Welcome, brave souls, to the wonderful world of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). If you’re new to this, you’re probably filled with a mix of excitement, fear, and the occasional urge to run screaming into the nearest forest. Fear not! As a veteran of the classroom trenches, I’m here to offer you some sage advice, sprinkled with the kind of wisdom that only comes from years of experience—and a sense of humor.

Navigating the landscape of secondary level ESL education, my wish-list is anchored in a vision of comprehensive support that empowers students at every stage of their language acquisition journey. At the top of my list is the dream of a dedicated one-year Newcomer program, a foundation that focuses on honing essential skills such as reading, grammar, and speaking. This initial year serves as a linguistic springboard, ensuring students are equipped with the language proficiency needed to thrive in subsequent academic endeavors.

Learning a new language can be an exhilarating journey, but it's no secret that building a rich vocabulary is a crucial stepping stone on this path. For English language learners (ELLs), the process of acquiring new words can be both challenging and rewarding. In this blog, we'll explore various vocabulary activities tailored to engage ELLs and accelerate their language acquisition.