Famous Things

Beer

Health Matters

Drinking

International Beer Day

Word Bank

Colors

Young Learner Activities

Flashcards

National Coloring Book Day

Functional English

Saying Sorry

International Forgiveness Day

Famous People

Martha Stewart

Writing in English

How to Write a Recipe

Reading in English 

Following a Recipe

Martha Stewart's Birthday (1941)

Language Scenes

At a Picnic

Picnic Day (Australia)

Louis Armstrong

Jazz

Famous Places

New Orleans

Collection

Music & Musicians

Louis Armstrong's Birthday (1901)

American Presidents

Barack Obama 

Barack Obama's Birthday (1961)

Neil Armstrong

Discussion Starters

The New Moon Race

Air & Space Travel 

Neil Armstrong's Birthday (1930)

Historic Events

The Chilean Mine Accident

The Chilean Mine Accident (2010)

The Internet

Internet Addiction

The Birth of the World Wide Web (1991)

World War I

World War II

The Vietnam War

Purple Heart Day (US)

Holidays & Events

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

True Grammar Stories

Indigenous People – Simple Past 

Indigenous People  – Simple Present & Past 

Indigenous People – Simple Present 

Everyday Dialogues

Going to the Library

E-books

National Book Lovers Day

Raksha Bandhan (Brother and Sister's Day)

Raksha Bandhan / Rakhi (Brother and Sister's Day)

Aspirin

Invention of Aspirin (1897)

Discovery

Elephants

World Elephant Day

The Berlin Wall

Easy Readers

The Berlin Wall Construction Began (1961)

Left-Handers' Day

International Left-Handers' Day

The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal Opened (1914)

Vanishing Honeybees

Honeybees

National Honeybee Day (US)

Madonna

Madonna's Birthday (1958)

Children's Day

Children's Day (Argentina)

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton's Birthday (1946)

The Wright Brothers

National Aviation Day

Mosquitoes

World Mosquito Day

Aging & Retirement

National Senior Citizens Day

Internaut Day

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa's Birthday (1910)

That's News to Me

Setbacks in Women's Equality

Gender Inequality

Ladies of Liberty

Gender Roles

Women's Equality Day

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's Birthday (1958)

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley's Birthday (1797) / Frankenstein Day 

Princess Diana

Royalty Jigsaw

Princess Diana Died (1997)

Why are there so many birthdays in August? That might be a fun question to discuss with your students. We've included some celebrity birthdays on our August calendar, including Barack Obama's and Louis Armstrong's, which fall on the same day. Why not show your ESL students our August calendar and ask them to choose a few topics that they are interested in? Be sure to celebrate your southpaws on Left-Handers' Day! 

August 2026

It's a new year! If you haven't used the ESL Lesson Plan Calendar to plan your lessons, now is the perfect time to start. Each month you'll find holidays, special events, and related resources to keep your students interested in learning English. Click on any event to see a drop-down index of resources.  Be sure to try our Australia Day lesson this month. Your students will have fun learning some Aussie slang!

January 2026

Hey, teachers!  You're going to love all of the resources we have for teaching English in February. You probably know that Valentine's Day falls in February, but did you know that it is also Heart Month? Black History Month, Mardi Gras, and Lunar New Year also fall in February. Happy teaching!

February 2026

You're in luck, teachers! We have some excellent resources for you to use with your English learners this month. On Grammar Day, choose from over 40 lessons in our Grammar Practice Worksheets section, and check out our blog for teaching tips. We also hope you and your students will celebrate International Women's Day this month. After that, be sure to try some of our St. Patrick's Day materials, including our poster of Lucky Idioms. And finally, don't forget to unplug for Earth Hour. March forth on March fourth!

March 2026

April is both National Poetry Month and English Language Month. We hope you’ll use the time to discover new poetry with your students and discuss different poets and writers from our lesson collection on <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/71/lessons">Writers & Writing</a>. You may also be interested in teaching students about different holidays and events in April, such as April Fools’ Day, Ramadan, Earth Day, and the start of Golden Week. If your students enjoy learning about historical events, we have great lessons on the Titanic and the Chernobyl Disaster. Have a great month!

April 2026

The first day of May is celebrated around the world as either May Day, International Workers' Day, Labour Day, or Lei Day. May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the US, and the host of National Teacher Appreciation Week. In Japan, the month begins with five holidays that make up part of Golden Week. Mexico and America celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and Canadians get ready to kick off camping season on Victoria Day weekend. Mother’s Day, Star Wars Day and Memorial Day also fall in May.

May 2026

Pride Month is celebrated every June in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Riots and in recognition of the influence of LGBTQ+ people around the world. In the US, June is also National Zoo and Aquarium Month and African-American Music Appreciation Month. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated observance of the ending of slavery in the US. In Canada, First Nations are recognized and celebrated on National Indigenous Peoples Day. Other June holidays and events include Father’s Day, World Oceans Day, and Dragon Boat Festival. 

June 2026

Both Canada and the US celebrate their national days in July.  The birthdays of Princess Diana, Frida Kahlo, Malala Yousafzai, Amelia Earhart and Nelson Mandela also fall in July.  In Spain, people celebrate the Running of the Bulls at the San Fermin Festival. Other July holidays and events include Bastille Day and World UFO Day.

July 2026

September is a month for new beginnings. It's also the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Australia and New Zealand celebrate Father's Day on the first Sunday, while Canada and the US enjoy Labor/Labour Day weekend. The events of 9/11 are commemorated, elders are celebrated around the world, and victims of Canada's former residential school system are remembered.

September 2026

October is such a fun month to teach English. No matter what age you teach, you and your students can dress up in costumes and tell ghost stories while you learn Halloween vocabulary. Be sure to check out our blog for all kinds of Halloween teaching ideas that teachers have shared over the years. This year, you can also celebrate Korea's autumn harvest festival, Chuseok, in October. World Teachers' Day and Columbus Day also fall in October. Does Christopher Columbus deserve his special day? Let your students decide!

October 2026

November is a month for many important observances, including Remembrance Day and Anti-Bullying Week. For Americans, it's also the month to express gratitude for food, health, and family. Or is it all about shopping? Get your students talking about issues that matter today with this month's recommended lessons and materials. 

November 2026

'Tis the season for holiday lessons! We have you covered for ESL resources this December. In this month's calendar, you'll find links to flashcards, lesson plans, discussion topics, and other activities for many different holidays that are celebrated around the world. Happy Holidays! 

December 2026

Calendar

Months