo;ve likely already met our trusty assistant:&nbsp;<a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/267-how-to-use-the-grade-feed">Ellii Bot</a>. This tool helps you save time by auto-scoring student answers and writing personalized feedback on their Writing and Speaking tasks.</p>

<p>We&rsquo;ve heard your feedback, and we&rsquo;ve been listening closely. Teachers have told us they love the time-saving magic of Ellii Bot, but they have also noticed a few things that could be better.</p>

<p>So we&#39;ve rolled up our sleeves and made Ellii Bot even smarter.</p>

<h2>Smarter scoring, more consistent feedback</h2>

<p>Have you ever seen a student&rsquo;s answers get scores that felt a bit too high or too low compared to others on the same task? Or noticed&nbsp;Ellii Bot was a little too focused on matching the Answer Key perfectly?</p>

<p>That&rsquo;s because, in the past, Ellii Bot looked at each Writing or Speaking question individually&nbsp;without considering the full context of the task or the lesson. And it treated the Answer Key like the only possible correct response, which sometimes made things feel a bit too rigid.</p>

<p>For example, students are given the following instructions:&nbsp;Rewrite the sentence. There is a mistake in each sentence. Find the mistake and then rewrite the sentence correctly.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4787/content_image-1-2.png" /></strong></p>

<p>The result? Inconsistent scoring and feedback that didn&rsquo;t always reflect your teaching goals&mdash;or your students&rsquo; true understanding.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4788/content_image-3-4.png" /></strong></p>

<p>The new Ellii Bot changes that. It now reads and scores&nbsp;<b>all of a student&rsquo;s answers together</b>, which leads to&nbsp;<b>more consistent scoring</b>&nbsp;across the full task. It understands how the questions connect and evaluates them as a whole, just like a teacher would.</p>

<p>And when it comes to Answer Keys, Ellii Bot now treats them as&nbsp;<b>one of many valid reference answers</b>&nbsp;rather than as a strict standard. It uses the key as a helpful guide, but focuses on whether the student&rsquo;s answer is strong and appropriate on its terms.</p>

<h2>Context matters&mdash;and Ellii Bot knows it</h2>

<p>Before giving any feedback, the new Ellii Bot now reads and understands the&nbsp;<b>lesson</b>. This means it knows what your students are supposed to be focusing on&mdash;and tailors its scoring and feedback accordingly:</p>

<ul>
	<li>In a&nbsp;<b>grammar </b>lesson, it emphasizes language accuracy.</li>
	<li>In a&nbsp;<b>topic-based </b>lesson, it prioritizes comprehension and relevant content.</li>
	<li>For <strong>personal</strong>&nbsp;<b>opinion </b>questions, it can recognize thoughtful, on-topic responses&mdash;even when there&rsquo;s no single correct answer.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Simplified feedback&nbsp;based on student level</h2>

<p>Students are not all the same; they are at&nbsp;different levels, even when we are teaching the same lesson. Feedback is now&nbsp;<b>adapted to the learner&rsquo;s level</b>, making it more accessible, supportive, and appropriate for each stage of their learning journey.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4789/content_image-5.png" /></strong></p>

<p>Even though both classes are working on the same intermediate-level lesson, Bicycles,&nbsp;beginner students are performing above their current level, while advanced students are working below theirs, which can result in lower scores for the more advanced group.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4790/content_image-6-7.png" /></strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><b>Beginner students</b>&nbsp;now receive&nbsp;<b>shorter, simpler</b>&nbsp;comments with clear and encouraging language.</li>
	<li><b>More advanced students</b>&nbsp;get&nbsp;<b>deeper, more detailed</b>&nbsp;feedback that challenges their thinking and supports further growth.</li>
</ul>

<p>This thoughtful approach helps ensure students understand and benefit from the feedback without being overwhelmed by it.</p>

<h2>Built to empower teachers&mdash;not replace them</h2>

<p>We recognize the importance of the human connection between teachers and learners. AI will never replace the insight, empathy, or guidance of a teacher. Instead, our goal is to build tools that&nbsp;<b>support your work,&nbsp;</b>freeing you to focus on what matters most: fostering student growth.</p>

<p>Read more about our philosophy at&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/ai">ellii.com/ai</a></p>

<p>The new Ellii Bot is designed to be a helpful partner, making your day a little easier and your feedback process more efficient and aligned with your goals.</p>

<p>We&rsquo;re excited to keep improving it&mdash;and we&rsquo;re so grateful to the educators who help shape the tools we build.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Got feedback? We&rsquo;re always listening, and we count on you to help us keep getting better.</p>
</blockquote>


Ellii Bot Just Got Smarter

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<p>You may know that there are more than 600 long-form videos in <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos">Ellii&#39;s Media Gallery</a>, but were you aware that we also have a lot of short-form videos?&nbsp;We recently released our <strong>150th short</strong> on Ellii&#39;s social media channels and app, so what better time&nbsp;to discuss how you can make use of all this bite-sized content in class?</p>

<h2>Where can I find Ellii&#39;s shorts?</h2>

<h3>YouTube</h3>

<p>Have you seen Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/featured">YouTube channel for students</a></strong>? We post weekly shorts&nbsp;on YouTube&mdash;usually one or two per week. We make shorts on all kinds of topics, including grammar, vocabulary, idioms, phrasal verbs, pronunciation,&nbsp;listening, and speaking.</p>

<p>Go to&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts"><strong>Shorts&nbsp;tab</strong></a> from our home page (or just click on the following image) to see them all.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts"><img alt="Image of shorts index page on Ellii's YouTube channel for students" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4736/content_Youtube-Channel-Shorts.png" /></a></p>

<p>We also have our long-form <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/videos">videos</a> organized by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/playlists">playlists</a> on our channel, as well as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/community">community posts</a> area where we regularly pose questions to students about grammar, vocabulary, idioms, etc.</p>

<p>In case you missed it, we also have a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@elliiteachers">YouTube channel for teachers</a>!</p>

<h3>Instagram</h3>

<p>We also regularly post reels to our Instagram channel for students, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/">@elliienglish</a>. Reels are often shared as stories as well so that students can easily find our&nbsp;new content.</p>

<p>Go to the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/"><strong>Reels&nbsp;tab</strong></a> on our home page to view them all.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/"><img alt="Image of reels index on Ellii's Instagram for students account" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4735/content_Instagram-Reels.png" /></a></p>

<p>Looking for our Instagram account for teacher? Find it&nbsp;here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/esllibrary/">@esllibrary</a></p>

<h3>Ellii Solo/English App</h3>

<p>Did you know we have a self-study add-on to Ellii called <a href="https://ellii.com/solo">Ellii Solo</a> that schools or libraries can purchase for pre-enrollment programs or computer labs?&nbsp;We also have a self-study app (called <a href="https://www.englishapp.com/">English App</a>) that&nbsp;students can purchase on their own. Both Ellii Solo and English App&nbsp;offer mini-courses,&nbsp;study packs, and a vocabulary bank&nbsp;for self-study along with videos and shorts for extra learning.</p>

<p>Once you&#39;re inside the <a href="https://www.englishapp.com/">app</a>&nbsp;(when using Ellii Solo or English App), go to <strong>Videos</strong> on the bottom menu, and then select&nbsp;<strong>&quot;View all&quot;</strong> to scroll through our library of shorts.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/solo"><img alt="Image of video landing page for Ellii Solo / English App" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4725/content_App-Video-Feed.jpg" /></a></p>

<h2>How can I use Ellii&#39;s shorts in class?</h2>

<p>Now that you know where to find them, what can you do with them in class? Here are a few ideas you could use them for:</p>

<h3>1. Introduce or review&nbsp;a target</h3>

<p>Use a related short as a fun introduction to a grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation target or to do a quick review of it the next day. For example, if you&#39;re about to start&nbsp;a unit on Travel English, you could use our <a href="https://youtu.be/cCQUp73awL4?si=-vCaU8_yqcCexmOP">Airport Vocabulary</a> short to introduce the topic and elicit vocabulary.&nbsp;You could also assign it as homework.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/990227625" width="640"></iframe></div>

<p>Curious how you can search for the topic you want? Never fear! We&#39;ll cover how to search for a specific topic in the next section of this post.</p>

<h3>2. Expand on a target</h3>

<p>No matter what skill you&#39;re teaching, we probably have a short (or five) that expands on that topic. For example, if you&#39;re teaching your students how to pronounce the /m/ sound,&nbsp;you could use our <a href="https://youtu.be/eUJ1Afz2Sf0?si=HiVGbfp3yumvvFYS">short comparing the three nasal sounds</a> to see if they can&nbsp;distinguish /m/ from&nbsp;the other nasal sounds in English.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1090980404" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>3. Answer questions that come up&nbsp;in class</h3>

<p>We often cover tricky topics such as commonly confused words or grammar exceptions in our shorts. We all know students love asking the tough questions about exceptions to a rule, so why not answer these in a fun, visual way? Check out this example that <a href="https://youtu.be/rgr_AEJZtjs?si=VDOJE7jMSptW37Dg">compares &quot;compliment&quot; and &quot;complement.&quot;</a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1065624880" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>4. Use shorts as a basis for a pair activity or presentation topic</h3>

<p>Get your students to scroll through our shorts for homework and pick one that they didn&#39;t know about. The next day, have them teach a partner, group, or even the whole class about what they&#39;ve learned. After all, the best way to learn something really well is to teach it! Here&#39;s an example with <a href="https://youtu.be/V1QA6y7vWHU?si=NzdxwPBd0qoOdn24">&quot;prefer&quot; and &quot;rather&quot;</a>&nbsp;that would work well as a presentation topic.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1084808845" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>5. Use them to keep faster students from getting bored</h3>

<p>In any class, there will always be students who complete an assignment more quickly than others. Having them watch shorts while they wait for their peers to finish up is a fun, engaging task they&#39;ll enjoy. If they don&#39;t have earbuds or headphones at hand, you can have them mute the audio because all of our shorts have closed captions on YouTube and Instagram. (Captions on our app and Ellii Solo are coming soon!)</p>

<p>For example, they might enjoy this popular short on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7b1NKPtrutQ?feature=share">&quot;especially&quot; and &quot;specially.&quot;</a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/989656485" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>6. Use them for extra practice</h3>

<p>Shorts are also great for extra practice on a topic a student is struggling with or is asking about. For example, if a student keeps making mistakes with articles, you could have them watch one or all of our shorts on <a href="https://youtu.be/lC9UsaCV-20?si=CoSV7TlWGBR8wOpK">articles</a>.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/989124592" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>7. Use them as a review before teaching</h3>

<p>Sometimes we all need a little refresher, especially when it comes to more advanced grammar targets. Our shorts might even inspire you to teach or present something in a new way. As an example, here&#39;s a good way to&nbsp;teach students <a href="https://youtu.be/WRzQc-SaVpM?si=IdilcxGkuKmouecz">how to use &quot;however</a>&quot; in writing.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1082695695" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h2>Can I search through Ellii&#39;s shorts by topic/target?</h2>

<p>If you want students to do one short per day or random shorts during a study break, there may be no need to search for a specific topic. But if you&#39;re looking for quick teaching tips on something specific, such as a particular pronunciation or grammar target, what&#39;s the best way to&nbsp;search through Ellii&#39;s shorts?</p>

<p>The easiest way is to use our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts">student YouTube channel</a>. Instagram doesn&#39;t show titles, which makes searching more difficult (though we&#39;ve tried our best to make the topic clear in the thumbnails). And though there are filters on English App/Ellii Solo for long videos, our shorts are not filtered just yet (that&#39;s coming in a later phase, though). That&#39;s why <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts">YouTube</a> is your best bet for search, followed by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/">Instagram</a>.</p>

<h3>YouTube</h3>

<p>To search for a topic on YouTube, go to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@ellii">our channel&#39;s home page</a> and look for the&nbsp;search bar in the tabs on the home page (below the banner). Enter your keywords there, and YouTube will display results only from our&nbsp;channel. Don&#39;t be confused by the main search bar at the top of the page (above the banner)&mdash;that search will give you results from all of YouTube, not just Ellii.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/featured"><img alt="Image of search field on Ellii's YouTube for students channel" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4726/content_Youtube-Channel-Search.jpg" /></a></p>

<h3>Instagram</h3>

<p>While you can&#39;t search for a specific target as well as you can on YouTube, you can filter by general topic (grammar, pronunciation, idioms, etc.) in the highlights area on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/">Ellii&#39;s Instagram page</a>. Within these highlights are all our reels from 2025 grouped by topic that you can quickly flip through or watch one after the other. Note that the story highlight&nbsp;cuts off after a certain amount of time, but you can select &quot;watch full reel&quot; within any story to see the whole thing.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/"><img alt="Image of highlights area on Ellii's Instagram for students account" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4734/content_Instagram-Highlights.png" /></a></p>

<h2>Conclusion</h2>

<p>With Ellii&#39;s short-form videos, you have a lot of quick and easily digestible&nbsp;content at your fingertips. We hope our shorts and reels&nbsp;will be useful for both you and your students!</p>

<blockquote>How have you used Ellii&#39;s shorts in class? Share your experience with us in a comment below, or let us know if there&#39;s a target you&#39;d like us to cover in a short.&nbsp;We love taking requests!</blockquote>
