These posts are written for learners of English themselves. Find learning tips and ideas for learning English.

For Students

Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

Articles

<p>There are many different varieties of English all over the world. Around 75 countries use it as an official language.</p>

<p>Then there are regional differences. For example, in the UK, there isn&#39;t just one form of English. People speak English differently in different parts of the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I am from Scotland, so I speak Scottish English (or West Central&nbsp;Scots). In this post, I&#39;ll share some common words and phrases that will help you understand and be understood in Scotland, or around Scottish people.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What languages do people speak in Scotland?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The main language in Scotland is English. <a href="https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/census-results/at-a-glance/languages/" target="_blank">Government records show that 98.6% of people in Scotland speak it</a>.</p>

<p>Historically, Gaelic is&nbsp;the traditional language. It&nbsp;used to be spoken all over the country. Now only 0.5% of the population speak it at home&mdash;mostly in the Western Isles and North West Highlands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Then there&#39;s Scots. Government information shows that 1.1% of people said that they spoke this at home. Though, in my opinion, this number should be much higher. There are many English speakers in Scotland who don&#39;t realize they are speaking Scots.&nbsp;I was one&mdash;until I taught my first &quot;English&quot;&nbsp;class!</p>

<p>The reason for this is that there is a lot of confusion over what&nbsp;Scots language is, what a dialect is (a local version of the language), and what Scottish English is (English with some Scots words and sounds).&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Scotland.org,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-authors/what-is-scots" target="_blank">Scots is a language made up of different dialects from across the country</a>:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Dundonian dialect in Dundee</li>
	<li>Doric dialect in Aberdeenshire</li>
	<li>Edinburgh Scots dialect in&nbsp;Edinburgh</li>
	<li>Glaswegian dialect in Glasgow</li>
</ul>

<p>When I first started teaching, I used a lot of Scottish words and sounds. The students, who spoke excellent global English, didn&#39;t understand me. I quickly learned what was English and what was Scots.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From experience, there are lots of Scottish English speakers who are exactly like me when I started teaching. Don&#39;t be afraid to ask them if they are speaking Scottish or English! This will help them to reflect and rephrase what they&#39;ve said into understandable English (hopefully)!&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Do I need to learn Scottish English?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>No, not really. It would be impossible to learn every different variety of English.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If you plan to live in Scotland for a while, it will probably be helpful to learn some Scottish words. But if you are just staying for a short holiday, it&#39;s best to use these skills for speaking English anywhere:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Ask for the meaning of words that you don&#39;t know</li>
	<li>Ask people to repeat or say things more slowly</li>
	<li>Rephrase what people have said to check that you have understood them</li>
</ul>

<p>Remember there are two people (or more) in each conversation. They can help you by using their communication skills too.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Be confident: Even proficient language users find Scots English hard</h2>

<p>I have many examples of friends who speak absolutely fantastic English, but&nbsp;find&nbsp;Scottish speakers difficult to understand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One friend is a doctor from South Africa. He grew up speaking English. When he moved to Scotland, he found that there were lots of words he didn&#39;t understand. He started a vocabulary&nbsp;list on his phone so every time he learned a new word, he made a note of it. That list now has hundreds of words!&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another friend is from Portugal. They use English for work every day. When they met some people I&nbsp;know from Dundee, they were so confused. I&nbsp;had to translate the Dundonian Scottish into general English for them. My Dundonian friends didn&#39;t even realize&nbsp;that they weren&#39;t speaking globally understood English.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, you are not alone, and it&#39;s not that you don&#39;t understand&mdash;the other speaker might just be unclear!</p>

<h2>Some common differences in Scottish English to help you understand!</h2>

<h3>There&#39;s no &quot;t&quot;&nbsp;in Sco&#39;land!</h3>

<p>Sco&#39;ish people often don&#39;t pronounce the &quot;t&quot;&nbsp;sound. Words like <em>butter</em>, <em>wetter</em>, and&nbsp;<em>better</em> become &quot;bu&#39;er,&quot;&nbsp;&quot;we&#39;er,&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;be&#39;er.&quot;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5484/scoish.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<p>To speak clearly and be easily understood, it&#39;s best to pronounce your consonant sounds. However, it&#39;s good to know you might hear this in Sco&#39;land.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>&quot;How?&quot;&nbsp;can mean &quot;Why?&quot;</h3>

<p>In Scotland, many people will ask you &quot;How?&quot;&nbsp;when they mean &quot;Why?&quot;</p>

<p>For example:&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p>A: I will be&nbsp;late.&nbsp;</p>

<p>B: How?&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>

<p>B wants to know the reason<em> why</em> A will be late.&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>Cannae, isnae, wasnae, gonnae</strong></h3>

<p>Instead of &quot;not,&quot;&nbsp;many people in Scotland use &quot;nae.&quot;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5483/Gonnae.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>can&#39;t &gt; cannae</li>
	<li>isn&#39;t &gt; isnae</li>
	<li>wasn&#39;t &gt; wasnae</li>
	<li>going to&nbsp;&gt; gonnae</li>
	<li>can you &gt; gonnae</li>
</ul>

<p>&quot;Gonnae&quot; can mean two things. It can mean the future tense &quot;going to.&quot;&nbsp;People also use it to ask someone for help or to do something:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>&quot;Gonnae clean your room?&quot;&nbsp;= &quot;Can you clean your room?&quot;</li>
</ul>

<h3>Wee = small</h3>

<p>In Scotland, we use &quot;wee&quot;&nbsp;instead of &quot;small&quot; or &quot;little.&quot; For example:&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5482/wee.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Gonnae cut me a wee slice of cake?&nbsp;= Can you cut me a little slice of cake?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>I&#39;m a wee bit tired after that class. = I&#39;m a little tired after that class.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>When I&#39;m with speakers of English from other places, I try not to use Scots words. But I can&#39;t stop saying &quot;wee.&quot;</p>

<p>This can sometimes cause confusion. Once, I was helping my Australian friend&#39;s child at a playground. He wanted to reach but was too small. I said, &quot;You&#39;re too wee.&quot; His reply was &quot;I&#39;m not a wee-wee.&quot; (&quot;I&#39;m not a pee.&quot;)&nbsp;The wee man had a good point!&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Aye = yes&nbsp;</h3>

<p>In Scotland, people say &quot;aye&quot; instead of &quot;yes&quot; or &quot;yeah.&quot; It sounds the same as &quot;eye&quot; the body part, but has a different meaning.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5476/aye.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<blockquote>
<p>A: Would you like a wee cup of tea?</p>

<p>B: Aye!&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>

<h3>Yous for plural &quot;you&quot;</h3>

<p>In English, &quot;you&quot; can be one person or many people. In my humble Scottish opinion, this can be quite confusing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Scotland, we use &#39;you&#39; for one person and &#39;yous&#39; for many. This might sound strange if you haven&#39;t heard it before, but it makes it much clearer who we are talking about. For example:&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5477/yous.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>Are you coming to the party? &nbsp;(asking one person if they are coming)</li>
	<li>Are yous coming to the party? (asking two or more people if they are coming)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h3>But = though</h3>

<p>You might hear a lot of sentences ending with &quot;but.&quot; It is commonly used to contrast meaning.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5478/but.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>She said she didnae want to come but.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>He&#39;s friendly, but.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>You might think that the person speaking has forgotten to finish their sentence! They havnae&nbsp;but!</p>

<h3>Bairns vs. weans</h3>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5485/weans.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<p>In West Coast Scots, people use &quot;weans&quot; (pronounced like&nbsp;&quot;wane&quot; or the same sound as&nbsp;&quot;rain&quot;) to talk about children. In the East Coast, people tend to say &quot;bairns&quot; (pronounced like &quot;bear&quot;). You can use this to tell which Scots people speak.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Who&#39;s Ken?&nbsp;</h3>

<p>In some parts of Scotland, you&#39;ll hear the word &quot;ken&quot; a lot. &quot;Ken&quot; means &quot;know&quot; in Eastern Scotland. This can be confusing as it is also a man&#39;s name.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5481/ken.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>&quot;Do you ken whit I mean?&quot; = &quot;Do you know what I mean?&quot;</li>
	<li>&quot;I dinnae ken.&quot; = &quot;I don&#39;t know.&quot;</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cheers = thanks</h3>

<p>One of my students once asked me &quot;Why does everyone say &#39;cheese&#39;&nbsp;when I hold a door open for them or do something nice for them?&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>I was confused. &quot;Cheese?&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Yeah,&quot; the student replied. Then they acted it out.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>&quot;Aaaah! Cheers! &#39;Cheers&#39; means &#39;thanks&#39;!&quot;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&quot;Aaaah!&quot; said my student. &quot;Cheers! I ken now!&quot;</li>
	<li>&quot;Nae bother,&quot; I replied. Because in Scotland that means &quot;no problem&quot; or &quot;no bother.&quot;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h3>Rain</h3>

<p>It rains a lot in Scotland. That&#39;s why we have hunners (hundreds) of words for rain. Here are some:&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5479/rain.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<ul>
	<li>drizzle, smirr, mizzle,&nbsp;Scotch mist =&nbsp;light rain&nbsp;</li>
	<li>pouring doon, tipping it doon, chucking it doon&nbsp;=&nbsp;&nbsp;heavy rain (doon = down)</li>
	<li>dreich = not raining, but the sky is dark, gray, and miserable</li>
	<li>drookit = a great adjective to describe when you are soaking wet (probably because it&#39;s pouring doon)</li>
</ul>

<h3>Taps aff or taps oan</h3>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio" style="text-align: center;">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/5480/taps-aff.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<p>People in Scotland like to laugh at themselves and the weather. They also get excited when the sun comes out. When the temperature rises over 20&deg;C, some guys like to sit in the park with their tops off&mdash;until their skin burns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is why we use the terms&nbsp;&quot;taps aff&quot; and &quot;taps oan&quot;&nbsp;to describe the weather.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>A &quot;taps aff&quot; (tops off) day is when it is hot enough to enjoy the sunshine with light summer clothing.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A &quot;taps oan&quot; (tops on) day is a day when it is chucking it doon, drizzly, dreich, or cold enough to wear all your clothes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>If you would like to get your weather this way, check out <a href="https://www.taps-aff.co.uk/" target="_blank">Taps-Aff.co.uk</a>!</p>

<h2>More on Scottish English</h2>

<p>To learn more about Scottish English, search online for films and TV from Scotland. I&#39;d recommend:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Film:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1924394/" target="_blank">The Angel&#39;s Share</a></li>
	<li>Film:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380366/?ref_=fn_t_1" target="_blank">Aye Fond Kiss</a></li>
	<li>Film:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3823098/" target="_blank">Edie</a></li>
	<li>TV: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3006802/" target="_blank">Outlander</a></li>
	<li>TV: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108803/?ref_=fn_i_2" target="_blank">The High Life&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>TV: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0155450/?ref_=fn_i_1" target="_blank">Para Handy</a></li>
</ul>

<p>I&#39;d also recommend <a href="https://thescottishsoundschool.com/watch-and-listen" target="_blank">The Scottish Sound School</a>. You&#39;ll find a lot of videos and other content by language expert Gemma Archer there.&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Have you been to Scotland? Do you have favorite Scots words? What experience do you have of speaking to Scots English speakers? We&#39;d love to know.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


Essential Scottish for English Language Learners: Common Phrases & Expressions

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2820/Emily_Essential-Scottish-for-English-Language-Learners_Banner.png

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

Teaching with Ellii

<p>Every week, our <strong>Customer Support</strong> team answers dozens of questions from Ellii subscribers. The Support team&nbsp;passes some of these questions on to our <strong>Publishing</strong> and <strong>Product</strong> teams in order to:&nbsp;<br />
<br />
1. gather specialized tips and suggestions that will benefit teachers&nbsp;<br />
2. push for features, updates, and content that subscribers request<br />
<br />
Frequently asked questions&nbsp;often turn into full-length blog posts (e.g., <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/categories/grammar-usage" target="_parent">grammar questions</a>), Help Docs (e.g., <a href="https://help.ellii.com/" target="_parent">step-by-step instructions</a>), or videos (e.g., in-depth feature <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2HAIBUNgKo&amp;list=PLP0N5nuiA3aM_OP18M7G9XSYjXigIuunA" target="_parent">explainers</a>).&nbsp;Reflecting on questions like these&nbsp;also helps us think about what we can do to improve the user experience for teachers, students, and administrators.</p>

<p>Here is a question the Customer Support<strong> </strong>team passed on to the Publishing team this week.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>I was wondering which lessons already have built-in assessments. For example, your <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1754-making-requests" target="_parent">Making Requests</a> lesson, found in the <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/functional-english" target="_parent">Functional English</a> section, already has a ready-made assessment included with it.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For 20+ years, Ellii (formerly ESL Library) has been creating materials&nbsp;focused primarly on helping students <strong>learn</strong>, <strong>practice</strong>, and <strong>use</strong>&nbsp;real and relevant English.</p>

<p>We began incorporating <strong>formative</strong> and <strong>summative</strong> <strong>assessments</strong> into our ready-made lessons and courses several&nbsp;years ago when teacher&nbsp;requests for ready-made assessments&nbsp;began to pour in.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With so many different types of lesson sections and resources available at Ellii, we did not take&nbsp;a standardized approach when it came to adding assessments. For example, we added multiple-choice quizzes to our<strong>&nbsp;foundational </strong>sections that focus on grammar and vocabulary. For sections focusing on<strong> life skills</strong>, we added assessments more aligned with&nbsp;real-world tasks with ready-made tools for grading and offering feedback.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While some teachers appreciated our <strong>ready-made rubrics</strong>, other preferred editable ones that they could <strong>customize</strong>. To answer this need, we developed an <strong>Evaluation</strong> resource category in our&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_parent">Assessment Tools</a> section and added generic forms that could be used with a variety of lessons.</p>

<h1>Index of assessments on Ellii</h1>

<p>As we work on improving how teachers can find suitable assessments on Ellii, we&nbsp;hope the index below&nbsp;will give you a better idea of what types of assessments you will find in sections that have built-in assessments.</p>

<p>We also have several sections that were designed to focus on <strong>skill using</strong>, and we do not have plans to add assessments to these. If you come across a lesson or section that you think would benefit from the addition of&nbsp;built-in assessments, please let us know!&nbsp; Note that some of our older lessons in the sections below may be missing a printable or digital&nbsp;assessment.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_parent">Diagnostics</a></h2>

<p>The following tests are available to help you get a better idea of your students&#39; proficiency levels. This can then help you determine which level of Ellii you should set your filters to when browsing lessons for these students.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4226-ellii-placement-test" target="_self">Ellii Placement Test (Speaking &amp; Writing)</a>&nbsp;(Multiple-Choice and Open Answer: Grammar, Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4164-ellii-placement-quiz" target="_self">Ellii Placement Test (Autograded)</a> (Multiple-Choice: Grammar, Listening, Reading)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5607-ellii-exit-test-autograded">Ellii Exit Test (Autograded)</a>&nbsp;(Multiple-Choice: Grammar, Listening, Reading)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2448-grammar-test-1" target="_self">Grammar Test 1</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2449-grammar-test-2" target="_self">Grammar Test 2</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2450-grammar-test-3" target="_self">Grammar Test 3</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2451-grammar-test-4" target="_self">Grammar Test 4</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="speaking task placement test" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4100/content_Ellii_placement-test-speaking.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample speaking question from Ellii&#39;s Placement Test.</p>

<h2><img alt="grammar test 2 writing" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4099/content_Ellii-Grammar-Test-2-Writing.png" /></h2>

<p class="caption">A sample index of questions and a sample writing question from the digital version of Ellii&#39;s Placement Test.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/casas-test-preparation" target="_blank">CASAS Test Preparation</a></h2>

<p>In this section, you will find ready-made practice tests for all levels of the CASAS STEPS Reading and Listening tests. These tests are modeled after the CASAS STEPS tests and will give your students practice and help them become familiar with the types of questions they will encounter on the real tests. The amount of time students have and the number of times they can listen to the audio is identical to the real tests.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/casas-test-preparation" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4925/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-17_at_2.01.13_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>To use the tests in practice mode during class time, you can click on the left menu and launch the questions in a <strong>Task</strong> player. Otherwise, assign a test to your students and they will see it in the same way as you do when you click the <strong>Launch assessment</strong> button.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/casas-test-preparation" target="_blank"><img alt="practice task or test mode" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4926/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-17_at_2.03.43_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/grammar-practice-worksheets" target="_parent">Grammar Practice Worksheets</a></h2>

<p>This is our most popular grammar section. A suggested teaching order is available.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable quizzes</li>
	<li>digital quizzes</li>
</ul>

<p>Note: We&#39;ve had some requests to offer assessments in our companion grammar section for young learners (<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/fun-grammar-lessons" target="_parent">Fun Grammar Lessons</a>). If this is something you would like to see on Ellii, be sure to let us know.</p>

<p><img alt="grammar assessment printable" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4071/content_Grammar-printable-quiz.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample assessment from a printable lesson in&nbsp;<strong>Grammar Practice Worksheets</strong>.</p>

<h2 class="caption"><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/super-simple-grammar" target="_parent">Super Simple Grammar</a></h2>

<p>This section offers verb basic grammar drills focused on a single target.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable quizzes</li>
	<li>digital quizzes&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/functional-english" target="_parent">Functional English</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around real-world dialogues. It focuses on teaching everyday vocabulary and expressions used in daily&nbsp;interactions.&nbsp;Each lesson includes&nbsp;a few short dialogues.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable review tasks for assessment purposes with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment tasks (some include videos)</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="functional english assessment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4074/content_Functional-english-assessment.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample ready-made rubric from the&nbsp;<strong>Functional English</strong> section.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/english-basics" target="_parent">English Basics</a></h2>

<p>This section offers&nbsp;lessons for newcomers with very low-literacy skills.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment (check)</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="money assessment tool b" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4092/content_money-assessment-tool-ellii.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample assessment&nbsp;and rubric from the <strong>English Basics</strong> section.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/everyday-dialogues" target="_parent">Everyday Dialogues</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around real-world dialogues. It focuses on teaching everyday vocabulary and expressions used in English-speaking communities and&nbsp;workplaces. Each lesson introduces one main dialogue. Assessments may introduce new dialogues while reviewing targeted language. Role-plays that can be used for assessment purposes are available in each lesson. A generic <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2771-role-play-assessment-tool" target="_parent">assessment tool</a> is also available.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable review tasks that can be used for assessment purposes&nbsp;</li>
	<li>role-plays that can be used for assessment purposes</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="everyday dialogues sample assessment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4082/content_Screen_Shot_2024-11-05_at_11.39.31_AM.png" /></p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/real-world-reading" target="_parent">Real-World Reading</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around real-world reading and vocabulary. Each lesson features&nbsp;materials with&nbsp;authentic formats, such as receipts, maps, posters, and emails. These materials help prepare adult ed students to answer reading questions on&nbsp;standardized proficiency tests.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="real-world reading digital assessment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4101/content_Ellii-digital-assessment-sample.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample digital assessment from&nbsp;the <strong>Real-World Reading</strong> section.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/reading-in-english" target="_parent">Reading in English</a></h2>

<p>This academic English&nbsp;section centers around reading strategies. It focuses on reading skills that are useful for improving comprehension.&nbsp;Each lesson is based on&nbsp;one main reading skill.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment (check)</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/writing-in-english" target="_parent">Writing in English</a></h2>

<p>This academic English&nbsp;section centers around writing&nbsp;strategies. It focuses on writing&nbsp;skills that are useful for academic and workplace purposes.&nbsp;Each lesson hones in&nbsp;on&nbsp;one main writing skill.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable writing challenge</li>
	<li>digital writing challenge&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="digital writing challenge" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4102/content_Ellii-sample-writing-assessment.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample writing assessment from the digital version or a <strong>Writing in English</strong> lesson.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways" target="_parent">Career Pathways</a></h2>

<p>This digital-only workplace section focuses on career exploration with an emphasis on vocabulary and reading comprehension. Each lesson introduces one possible career pathway.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>digital quiz</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/super-simple-questions" target="_parent">Super Simple Questions</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around very short&nbsp;real-world dialogues for absolute beginners.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment suggestions&nbsp;in answer key</li>
	<li>digital assessments</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Assessment suggestions in Answer Key" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4084/content_Assessment-in-akey.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample answer key excerpt with suggested tasks a teacher could use for assessment.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=43&amp;page=1" target="_parent">General English courses</a>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>These Ellii Up courses are designed for teachers who do not use a coursebook or do not want to build their own curriculum. They&nbsp;offer a sequence of lessons from multiple sections on Ellii&nbsp;at a single proficiency level. Students can progress through the levels and take assessments as they go.</p>

<p>In addition to the course assessments, some lessons within each course&nbsp;have their own assessments within them.</p>

<ul>
	<li>mid-course assessment</li>
	<li>final assessment</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=3&amp;material=courses&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Grammar courses</a></h2>

<p>These courses are designed for teachers who do not use a coursebook or do not want to build their own curriculum. They&nbsp;offer a sequence of grammar-focused lessons from multiple sections on Ellii&nbsp;at a single proficiency level. Students can progress through the levels and take assessments as they go.</p>

<ul>
	<li>final digital assessment</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=6&amp;material=courses&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Workplace&nbsp;courses</a></h2>

<p>These ready-made courses focus on business English or career-specific English.&nbsp;They&nbsp;offer a sequence of lessons at a&nbsp;proficiency level with two main assessments. These are ideal for self-study.</p>

<ul>
	<li>mid-course assessment</li>
	<li>final assessment</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="final assessment sample workplace course on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4083/content_Screen_Shot_2024-11-05_at_11.44.52_AM.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample vocabulary question from a final assessment in an Ellii workplace course.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=2&amp;material=courses&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Serials</a></h2>

<p>These ready-made courses focus on informal English.&nbsp; They&nbsp;offer a sequence of lessons at a&nbsp;proficiency level with assessments throughout.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>3-4 assessments (printable/digital) per course&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_blank">Generic evaluation &amp; reflection tools</a></h2>

<p>Ready-made printable rubrics and forms to use for a variety of purposes when assessing language learners. Below are 10 examples. Many more are available in our <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_parent">Assessment Tools</a> section.</p>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2832-english-questionnaire" target="_parent">English Questionnaire</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2132-reading-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Reading Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2131-writing-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Writing Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2129-speaking-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Speaking Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2130-listening-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Listening Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2326-advanced-reading-comprehension" target="_parent">Advanced Reading Comprehension</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2383-personal-opinion-assessment-tools" target="_parent">Personal Opinion Assessment Tools</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2126-self-evaluation-form" target="_parent">Self-Evaluation Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2228-exit-slips" target="_parent">Exit Slips</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2557-3-2-1-reflection" target="_parent">3-2-1 Reflection</a></li>
</ol>

<h1>A Note on Grading</h1>

<p>If you&#39;re interested in learning more about Ellii&#39;s <strong>Grade Feed</strong>, please watch this video. Note that important updates are in the works, including expanding on our use of AI for grading open-ended writing and speaking responses.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lk1zLa3MGU0?si=UxvrrU74VSMcEXEy" width="640"></iframe></div>

<blockquote>Which Ellii assessments have you used? Which tests are your students preparing for? Share thoughts and feedback about assessment in the comments. Be sure to share your feedback on&nbsp;Ellii&#39;s new CASAS practice tests!</blockquote>

How to Find Assessments on Ellii

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2569/Tara_How-to-Find-Assessments-on-Ellii_Banner(2).png

<p>When I was an ESOL lecturer at City of Glasgow College, I delivered a lot of employability-themed and workplace English lessons. My learners were mostly from refugee backgrounds, wishing to get back into their profession or upskill to reap the economic benefits.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In my previous post, I reflected on&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-importance-of-workplace-english" target="_parent">Why You Should Teach Workplace English</a>. In this post, I&rsquo;ll give some of my top tips on &quot;how.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Seek local (or online) partnerships</b></h2>

<p>Students want to learn workplace English in order to enhance their career opportunities. To do this, connecting them with people who can offer further support is extremely helpful. Local and online partners could provide services such as:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>inspiring workshops and webinars</li>
	<li>mentoring&nbsp;</li>
	<li>job application advice</li>
	<li>work placements</li>
	<li>volunteering</li>
	<li>workplace visits and site tours</li>
</ul>

<h2><b>Share inspiring stories&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>Finding work in a language you are developing can be a challenge. Students can often get disheartened. To boost their confidence and motivation levels, share stories of people who have been in similar situations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can find these stories in newspapers, magazines, or blog posts. Alternatively, search through the content library at Ellii for a real-life reading, like this one on how <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2405-jack-ma " target="_parent">Jack Ma</a> became China&rsquo;s wealthiest person after creating Ali Baba or how <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4061-entrepreneurs-simple-past" target="_parent">Milton Hershey</a>&nbsp;opened a world-famous chocolate factory or how <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2212-hedy-lamarr" target="_parent">Hedy Lamarr</a> went from acting to paving the way for Wi-Fi technology.</p>

<p>Personally, I find the most motivating stories for learners come from their own peers. Have them share their own success stories in class&nbsp;or invite previous students back to class to share theirs.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Bring in realia</b></h2>

<p>When I was teaching ESOL for Social Care, learners had A LOT of technical vocabulary to learn. One of the most fun&nbsp;and realistic&nbsp;ways to get vocabulary to stick was by bringing in realia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Luckily for me, my parents hadn&rsquo;t retired at the time, so they brought me lots of cool stuff to use in class: colostomy bags, syringes, bandages, and bedpans. Students had a great time discussing these items as well as&nbsp;labeling them and doing role-plays with them!</p>

<p>Of course, it may not be practical or possible to bring real equipment to class. It&rsquo;s quite unlikely you&rsquo;ll be able to bring a dentist&rsquo;s LED light to class, for example!&nbsp;That&rsquo;s when you can rely on Ellii&rsquo;s vast <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards" target="_parent">Media Gallery</a>, which now has almost 5,000 images and 150 workplace videos.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://ellii.com/video/led-light" target="_blank"><img alt="LED light silent clip" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4087/content_LED-light-video-Ellii-workplace-english.png" /></a><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job?flashcard=9109&amp;query=LED%20light" target="_blank"><img alt="LED light flashcard" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4080/content_Screen_Shot_2024-11-04_at_4.17.25_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>Check out Ellii&#39;s growing&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job" target="_parent"> At Work &amp; On the Job</a> flashcard category.</p>

<h2><b>Focus on the&nbsp;<i>English</i></b></h2>

<p>When teaching workplace English, remember that you are first and foremost teaching English. You are (probably) not a pharmacist, dentist, phlebotomist, custodian, emergency medical technician, or nursing assistant. It can be tricky to distance yourself from learning (or inadvertently teaching) the workplace topic. That&rsquo;s for your students to learn. You can give them the communication skills to succeed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To get around this, ask your learners frequently what they need and what interactions they have (or may have) had. You can also have them bring any tricky coursework to class to inform your lessons. Use these to put the vocabulary into practice using role-plays and real-life scenarios.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It can take a lot of time and preparation to create high-quality workplace English lessons. That&rsquo;s why Ellii has done the hard work for you with its new Career-Specific&nbsp;Pathway courses. The teachers and writers at Ellii are not phlebotomists or pharmacists, either! However, they hired real-life&nbsp;consultants to help build these courses for your students&#39; career exploration and to ensure the scenarios are realistic and relevant. You can teach these in class or set them as self-directed study.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Check them out here:&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Career-Specific Pathway&nbsp;Courses</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/nursing-assistants/materials" target="_parent">English for Nursing Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/pharmacy-technicians/materials" target="_parent">English for Pharmacy Technicians</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/dental-assistants/materials" target="_parent">English for Dental Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-phlebotomists/materials" target="_parent">English for Phlebotomists</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-paraeducators/materials" target="_parent">English for Paraeducators</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-custodians/materials" target="_parent">English for Custodians</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-emergency-medical-technicians/materials" target="_parent">English for Emergency Medical Technicians</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-medical-assistants/materials" target="_parent">English for Medical Assistants</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<p>Not ready for full courses?&nbsp;Ellii also has exploratory Career Pathways lessons that can be ideal to find out what your students are interested in.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Exploratory Career Pathways Lessons</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5018-working-as-a-nursing-assistant " target="_parent">Working as a Nursing Assistant</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5034-working-as-a-pharmacy-technician" target="_parent">Working as a Pharmacy Technician</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5030-working-as-a-dental-assistant " target="_parent">Working as a Dental Assistant</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5035-working-as-a-phlebotomist " target="_parent">Working as a Phlebotomist</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5016-working-as-a-custodian" target="_parent">Working as a Custodian</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5038-working-as-a-paraeducator " target="_parent">Working as a Paraeducator</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<h2>Related</h2>

<p>For more on our <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/career-pathways-for-newcomers" target="_parent">Career-Specific&nbsp;Pathway&nbsp;courses</a>, check out this blog post from Tara Benwell and watch for an upcoming webinar!&nbsp;</p>

<p>You may also like this post on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-importance-of-workplace-english" target="_parent">Why You Should Teacher Workplace English</a>.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Have you taught workplace English? What career-specific topics have you taught? What are your top tips? Do you have any employment success stories to share regarding your past ESOL students?&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


How to Teach Workplace English

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2607/Emily_How-to-Teach-Workplace-English_Banner.png

<p>In this post, I outline some reasons why teaching workplace English is so important. (And why I&rsquo;m personally excited about Ellii&rsquo;s new <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=6&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Career-Specific Pathway&nbsp;courses</a>.)</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S2HAIBUNgKo?si=WOUi4VpVjRMOR39Y" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h2><b>1. Hope</b></h2>

<p>For many years, I taught workplace ESOL to new Scots. My learners were mostly people from <strong>refugee backgrounds</strong> who had made Scotland their home. Many of them were skilled professionals&mdash;doctors, nurses, business owners, and engineers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Imagine being forced to leave your country due to war, political unrest, or lack of safety.&nbsp;You find yourself in an unfamiliar place where you have to take a role below your skill level to survive. You&rsquo;ve devoted years of your life to your career, but your qualifications aren&rsquo;t accepted or have been destroyed. To add to that, your English language skills aren&rsquo;t proficient enough.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Teaching workplace ESOL&nbsp;and providing learners access to self-study courses&nbsp;can give them hope. It can take years to learn English, but <strong>developing skills tailored to their chosen career path</strong> can help them get where they want to be much faster.&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/nursing-assistants/materials" target="_parent">English for Nursing Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/pharmacy-technicians/materials" target="_parent">English for Pharmacy Technicians</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/dental-assistants/materials" target="_parent">English for Dental Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-phlebotomists/materials" target="_parent">English for Phlebotomists</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-paraeducators/materials" target="_parent">English for Paraeducators</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-custodians/materials" target="_parent">English for Custodians</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-emergency-medical-technicians/materials" target="_parent">English for Emergency Medical Technicians</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-medical-assistants/materials" target="_parent">English for Medical Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-home-health-aides/materials" target="_blank">English for Home Health Aides</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/soft-skills-for-hospitality-workers/materials">Soft Skills for Hospitality Workers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-commercial-drivers/materials">English for Commercial Drivers</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<h2><b>2. Motivation</b></h2>

<p>One of the main reasons for learning another language is to enhance career opportunities. Having proficient language skills can increase confidence and open doors. If you ask your learners why they are learning English, <strong>employability</strong> will likely be one of their top reasons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As teachers, we are constantly looking for content that students can get excited about, and tailoring lessons to students&rsquo; needs can help do this.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>If a student is a <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/pharmacy-technicians/materials " target="_parent">pharmacy technician</a>&nbsp;or is (re)training to be one, what could be more motivating than a whole course specifically designed with their needs in mind?</p>

<h2><b>3. (Re)Training</b></h2>

<p>One of the biggest <strong>barriers</strong> my learners faced when finding employment in Scotland was their <strong>qualifications</strong>. In many cases, their certificates had perished in fires&nbsp;or been abandoned in haste. This left them <strong>without evidence </strong>of having completed their training.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another issue was that some <strong>qualifications</strong> had different <strong>equivalencies</strong> between countries. For example, four years at university in one country could be the equivalent to two levels below in another. This meant that many students had to re-train in order to practice. In some cases, this meant a conversion course while&nbsp;others had to start their training again from scratch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Training or re-training is not simple, especially in a new language. Teaching workplace English can support learners to prepare for training courses&nbsp;or support them while they complete their professional development.</p>

<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write" frameborder="0" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/976886639?badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="English-for-Nursing-Assistants-Intro-V2"></iframe></div>
<script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

<h2><b>4. Opening closed doors</b></h2>

<p>In order to be a teacher, lawyer, dentist, or other specialized trade, you need to speak the language of the country you are practicing in proficiently. Many of my learners were intermediate or below. This meant that the proverbial door was closed to them until their language skills were strong enough.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Learning a language can take years. However, this can be fast-tracked by targeted learning and by focusing on the interactions, skills, and vocabulary that each individual learner needs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=6&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Career-Specific&nbsp;Pathway&nbsp;courses</a> help <strong>dental assistants, nursing assistants, pharmacy assistants, phlebotomists, medical assistants, paraeducators, </strong>and<strong> custodians</strong> communicate confidently in their chosen profession. And don&#39;t worry! Ellii has plans to help nudge the doors open for many other occupations in 2025.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>5. Client communication</b></h2>

<p>Many learners may already be working in their chosen profession. They might already have developed their language skills, gotten the qualifications they need, and started working in their chosen role. Yet, now that they are working, they feel the need to polish their work-specific communication skills.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A South African friend of mine is a surgeon. He speaks English proficiently, but when he moved to Scotland, he found that he couldn&rsquo;t understand his patients. Why? Because his patients are speaking Scots. My friend started taking notes of all the Scots terms he encountered and now uses them conversationally around other Scots speakers&nbsp;and with his patients. As with our learners, he needed to develop his workplace communication skills.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4944-communication-during-a-blood-draw" target="_parent">Communication during a Blood Draw</a>&nbsp;from the <strong>English for Phlebotomists</strong> course, the student can read and listen to an example conversation during a blood draw. The phlebotomist describes the stages and what he is doing&nbsp;while&nbsp;distracting the patient by asking her to talk about her interests.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="English for phlebotomists" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4064/content_Screen_Shot_2024-10-30_at_2.27.58_PM.png" /></p>

<h2><b>6. Career inspiration</b></h2>

<p>Some learners may be exploring which career path they wish to take. Workplace English can be a great way for them to consider some aspects of the job roles that interest them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, maybe they want to be a dental assistant. Giving them access to the <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/dental-assistants/materials " target="_parent">English for Dental Assistants</a> course can not only polish their English skills, but also help them understand the role more deeply.</p>

<p><img alt="English for dental assistants" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4067/content_English-for-Dental-Assistants.png" /></p>

<blockquote>
<p>If your students aren&#39;t sure what jobs they might be interested in, you&nbsp;could even start with an <a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/career-pathways" target="_parent">Ellii Poll</a> or lesson on <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways" target="_parent">Career Pathways</a>&nbsp;before assigning a full course.</p>
</blockquote>

<h2><b>7. Switching roles: Being a better patient!</b></h2>

<p>Maybe your learners have other career interests or Ellii hasn&rsquo;t yet had a chance to create the perfect course for them. You can still use them with your learners!&nbsp;</p>

<p>If a student is going into hospital, you could do this lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4809-patient-admission " target="_parent">Patient Admission</a> from the <strong>English for Nursing Assistants</strong> course.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If a student is <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4892-filling-procedure " target="_parent">getting a filling</a>, try this lesson from the <strong>English for Dental Assistants</strong> course.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If a student needs to visit the pharmacy for medicine recommendations, you could use <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4938-over-the-counter-recommendations " target="_parent">this lesson</a> from <strong>English for Pharmacy Assistants</strong>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When I first started teaching workplace English many years ago, there were limited resources. We had to create our own, so I was delighted to see that Eliii has created all these wonderful resources to make teachers and learners lives so much easier.&nbsp;I hope you enjoy them.&nbsp;For more ideas on how to teach <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/career-pathways-for-newcomers" target="_parent">Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;Career Pathways content</a>, check out these tips.</p>

<p>Watch for my follow-up post on <strong>How to Teach Workplace English</strong>&nbsp;as well as an upcoming webinar focusing on Ellii&#39;s content for&nbsp;<strong>Allied Health </strong>industry.</p>

<blockquote>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-57c41dd3-7fff-3929-616a-3dc8321f83ed">Have you taught workplace English? What have you taught? In what ways do you think it is important for learners? </b></p>
</blockquote>


Why You Should Teach Workplace English

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2606/Emily_Why-You-Should-Teach-Workplace-English_Banner.png

<p>There is no doubt that using photos, images, and illustrations in class is a powerful tool. They can help:</p>

<ul>
	<li>aid understanding</li>
	<li>boost memory</li>
	<li>ignite conversations</li>
	<li>motivate learners&nbsp;</li>
	<li>enhance accessibility</li>
	<li>stimulate critical thinking</li>
	<li>inspire creativity</li>
</ul>

<p>Here are some ways to use them to support English language learning.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1. To teach vocabulary</h2>

<p>Images are particularly useful for teaching vocabulary, especially at lower levels. It can be challenging to explain the meaning of a word using simpler language than the target word&nbsp;itself. However, showing an image can bring immediate understanding.</p>

<p>For example, imagine trying to explain &quot;cheek retractors&quot; to a B1 student studying workplace English without using pictures or looking at each other! First, you&rsquo;d need to check that they understood the word &quot;cheek&quot;&nbsp;(the part of your face between your lips and ears), and then you&rsquo;d need to find a way to express &quot;retractor.&quot; Pretty tricky, right?</p>

<p>Or, you could just show them this photo from Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/dental-assistants/materials" target="_self">English for Dental Assistants</a> course!</p>

<p><img alt="cheek retractor" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4012/content_cheek-retractor-Ellii-visuals.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">&nbsp;Image of &quot;cheek retractors&quot; from the Ellii course Workplace: <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4900-teeth-whitening-treatment" target="_self">English for Dental Assistants: Teeth Whitening Treatment</a>.</p>

<p>You could also use this illustration from Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/dental-assistants?flashcard=9713" target="_self">Dental Assistants</a> flashcard set.</p>
<p<img alt="cheek retractors" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4006/content_cheek-retractors_CT.png">
<p>Many of Ellii&#39;s lessons use flashcards and picture dictionaries to introduce vocabulary. Ellii has almost 5,000 flashcards and teachers can create sets to meet their students&rsquo; needs. Students can then use these to create their own picture dictionaries and vocabulary notes.</p>

<p>Here are some other <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection" target="_self">creative ways to use flashcards</a>.</p>

<h2>2. To introduce global topics</h2>

<p>While illustrations can be fun and educational, sometimes a photo is more appropriate and expressive, such as this photo entitled <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4546-fleeing-sudan" target="_self">Fleeing Sudan</a>&nbsp;from Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/resources/photo-prompts" target="_self">Photo Prompts</a> section.</p>

<p>Using just one image, students are prompted to describe the photo, make predictions, research the history of Sudan, and explore reasons for migration. In this case, a photo is essential to show the reality of the situation.</p>

<p><img alt="real photos from the news" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4007/content_Screen_Shot_2024-10-17_at_4.19.10_PM.png" /></p>

<p>This blog post has more ideas for you to get a three-hour lesson out of just one image:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-one-image-can-develop-visual-literacy-and-critical-thinking" target="_self">What&#39;s the Story? How One Image Can Develop Visual Literacy &amp; Critical Thinking Skills</a></p>

<h2>3. To inspire storytelling</h2>

<p>Using storytelling in class is a brilliant way to incorporate all four communication skills. Students can:</p>

<ul>
	<li>listen to a story and take notes</li>
	<li>discuss the story</li>
	<li>write a summary of the story (or an alternative version)</li>
	<li>read other students&#39; stories</li>
</ul>

<p>Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/story-prompts" target="_self">Story Prompts</a> use images to inspire students&rsquo; storytelling skills. For example, in this Superhero story, students can describe the picture or use it to tell their own version of the story. Students can do this alone or in groups.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<img alt="Story Prompts at Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4008/content_Screen_Shot_2024-10-17_at_4.20.44_PM.png" /></p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/language-scenes" target="_self">Language Scenes</a>&nbsp;like this one, &quot;At the Beach,&quot; can be used in a similar way:&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Language Scenes at Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4009/content_Screen_Shot_2024-10-17_at_4.20.54_PM.png" /></p>

<p>For more ideas on how to use images to tell stories, check out these blog posts:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simply-storytelling-inspiring-english-learners-with-story-prompts" target="_self">Simply Storytelling: Inspiring English Learners with Story Prompts</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/wordless-lessons-project" target="_self">Wordless Lessons: An Innovation Project</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/create-your-own-adventure-teaching-english-the-wordless-way" target="_self">Create Your Own Adventure: Teaching English the Wordless Way!</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>4. To instigate conversation</h2>

<p>Sometimes the best way to get a conversation going is to stay silent. For example, show students this image from Ellii&#39;s silent video &quot;disagreeing,&quot; or play the full video. In this case, the authentic person showing their disagreement is perhaps more emotive than an animation might be.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/video/disagreeing" target="_blank"><img alt="Silent Clips on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4011/content_Ellii-video-screenshot-disagreement.png" /></a></p>

<p>Have students answer conversation starters, such as:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>How does she feel?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Why do you think she feels this way?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What makes you respond in this way?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>When was the last time you disagreed with someone? Why?</li>
	<li>Make a list of five things you disagree with. Share them with a partner.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>For an added challenge, have students come up with their own questions, or ask them to write a dialogue between two people disagreeing about something.&nbsp;You can access Ellii&#39;s<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/silent-clips" target="_self">&nbsp;silent clips</a> here. There are also Workplace vocabulary silent clips&nbsp;in this <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace" target="_blank">category</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For more ideas on using silent clips and moving images, check out these blog posts:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-ways-to-use-silent-video-clips" target="_self">4 Creative Ways to Use Silent Video Clips in English Class</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-videos-in-class" target="_self">4 Ways to Use Videos Effectively in Class</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>5. To boost creativity</h2>

<p>Photos and illustrations are wonderful receptive teaching tools. Having students produce their own can be equally, if not more, beneficial. This can help you check that students have understood, give an opportunity for peer learning, let them tell their own stories, and incorporate creativity into the classroom. Some students may not feel confident with drawing. In this case, remind them that drawings don&rsquo;t have to be artistic. The aim is to communicate a message, not to be Picasso! Every day scientists, architects, engineers, and teachers use simple doodles and diagrams to explain things, take notes, and help them to think. It is a useful skill for all ages.</p>

<p>Here are some ways to have students draw in the classroom:</p>

<ul>
	<li>play Pictionary</li>
	<li>draw their own flashcards or picture dictionaries</li>
	<li>take notes using simple sketches</li>
	<li>tell a story in comic style or replacing words with doodles</li>
	<li>create their own graphic organizers, using oversized doodles instead of tables</li>
	<li>use doodles in mind maps or diagrams</li>
	<li>copy the Ellii illustrations</li>
</ul>

<p>Here are some related posts on Ellii:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/sketchnoting-101-supercharged-professional-development-with-visual-notes" target="_self">Sketchnoting 101: Supercharge Professional Development with Visual Notes</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-simplify-complex-tasks-with-visual-prompts" target="_self">How to Simplify Complex Tasks with Visual Prompts</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/graphic-facilitation-101" target="_self">Graphic Facilitation 101: Teaching English through Visual Communication</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/graphic-organizers-for-language-skills-development" target="_self">Using Graphic Organizers for Language Skills Development</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-pictures-as-grammar-prompts" target="_self">How to Use Pictures as Grammar Prompts</a><br />
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
<p>How do you use visuals in the classroom? Do you prefer photos, illustrations, or your own drawings? Share your experiences and ideas in the Comments below!&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>
</p<img>

The Power of Visuals in the Classroom

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2568/Emily_The-Power-of-Visuals-in-the-Classroom_Banner(2).png

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

Courses

<p>Did you see Ellii&#39;s first video-based course on<strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/phrasal-verbs-and-pre-employment/materials">Phrasal Verbs &amp; Pre-Employment</a>&nbsp;</strong>earlier this year? Our follow-up course, <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/phrasal-verbs-and-employment/materials"><strong>Phrasal Verbs &amp; Employment</strong></a>, is now live as well!</p>

<p>In this series of video lessons, your students will learn vocabulary and phrases that they can&nbsp;use in typical interactions while working in an office and remotely. Students will follow a new employee&#39;s journey from her first day to her first week to her first year. We specifically chose to focus on a hybrid setting since working from home&nbsp;is increasingly common.</p>

<p>Lessons are based on&nbsp;dialogues between a new employee, her boss, and her colleagues in the following situations:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Onboarding</li>
	<li>Working Remotely</li>
	<li>Attending an Online Meeting</li>
	<li>Preparing for a Presentation</li>
	<li>Asking for a Raise</li>
</ul>

<p>Each lesson&nbsp;contains a video with a dialogue and six&nbsp;phrasal verbs in the employment contexts listed above. They are all followed by&nbsp;several&nbsp;digital tasks to check comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar. The&nbsp;course also includes two assessments.</p>

<p>Watch the introductory video 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/1006368894" width="640"></iframe></div>

<p>Find&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/phrasal-verbs-and-employment/materials">Phrasal Verbs &amp; Employment</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs?page=1">Courses &amp; Study Packs</a> area of Ellii under the <strong>Workplace</strong> category.</p>

<p>From that&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/phrasal-verbs-and-employment/materials">course page</a>, you can easily click on the &quot;<strong>Add to class</strong>&quot;&nbsp;button&nbsp;to assign it immediately or gradually from&nbsp;your <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/try-class-prepping-with-elliis-lesson-planner">Lesson Planner</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On that page, you can also&nbsp;view the&nbsp;<strong>Materials</strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Overview</strong>,&nbsp;and <strong>Teachers&#39; Notes </strong>tabs for&nbsp;useful&nbsp;information and additional resources.</p>

<p>We hope&nbsp;your students find this course helpful whether they&#39;re planning on working in an English-speaking environment or just looking to improve their language skills.</p>

<p>Happy teaching!</p>


Phrasal Verbs & Employment Video-Based Course

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2567/Tanya_Phrasal-Verbs-and-Employment-Course_Banner.png

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

Announcements

<blockquote>
<p><em>&quot;We look for teachers first. Why? Because those skills do transfer quite nicely when you&#39;re developing content. [...] We&#39;re first and foremost a content platform for English teachers.&nbsp;[...] Planning, preparing, actually speaking in front of people really helps you write better lessons.&quot;</em></p>

<p><br />
&mdash;&nbsp;Ben Buckwold, founder of Ellii</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Reflection and podcasts... These are two of my favorite things!&nbsp;Combine these with two of ELT&#39;s brightest&nbsp;hosts and you get <a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, a show I think you&#39;re going to love.</p>

<p>I was an early fan&nbsp;of this ELT podcast&nbsp;and have enjoyed many episodes over the past few years. As a superfan, I invited Anna and Shey to join&nbsp;us at ElliiCon in 2023. We also met them in person at this year&#39;s&nbsp;TESOL conference in Tampa. Ben (founder of Ellii) and I&nbsp;were thrilled when they asked us to be guests on their show this season&nbsp;and have eagerly awaited <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1AN6jiVh8g&amp;t=2s" target="_blank">Episode 60</a>:&nbsp;From Teaching to Materials Writing: A&nbsp;Chat with Ellii (with Ben Buckwold &amp; Tara Benwell).</strong></p>

<p>One particular area of interest Anna and Shey have been exploring recently&nbsp;is how ELT careers can&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/thinkaloud_pod/status/1836788677185339587" target="_blank">go beyond the traditional classroom</a>. They asked us to&nbsp;speak specifically about <strong>materials writing </strong>and share stories about how we branched into the <strong>publishing</strong> field. After 18+ years of working together, it&#39;s no surprise Ben and I got a little nostalgic at times. We hope you love&nbsp;Ellii&#39;s origin story!</p>

<p><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/q1AN6jiVh8g?si=P1D1eYG1_k5-x7Cz" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>As a team of makers who started in the classroom, we have explored similar topics on our own blog as well. Here are some related posts to check out after you listen to the episode.</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/beyond-teaching-elt-careers-to-keep-you-motivated" target="_self">Beyond Teaching: ELT Careers to Keep You Motivated</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/5-ways-to-make-passive-income-as-a-teacher" target="_self">5 Ways to Earn &quot;Passive&quot; Income as a Teacher</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/teacherpreneur" target="_self">How to Be a Teacherpreneur</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-our-new-name-ellii" target="_self">We&#39;ve Changed Our Name to Ellii</a></li>
</ul>

<p>And here is Anna and Shey&#39;s reflection question for you to ponder. Please share your thoughts in the comments below or with our hosts on their own&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/blog" target="_blank">blog</a>!</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Have you ever wondered what it might be like to transition into another area within education? What roles are you entertaining? Have you already done it? How have your teacher skills transferred into your new role?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>You can download this&nbsp;podcast&nbsp;in a variety of places:</p>

<ul><br />
	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2zv5mVNpSqkDNiNbQlnm7B" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thinkaloud_pod" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e60-from-teaching-to-materials-writing-a-chat-with/id1629819608?i=1000670852097" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Subscribe to the Teacher Think-Aloud podcast and reflect on your teaching practices with a variety of&nbsp;ELT&nbsp;guests and topics!&nbsp;Be sure to follow Anna and Shey&nbsp;on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/teacher-think-aloud/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thinkaloud_pod/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/teacherthinkaloud/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/thinkaloud_pod" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;and find your own way to support their work.</p>

<p>Happy listening!</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Ellii Talks about Materials Writing with The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2566/Tara_Ellii-Talks-about-Materials-Writing-with-the-Teacher-Think-Aloud-Podcast_Banner.png

<p>The number of new tools and features that Ellii has pumped out recently has been extensive and pretty impressive&nbsp;(if we do say so ourselves 😉)!</p>

<p>All types of English teachers and tutors rely on Ellii to run their classes, so our goal has always been to make sure that we&#39;re consistently releasing new and relevant content&nbsp;and that we&rsquo;re designing and developing features that will be useful and intuitive for everyone.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Let&#39;s take a look at our top five platform tools and features! Here&#39;s what we recommend using to keep things fun, simple, and effective while teaching with Ellii.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1. Lesson Planner</h2>

<p>With the release of our Lesson Planner in 2023, Ellii made a huge improvement to how teachers can plan, prepare, and administer their classes.</p>

<p>The Lesson Planner is a sleek, simple&nbsp;Kanban board that allows teachers to&nbsp;drag lessons and resources to one of three organizational lanes: Prepping, Teaching, and Taught. This&nbsp;gives teachers a visual overview of what content they&rsquo;re preparing to teach in their upcoming classes, what is currently assigned to their students to work on, and what their students have already finished.<br />
<br />
This amazing organizational feature has teachers raving! Check out our video to learn more about Ellii&rsquo;s built-in Lesson Planner and its many uses.</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/Lorc2EN3MEs?si=TlAjRq3fdHxOyxTj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />
&nbsp;</div>

<h2>2. Grade Feed</h2>

<p>Grading is often a task that teachers find time-consuming and tedious,&nbsp;so we made it our mission to develop a feature that addresses both of these concerns. The result?&nbsp;Grade Feed! <br />
<br />
Grade Feed is an easy-to-use grading tool with one convenient inbox where you can find all of your students&rsquo; completed assignments that require your attention.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Easily read or listen to a student&#39;s submission and then assign&nbsp;a score and star rating, leave a comment or correction, or even record an audio message. Quickly send off your feedback to the student and move on to the next one! <br />
<br />
Working your way through your inbox of assignments to grade is now fun and satisfying to do. Learn more about the Grade Feed feature in our handy tutorial video.</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/lk1zLa3MGU0?si=uvD3__IAzeV3wJt2" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />
&nbsp;</div>

<h2>3. Folders</h2>

<p>Folders have long allowed teachers to save lessons into personalized collections&nbsp;on Ellii. But now Folders are so much more than just an organizational tool for great lesson content. </p>

<p>Finally, you can save lessons, resources, videos, and flashcard sets to a folder;&nbsp;curate your desired teaching order; pin your folder to your class; and import your lesson content into your Lesson Planner. Done and dusted!<br />
<br />
Watch our featured video on how to create and pin custom folders to a class.</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/ABIX4RDl8Qs?si=FMFR6kOYR3WbA7gB" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />
&nbsp;</div>

<h2>4. Ellii Polls</h2>

<p>Ellii Polls were unveiled at the start of 2024, and they were a hit with both teachers and students&nbsp;right off the bat! <br />
<br />
This highly engaging feature allows teachers to launch a variety of interactive poll questions in class or online that students can&nbsp;answer in real time with their own personal devices. Yup, you read that correctly. It&rsquo;s that cool.<br />
<br />
Simply choose an Ellii Poll&nbsp;from our ever-growing list and get your students talking! They will be able&nbsp;access the student interface on their smartphones, tablets, or laptops with a QR code. From there, you have control of the poll questions that are sent out to students to respond to&nbsp;and are able to close the poll at any time and display the class&rsquo;s answers. Use Ellii Polls to spark lively discussions and facilitate spontaneous debates on fun and relevant topics your students will love!<br />
<br />
Check out our demo video to learn more about Ellii Polls. Even your quietest students won&rsquo;t be able to resist speaking up with these enticing conversation starters!&nbsp;</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/nwne3fwsfAY?si=_1zGWst9liUsNtF-" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />
&nbsp;</div>

<h2>5. Student Picks</h2>

<p>As language teachers, we know that it&rsquo;s MUCH easier to keep our students engaged when they&rsquo;re learning English within the context of a topic that interests them.<br />
<br />
That&rsquo;s why we created Student Picks&mdash;a feature that allows students to show their teachers which lessons they&rsquo;re most interested in studying next!<br />
<br />
Teachers are able to select lesson categories from within Ellii&rsquo;s content library to include in Student Picks and filter by level to determine which lessons are displayed to their students.&nbsp;Students&nbsp;can browse through lesson titles&nbsp;and let their teacher know which ones they&rsquo;d like to study by leaving hearts and essentially casting their vote.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Student Picks is a great way to make sure you&rsquo;re still achieving your teaching objectives while giving your students agency in what they want to learn! Watch our featured video to learn more.</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/VDWJ9vadGZY?si=SAn80SwXuc9k_gkF" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />
&nbsp;</div>

<h3>All five of these features can help you run a more organized, enjoyable, and purposeful class.</h3>


<p>These features were built with your teaching needs in mind and aim to provide you with the tools you need to offer your students the very best learning experience.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We hope you (and your students) love them as much as we do. <br />
<br />
Happy teaching!</p>

Top 5 Features to Get the Most Out of Teaching with Ellii

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2565/Lise_Top-5-Features-to-get-the-most-out-of-Teaching-with-Ellii_Banner.png

<p>Firstly, there is nothing &quot;passive&quot;&nbsp;about &quot;passive&nbsp;income.&quot; I want to start by debunking this myth.</p>

<p>There are many sponsored ads and influencers on social media that will try and convince you otherwise, but, in reality, even those people aren&rsquo;t sitting back and sipping cocktails as they wait for the money to roll in!&nbsp;</p>

<p>The reality is that so-called &quot;passive&nbsp;income&quot; streams are a lot of hard work. The ideas that I give in the rest of this post are the easy part! The difficult bit is marketing those products once you&rsquo;ve created them. And all the social media posts, video content, and emails take a lot of time and energy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Having said that, I know a lot of people who have done very well by creating content to sell online. So if you want to give it a go&nbsp;and are happy to invest the time and energy in marketing, it can be worth it.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1. Write a book</h2>

<p>This is a dream for many and is a great way to share your skills and resources with the world. My first book was a collection of ESOL activities that I had created for my classes. Sharing the activities&nbsp;with the world meant that other teachers could use them and that they weren&rsquo;t hiding in a folder on my desktop.</p>

<p>In general, student&nbsp;books sell more copies than methodology books or photocopiable resources. That&rsquo;s because student&nbsp;books sell as a class set&mdash;so let&rsquo;s say 15&ndash;25 copies for each cohort. Methodology and photocopiable resource books tend to sell as one per staff room or school library. Methodology books also tend to be bought by individual teachers for a course they are taking. On completion of that course, the buyer will pass it on to a friend or sell it online.&nbsp;So, if you want to write a methodology book, you probably want it to become a core text in a popular TEFL training course.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>2. Publish on resource-sharing sites</h2>

<p>Digital materials are growing in popularity. Printable PDF resources (such as those on Ellii) have the benefit of offering minimal preparation. They are easy to search for by topic, and they provide flexibility in curriculum design. This means if your learners are interested in a certain subject or need extra practice with a language point, you can easily tailor lessons for them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Websites such as Teachers Pay Teachers and Eduki let teachers share their materials and earn some cash for each download. It can take time to set up your account, add freebie samples, and promote your lessons on socials, but some teachers do make a good income from this.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>3. Start a website</h2>

<p>Having your own website will help you raise your profile and share your skills with the world. This can help potential employers or students find you more easily. There are various ways to monetize your website.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;<strong>Advertisements:</strong>&nbsp;You can directly sell advertising&nbsp;space on your site or use ad networks, such as Google AdSense, that automatically post advertisements&nbsp;to your site. You&rsquo;ll earn money every time someone clicks on the ad. In order for this to make you money, you&rsquo;ll need to have lots of traffic to your site, and that means lots of time spent creating content that people want to read or use.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;<strong>Affiliate marketing:</strong> This means promoting products or services for other companies (for example, writing a blog post about your favorite brand of board marker and then adding a link to buy the markers from an affiliate company&nbsp;such as Amazon). You&rsquo;ll receive money for every sale made using your affiliate link.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;<strong>Product sale:</strong> Set up a shop on your site to sell resources, books, or courses. You could do this as part of a monthly membership subscription or on a product-by-product basis.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>4. Get popular on socials</h2>

<p>This is probably the hardest way to generate so called &quot;passive&rsquo;&quot; income. To join the YouTube Partner Progam and earn money from ads on YouTube, you need at least 1,000 followers and 4,000 watch hours a year. Each ad that one of your subscribers watches earns between $0.01 and $0.03. This isn&rsquo;t a huge amount if your video gets fewer than 1,000 views, but it can be significant if it is watched a million times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In other industries, social media influencers can get paid to promote clothing and other products. In English language teaching, it is very unlikely that you&rsquo;ll get paid to promote an ELT-related resource.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>5. Make your money work for you</h2>

<p>Probably the most tried and tested ways of generating passive income are by making sure your money is working for you. Ensuring that your savings are in accounts that will earn high interest or invested in (well-researched) index funds are good ways to do this. It&rsquo;s also worth shopping around for the best deal on a pension and exploring the property market to build equity or rental income.&nbsp;In these instances, make sure to seek financial advice and explore your options as carefully as possible. Managing your finances has to work for you and your individual situation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These are just a few ways to potentially generate &quot;passive&quot; income as a teacher. As I mentioned at the beginning, there is no quick fix. Each one takes time, research, and long-term management, but they are all definitely worth exploring.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
Here are some other blog posts about professional development, teacherprenuerism, and ELT careers that may interest you:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/teacherpreneur" target="_self">How to Be a Teacherpreneur</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/beyond-teaching-elt-careers-to-keep-you-motivated" target="_self">Beyond Teaching: ELT Careers to Keep You Motivated</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/getting-started-and-moving-forwards-professional-development-for-elt" target="_self">Getting Started &amp; Moving Forward: Professional Development for ELT&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Here are some Ellii lessons and collections that will build your students&rsquo; financial and money skills:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/money-matters/materials" target="_self">Money Matters</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1210-retirement-savings " target="_self">Retirement Savings</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/teaching-english-learners-about-money-banking" target="_self">Teaching Learners about Money &amp; Banking</a><br />
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
<p>What experience do you have of generating &quot;passive&quot;&nbsp;income? Is there anything you&rsquo;d like to try or recommend here? We&rsquo;d love to know.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


5 Ways to Earn "Passive" Income as a Teacher

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2564/Emily_5-Ways-to-Earn-Passive-Income-as-a-Teacher_Banner.png

<p>It&#39;s time to head back to school, and we&#39;ve got some great resources to get you off to a good start!<br />
<br />
In addition to this NEW back-to-school <a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/back-to-school?_gl=1*1ctfb9m*_gcl_au*MTc5OTcyODM4OC4xNzI0MTgwNTc4*_ga*MTE2ODEwMTYzNy4xNjc2OTg3MTA2*_ga_0YR675LR3Q*MTcyNTQ1NDgyOS45MTcuMS4xNzI1NDU3NDY5LjAuMC4xMjc1OTEyMTYw" target="_self">Ellii Poll</a>&nbsp;and our ready-made <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons" target="_self">lessons</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos" target="_self">videos</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards" target="_self">flashcards</a>, we have a full <a href="https://ellii.com/resources" target="_self">Resource library</a> full of charts, forms, warm-up activities, and worksheets that are ideal for getting started with a new class.<br />
<br />
Below you&#39;ll find a list of 10 of our top&nbsp;back-to-school downloads to help you get back into the swing of things. Some of these items are also available as digital activities.</p>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4164-ellii-placement-quiz"><strong>Ellii Placement Quiz</strong></a><br />
	A quiz consisting of 30&nbsp;multiple-choice questions divided into three sections (Listening, Grammar, and Reading) to assess your students&#39;&nbsp;current English level. For a longer, more in-depth assessment, try the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4226-ellii-placement-test">Ellii Placement Test</a>.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2209-class-list"><strong>Class List</strong></a><br />
	A basic template for creating a class list (includes fields for contact information and preferred name).&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2208-attendance-sheet"><strong>Attendance Sheet</strong></a><br />
	A basic template for class attendance.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2169-weekly-planner"><strong>Weekly Planner</strong></a><br />
	A planner template with a to-do list for weekly lesson planning. A printable&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2461-monthly-planner">Monthly Planner</a>&nbsp;is also available, but don&#39;t forget about our&nbsp;built-in digital lesson planner that is part of every class you create on Ellii!</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2124-autobiography-int"><strong>Autobiography</strong></a><br />
	A personal story with gaps to fill in for intermediate-level learners. We also have fill-in-the-blank autobiography templates for <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2123-autobiography-beg">beginner-</a> and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2125-autobiography-adv">advanced-level</a> learners.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2127-my-language-goals"><strong>My Language Goals</strong></a><br />
	A goal-setting form for students to fill out during a transitional stage.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2565-teaching-order"><strong>Teaching Order (Grammar Targets)</strong></a><br />
	A chart outlining Ellii&#39;s suggested teaching order for our <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/grammar-practice-worksheets">Grammar Practice Worksheets</a>.</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2218-writing-correction-key"><strong>Writing Correction Key</strong></a><br />
	A code that teachers and peer editors can use for making writing corrections.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2151-basic-ipa-phonetic-chart"><strong>IPA Chart</strong></a><br />
	A chart that shows the basic phonemes of American and Canadian English to aid with teaching pronunciation.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2228-exit-slips"><strong>Exit Slips</strong></a><br />
	Learner reflection forms that teachers hand out to students toward the end of class.</li>
</ol>

<p>Our <a href="https://ellii.com/resources">Resources</a> section is packed full of amazing content that we hope teachers will find useful throughout the school year! In addition, don&#39;t forget to check out our&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/collections/everyday-topics/back-to-school">Back-to-School collection</a>&nbsp;where&nbsp;you&#39;ll find role-plays, dialogues, articles, debates, and discussion starter lessons on a variety of back-to-school topics.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Are you NEW to Ellii and wondering where to start? Check out our video demos in our <a href="https://help.ellii.com/">Help Docs</a>. If you don&#39;t find what you&#39;re looking for, please <a href="https://ellii.com/contact">send us a request</a>.&nbsp;</p>


10 Back-to-School Resources for English Language Teachers

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/1365/Tara_10-Back-to-School-Resources-for-English-Language-Teachers_Banner.png

Tour around the ELT conference circuit as our team shares conference highlights and session reviews.

Conferences

<p>In 2005, my husband and I embarked on our first adventure in Latin America. We started with a monthlong stay at a friend&rsquo;s in Ilhabela, Brazil. Our next stop was Montevideo. Needless to say, this city will always hold a special place in my heart.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If you&rsquo;d told me then that I would return 20 years later to speak at a conference, I probably wouldn&rsquo;t have believed you! But this year I returned and delivered a workshop on making learning accessible in the mixed-ability classroom.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The content of my session was in some ways a sneak peek at the pre-recorded input I created for Rachel Oner&rsquo;s<strong> Learning Differences and Inclusion course for Nile ELT</strong>.&nbsp;I discussed barriers to learning and made suggestions of simple ways to make lessons accessible for diverse abilities and learning needs.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Montevideo</h2>

<p>Montevideo in winter reminded me of Scotland. Walking along the seafront, I felt like I was in a Scottish coastal town. Even the architecture was reminiscent of Glasgow!&nbsp;</p>

<p>I didn&rsquo;t have a huge amount of time for sightseeing, but I knew that I wanted to eat chorip&aacute;n at the Mercado del Puerto. On our first visit 20 years ago, this was my first introduction to a chorizo roll. I have dreamed about it ever since.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>The sessions</h2>

<h3>Ben Goldstein</h3>

<p>Ben Goldstein&rsquo;s opening plenary asked &quot;Where do I fit in now?&quot; He explored post-pandemic teacher roles and how teachers fit in the age of AI. It focused on how teachers can offer their empathy, understanding, and human touch to connect with learners. The session was engaging, thought-provoking, and reassuring.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Emily Bryson</h3>

<p>I got lucky and had the second slot. My workshop gave teachers the opportunity to explore simple ways they could make learning accessible. I was delighted that many teachers enthusiastically approached me at the end to say how helpful and inspiring it had been. Even Jeremy Harmer said it was &quot;absolutely brilliant.&quot; You can&rsquo;t beat a review like that from an ELT great!</p>

<h3>Susan Hillyard &amp; Claudia Rey</h3>

<p>Next up were Susan Hillyard and Claudia Rey, who share 90 years of collective teaching experience. They took us on an entertaining journey from the era of tapes and developmental psychology to the current era of social-emotional learning, inclusive practices, and AI. They also shared their top tips for how to stay enthusiastic, inspired, and resilient.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Juan Maria Segura</h3>

<p>Juan Maria Segura then presented in Spanish. &quot;Que hacemos con el aula?&quot;&nbsp;or &quot;What can we do with the classroom?&quot; This pushed my Spanish to the limit, but I think I got the gist: We need to embrace technology to reach learners, especially from younger generations. The session was provocative and ensued in much animated discussion.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Ines Stefani</h3>

<p>Ines Stefani&rsquo;s workshop on reading made some important points. The crucial takeaway was that reading comprehension activities can kill the creativity of reading books in class. She offered various alternatives to inspire learners and maintain the simple pleasures of reading in class.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Lorena Estefanell</h3>

<p>The penultimate session was Lorena Estefanell on &quot;45 habitos mentales para bienestar&quot;&nbsp;or &quot;45 mental habits for well-being.&quot; The session was in Spanish again and I admit that I snuck out! I&rsquo;m not sure my brain cells had the energy for a session in English, let alone rapid Rioplatense. I took the opportunity to seek out coffee and cake, then felt the FOMO when everyone came out raving about how amazing it was!&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Jeremy Harmer</h3>

<p>The closing plenary was given by the legendary Jeremy Harmer. It was every bit as memorable as you&rsquo;d expect. He talked about the benefits of singing in class and as a means of developing social connections. To this end, he got us to all sing a wonderful song he&rsquo;d written. The song was a welcome to people resettling into a new community. It really resonated with me as the majority of my learners have been from refugee backgrounds.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Sketchnotes</h2>

<p>As usual, I created some sketchnotes of the sessions. These help me to focus during the session, and they serve as a visual reminder of the key takeaways.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can view my <a href="https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/sketchnotes-from-congreso-anglo-2024/ " target="_blank">sketchnotes</a> here.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<h2>How to get involved&nbsp;</h2>

<p>If you&rsquo;d like to attend next year, you can find more information at:&nbsp;<br />
<a href="https://www.anglo.edu.uy/" target="_blank">www.anglo.edu.uy</a>&nbsp;or follow them on socials @InstitutoAnglo. I certainly hope to be back!</p>

<p>You may like these conference-themed posts:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/perutesol-2024-reflections-and-take-aways" target="_self">Peru TESOL 2024:&nbsp; Reflections &amp; Takeaways</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-an-elt-conference" target="_self">How to Get the Most Out of an ELT conference</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/speaking-at-an-elt-conference-demystifying-the-application-process" target="_self">Speaking at an ELT Conference: Demystifying the Application Process</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/speaking-at-an-elt-conference-demystifying-the-application-process" target="_self">Speaking at an ELT Conference: Top Tips for Successful Presentations</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/sketchnoting-101-supercharged-professional-development-with-visual-notes" target="_self">Sketchnoting 101: Supercharge Professional Development with Visual Notes</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/10-practical-ways-teachers-can-excel-with-ai" target="_self">10&nbsp;Practical Ways Teachers Can&nbsp;Excel with AI</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/developing-learner-autonomy-with-ai" target="_self">Developing Learner Autonomy with AI</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
<p>Have you been to the Anglo Congress before? What were your experiences?</p>
</blockquote>


Anglo Congress 2024: Reflections & Takeaways

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2612/Tara_TESOL-reflection_Banner.png

<blockquote>
<p><strong>Q.</strong> What is Ellii (formerly ESL Library) best known for?<br />
<strong>A.</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons" target="_blank">Ready-made lesson plans!</a></p>

<p><strong>Q.</strong> What has Ellii become known for in the past&nbsp;few years?<strong>&nbsp;</strong><br />
<strong>A.</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos" target="_blank">Ready-made videos!</a></p>

<p><strong>Q.</strong> What has&nbsp;Ellii been focusing on in 2024? &nbsp;<br />
<strong>A.</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs?page=1" target="_blank">Ready-made courses!</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Creating ready-made lesson plans for English language teachers&nbsp;continues to be a priority at Ellii as it has always been. However, each year, the Publishing team tries to add content that is new or innovative, whether its related to a <strong>trend/theme</strong> (<em>social-emotional learning</em>), <strong>skill</strong> (<em>speaking</em>), <strong>modality</strong> (<em>videos</em>), or <strong>need</strong>&nbsp;(<em>workplace English</em>).&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Throughout 2024, Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;Publishing team has been focusing heavily on developing full <strong>courses</strong> with a <strong>workplace</strong> theme. That does not mean we have stopped making individual lessons and videos! You can find all of our new content in our <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content" target="_blank">What&#39;s New?</a>&nbsp;monthly collections, including new lessons that were released with the launch of&nbsp;our newest lesson section:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways" target="_blank">Career Pathways</a>.</p>

<h2>Career Pathways</h2>

<p>This new digital&nbsp;lesson section, available in our <strong>Academic &amp; Workplace English</strong> genre, is suitable for high-beginner to low-intermediate adult ELLs&nbsp;who are looking for work or considering job opportunities&nbsp;in an English-speaking country. These lessons are exploratory in nature and ideal for <strong>self-study</strong>. They feature real photos rather than illustrations, a common request from today&#39;s adult ed instructors.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Each career-specific lesson includes:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>a vocabulary preview task, featuring 10 keywords with&nbsp;real photos</li>
	<li>a short reading about a specific career (with audio)</li>
	<li>a reading comprehension task&nbsp;</li>
	<li>a gap-fill listening task</li>
	<li>a quiz</li>
	<li>a one-page printable career summary chart (NEW)</li>
</ul>

<h2>Lessons</h2>

<p>We launched this new section with popular career choices for newcomers, including:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5018-working-as-a-nursing-assistant" target="_blank">Working as a Nursing Assistant</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5034-working-as-a-pharmacy-technician" target="_blank">Working as a Pharmacy Technician</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5030-working-as-a-dental-assistant" target="_blank">Working as a Dental Assistant</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5035-working-as-a-phlebotomist" target="_blank">Working as a Phlebotomist</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5016-working-as-a-custodian" target="_blank">Working as a Custodian</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5038-working-as-a-paraeducator" target="_blank">Working as a Paraeducator</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5223-working-as-a-medical-assistant" target="_blank">Working as a Medical Assistant</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5229-working-as-an-emergency-medical-technician" target="_blank">Working as an Emercency Medical Technician</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>Since then we have added many new lessons from a variety of career clusters.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Workplace Courses</h2>

<p>Our library of ready-made career-specific workplace courses is growing!</p>

<p><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/S2HAIBUNgKo?si=NhL0x5b7M_0So49a" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>To find Ellii&#39;s related courses, go to our <a href="https://ellii.com/packs?page=1" target="_blank">Courses &amp; Study Packs</a><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?page=1" target="_blank"> </a>page and filter to the <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=6&amp;page=1" target="_blank">Workplace</a> category. Be sure to check back regularly.&nbsp;Here are some Workplace courses we have released (or are working on)&nbsp;in 2024:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/phrasal-verbs-and-pre-employment/materials" target="_blank">Phrasal Verbs &amp; Pre-Employment</a> (video course)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/phrasal-verbs-and-employment/materials" target="_blank">Phrasal Verbs &amp; Employment</a>&nbsp;(video course)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/choosing-a-healthcare-pathway" target="_blank">Choosing a Healthcare Pathway</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/nursing-assistants/materials" target="_blank">English for Nursing Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/pharmacy-technicians/materials" target="_blank">English for Pharmacy Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/dental-assistants/materials" target="_blank">English for Dental Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-phlebotomists/materials" target="_blank">English for Phlebotomists</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/healthcare-vocabulary-1/materials" target="_blank">Healthcare Vocabulary 1</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/healthcare-vocabulary-2/materials">Healthcare Vocabulary 2</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-paraeducators/materials" target="_blank">English for Paraeducators</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-custodians/materials" target="_blank">English for Custodians</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-emergency-medical-technicians/materials" target="_blank">English for Emergency Medical Technicians</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-medical-assistants/materials" target="_blank">English for Medical Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/english-for-home-health-aides/materials" target="_blank">English for Home Health Aides</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>Allied Health Focus</h2>

<p>You likely noticed that many of the workplace courses in our library are related to <strong>healthcare</strong>! At Ellii, we work hard to fill the immediate needs of schools and organizations that use our content. Allied Health&nbsp;is a growing industry with a shortage of skilled workers in both the US and Canada.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At Ellii, we are not healthcare experts, but we are language and teaching experts. We&nbsp;teamed up with professionals in the healthcare field to help us create these <strong>non-credit,</strong>&nbsp;<strong>exploratory</strong> courses made specifically for <strong>English newcomers</strong>&nbsp;who are considering&nbsp;different career pathways. These courses may also be useful for experienced healthcare workers who&nbsp;need to upskill to&nbsp;gain employment in an English-speaking country by improving their English proficiency.&nbsp;Our materials writers and editors worked with nurses, EMTs, dentistry professionals, and others to ensure that the scenarios and objectives were realistic, authentic, and functional. These <strong>dialogue-based</strong> courses are ideal for IET programs and&nbsp;focus on <strong>key vocabulary</strong>, <strong>phrases</strong>, and <strong>common workday scenarios </strong>for <strong>a variety</strong> of healthcare careers.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Highlights of Ellii&#39;s Allied Health Materials</h3>

<blockquote>
<ul>
	<li>career exploration</li>
	<li>non-credit</li>
	<li>dialogue-based</li>
	<li>common scenarios</li>
	<li>WIOA compliant</li>
	<li>NRS aligned</li>
	<li>skill-building (vocabulary, phrases, grammar, soft skills)</li>
	<li>intermediate+</li>
	<li>communicative</li>
	<li>mobile-friendly</li>
	<li>ideal for self-study and pre-enrollment</li>
	<li>built-in assessments</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

<p><br />
To learn more about <strong>Ellii&#39;s Allied Health&nbsp;content</strong>, watch the recording of this <strong>webinar</strong>!&nbsp;</p>

<p><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/vMlFNOxnhwg?si=7oNAM-swuNBIUgmi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2><br />
Related Ellii Poll</h2>

<p>Get your students thinking about jobs with this interactive<strong> Career Pathways</strong> <a href="https://ellii.com/gather/polls/career-pathways">Ellii Poll</a>.</p>

<p>Did you know that unlike Ellii&#39;s lessons and courses (which require a subscription),&nbsp;Ellii Polls are free for anyone to use?&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/ellii-polls" target="_blank">Learn how to access Ellii Polls and invite students here.</a></p>

<h2>Related Media</h2>

<h3>Flashcards</h3>

<p>We also have<strong> Flashcard sets </strong>related to many of these Career Pathways. Find these sets in the <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job" target="_blank">At Work &amp; On the Job</a> genre in the Flashcards area of our&nbsp;Media Gallery.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/jobs-occupations" target="_blank">Jobs &amp; Occupations</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/job-actions" target="_blank">Job Actions</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/at-the-office" target="_blank">At the Office</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/community-helpers" target="_blank">Community Helpers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/nursing-assistants" target="_blank">Nursing Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/pharmacy-technicians" target="_blank">Pharmacy Technicians</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/dental-assistants" target="_blank">Dental Assistants</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/at-work-on-the-job/phlebotomists" target="_blank">Phlebotomists</a></li>
</ul>

<p>If Allied Health is the focus for your students, this <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/body-health-medicine" target="_blank">Body, Health, &amp; Medicine</a>&nbsp;genre will have plenty of useful words for your students to learn.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
To make the best use of Ellii&#39;s supplementary visuals, check out&nbsp;these related Help Docs and videos:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/63-how-to-create-flashcard-sets">How to Create and Save Flashcard Sets</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/198-how-to-use-the-flashcard-player">How to Use the Flashcard Player</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/246-how-to-share-flashcard-sets-with-students">How to Share Flashcards with Students</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>Silent Clips</h3>

<p>Do you use Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/silent-clips" target="_blank"><strong>Silent Clips</strong></a>?<strong>&nbsp;</strong>We have&nbsp;a new<strong>&nbsp;</strong>video<strong>&nbsp;</strong>category full of<strong> action verbs</strong> related to popular jobs.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace" target="_blank">Nursing</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/pharmacy-vocabulary">Pharmacy</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/dentistry-vocabulary" target="_blank">Dentistry</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/phlebotomy-vocabulary" target="_blank">Phlebotomy</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/manufacturing-vocabulary" target="_blank">Manufacturing</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/restaurant-hospitality-vocabulary" target="_blank">Restaurant Hospitality</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/hotel-hospitality-vocabulary" target="_blank">Hotel Hospitality</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/education-vocabulary" target="_blank">Education Hospitality</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/construction-vocabulary" target="_blank">Construction Hospitality</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/workplace/custodian-vocabulary" target="_blank">Custodian Hospitality</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Here are <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-ways-to-use-silent-video-clips">4 Creative Ideas for How to Use Silent Clips in the Classroom</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Is there a job your ELLs are interested in that you would like to see added to&nbsp;Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways" target="_blank"><em><strong>Career Pathways</strong></em></a> section (or expanded into a full&nbsp;Ellii course)?&nbsp;Is there a task or activity you would like to see added to existing and future lessons in this section? Please leave a comment for our Publishing team.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


Career Pathways for Newcomers

https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2561/Tara_Career-Pathways-for-Newcomers_Banner.png

Learn tips on how to teach grammar and usage from our editors and grammar experts. 

Grammar & Usage

<h3><em>Editor&#39;s Note:</em></h3>

<p>This blog post was originally written a decade ago, but there is still a heated debate between those who prefer adding <strong>only an apostrophe</strong>&nbsp;to a singular noun that ends in -s (e.g., <strong>Dickens&#39;</strong> book) and those who prefer &quot;<strong>apostrophe s</strong>&quot; (e.g., <strong>Dickens&#39;s</strong> book). Recently <em>The Associated Press</em>&nbsp;(AP) published an <a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-walz-apostrophe-possessive-grammar-967c0bbefc09be6c804588daabed7ec9"><strong>article</strong></a> on this ongoing argument about how to style the possessive form of Vice President <strong><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3413-kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a></strong>. While everyone agrees that the possessive form of her running mate, Governor <strong><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5125-kamala-harris-selects-tim-walz-as-running-mate">Tim Walz</a></strong>, is&nbsp;<strong>Walz&#39;s</strong>, the argument for <strong>Harris&#39;</strong> vs. <strong>Harris&#39;s</strong> persists.</p>

<p>Which side do you agree with: AP (<strong>Harris&#39;</strong>) or others such as the <em>The Chicago Manual of Style</em>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/10/us/harris-walz-apostrophe-possessive.html"><em>The New York Times</em></a>, and Ellii (<strong>Harris&#39;s</strong>)? You can watch the <strong><a href="https://ellii.com/video/an-apostrophe-battle-is-brewing">video</a></strong> below and/or read the following original post to see why Ellii chooses the latter. In fact, we update any AP articles in our <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/that-s-news-to-me"><strong>That&#39;s News to Me</strong></a> section into our own house style so that we don&#39;t confuse students any further. If only all style guides could agree!</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/998764071" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h2>Original Post</h2>

<p>(from April 17, 2014)</p>

<p>&ldquo;Apostrophe s&rdquo; (<strong>&rsquo;s</strong>) is used for several reasons in English, such as for the contracted form of <em>is</em> and <em>has</em>, and also for indicating <strong>possession</strong> (belonging to someone). In general, we add&nbsp;<em>&rsquo;s</em> to a singular noun and add <em>&rsquo;</em> to a plural noun ending in <em>‑s</em>.&nbsp;For example, we would say <em>the student&rsquo;s book</em> (for one student) and <em>the students&rsquo; classroom</em> (for many students).&nbsp;</p>

<p>But what happens when the singular noun ends in <em>‑s</em>? The rules for this have gone back and forth, which makes it difficult for both ELLs (English language learners) and&nbsp;speakers whose first language is English. As an editor, I have to keep up with the current guidelines as set out by popular style guides such as <em>The Chicago Manual of Style</em>. I thought I&rsquo;d share the most recent &ldquo;rules&rdquo; with you so you can pass them along to your students! If you disagree with any of these guidelines, please share your opinion in the comment section below&mdash;it&rsquo;s always interesting to learn what different teachers think around the&nbsp;world!</p>

<h2>General Rules</h2>

<h3>1. Add &rsquo;s (apostrophe + s) to a singular&nbsp;noun</h3>

<ul>
	<li>the student<strong>&rsquo;s</strong>&nbsp;book</li>
</ul>

<h3>2. Add &rsquo; (apostrophe only) to a plural noun ending in -s</h3>

<ul>
	<li>the students<strong>&rsquo;</strong>&nbsp;classroom</li>
</ul>

<div class="whiteBox">
<h5>Note</h5>

<p>If the plural noun doesn&rsquo;t end in ‑s, then simply add &rsquo;s to the&nbsp;word.</p>

<ul>
	<li>the children&rsquo;s&nbsp;classroom</li>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>Rule for Singular Words Ending in&nbsp;‑s</h2>

<h3>Add &rsquo;s (apostrophe + s) to a singular&nbsp;noun that ends in -s</h3>

<ul>
	<li>the class<strong>&rsquo;s</strong> door</li>
	<li>Kansas<strong>&rsquo;s</strong> laws</li>
	<li>Dickens<strong>&rsquo;s</strong> stories</li>
</ul>

<p>According to <em>The Chicago Manual of Style</em>, 17th edition, the general rule for forming possessives also applies to words ending in -s&nbsp;(sections 7.15&ndash;7.19). This rule applies to both common nouns and proper nouns (including names ending in -s, -x, and -z), as well as letters and numbers. Here are a few more examples from <em>The Chicago Manual of&nbsp;Style</em>:</p>

<ul>
	<li>a bass&rsquo;s stripes</li>
	<li>Marx&rsquo;s theories</li>
	<li>Borges&rsquo;s library</li>
	<li>Berlioz&rsquo;s works</li>
	<li>FDR&rsquo;s legacy</li>
	<li>1999&rsquo;s heaviest snowstorm</li>
	<li>the Lincolns&rsquo; marriage (plural of the last name &ldquo;Lincoln&rdquo;)</li>
	<li>the Williamses&rsquo; new house (plural of the&nbsp;last name &ldquo;Williams&rdquo;)</li>
</ul>

<p><em>The Chicago Manual of Style</em> also explains that nowadays, unlike in previous years, words ending in unpronounced <em class="inlineBlock">-s</em> and proper classical names of two or more syllables that end in an &quot;eeze&quot;&nbsp;sound also follow the same rules, as noted in the following&nbsp;examples:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Descartes&rsquo;s three dreams</li>
	<li>the Ganges&rsquo;s source</li>
</ul>

<p>Basically, this is great news for us all because the same rules apply to almost every situation and are therefore easier to remember. English learners are always relieved when there aren&rsquo;t a lot of exceptions to a&nbsp;rule!</p>


Recent Posts