Best Books for ESL teachers

You have been teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), or English as an Additional Language (EAL) for some time and have decided you want to become an even more wonderful teacher? This list of the best books for ESL teachers will help you to get there!

What Makes a Successful ESL teacher?

If you are an English teacher and you have been wondering about what makes a successful ESL teacher, the simplest answer is twofold: practice and theory.

On the one hand, only practice will make you understand how to best teach a topic, what works or doesn’t work in the classroom, how to understand students’ attitudes, how to get to know their individuality etc.

On the other hand, you also need theory on second, foreign, or additional language learning. Knowing the foundations of language learning methodology will make you understand what possibilities are available to you as a teacher. Having ideas for engaging activities (and ideally lots of them already designed) is also crucial.

Both sides of the coin will make you more and more successful as an English language teacher.

How Can I Improve my ESL Teaching Skills?

Following the idea outlined above, the answer is again twofold: practice and theory.

Try to understand what happens in your classroom between you and your students, and among themselves. Try to observe what your best and most successful practices are (as well as the not-so-successful ones). Tru to listen to what students are saying, either implicitly or explicitly about what they enjoy doing in your class (and what they don’t).

Make notes about your perceptions and come back to them in order to reflect on everything that has happened.

Finally, NEVER stop studying. Reading good books about teaching is essential to keep your motor running. It makes you not only understand more of the methodologies that you have at your disposal but also makes you feel alive, and energetic as a teacher. This way, you will develop your career, be more self-satisfied, gain more recognition from others, and get your students to admire you and feel motivated by you.

If you have been working on your practice but not so much on your theories about language learning, here’s an excellent list of great books to get you started with it!

Best Books for ESL Teachers

• • 700 Classroom Activities: Instant Lessons for Busy Teachers, by David Seymour and Maria Popover

In a nutshell: An indispensable addition to any teacher’s bookshelf. It provides 700 classroom-tested activities at levels from elementary to upper-intermediate. The activities are organized in four sections – conversations, functions, grammar and vocabulary – making it easy to find something to supplement any coursebook..

• • Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, by Jan Richards and Theodore Rodgers

In a nutshell: An extensively revised and updated edition of this popular and accessible text. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Third edition is an extensive revision of this highly successful book. As in previous editions, both major and alternative approaches and methods are surveyed, with the section on current communicative approaches updated to include new material on CLIL, text and genre-based teaching. The book seeks not only to clarify the assumptions behind these approaches, and their similarities and differences, but also to help teachers explore their own beliefs and practices in language teaching. Further new material deals with other directions in language teaching, such as outcomes-based initiatives, to make this edition fully up-to-date.

• • Assessment and ESL: an Alternative Approach, by Barbara Law

In a nutshell: The revised and expanded edition of this bestseller is a comprehensive, easy-to-read resource that explores the theory and practice of ESL assessment. Written for anyone working with English-language learners (elementary and secondary, mainstream and ESL), this new edition of Assessment and ESL presents ideas and tools for alternative assessment. The authors offer methods of documenting the learning and progress of second-language learners, learning and progress that may not always be apparent at first glance. Like the previous edition, the new edition is filled with real stories about students who take baby steps, progress in leaps and bounds toward proficiency, and eventually learn to fly on their own.

• • Compelling Conversations, by Eric Roth

In a nutshell: This innovative English as a second language textbook helps advanced English language learners develop conversation skills and improve fluency by sharing experiences, reflecting on their lives, and discussing proverbs and quotations. The ESL book includes 45 thematic chapters, over 1400 questions, 500 vocabulary words, 250 proverbs and American idioms, and 500 quotations. Designed for both adult education and intensive English language students, the conversations deepen critical thinking skills and speaking skills essential to success in community college and university programs. Compelling Conversations has been used in classrooms in over 50 countries, recommended by English Teaching Professional magazine, and enjoyed by thousands of English students.

• • Easy and Engaging ESL Activities and Mini-Books for Every Classroom, by Kama Einhorn

In a nutshell: Not sure how to teach a student who speaks only a little English or none at all? This quick and easy guide can help with tips for preparing for your new student, assessing the child’s needs and abilities, communicating with the student’s family, and much more.

• • ESL Classroom Activities for Teens and Adults, by Shelly Ann Vernon

In a nutshell: After years of teaching and ten years of writing, Shelley Ann Vernon has created a fun-filled book of classroom activities for ESL teachers. Pump some energy into your lessons and get your students talking, even the shy ones. ESL Classroom Activities for Teens and Adults is a great resource for schools. Schedules are jam-packed but with this book teachers won’t need to plan their next lesson during lunch. It’s also great for new teachers who are nervous or overwhelmed.

• • ESL Games: 176 English Language games for Children, by Shelley Ann Vernon

In a nutshell: How would you like to have happy, motivated pupils who love learning English with you? Now you can. Have you noticed how kids tend to forget everything you covered in the previous lesson? The vocabulary goes in one ear and out the other! 176 English Language Games for Children solves that problem, by making repetition fun. Now you can drill your pupils in new vocabulary and grammar until they are blue in the face and they won’t hate you, they’ll love you for it! Now they will be motivated and enjoying your lessons. They will gain confidence in speaking, remember what you teach them and get better results.

• • ESL Games for the Classroom: 101 Interactive Activities to Engage Your Students with Minimal Prep, by Michael DiGiacomo

In a nutshell: Every moment of class time counts. To fill class time productively, ESL Games for the Classroom offers effective ESL games that engage students with little or no prep work. Quick and easy to set-up, these interactive ESL activities are perfect to warm up a class, round out a lesson, or teach a particular grammar or vocabulary point. Clearly organized by skill and level, ESL Games for the Classroom is the go-to ESL teacher’s companion for adding educational games to the agenda.

• • ESL Teacher’s Activities Kit, by Elizabeth Claire

In a nutshell: These easy-to-use, language-generating activities can help to increase the motivation and participation of ESL students.

• • ESL Worksheets and Activities for Kids, by Miryung Pitt

In a nutshell: Need some activities for the children in your ESL class or kindergarten class? This book has worksheets, mini books, and other activities that will keep your students engaged and having fun while they are learning. All of the pages in the book are copier friendly and designed to be reproduced and used as handouts. There are activities for shapes, numbers, time, months, days, weather, prepositions, family, money, and animals. Plus there are flash cards in the back of the book to help practice vocabulary.

• • Grammar for English Language Teachers, by Martin Parrott

In a nutshell: An invaluable resource helping teachers at all levels of experience to develop their understanding of English grammar. Grammar for English Language Teachers is designed to help practising and trainee teachers to develop their knowledge of English grammar systems. It encourages teachers to appreciate factors that affect grammatical choices, and evaluates the ‘rules of thumb’ presented to learners in course materials. Consolidation exercises provide an opportunity for teachers to test these rules against real language use and to evaluate classroom and reference materials.

• • Learning Teaching: The Essential Guide to English Language Teaching, by Jim Scrivener

In a nutshell: Learning Teaching has been one of the most successful guides to English Language Teaching since it was first published in 1994. Its no-nonsense approach makes it a superb teaching textbook for initial training courses, and also an essential handbook for practising ELT teachers. Includes a DVD with both video material and additional teaching resources.

• • Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL: a Resource Books for Teaching k-12 English Learners, by Suzanne Peregoy and Owen Boyle

In a nutshell: This book is the ideal source for teaching oral language, reading, writing, and the content areas in English to K-12 English learners. In an approach unlike most other books in the field, Reading, Writing, and Learning in ESL looks at contemporary language acquisition theory as it relates to instruction and provides detailed suggestions and methods for motivating, involving, and teaching English language learners.

• • Teaching by Principles: an Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, by H. Douglas Brown and Heekyeong Lee

In a nutshell: Teaching by Principles is a widely acclaimed methodology test used in language teacher education programs around the world. In this fourth edition, Dr. H. Douglas Brown and Dr. Heekyeong Lee offer a comprehensive survey of practical language teaching options firmly anchored in current research on second language acquisition and pedagogy.

• • Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, by Marianne Celce-Murcia

In a nutshell: Now in its fourth edition, this comprehensive, best-selling methodology resource gives both prospective and experienced ESL/ELT teachers the theoretical background and practical applications they need to decide which approaches, materials, and resources can and should be used in their classrooms.

• • Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, by Diane Larsen-Freeman and Marti Anderson

In a nutshell: This is an updated third edition of our popular introduction to language teaching methodology, which describes different methods and approaches in language teaching. Clear and jargon-free, it provides practical step-by-step guidance for new teachers, and introduces more experienced teachers to new approaches and teaching ideas. Includes a new chapter on the use of digital technology. 

• • The CELTA Course Trainee Book: Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, by Scott Thornbury and Peter Watkins

In a nutshell: The CELTA Course is the only CELTA preparation course endorsed by Cambridge ESOL. It provides full coverage of the CELTA syllabus in a ready-to-use course.

• • The ESL/ELL Teacher’s Survival Guide, by Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski

In a nutshell: The ESL/ ELL Teacher’s Survival Guide is a much-needed resource for teaching English to all learners. The number of English language learners in U. S. schools is projected to grow to twenty-five percent by 2025. Most teachers have English learners in their classrooms, from kindergarten through college. The English as a Second Language / English Language Learner Teacher’s Survival Guide offers educators practical strategies for setting up an ESL-friendly classroom, motivating and interacting with students, communicating with parents of English learners, and navigating the challenges inherent in teaching ESL students. This hands-on resource will give all teachers at all levels the information they need to be effective ESL instructors.

• • The Ultimate ESL Teaching Manual, by Andromeda Jones

In a nutshell: With this book you will have the power to: 1. Start teaching English online or in the classroom now with a step-by-step guide to teaching every grammar point in the English language. 2. Never run out of words with over 60 vocabulary sets to teach covering beginner, intermediate, advanced to super-advanced levels. 3. Keep your students engaged with follow-on activities for every class including role plays, games and problem solving activities. 4. Cut down on preparation time with all lessons planned out for you. 5. Add interest to your classes with an appendix full of illustrated worksheets which manual owners can download in high resolution from the book’s website. 6. Travel light and save money on expensive textbooks with everything you need to teach English in one book. 7. Provide students with fantastic lessons they want with a methodology focused on language learning through speaking practice.