In English, the past perfect tense is used to describe the relationship between two actions that happened in the past. Using had + past participle makes the order of the two events clear. For example, one can say, “I had studied English before I moved to Australia”. This sentence is clear and concise. As well, one can see the past perfect contained in the if clause in the third conditional. Ultimately, the past perfect is used in complex sentences, which may be why new English learners are so intimidated by it. Don’t worry, with practice your students will be confident expressing their ideas using the past perfect.If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

This engaging lesson plan focuses on the simple past tense verbs that end with -ed. It is a comprehensive, simple and engaging lesson—just stick to the materials provided. You can introduce it to beginner students or use it as a review with intermediate students. Throughout the lesson students will then have the opportunity to use this newly learned knowledge to describe images. They will also complete gap-fill exercises and read full sentences in English. Finally, they will make their own sentences using the past simple tense. As the lesson progresses, be sure to encourage students to speak in full sentences but also applaud them for their great efforts. If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

In English, we use the present simple tense to talk about general truths, habits and unchanging situations. As you can imagine, it is used several times throughout an English speaker’s day. With this being said, it’s important to provide a solid foundational lesson so your students can use it correctly in the real world. If you want to take your teaching even further, help your students create notes for reference. If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

This lesson introduces your students to the positive and negative forms of the verb. By the end of the class, your students will be forming simple sentences independently. Don’t forget to congratulate your students when they complete their first full sentence in English! It’s a big deal and they should feel accomplished. With your encouragement, they will be excited to learn more and will sign up for more classes with their favorite English teacher— you! If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

We use used to to talk about repeated habits or actions in the past that are no longer true in the present. For some students, using used to can be intimidating, as they’ve already learned the verb use in other forms. Additionally, they may have already learned that used to also means “accustomed to”.  Now, they have to learn a completely new way to use it so don’t let them be scared! Used to is a useful phrase because it immediately signifies a lot of information. Now that you’re ready to teach it to your ESL students, let’s talk about our lesson plan introducing used to.If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

This article describes many strategies for meeting the needs of visual and kinesthetic students, including deaf students.

Materials that can be used to discuss actions that student groups can take to promote textbook affordability on campus. Includes PDF, Word, and slides.

This page contains a FAQ that attempts to answer the biggest questions that Arabic students routinely face, including everything from the general difficulty of learning the language to how to say certain things.The FAQ is extensive and based on the personal experiences of the owner of Desert-sky who is an advanced Arabic learner.

This nonfiction article, written for elementary students, discusses the unique characteristics of the North and South poles. The student article is available as a text-only document, illustrated book, and electronic book. Related lesson plans are included for teacher use.

This article describes a pilot project in which a fifth-grade classroom integrated six iPod Touch devices into all aspects of the curriculum.

This issue of the free online magazine, Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, explores the tundra and how it can illustrate ecological concepts, relationships, and changes.

This nonfiction article, written for students in grades 4-5, explores the relationships between various tundra species: marsh marigolds, bot flies, and caribou. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.

This article features children's literature about the tundra, food chains, and food webs.

This article describes robots that are helping scientists explore the Gakkel Ridge deep below the Arctic Ocean and links to informational text about them. Versions are available for students in grades K-1, 2-3 and 4-5. Related science and literacy activities are included.

This article summarizes and links to two Science and Children articles that modify the KWL chart to include literacy skills and evidence-based claims.

The User-friendly Classroom video training series was created specifically for teaching assistants for whom English is a second language and the USA a second culture by A.C. Kemp, a lecturer in MIT Global Languages.  These videos focus on developing international teaching assistants’ strategies for successful, student-centered communication in the interactive American classroom. These videos demonstrate best practices through authentic examples of successful teaching scenarios, interviews with undergraduates and advice from international teaching assistants.
These videos were created for use with the following courses:
21G.232 / 21G.233 Advanced Speaking and Critical Listening (ELS)
21G.217 / 21G.218 Workshop in Strategies for Effective Teaching (ELS)
“Special thanks to my mentor, Jane Dunphy, for her support and advice with this project.”
- A.C. Kemp

This article discusses the strategy of using discrepant events in elementary science instruction. It includes links to four video clips of the sun's path in the Arctic or Antarctica.

This article highlights activities for elementary students that model icebergs and develop an informal understanding of the concepts of buoyancy and density. Suggestions for inquiry-based activities are included.

This article explains how organizing a rock swap between classrooms across the country or around the world can help elementary students investigate geographic and geologic diversity.

This article provides tips and strategies for effectively integrating digital media into classroom instruction. Resources provided are suitable for preschool and elementary students.