Private Teaching ESL Activities and Games

Private Teaching Activities and Games

Teaching

Private teaching can sometimes be a little bit difficult because the activities and games you’d normally use with bigger classes often won’t work when it’s just you and a student. I know that I’d way rather teach a class of 30 than a private session with only one or two students! However, I still occasionally do private teaching and I have a go-to repertoire of activities and games that I rely on. I’ll share a few of them here with you.

English Central Videos

I love to use videos to teach English, but it’s sometimes not easy to find ones on YouTube that are the right level for your students. That’s what makes English Central so great. The videos are grouped according to level and there are lots of features that make it really easy to use them in your lessons. Try them out in your private teaching lessons and I’m sure you’ll find them useful.

Follow-Up Reading Activity

I will often assign reading of some kind for homework in my private tutoring sessions. Extensive reading is an excellent way to build vocabulary, reinforce grammar concepts as well as increase speaking fluency. However, it works best if you do a few quick follow-up activities in class together. One of my favourite is this Story Timeline Review. It’s excellent for kids as well as adults and easy to adjust depending on the level of your students.

Is that Sentence Correct?

Is that Sentence Correct is an excellent way to review some grammar or vocabulary concepts that you’ve introduced in previous classes to make sure your student has a good grasp on them. It’s reasonably fun, or as fun as teaching grammar can be!

Brochure Scanning

It can get pretty boring just to read the standard stuff from the ESL textbooks. It’s often better to use authentic material, especially for intermediate or advanced-level students. Brochure scanning is one way to introduce some authentic material into your private teaching sessions.

Fortunately, Unfortunately

Fortunately, Unfortunately is a fun warm-up for the beginning of your private tutoring class. You’ll have lots of laughs and get the creative juices flowing.

Cosmo Quizzes

If you’re a woman and teach another woman of a similar age, you’ll find that Cosmo quizzes can be really fun to do together. They’re almost guaranteed to create some interesting discussion about a variety of issues, including whether or not quizzes like this have any validity, or are a total waste of time. There are some less taboo ones, so search around and you’ll be able to find a suitable one.

Like These Private Teaching Activities and Games?

Then you’ll love these two books. They each contain 39 ESL activities for private teaching lessons. They’ll save you a ton of time when you’re planning your lessons and there’s enough material to keep things fresh and interesting for months of classes with the same student. Trust me. If you want to keep your lucrative private teaching gigs, these books will help you do just that.

You can get them on Amazon in both print and digital formats:

39 Awesome 1-1 ESL Activities: For Teenagers and Adults