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Visual literacy is a key life skill. So much of the information that we see and process on a daily basis comes from visual sources such as images, pictures, symbols, signs, and diagrams. In the English language classroom, it is important for us to support our learners to develop these skills.&nbsp;

Visual literacy skills can help learners to:

<ul>
	<li>interpret the main idea of a text before reading by looking at pictures</li>
	<li>understand a complex process using a diagram</li>
	<li>navigate online platforms or learning apps using icons</li>
	<li>stay safe through decoding signs and symbols</li>
	<li>analyze meaning, think critically, and discuss their opinions with others</li>
	<li>be aware of how their responses to imagery and colors can be different from others&#39;</li>
	<li>inspire them to ask questions and explore the topic further</li>
	<li>be creative in how they communicate and convey information</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;In this blog post, I will share some creative ways to bring visual literacy into the ELT classroom.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Infographics</h2>

Infographics are a visual summary of complex information. They use icons, images, and diagrams to convey complex information in a visually engaging and quick way. Their popularity is growing as people in our fast-paced world consume information in more rapid ways.&nbsp;

When I want to find information online quickly, I will search for an infographic (or sketchnote) as a starting point. This way I can have an overview of the key aspects of a topic in seconds, without having to read dense texts.&nbsp;

In class, they are a great way to incorporate real-world reading skills into the classroom. They also support reading skills development in a fun way that reduces processing load on learners who may get overwhelmed by longer texts.&nbsp;

Here is an example infographic about <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4116-sun-protection" target="_blank">Sun Protection</a> from Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/real-world-reading" target="_blank">Real-World Reading</a> section.&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4432/content_infographic.jpg" />

The Real-World Reading section supports learners to develop literacy and visual literacy skills in tandem. It provides texts in their authentic layout such as emails, bank statements, menus, receipts, bills, bus schedules, and maps.&nbsp;

<h2>2. Sketchnotes</h2>

Sketchnoting is a form of visual note-taking that can boost creativity, information processing, and focus. It is a fun way to bring whiteboards, notebooks, and lessons to life. Students can try it out as a way of helping them take notes, express ideas, or keep a journal.&nbsp;

You can collaboratively create a large scale sketchnote of a topic on the whiteboard and then have students copy it or take a photo of it for their records. You could also have students search online for sketchnotes of a topic (e.g., the water cycle) and have them analyze it as they would an infographic.&nbsp;

For example:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>What is the infographic/sketchnote about?</li>
	<li>What images does it use? Why?</li>
	<li>What colors does it use? Why?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What facts does it summarize?</li>
	<li>What numbers does it show?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What types of lettering style does it use? Why?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What questions do you have about the topic?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>And of course, you could have students research a topic and then create their own sketchnotes to share with the class.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

You can find out more about sketchnoting here:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/sketchnoting-101-supercharged-professional-development-with-visual-notes">Sketchnoting 101: Supercharge Professional Development with Visual Notes</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/top-digital-tools-for-visual-thinking-activities">Top Digital Tools for Visual Thinking Activities</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-an-elt-conference">How to Get the Most Out of an ELT Conference</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>3. Diagrams, charts &amp; graphs</h2>

Analyzing data in the form of diagrams, charts, graphs, and maps is crucial for navigating life, but also to prepare for academia and work. The ability to interpret with a critical eye can ensure that learners understand diagrams, charts, graphs, and maps correctly and don&rsquo;t get duped by <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/fake-news-in-the-ai-era-essential-skills-for-every-language-teacher-learner" target="_blank">fake news</a>. Learning to create their own can help them to process information, present their knowledge confidently, and study effectively. &nbsp;

This <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/academic-vocabulary" target="_blank">Academic Vocabulary</a> lesson on the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4185-the-digestive-system" target="_blank">Digestive System</a>, for example, offers learners the opportunity to understand the human body in more detail&nbsp;and learn vocabulary using visual markers. Having a diagram like this in their notebooks serves as an engaging memory booster to help them study and retain the information.&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4433/content_diagram.jpg" />

This&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3570-introduction-to-graphing " target="_blank">Introduction to Graphing</a> lesson helps students to learn the basics of understanding, using, and creating graphs.&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4434/content_graph.jpg" />

<h2>4. Graphic organizers</h2>

Graphic organizers are visual tools that provide a space for learners to add their ideas, notes, and answers. They are a great way to reduce processing load by providing structured learning in visual form rather than written.&nbsp;

For example, in this lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1681-internet-entrepreneurs" target="_blank">Internet Entrepreneurs</a>, students read three texts and then complete a graphic organizer in the form of a Venn Diagram. This allows learners to think deeply about the similarities and differences between each business owner. Having a small space to write in also encourages them to take notes in as succinct a fashion as possible. It also provides a quick visual memory booster to ignite conversations later in the lesson.&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4435/content_Venn-diagram.jpg" />

You can read more about graphic organizers in the English language classroom here:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/graphic-organizers-for-language-skills-development" target="_blank">Using Graphic Organizers for Language Skills Development</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/graphic-facilitation-101">Graphic Facilitation 101: Teaching English through Visual Communication</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>5. Icons, signs &amp; symbols</h2>

International iconography is everywhere&mdash;from the cursor icon on your computer screen to the emergency exit icon in buildings or public transportation vehicles. These icons are specifically designed to be recognizable in any language and can help learners of all levels communicate effectively.&nbsp;

Discussing these signs and symbols in class can make learners more aware of the international language of imagery&nbsp;and how they can use it to convey their own visual messages.&nbsp;

This lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3077-road-signs-signals">Road Signs &amp; Signals</a> is a good place to start. Students can discuss what a red triangle or a green traffic light means. On completing the lesson, you could send them off around the college (or their computer screen) to find other icons that are instantly recognizable. For example, the microphone on or off icon uses a similar circle with a cross through it as the no parking sign.&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4436/content_signals.jpg" />

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4437/content_flashcard.jpg" />

You could also use symbolism like this to help learners to express their feelings towards a lesson, concept, or activity. Give them a red, amber, and green &quot;traffic light&quot;&nbsp;card. Students can show the green card if they understand and are happy with an activity or turn it to red if they are confused and need more clarification.&nbsp;

<h2>6. Flashcards</h2>

There is more to flashcards than simply teaching vocabulary. One image may have infinite interpretations. Take the <a href="https://ellii.com/search/flashcard" target="_blank">microphone</a> icon above for example. It could be used to:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>express that the sound is off</li>
	<li>ask people to turn their mobile phones to silent</li>
	<li>signal where to press to turn your sound off</li>
	<li>show that this is a quiet space</li>
</ul>

In class, it could be used to:

<ul>
	<li>represent quiet reflection time</li>
	<li>manage turn-taking (or active listening time) during conversations or debates</li>
	<li>initiate a silent role-play, skit, or presentation</li>
	<li>inspire a story or conversation about a (broken) microphone</li>
</ul>

Ellii has over 6,000 <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards" target="_blank">flashcards</a> in its library. Each can be renamed. A fun visual literacy boosting activity could be to pick a flashcard&nbsp;and have students make suggestions for different ways it could be interpreted. This is a fun way to have learners get creative, think critically, and share their differing perspectives, interpretations, and ideas of a visual.&nbsp;

Here are some other ideas for using flashcards in class:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-our-flashcards">How to Use Our Flashcards&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/3-tips-for-using-flashcards-no-prep-required">3 Tips for Using Flashcards&mdash;No Prep Required</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/assigning-videos-and-flashcards-to-students">Assigning Videos &amp; Flashcards to Students</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection">12 Ellii Flashcards Perfect for Planning &amp; Reflection</a></li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<h2>7. Emoji</h2>

Emoji&nbsp;are everywhere. They are bright and fun, and they can convey actions, feelings, and opinions. Choosing the right emoji to respond to an online message&nbsp;or to accompany a social media comment can quickly convey how someone feels about something.&nbsp;

For example: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>They asked me to write an article for the school magazine! 🤩🥳</li>
	<li>They asked me to write an article for the school magazine! &nbsp;😤🤦&zwj;♀️</li>
	<li>They asked me to write an article for the school magazine! 😳🫣</li>
</ul>

The first emoji&nbsp;convey delighted excitement, while the second shows annoyance and the third embarrassment and anxiety. These emojis are commonplace and generally understandable to everyone across cultures. However some may be more open to interpretation.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>For example, my friend often uses this one for a smile, but I think it looks like a grimace: 😬&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Then there are cultural differences. This one could be pray, high five, or thank you depending on the person, place, or context: 🙏</li>
	<li>This one could be &quot;okay&quot;or &quot;perfect&quot;&nbsp;in some places, but highly offensive in others: 👌</li>
</ul>

Inviting discussions on these different interpretations can raise awareness, allow students to choose which icons to use in which contexts, and when to avoid them or explain their interpretations of them.&nbsp;

Here are some other ways to use them to develop visual literacy:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/emoji-feeling-adjectives">Blog</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2381-emoji " target="_blank">Discussion Starter</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/how-are-you-feeling " target="_blank">Ellii Poll</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>8. Visual storytelling</h2>

It is often said that a picture can say a thousand words, so why not use pictures to inspire learners to use a thousand words (or ten, depending on their level).

There are many ways to do this. You could bring comics or graphic novels into class and have students read them, discuss them, rewrite the captions, and do role-plays of the panels.&nbsp;

Another idea is to have students draw their own stories&nbsp;or create them using pictures, such as cutouts from magazines or Ellii&rsquo;s flashcards. Students can then narrate or tell the story, turn it into a video story,&nbsp;or interview a character from it.&nbsp;

Here are some other ideas:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/create-your-own-adventure-teaching-english-the-wordless-way">Create Your Own Adventure: Teaching English the Wordless Way!</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-stories-we-tell">The Stories We Tell</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simply-storytelling-inspiring-english-learners-with-story-prompts">Simply Storytelling: Inspiring English Learners with Story Prompts&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<h2>9. Photos</h2>

One of the best ways to bring natural discussion into the classroom is to have students share personal photos. Have them bring in a photo that is important to them&nbsp;or share some of their recent photos from their phone. Students can then describe the photo to others, ask questions, and find out more about the other learners in their class.&nbsp;

As a written activity, have students share images in an online group such as on a shared padlet or virtual learning environment and write a caption. Then have students comment on other learners&#39; posts, encouraging them to ask and answer questions.&nbsp;

If you prefer higher-impact photos with a more global outlook, check out Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/photo-prompts " target="_blank">Photo Prompts</a> section. These digital activities are a great way to spark conversations and think critically about world topics.&nbsp;

Have learners:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>describe the photo</li>
	<li>guess what happened before the photo</li>
	<li>predict what will happen next</li>
	<li>write a caption</li>
	<li>role-play the photo</li>
	<li>consider different people&rsquo;s emotions or perspectives</li>
</ul>

Here are some ideas for how to get a whole three-hour lesson out of just one image:

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-one-image-can-develop-visual-literacy-and-critical-thinking">What&#39;s the Story? How One Image Can Develop Visual Literacy &amp; Critical Thinking Skills</a>

<h2>10. Videos</h2>

As with photos, these are a great way to personalize lessons. Have students share their favorite online funnies or a short clip of them doing something funny or entertaining. Facilitate discussion about what they liked about the video, why it might be popular on socials, and any interesting language that it uses. Let them reflect on the impact the video had on their emotions or beliefs.

There are many ways to use videos in the English language classroom. Here are some tips and ideas for other ways to use them in class:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-videos-in-class">4 Ways to Use Videos Effectively in Class</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-ways-to-use-silent-video-clips">4 Creative Ways to Use Silent Video Clips in English Class</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/selfie-videos-ell">Teaching English with Selfie Videos&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

These are just a few ways to incorporate visual literacy skills development in the English language classroom. Which ideas have you tried? What other ideas do you have? We would love to know.

10 Ways to Develop Visual Literacy in the ELT Classroom

https://esllibrary-staging.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/post/title_image/2623/Emily_10-Ways-to-Develop-Visual-Literacy-in-the-Classroom_Banner.png

You may be hearing more people talking about inquiry-based learning at the moment. It seems to have become a bit of a <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/elt-trends-to-watch-in-2025" target="_blank">trend in ELT</a> and education in general.&nbsp;

In this post, I&rsquo;ll give a short introduction to what inquiry-based learning is, its advantages, and ways to use it effectively in class.&nbsp;

<h2>What is inquiry-based learning?&nbsp;</h2>

IBL is a learner-centered educational approach that encourages learners to ask and answer questions on a topic of their choice. Similar to project- or task-based learning, students explore a theme in depth by carrying out research.&nbsp;

In short, learners are inspired to get inquisitive and make their own inquiries to learn more about a subject that interests them or to solve a complex problem.&nbsp;

It could be said that IBL is a &quot;bottom-up&quot;&nbsp;learning approach. It gives students a subject to investigate and supports them to share their findings. This allows learners more autonomy and opportunity to develop life skills than a &quot;top-down&quot;&nbsp;approach in which the teacher shares their knowledge with the class.&nbsp;

<h2>What are the benefits of IBL for English language learners?</h2>

There are many benefits to taking an inquiry-based approach in your classroom. Here are some:&nbsp;

<h3>1. It boosts motivation.&nbsp;</h3>

Inquiry-based learning lets learners choose what questions they want to answer and what topics they&rsquo;d like to explore. When students get to choose something that interests them, they are immediately motivated to learn.&nbsp;

<h3>2. It allows space for organic language practice.&nbsp;</h3>

Learners learn through practicing and using their language skills. In the real world, they need to think spontaneously about their grammar and vocabulary choices. IBL creates a safe space to do this. The inquiry will naturally allow them to ask questions, consider responses, share opinions, give advice, and benefit from a whole manner of other organic language practice opportunities.&nbsp;

<h3>3. It is a chance to develop multiple skills.&nbsp;</h3>

An inquiry-based approach allows learners to watch videos, listen to podcasts, read texts, write down ideas, and share their thoughts. This allows them to practice all of their language skills at the same time&nbsp;in a natural and engaging way. It also provides an opportunity to develop 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.&nbsp;

<h3>4. It is inclusive.&nbsp;</h3>

IBL is a flexible approach that allows learners to pick what they want to learn more about. It also allows them to choose how they want to carry out their research, present their learning, and interact with other learners. Small adaptations like these can make classrooms more accessible and welcoming for everyone.&nbsp;

<h3>5. It creates a need to use the language.&nbsp;</h3>

One of the main aims of English language teaching is to create a need for learners to use the language. An inquiry-based approach creates this necessity by posing a problem to be solved or a question to be answered. Learners&nbsp;then have to use their language skills to solve it or explore the topic more.&nbsp;

<h2>How can I use IBL in class?&nbsp;</h2>

There are four steps to inquiry-based learning:

<h3>1. Inspire curiosity that generates questions</h3>

Have you ever read or watched something that got you instantly hooked on the subject and desperate to learn more? That is the feeling we want to give learners in this stage of IBL process.&nbsp;

To do this, we could:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos" target="_blank">watch a video</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/that-s-news-to-me" target="_blank">read a text</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/photo-prompts" target="_blank">look at a picture</a></li>
</ul>

Then give students time to think, talk together, and make notes of questions that this input has inspired them to ask.&nbsp;

<h3>2. Research the topic</h3>

Now that students have questions they&rsquo;d like to answer, we can help them to find those answers. In this stage, it is important to teach them research skills and how to identify reliable sources.&nbsp;

In particular, it is essential that students understand that AI tools and Wikipedia pages are good starting points, but that the information within them must be fact-checked. AI tools search the internet for all sources, but haven&rsquo;t yet learned how to distinguish facts from opinions, or reliable from unreliable sources. In a similar way, Wikipedia can be updated by anyone, so the information may not always be correct there either.&nbsp;

As a research guide, you can help learners to evaluate sources by encouraging them to find information in books, magazines, research papers, and reputable newspapers. You may wish to have learners compare the information represented in each, as different publications might slant their information for political or economic purposes.&nbsp;

For websites, have students think critically about the purpose of each one. Sources such as the World Health Organization, UNESCO, or National Geographic are likely to be well researched and reliable. Other sites may be trying to sell them something and could be manipulating data for their own gains.&nbsp;

<h3>3. Share findings</h3>

In this stage, learners can present their findings to the rest of the class. They could do this by:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>delivering a presentation</li>
	<li>creating a poster</li>
	<li>writing a blog post</li>
	<li>recording a video or podcast</li>
	<li>doodling a sketchnote</li>
	<li>making an infographic</li>
	<li>building a web page</li>
</ul>

This is an excellent opportunity to encourage more inquiries and curiosity by inviting learners to ask further questions and explore the topics even further.&nbsp;

<h3>4. Reflect&nbsp;</h3>

The final stage of IBL is to reflect on the learning process. This gives them a chance to explore what aspects of the process they enjoyed, what was challenging, what they discovered about how they like to learn, and what they might do differently in the future.&nbsp;

<h2>Further reading</h2>

If you&rsquo;d like to know more about inquiry-based learning, here are some sites where you can carry out your own inquiry:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="http://michelleworgan.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Michelle Worgan</a> is a fantastic inquiry-based learning expert in ELT who offers IBL-themed training, courses, and resources.</li>
	<li><a href="https://edutopia.org/article/blog-what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Edutopia</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.education.gov.au/australian-curriculum/national-stem-education-resources-toolkit/i-want-know-about-stem-education/what-works-best-when-teaching-stem/inquiry-based-learning" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Australian Government Department of Education</a></li>
</ul>

You may also be interested in the following blog posts from Ellii:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="http://ellii.com/blog/task-based-learning" target="_blank">Task-Based Learning: An Introductory Guide</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://ellii.com/blog/takeaways-from-tesol-2022-project-based-learning" target="_blank">Project-Based Learning</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/elt-trends-to-watch-in-2025" target="_blank">ELT Trends to Watch in 2025</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
Have you tried inquiry-based learning? Would you like to give it a try? Let us know in the comments.
</blockquote>

Inquiry-Based Learning: A Quick Guide for ELT Professionals

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Feedback is an essential part of the language learning process. It helps learners to see their progress and identify areas for development. However, when and how to give feedback can be a challenge.&nbsp;

In this blog post, I&rsquo;ll explore some minimal-prep, creative ways to give feedback that boosts student confidence and helps learners reach their goals.

<h2>1. Reframe negative feedback</h2>

Giving students the confidence to speak is absolutely crucial for successful language learning. Feedback framed in a negative way or that is overly harsh can be highly de-motivating and can even result in learners becoming disengaged or dropping out of learning entirely.&nbsp;

For this reason, it is good to start with things the student does well&nbsp;by praising their achievements and giving recognition for their hard work. Little phrases such as &quot;Well done!&quot; and &quot;You studied a lot!&quot;&nbsp;can be very motivating.&nbsp;

Every learner will have things that they are &quot;good&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;bad&quot;&nbsp;at, but no one likes to hear that they are &quot;bad&quot;&nbsp;at something. Instead, reframe things students lack confidence in as &quot;areas for development.&quot;&nbsp;This way, they have tangible areas to focus on&nbsp;and their weaknesses are perceived as skills that they haven&rsquo;t quite mastered yet.&nbsp;

This graphic organizer from Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/functional-business/materials"target="_blank">Functional Business</a>&nbsp;lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3824-giving-feedback" target="_blank">Giving Feedback</a> is a good example of this practice in action. It can be used by learners to help them&nbsp;give each other feedback as well as&nbsp;by teachers.&nbsp;

<img alt="Ellii giving feedback chart" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4281/content_Ellii-giving-feedback-chart.png" />

<h2>2. Encourage self-reflection</h2>

Training students to take learning into their own hands has many benefits. Autonomous learners can set their own goals, find new ways to learn, and develop their skills more rapidly overall.&nbsp;

In terms of self-reflection, supporting learners to be aware of their progress and to identify their goals and areas for improvement can be game changing. Encourage them to seek a greater understanding of their own abilities by:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>demonstrating tools such as spelling and grammar checkers</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/developing-learner-autonomy-with-ai" target="_blank">teaching them to use AI tools responsibly</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/english-with-voice-assistants" target="_blank">using voice-recognition tools to practice speaking</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_blank">encouraging them to self-assess their skills</a></li>
	<li>embracing peer feedback</li>
	<li>allocating time at the end of class to review and reflect</li>
</ul>

<h2>3. Show progress</h2>

Progression is powerful. As humans, our inner trolls often default to how little we&rsquo;ve achieved or how much we still need to do. However, looking back can be a huge boost to our confidence. Reflecting on distance traveled over a period of time can help us realize how much we have changed and grown.&nbsp;

Having students review written or spoken work they created at the beginning of a course and comparing it to work they completed towards the end of the course can have a huge impact on confidence.&nbsp;

So too can making a list of all the things they have achieved over a certain period of time. To do this, you could give them the Ellii <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards/music-hobbies-entertainment/outdoor-recreation?flashcard=2786" target="_blank">trail map</a> flashcard and have them plot key milestones along the way, or have them simply draw their own map or plot their accomplishments&nbsp;on a line on a piece of paper.&nbsp;

<img alt="trail map Ellii flashcard" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4278/content_trail-map-ellii.png" />

<h2>4. Use technology &amp; AI tools</h2>

Ellii offers a new way for you to leave students feedback.&nbsp;The <a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/267-how-to-use-the-grade-feed" target="_blank">Grade Feed</a> is now powered by AI and you can choose manual, suggested, or automatic feedback modes. If you choose to let AI suggest student grades and add a comment, all you need to do is review and accept or edit the suggestions. You can even leave them a voice note!

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rtLIzmA29Xw?si=uIllZexALtGvYviZ" width="640"></iframe></div>

<img alt="Ellii Grade Feed voice note" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4280/content_grade-feed-ellii.png" />

<h2>5. Focus on specifics</h2>

Giving feedback that helps learners to develop means identifying precise subskills to study and practice. Vague feedback, such as &quot;You need to work on your writing,&quot;&nbsp;will give students an idea of what they need to improve, but isn&rsquo;t specific enough to let them know how to get better at writing.&nbsp;

To get specific, review a piece of the student&rsquo;s writing together. Have them identify aspects of the text that could be improved&nbsp;or show them one or two errors that they consistently make. Try to focus on the subskills that will make the biggest difference.&nbsp;

For example, perhaps a learner often forgets to put a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence. Have them focus on that in their next text.

You could refer to a list of skills tracked to their language level or an assessment they are preparing for (e.g., CAE, IELTS). Alternatively, work with the whole class to create a list of subskills for their level.

Think carefully about how many areas for development to give your learners. Too many could be overwhelming and de-motivating for some, while too few might not be challenging enough for others. The best way to make this decision is with your learner&nbsp;based on their learning preferences and goals.&nbsp;

Here are some related Ellii resources and blogs that we think you&rsquo;ll love.&nbsp;

Resources:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2126-self-evaluation-form" target="_blank">Self-Evaluation Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2127-my-language-goals" target="_blank">My Language Goals</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2370-weekly-reflection" target="_blank">Weekly Reflection</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2875-the-language-of-feedback" target="_blank">The Language of Feedback</a></li>
</ul>

Blogs:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-importance-of-growth-mindset-for-learning-teaching" target="_blank">The Importance of a Growth Mindset for Learning &amp; Teaching</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection" target="_blank">12 Ellii Flashcards Perfect for Planning &amp; Reflection</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
How do you give feedback? Any top tips or teaching ideas? We&rsquo;d love to hear them.
</blockquote>

Low-Prep, High-Impact Feedback Strategies 

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I am writing this blog post a year and a day after I started my first adventure as a digital nomad. Packing my life into two small bags has been one of the best decisions of my life. It has taught me that creating memories and making new friends enrich my life more than accumulating objects. I hope to continue this lifestyle for the foreseeable future.&nbsp;

For the last year, my husband and I have been meandering around Latin America. We&rsquo;ve scaled volcanoes in Chile, toured wineries by bike in Argentina, visited the <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/boiling-rivers-burning-forests-why-teaching-conservation-topics-is-so-important" target="_self">Boiling River in Peru</a>, snorkeled on Colombia&rsquo;s Caribbean coast, and seen sloths chilling in the trees of parks in Panama.&nbsp;

I&rsquo;ve also managed to write three books, edit one, develop two resource packs, write 12 blog posts for Ellii, create countless sketchnotes, and deliver who knows how many webinars. When I left, I wasn&rsquo;t sure how I was going to feel about working while away, but it has given me a sense of purpose, the opportunity to stay places for longer and get to know them better, and the time to just enjoy sitting still and taking in the view.&nbsp;

In this post, I&rsquo;ll share some of my top tips for working remotely as an ELT professional.&nbsp;

<h2>Be financially prepared</h2>

It&rsquo;s always good to have a safety net before embarking on any travel adventure. Take a look at accommodation prices in the places you plan to visit, plus transportation and average food costs.&nbsp;

Have enough savings to at least&nbsp;survive for the first few months and get you home in an emergency. If you&rsquo;re working, you might never need to use these funds, but it&rsquo;s good to have them just in case. It&rsquo;s also good to have more than you think you need, as there are a lot of tempting unexpected adventures to be had.&nbsp;

<h2>Get insured</h2>

Travel insurance and health insurance are essential. My best friend used to work in an international hospital. He has told me many horror stories of uninsured travelers. You really don&rsquo;t want to get sick without the right insurance papers. Make sure to read the small print and get the coverage you need.&nbsp;

<h2>Find a remote ELT job</h2>

It goes without saying that to work remotely while traveling, you need a job you can do anywhere! Thankfully, English language teaching has tons of opportunities. You could:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>teach online</li>
	<li>develop ELT materials</li>
	<li>write blog posts</li>
	<li>deliver teacher development webinars</li>
	<li>manage projects</li>
	<li>create your own business</li>
</ul>

Here are some blog posts that you might find useful:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<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/beyond-teaching-elt-careers-to-keep-you-motivated" target="_self">Beyond Teaching: ELT Careers to Keep You Motivated</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>Pack light &amp; carefully</h2>

Packing has been a logistical challenge but one I&rsquo;ve found enjoyable. For me, everything has to be superlight, be extremely small, or have multiple purposes.&nbsp;

What you take will depend on where you are going. Since we planned to travel at different altitudes, seasons, and climates, we had to pack for all weathers. I love my squashable down jacket as it&rsquo;s cozy and tiny, my lightweight waterproof jacket, and my packable 20l backpack, which scrunches into the ball of my hand.&nbsp;

In terms of shoes, I only have one pair of trail running shoes, which I carefully selected as they look passable in restaurants as well as outdoors. I also have a pair of flips-flops&nbsp;and a tiny pair of ballet pumps that I use for conferences.&nbsp;

<img alt="ballet shoes" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4246/content_ballet-shoes.jpg" />

One thing I wish I had done was pack lighter. My bag was full, meaning that there was no space for anything I hadn&rsquo;t realized I would need. Plus, I had way too many tops and an unnecessary travel changing robe! Over time, I found new homes for things I didn&rsquo;t use to make space for real essentials like a bag of herbs and spices and my trusty coffee filter.

<img alt="coffee filter" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4247/content_coffee-filter.jpg" />

<h2>Network &amp; meet fellow ELTers</h2>

One of the things I&rsquo;ve enjoyed most about traveling while working is connecting with fellow ELTers. It has given me the chance to get to know people I had only met online, extend my network, and cultivate new friendships.&nbsp;

Going to conferences, like <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/perutesol-2024-reflections-and-take-aways" target="_self">Peru TESOL</a> in Arequipa and Anglo in Montevideo, gave me the opportunity&nbsp;to learn more about the Latin American ELT market. I also made new friends&nbsp;who&nbsp;invited me to speak at other conferences, to team teach with them, and even to enjoy dinner at their houses. ELTers truly are a lovely bunch of humans!&nbsp;

<h2>Travel slowly</h2>

Working while traveling really means that you need to slow down. You&rsquo;re not going to see much&nbsp;or get much work done if you just stay somewhere for a couple of nights. Plus, accommodation is often cheaper if you can make use of longer-term discounts. You also save a lot on transportation costs.&nbsp;

Depending on where we are, accommodation costs, and where we need to be, my husband and I tend to stay a minimum of a week wherever we are. However, I think a month or more is ideal. Whenever we have stayed for a month or longer in the same place, we have made more friends, been more productive, and really gotten&nbsp;to know the area well.&nbsp;

<h2>Be aware of privilege</h2>

This trip has really made me aware of passport privilege&nbsp;and how lucky I am to be traveling on a UK salary. Having taught students from refugee backgrounds for years, I have heard their stories of crossing borders in refrigerated vans, hanging onto the undercarriage of trucks,&nbsp;and hiking for days in the dead of night.&nbsp;

I also saw firsthand many people preparing to cross the infamous Darien Gap from Colombia to Panama. They carried small tents and the bare&nbsp;essentials, and in many cases they weren&rsquo;t dressed for three days of hiking through dense forest during the rainy season. Meanwhile, all I needed to do was buy a boat ticket and get my passport stamped.&nbsp;

As I travel, I often ponder how to redress this equality gap. I am very lucky to be able to have the opportunity to choose this lifestyle. In some places, digital nomads are pricing locals out of accommodation, so my presence could impact people&#39;s quality of life. I try my best to choose places that aren&rsquo;t super touristy and do simple things like being kind and respectful, taking an interest in the local culture, donating to local charities, and leaving generous tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>Be flexible</h2>

I used to have the luxury of a desktop PC, two huge screens, a giant whiteboard, a visualizer, a top-notch microphone, and a ring light as my work setup. Now, I have a laptop, a drawing tablet I use as a second screen, a portable lavalier mic, and a head torch! I&rsquo;ve had to get creative with my workspace. I even worked from an ironing board once when the place we rented didn&rsquo;t have a table!&nbsp;

<img alt="ironing board desk" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4248/content_ironing-board-desk.jpg" />

<h2>Have a plan B</h2>

Traveling while working can throw lots of challenges at you. Meetings, webinars, and events need to be planned carefully to make sure you have Wi-Fi and a suitable workspace. This means that travel days need to be planned around workdays. Some weeks your day off might be spent entirely on a bus.&nbsp;

You may also need to find last-minute solutions to unexpected problems. Recently, I got stuck for two extra days in a remote town due to tropical storms. The only feasible way out was by boat. This delay meant that I wasn&rsquo;t going to be able to deliver two scheduled webinars. I managed to postpone one, but the other was for a conference that had to go ahead on that day. So I pre-recorded the video. Thankfully, the conference organizers, World Education, and Ellii were happy with this solution, but I will forever have FOMO of not getting to e-meet everyone on the day.&nbsp;

You can watch the recordings here:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGVcE9TdIY/UVNbUNqJGyUXxOKPanjBlA/watch" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Lightning Talk</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGVcD82ZTs/ktshmSZMIFJHyUS1olNIRA/watch" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Breakout Room Tech Demonstrations</a></li>
</ul>

For more remote-working inspiration, you&rsquo;ll love this post by Ellii&rsquo;s videographer, Lucia Padilla:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/traveling-with-ellii" target="_blank">Working Remotely: Traveling with Ellii</a>

Here are some related lessons&nbsp;that you might want to try with your students:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4328-digital-nomads" target="_self">Digital Nomads</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3877-portugal-protects-remote-workers" target="_self">Portugal Protects Remote Workers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/travel-english/materials" target="_self">Travel English</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
Have you tried out remote working while&nbsp;traveling? Would you like to? Share your thoughts, tips, and experiences in the comments!
</blockquote>

 
&nbsp;

How to Be an ELT Nomad

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As a resident blogger for Ellii, my annual &quot;trends to watch&quot; has become a bit of an end-of-year event. This is the third time I&#39;m sitting down to write it, and in many ways, the process has become harder.&nbsp;

Firstly, I am not a fortune teller. I have taught the future tense for predictions countless times, and yet I still haven&rsquo;t accurately guessed what ELT themes will be popular in the coming year. This was abundantly clear in 2023&nbsp;when I wrote my post shortly before AI took the world by storm.&nbsp;

Secondly, writing these posts has&nbsp;helped me reflect on the differences between a trending topic and a core element of being an ELT professional. My post this year will focus more on identifying and discussing these differences.&nbsp;

These were my trends to watch in 2023:

💚 Green ELT 
🫂 DEIB &ndash;&nbsp;Diversity, Equity, Inclusion &amp; Belonging 
🕹️ Virtual Reality 
💬🗨️ Mediation 
🤹 Life Skills 
🔍 Task Based Teaching, Learning &amp; Assesssment

These were my trends to watch in 2024:

🤖 Artificial Intelligence 
💞 Well-Being 
🫂 DEIB &ndash;&nbsp;Diversity, Equity, Inclusion &amp; Belonging 
💚 Green ELT 
💬🌍 EFL&nbsp;Pron (e.g., global English and equity for &quot;native&quot;&nbsp;speaker teachers) 
🧗🏿ELT Careers (e.g., Teacherpreneurship + Working Rights)

In making these predictions, I enlisted the help of my English-language-teaching peers for suggestions, plus I looked&nbsp;around the web for social posts, blogs, videos, and webinars for trending topics.&nbsp;

You&rsquo;ll notice the following crossovers in 2023&ndash;2024: &nbsp;

🫂 DEIB &ndash;&nbsp;Diversity, Equity, Inclusion &amp; Belonging 
💚 Green ELT

In hindsight, these aren&rsquo;t necessarily trends&nbsp;but elements that have become central to language teaching. Learner-centered teaching means devoting time to accessible learning and inclusion. Inspiring learners with real-world topics that make the world a better place means incorporating environmental themes.&nbsp;

You&rsquo;ll notice that the following ELT themes didn&rsquo;t make it into either of my trends posts:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Grammar</li>
	<li>Vocabulary</li>
	<li>Pronunciation</li>
	<li>4-Skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening)</li>
	<li>Communicative Language Teaching</li>
	<li>Limiting teacher talking time</li>
</ul>

That is because they are simply the core elements of language teaching. These are things we learn in our initial teacher training. In many ways, trends are topics that get teachers to experiment and try new ways of working. Trends are things we probably should be doing, so we need to discuss them and share ideas.&nbsp;

For example, when I first attended IATEFL (probably around 2009), &quot;Teaching with Technology&quot; was the hot topic. Now it is just part of our daily teaching lives.&nbsp;

In 2020, as the pandemic pushed us all online, teaching with Zoom or Teams was the webinar session everyone wanted to deliver and attend. This is also now part of our standard practice.

So what will be the trends&nbsp;and new core elements&nbsp;to watch for in 2025?&nbsp;

Although I cannot look into a crystal ball, I can use my expertise, research skills, and network of skilled English-language-teaching peers to make some educated guesses as to what might be popular in teaching next year:&nbsp;

<h2>1. Artificial Intelligence</h2>

This is still a hot topic. As educators, we are still finding ways to use this effectively in class, ensure learners are using it responsibly, and get to know new AI tools to support learning. I believe this will continue to trend&nbsp;until one day soon it will become a core&nbsp;element.&nbsp;

Although we are all gaining confidence with this, it is still quite shiny and new&mdash;and perhaps a little scary. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_cwm_Hyc-8&amp;t=6s" target="_blank">Dr. Amin Davoodi</a> recommends that we see artificial intelligence as a &quot;resource&quot; and not as a &quot;competition.&quot;&nbsp;

<img alt="Dr. Davoodi AI sketchnote Elliicon" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4200/content_sketchnote.png" />

Ellii has&nbsp;been working hard to develop new ways to make teachers&rsquo; lives simpler with AI while maintaining the teacher&#39;s critical role and human touch in a student&#39;s language-learning journey.&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/ai">Ellii Bot</a> can be used to grade student tasks and give personalised feedback. Ellii also uses AI to provide recommendations for lessons based on learners&rsquo; age, level, and goals.&nbsp;

<h2>2. Global Englishes &amp; Equity for &quot;Native&quot; Speaker Teachers</h2>

Sadly, this hasn&rsquo;t become part of our core&nbsp;yet, though it should have many years ago. Last week, a trainee teacher in Indonesia asked if they could chat to me as part of a university assignment. The task was to interview a &quot;native&quot;&nbsp;speaker teacher. I agreed, but said that it would be on the grounds that I was a &quot;proficient&quot; language user and that I felt the use of &quot;native&quot; was discriminatory. The perception of how well someone can speak or teach English shouldn&rsquo;t be based on which country they are from.&nbsp;

English is global and 80% of its users are so-called &quot;non-native&quot;&nbsp;speakers. The majority of conversations that take place in English are between people whose first language isn&rsquo;t English. It is a means of communication for travel, education, and business. Around the world, there are millions of confident and proficient language users. Furthermore, there are many different, unique, and beautiful Englishes used to effectively communicate across languages. English is spoken everywhere and belongs to everyone.&nbsp;

Yet&nbsp;some language schools still market themselves as having &quot;native&quot;&nbsp;speaker teachers and actively recruit accordingly. More frustratingly, some countries only give work visas to teachers from certain countries. There is a huge perception and legislation shift needed to ensure that all proficient language users have the same access to opportunities.&nbsp;

Until this changes, we need to keep pushing for change. I&rsquo;m keeping this as a trend&nbsp;until our industry becomes equitable and it finally becomes a core element.

<h2>3. Visual Thinking</h2>

Visuals have long been a core part of language teaching. One picture, doodle, or diagram can aid understanding more effectively than using infinite words.&nbsp;

In recent months I&rsquo;m noticing more blogs, posts, and videos appearing on developing visual literacy, using graphic novels, interpreting infographics, discussing photos, sketchnoting, and using simple doodles in class.&nbsp;

It could be that AI-generated infographics, comics, and visual tools are making this more accessible. Here&rsquo;s a post on Bluesky from AI guru, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/joszoke.bsky.social/post/3lc3fbdvcic24 " target="_blank">Joanna Szoke</a>.

<img alt="jo szoke bluesky" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4201/content_napkin-ai.png" />

It&nbsp;could also be that some teachers are looking for a more &quot;back-to-basics&quot;&nbsp;approach&nbsp;utilising just whiteboards and markers. For example, in this LinkedIn post by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ricardocezarpro_elt-tefl-tesol-activity-7270457801364185088-09GC?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop" target="_blank">Ricardo Cezar</a>, he shares a low-tech teaching idea using simple drawings.&nbsp;

<img alt="visuals simple whiteboard" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4205/content_Ricardo-cezar.png" />

Or it could just be what Ellii has always known&mdash;that using visuals in class is simply a fantastic way to teach.

Here are some Ellii lessons and resources&nbsp;with a visual theme:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/story-prompts" target="_blank">Story Prompts</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/visual-learning" target="_blank">Visual Learning</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards" target="_blank">Flashcards</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos" target="_blank">Videos</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>4. Teacherpreneurship</h2>

Whenever I write these posts about trends, I&rsquo;m always a little wary of things that may be trending for me but perhaps not for other ELT professionals. It could be that this topic trends on my socials because it stops me while I&#39;m scrolling, so&nbsp;my algorithm knows my interests more than I do. Or perhaps it is trending on many ELTers&#39; feeds as they aspire to more flexible work schedules and higher pay.&nbsp;

Either way, there are more ELT professionals setting up their own online courses, starting podcasts, building YouTube channels, and offering coaching services. Software and AI development have made digital content creation and marketing simpler.&nbsp;

Here are some trends to expect in<a href="https://copythat-copywriting.co.uk/9-language-education-marketing-trends-for-2025/ " target="_blank"> ELT Marketing in 2025</a>&nbsp;from language education copywriter Lauren Martin, and from <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-shepherd-76694788_linkedin-i-need-your-help-im-planning-activity-7275089015253463040-fHHo?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop" target="_blank">Dan Shepherd at Hubbub Labs</a>.

You may also be interested in these posts:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/5-ways-to-make-passive-income-as-a-teacher" target="_blank">5 Ways to Earn &quot;Passive&quot; Income as a Teacher</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/teacherpreneur" target="_blank">How to Be a Teacherpreneur</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>5. Inquiry-Based Learning</h2>

This is a learner-centered approach to teaching that is based on curiosity, active questioning techniques, and exploring real-world topics. It is an excellent way to build life skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking.&nbsp;

Similar to project-based or task-based learning, IBL focuses more on exploration and investigation processes than project or task completion. Students may choose a topic that interests them, ask questions, and find out more in order to answer those questions.&nbsp;

Inquiry-based learning featured highly in the British Council ELTons nominations this year. You can read more about the trends based on the ELTons in Chia Suan Chong&rsquo;s blog post:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/ten-trends-and-innovations-english-language-teaching-2024" target="_blank">Ten Trends and Innovations in English Language Teaching in 2024</a>&nbsp;

Michelle Worgan is one of the leading ELT experts in this field. You can also explore this topic more on her site and through her <a href="https://michelleworgan.com/ ">course</a>.&nbsp;

<h3>Other Trends</h3>

We will, of course, continue to see mediation, life skills, well-being, social-emotional learning, sustainable development goals, teacherpreneurship, and EFL Pron feature highly in web conferences and events. They are popular for a reason and a pretty staple part of our core,&nbsp;after all.

<blockquote>
What would you predict as a trend for 2025? What do you feel is a core part of ELT? What should be?
</blockquote>

ELT Trends to Watch in 2025

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Using visuals and visual thinking strategies in class has a multitude of benefits. It can support understanding, aid memory, enhance learner engagement, and make lessons accessible to all.

Visual thinking strategies include:

<ul>
	<li>mind maps</li>
	<li>graphic organizers</li>
	<li>sketchnotes</li>
	<li>diagrams</li>
	<li>images</li>
	<li>visual storytelling</li>
</ul>

You can use these techniques to simplify complex information, guide conversations, activate schemata, and help students to understand and process their learning.

If you&rsquo;re looking for examples, I&rsquo;ve written loads of blog posts for Ellii sharing super simple, minimal preparation visual thinking activities. You can check them out on the <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/authors/emily-bryson" target="_parent">Ellii blog</a> here.&nbsp;

In this post, I would like to share some of my favorite digital tools for visual thinking activities. These can be used in various ways in both online and face-to-face classes.&nbsp;

<h3>Canva, Miro &amp; Mural</h3>

I can&rsquo;t tell you how much I love <a href="https://www.canva.com/" target="_blank">Canva</a>. It is a free design tool, but if you upgrade to a paid plan, you&#39;ll get more access to its bank of stock images, icons, videos, and audio. &nbsp;

You can use it to:

<ul>
	<li>create and deliver presentations</li>
	<li>develop resources</li>
	<li>edit videos</li>
	<li>make social posts such as Instagram reels</li>
	<li>use mind maps and graphic organizers</li>
</ul>

The tool I love most on Canva is the whiteboard. Like many teachers, I was devastated when Google announced the end of Jamboard. It was fantastic for creating visual and interactive activities for online classes.

After the announcement, I looked around for other tools. <a href="https://miro.com/signup/" target="_blank">Miro</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mural.co/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1734457704526561&amp;usg=AOvVaw1rlyZKkymVKa5_sFIfHV6H" target="_blank">Mural</a> are fantastic online whiteboards. As with Canva, they let you share access to the whiteboard via Weblink. This allows you collaborate with learners in real time or gives them access to class content whenever they need it.&nbsp;

Miro, Mural, and Canva also let you:

<ul>
	<li>draw</li>
	<li>use their pre-made templates</li>
	<li>create your own mind maps, graphic organizers, and visual stories</li>
	<li>use virtual &quot;sticky notes&quot;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>add text, images, icons, videos, etc.</li>
	<li>upload your own images, PDFs, and audiovisual files</li>
</ul>

For me, Canva whiteboard wins because it can do all the extra things like create videos, social posts, and PDF resource packs.

<h3>Annotation tools in Zoom</h3>

Annotation tools in Zoom are so much fun and can bring any online class or webinar to life. They are a great way to engage learners and course participants.

If you share your screen in Zoom, your learners will see a green bar saying &quot;You are viewing [your name]&rsquo;s screen.&quot; They&rsquo;ll see a drop-down menu. If they click it, they will be able to add text, icons, and doodles directly onto the zoom screen.

<img alt="annotate on Zoom" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4189/content_Ellii-zoom-annotate-option-Emily-Bryson.png" />

I love doing this with visual templates, images, tables, or graphic organizers. It&rsquo;s a great way to have students share their ideas, give feedback, or cast their votes.

Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/photo-prompts" target="_blank">Photo Prompts</a> are perfect for some interactive annotation fun. Share your screen to display the image and then have students add text to:

<ul>
	<li>brainstorm useful vocabulary</li>
	<li>suggest what people are thinking</li>
	<li>write a caption</li>
</ul>

<img alt="Photo Prompts on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4190/content_Ellii-photo-prompt.png" />

These tools can be more interactive and engaging than simply using the chat function. However, if learners are unfamiliar with Zoom, you might want to get them confident with simple features such as chat before teaching them to use annotation tools.&nbsp;

<h3>CamScanner</h3>

People often ask me how I digitize my paper-based drawings and sketchnotes to make them so white and shiny. My secret is <a href="https://www.camscanner.com/" target="_blank">CamScanner</a>&nbsp;and its Magic Color&nbsp;function.&nbsp;

Here is a sketchnote I did on a paper notepad and then&nbsp;took a photo. You&rsquo;ll notice there are shadows and it is a bit gray.

<img alt="sketchnote Emily Bryson" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4191/content_Ellii-sketchnote_Emily-Bryson-ELT.png" /> 
 
Here is a sketchnote I did on paper and then&nbsp;used CamScanner&#39;s Magic Color&nbsp;function. You&rsquo;ll see it is much cleaner, brighter, and whiter.

<img alt="sketchnote Emily Bryson" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4192/content_Ellii-camscanner-sketchnote_Emily-Bryson-ELT.png" />

CamScanner is a free app, though it does have lots of advertisements until you upgrade to a paid plan. I find the ads quite tolerable though. You can save and share files as JPEGs or PDFs.

It is perfect for taking photos of your doodles&nbsp;or hand-drawn infographics. You can also use it to capture students&rsquo; work, such as their posters, mind maps, sketchnotes, graphic organizers, or writing.

<h3>Adobe Fresco</h3>

If you want a superclean look for your sketchnotes, doodles, or hand-drawn visual thinking activities, <a href="https://www.adobe.com/ca/products/fresco.html" target="_blank">Adobe Fresco</a> is a good place to start. It is a much simpler digital drawing tool to use than Illustrator or Photoshop. For Apple users, I&rsquo;ve heard Procreate is great, though I&rsquo;ve never used it.&nbsp;

Here&rsquo;s a sketchnote I created in Fresco for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP0N5nuiA3aOIoCMzz9RNamAKTpqXQTvQ" target="_blank">ElliiCon 2023</a>. You&rsquo;ll notice it is super shiny and bright:

<img alt="sketchnote Emily Bryson" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4193/content_Ellii-sketchnote-teaching-humanity_Emily-Bryson-ELT.png" />

<h3>Visualizers</h3>

A visualizer is essentially a 21st-century overhead projector! It acts like a webcam that can be pointed at various objects to stream to your computer.

<img alt="visualizer" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4194/content_Ellii-visualizer-Emily-Bryson-ELT.png" />

Visualizers are brilliant for online classes as they turn your desktop and notepad into a whiteboard. I love using them to draw and tell visual stories.

In this story, &quot;Stan&rsquo;s Lunch,&quot; I doodle words with simple phonics sounds: SATPIN. You can view it <a href="http://www.emilybrysonelt.com/freebies/ " target="_blank">here</a>.

<img alt="doodling with Emily Bryson and phonics sounds" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4195/content_Ellii-Stans-lunch-Emily-Bryson-ELT.png" />

For a more detailed demonstration on how to use these tools, check out these <a href="https://emilybrysonelt-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/p/emily/ElHU_Gdmo8lPiMP7JX_lIfYBsofbCBHHnypEeOimrCoCKQ?e=t58zi5 " target="_blank">videos</a>.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
What are your favorite digital tools? Have you tried any of these? We&rsquo;d love to know.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

Top Digital Tools for Visual Thinking Activities

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If you have ever taught or written an environmental-themed lesson, I salute you. I have taught many in my lifetime, but somehow there&#39;s always an <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being" target="_self">inner troll</a> telling me:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>This is futile.</li>
	<li>No one cares.</li>
	<li>Students aren&rsquo;t interested.</li>
	<li>It won&#39;t change anything.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

My inner troll has taken a bit of a beating since I visited the Boiling River&nbsp;in Peru. As an author for NGL, I got lucky and managed to visit with National Geographic explorer Andr&eacute;s Ruzo. This is a guy who has devoted his life to discovering the mysteries of the river and protecting this unique place. If you&#39;re not familiar with him, check out his <a href="https://www.ted.com/speakers/andres_ruzo" target="_blank">TED talks</a> (or use them in class). I promise you&#39;ll be blown away.&nbsp;

<img alt="Emily Bryson with Andres Ruzo at the Boiling River, Shanay Timpishka, Peru." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4149/content_Ellii_Andres-boiling-river_Emily-Bryson.jpg" />

Emily Bryson with Andr&eacute;s Ruzo at the Boiling River, Shanay-Timpishka, Peru.

<h2>The Boiling River</h2>

So the Boiling River is indeed a river that boils! It can reach temperatures of 95 degrees Celsius! To get there, you need to first arrive in Pucallpa by bus or plane and then drive for three hours, mostly on gravel roads. It is a hidden wonder of the world that not many people know about or have seen. Personally, it is one of the most impressive places I have ever visited.

<img alt="the boiling river signage" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4150/content_Ellii_boiling-river_Emily-Bryson.jpg" />

My first glimpse was both breathtaking and terrifying. Only a noticeboard with the temperature keeps danger away. One misplaced foot&nbsp;and I&#39;d have been boiled from the outside in, starting with my eyes, according to Andr&eacute;s! The wellness retreat we stayed at recommended sitting on the rocks less than a foot from the river to enjoy a natural steam bath. Oddly, even when I was sweating profusely in&nbsp;40-degree&nbsp;heat, the steam from the river was cleansing and refreshing.

<h2>The climate crisis: Too close for comfort</h2>

As we drove to the river, we noticed a lot of wildfires. We asked our driver to stop and took some photos and videos. It reminded my husband of photos of the aftermath of the Battle of the Somme in the First World War! Whole forests had been razed to ashy fields, mere tree stumps remaining. It was so hot that Andr&eacute;s&#39;s phone overheated and his sneakers&nbsp;melted.

That night, as we slept in our wooden tambo, I could smell the fires still burning. My mind raced as I expected to be evacuated at any point.&nbsp;

Thankfully, when we woke, all was quiet and the steam continued to rise from the crystal clear waters.&nbsp;

<img alt="boiling river" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4151/content_Ellii_boiling-river2_Emily-Bryson.jpg" />

The aftermath of a forest fire just a few kilometers from the site of the Boiling River

Our visit continued with meetings with local people. The situation is complex and I had to remind myself that Scotland, as well as many other countries, chose to deforest many years ago to make boats and farmland. Of course the quick reward of cash is easier to desire than trees, even if trees give us clean air and reduce the risk of drought and floods.

The remaining lungs of the planet are vanishing rapidly. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/04/global-deforestation-rainforest-climate-goals-brazil-colombia-agriculture" target="_blank">The World Resources Institute reckons on 10 football fields to be lost every minute!</a> Given that Bolivia just lost 3 million hectares (5.6 trillion football fields) in September, I suspect this rate might now be quicker!

Locals want to make way for crops such as soy and palm oil. Illegal loggers want to cut down and sell the biggest, most carbon-absorbing trees. And land traffickers sell plots of land they don&#39;t own to anyone trusting enough not to check.

<h2>A positive message</h2>

It&#39;s hard not to get disillusioned and let the inner troll run riot. But something Andr&eacute;s said helps my <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being" target="_self">inner angel</a> win.

Every time the Boiling River gets a mention in a book, blog, printable lesson plan, video, or social media post, it&#39;s one more piece of evidence to strengthen the conservation case to officials.

So dear ELTers, keep teaching conservation topics, especially about the Boiling River and other undiscovered beauties that need our protection. And if you ever write about the BR, send Andr&eacute;s a link. He&#39;ll want to know!

Keep on teaching, keep on writing, keep on spreading the word that our planet needs help if the human race wants to continue to thrive on it!&nbsp;

<h2>Related</h2>

There are 400+&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/collections/global-issues/the-environment" target="_self">environment-themed resources</a> on Ellii, including these&nbsp;wildfire-themed materials:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4665-dealing-with-devastation-in-fire-ravaged-hawaii " target="_self">Dealing with Devastation in Fire-Ravaged Hawaii</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4671-trudeau-slams-facebook-for-blocking-canada-wildfire-news" target="_blank">Trudeau Slams Facebook for Blocking Wildfire Ne</a><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4671-trudeau-slams-facebook-for-blocking-canada-wildfire-news" target="_blank">ws in Canada</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/video/can-tourists-help-maui-s-economy-without-compounding-wildfire-trauma" target="_blank">Tourism in&nbsp;Maui after Wildfire</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4586-wildfires " target="_blank">Wildfires</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Here are some more related posts:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/46-greening-the-elt-classroom-tips-teaching-ideas" target="_blank">Greening the ELT Classroom</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-what-why-and-how-of-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank">The What, Why&nbsp;&amp; How of Sustainable Development Goals</a> &nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/one-in-a-million-plastic-litter-challenge" target="_blank">One in a Million: Plastic Litter Challenge</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/student-showcase-earth-day-projects" target="_blank">Student Showcase: Earth Day Projects</a> &nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being" target="_blank">A Quick Activity to Boost Confidence &amp; Well-Being: Inner Troll Vs. Inner Angel</a></li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Have you heard of BR? Have you experienced a wildfire or noticed extreme climate change? Do you know any other special places that need their profile raised? What have you done to protect places like this? We&#39;d love to know.
</blockquote>

Boiling Rivers & Burning Forests: Why Teaching Conservation Topics Is So Important

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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;

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;

<h2>Seek local (or online) partnerships</h2>

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;

<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>Share inspiring stories&nbsp;</h2>

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;

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.

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;

<h2>Bring in realia</h2>

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;

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!

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. 
 
<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>

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.

<h2>Focus on the&nbsp;English</h2>

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;

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;

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;

Check them out here:&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Career-Specific Pathway&nbsp;Courses

<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>

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.

<blockquote>
Exploratory Career Pathways Lessons

<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>

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;

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>.

<blockquote>
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;
</blockquote>

How to Teach Workplace English

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There is no doubt that using photos, images, and illustrations in class is a powerful tool. They can help:

<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>

Here are some ways to use them to support English language learning.&nbsp;

<h2>1. To teach vocabulary</h2>

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.

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?

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!

<img alt="cheek retractor" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4012/content_cheek-retractor-Ellii-visuals.png" />

&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>.

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<img alt="cheek retractors" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4006/content_cheek-retractors_CT.png">
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.

Here are some other <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection" target="_self">creative ways to use flashcards</a>.

<h2>2. To introduce global topics</h2>

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.

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.

<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" />

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>

<h2>3. To inspire storytelling</h2>

Using storytelling in class is a brilliant way to incorporate all four communication skills. Students can:

<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>

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;

 
<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" />

<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;

<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" />

For more ideas on how to use images to tell stories, check out these blog posts:&nbsp;

<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>

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.

<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>

Have students answer conversation starters, such as:&nbsp;

<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>

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;

For more ideas on using silent clips and moving images, check out these blog posts:&nbsp;

<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>

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.

Here are some ways to have students draw in the classroom:

<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>

Here are some related posts on Ellii:&nbsp;

<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> 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
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;
</blockquote>
</p<img>

The Power of Visuals in the Classroom

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Firstly, there is nothing &quot;passive&quot;&nbsp;about &quot;passive&nbsp;income.&quot; I want to start by debunking this myth.

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;

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;

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;

<h2>1. Write a book</h2>

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.

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;

<h2>2. Publish on resource-sharing sites</h2>

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;

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;

<h2>3. Start a website</h2>

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;

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;Advertisements:&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;Affiliate marketing: 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;Product sale: 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>

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;

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;

<h2>5. Make your money work for you</h2>

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;

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;

 
Here are some other blog posts about professional development, teacherprenuerism, and ELT careers that may interest you:

<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>

Here are some Ellii lessons and collections that will build your students&rsquo; financial and money skills:&nbsp;

<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> 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
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;
</blockquote>

5 Ways to Earn "Passive" Income as a Teacher

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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! 
 
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. 
 
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.

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4164-ellii-placement-quiz">Ellii Placement Quiz</a> 
	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">Class List</a> 
	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">Attendance Sheet</a> 
	A basic template for class attendance.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2169-weekly-planner">Weekly Planner</a> 
	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">Autobiography</a> 
	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">My Language Goals</a> 
	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">Teaching Order (Grammar Targets)</a> 
	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">Writing Correction Key</a> 
	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">IPA Chart</a> 
	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">Exit Slips</a> 
	Learner reflection forms that teachers hand out to students toward the end of class.</li>
</ol>

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; 
 
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;

10 Back-to-School Resources for English Language Teachers

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Teachers are notoriously pushed for time. Somehow we have to plan and deliver classes, mark coursework, attend meetings, deal with emails, and make time for individual students and their parents.&nbsp;

The good news is that there are lots of ways that we can reduce our prep time to make our workload more manageable.&nbsp;

<h2>Exploit materials</h2>

When I did my diploma in TESOL, one of my tutors told me that the certificate in English language teaching is where you learn to plan and deliver lessons, whereas the diploma is where you learn to exploit every aspect of the classroom and adapt your lessons to your students&rsquo; needs.

This ability to see opportunities to exploit classroom activities and adapt to learner needs comes with experience. It also comes with trialing new techniques and noticing what your students need to practice.&nbsp;

For example, a reading activity in class could be as simple as reading the text and answering comprehension questions. But you could extend and exploit it by having students do the following:&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>Look closely at the style and format&mdash;discuss whether the text is formal or informal (and find examples), underline linking words and phrases, summarize paragraphs, identify and re-write topic sentences, create or re-write the title or heading.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Identify new words&mdash;discuss their meaning, write definitions, create example sentences or questions, look for synonyms and antonyms.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Explore phonics&mdash;underline interesting spelling rules or sounds, find other words with the same sounds, create tongue twisters or poems with these words.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Look at parts of speech and gramma&mdash;blank out all the verbs, nouns, or adjectives and have students re-write the text with alternatives; draw attention to the usage of pronouns, prepositions determiners, or articles; discuss reasons for using certain grammar structures and look for alternatives. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Perform or present&mdash;write a play and act it out, role-play a scene, write what happened before or after, do a presentation on a theme from the text.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

These are just some ideas. They are good to have on hand as extension&nbsp;options. They can also be used to give fast finishers a task as they wait for other learners to complete an activity.&nbsp;

<h2>Graphic facilitation</h2>

As a graphic facilitation geek, I love having the ability to quickly draw an activity on the board at any point. Knowing a few simple visual tools can save a lot of preparation time. These can be used as a warmer, the main activity, or an extension task in a lesson.

For example, my <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/activity-to-boost-confidence-and-well-being" target="_blank">Inner Troll Vs. Inner Angel</a> activity involves drawing a devil and an angel on the board with a couple of thought bubbles. Students can then copy the depiction on a piece of paper and reflect on their negative and positive thought patterns. To end the activity, students rip up their common negative thoughts. This helps them consider how their brain plays a part in their confidence and can help or hinder them from completing their tasks or goals.

You can find more information about <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/graphic-facilitation-101 " target="_blank">Graphic Facilitation</a> here.

<h2>Dogme</h2>

A blog post about minimal preparation teaching wouldn&rsquo;t be complete without mentioning <a href="https://teflzoneracheltsateri.wordpress.com/2021/10/06/my-dogme-class-for-delta-module-2/" target="_blank">Dogme</a>. It is a communicative language teaching approach developed by Scott Thornbury and Luke Meddings. This method focuses on natural communication in the classroom rather than using published resources. It allows the teacher to find a topic that interests the students and create a lesson around that.&nbsp;

Going into class without resources or a lesson plan&nbsp;might sound scary, but the Dogme approach follows a structure:&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>Teachers and students decide on a topic.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Learners participate in discussion or complete a task (e.g., read, watch a video, do a role-play) based on that topic.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Students receive&nbsp;feedback on the task. Teacher draws attention to and provides practice of emergent language as well as feedback on language usage.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Students engage in further classwork or homework allowing practice or emergent language or topic-related tasks.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

<h2>Language experience approach</h2>

The language experience approach is attributed to the work of Ashton Warner and Paulo Freire. I personally like to think of it as Dogme for the literacy classroom, as its aim is focused on providing reading and writing practice based on learner needs and interests. The approach is intended to start with a shared experience, such as a class trip or group craft activity, but I find it works just as well with shared knowledge of a topic.

Here are the stages:

<ol>
	<li>Class shares an experience (e.g., visit the local library, create a vocabulary notebook). OR Class chooses a shared topic of interest (e.g., sports, gardening, cooking, childcare).&nbsp;</li>
	<li>The students describe the experience or suggest sentences to create a collaborative text about their topic of interest. The teacher writes these on the board.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>The teacher reads the full text to the class, pointing at the words on the board.</li>
	<li>The class reads the text chorally&nbsp;as the teacher points at the words.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Students copy the text to their notebooks.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Students work in pairs to read the text aloud to each other.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

The text can then be exploited in many ways. For example, the teacher could:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Print it and cut out individual sentences or words. Students then put it back in order.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Invite students to circle interesting spellings or phonics rules and then practice them. For example, think of words with similar spellings, create a picture dictionary, and make sentences and short texts.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Erase certain words on the board. Students have to add the words back&nbsp;or add alternative words.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Have students write a similar text about them.&nbsp;The text could also be exploited using some of the activities I mentioned in the previous section above.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>Ellii resources</h2>

One of the best ways to save time as a teacher is to subscribe to <a href="https://ellii.com/" target="_blank">Ellii</a>. There are over 2,000 lessons on pretty much every topic and language point imaginable. Most can be printed or used as interactive online tasks. Students can develop their speaking, listening, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Many lessons are also focused on skills development such as employability, critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.&nbsp;All you need to do is search for the perfect lesson, print it, and go to class! Here are some <a href="https://ellii.com/sample/lessons" target="_blank">Sample</a> lessons to get an idea of what you&#39;ll find on Ellii.

Here are a couple of blog posts with other ways to reduce your prep time:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/10-zero-prep-fillers" target="_blank">10 Zero-Prep Fillers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-one-image-can-develop-visual-literacy-and-critical-thinking" target="_blank">How One Image Can Develop Literacy &amp; Critical Thinking</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-videos-in-class">4 Ways to&nbsp;Use Videos Effectively in Class</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/bell-ringers" target="_blank">Engage Learners with Bell-Ringer Activities</a></li>
</ul>

 
These are just a few ideas that can reduce your preparation time. For more, you may want to check out the Teachers Talk Radio session I did with Graham Stanley on <a href="https://www.ttradio.org/listenback/episode/455b5481/minimal-preparation-teaching-the-twilight-show-with-graham-stanley">Minimal Preparation</a>.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<blockquote>
How do you save time as a teacher? Have you tried any of these approaches? We&rsquo;d love to know.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

Minimal Preparation Activities: Time-Saving Teaching Techniques

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