Here we are in November, a month that reminds us to reflect on the blessings in our lives. I’m grateful for so much, but one thing I feel especially thankful for as I write is each one of you reading this right now.

I had the opportunity to reconnect with a few of you in person at the MIDTESOL Conference last month, and it meant so much to hear, “I read your newsletter!” 

Writing for this special group of teachers each month sparks a lot of joy and that’s the reason I continue to do it. It is my sincere hope that you find something of value and encouragement in each and every issue.

This past week on Facebook and Instagram, I shared one simple idea every day to practice English in 3 minutes or less. 

I thought I would pass some of these ideas along to you as strategies you can introduce to your learners. There are certain go-to strategies that we automatically think of (watching a movie, listening to a podcast), but I wanted to highlight a few that your learners may not have thought of in terms of “language practice.”

I think it’s important to make self-led learning doable for adults (or kids!) with busy lives, and in order for most people to actually follow through, the activity will need to be something they can complete in under 10 minutes.  

Here are 7 ideas for you and your learners to try:

Listen to a Poem

Poetry accentuates the intonation and stress patterns of English and emphasizes the pronunciation of rhyming words. 

Advanced students might enjoy The Daily Poem podcast, most episodes are 3-5 minutes in length. I subscribed myself and have found it to be a very enjoyable listen.

For beginning or low intermediate levels, listening to a recorded rhyming children’s book could be a great option. I personally like the Little Loud Library YouTube channel for the calm and simple style that doesn’t feel too childish for an adult. Try Sheep in a Jeep (a family favorite) or the Dr. Seuss playlist. 

Record an audio journal or to-do list

With the voice note app on their phone, students can record a list of things they hope to accomplish that day, or a reflection at the end of the day about what they did and how they felt about it.

Sing a song

We don’t often think about singing as language practice but it can be a great exercise in fluency and pronunciation! Ask students to listen and sing along to a song in English that they like. If they have Spotify, they can see lyrics while listening, otherwise they can search for a lyric video on YouTube.

Read a fairy tale

Many classic children’s stories are well known in many different countries and languages. Ask your students which stories they remember from their childhood and have them find one of these stories in English. Americanliterature.com has a children’s section that includes many of these classic fairy tales.

Write your shopping list in English

Simple but effective! This task can double as pronunciation practice if students use the voice feature on their phone to “add ___ to my shopping list”

Copy a favorite quote

Copying may feel like a pedagogical technique from a century ago, but it is actually a wonderful way to reinforce good writing skills. Have students look up a quote they find inspiring and copy it onto an index card to display at home or in the car. If they enjoy this activity, you might suggest downloading the Daily Quote or Daily Words of Wisdom app to be sent a new motivational quote every day.

Timed brainstorm

Set a timer (3-5 minutes should be a good amount of time) and write as many ideas as you can think of in one specific category. A few ideas: emotions, actions you do every day, tools you own, plants in your yard, things you would like to do one day, etc.

I would love to hear which of these you try out and how your students responded! If you liked these ideas, you can find even more strategies in my Everyday Envelopes video.

Wishing you a November full of gratitude,

Bethany