English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): Featured Instructional Resources

Key Terms:

Adult ESOL Instruction: English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) refers to instruction that supports multilingual learners in acquiring and developing the proficiency of their speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills in the English language.

Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IECLE): Some adult education programs receive Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IECLE) funding which has additional instructional requirements. If working for an IELCE program, use this website to learn more about the program and instructional required components of IELCE.

Featured Resources:

The following resources provide information on key ESOL instructional strategies as well as learning more about the adult ESOL classroom and adult multilingual learners. All of these resources can be used by instructors who are new to ESOL instruction or to adult ESOL instruction or those who are interested in further developing their ESOL instructional skills and knowledge.

ESOL Instructional Techniques Bank: This resource provides instructional techniques for  engaging multilingual learners in the English language classroom. These techniques are aligned with the English Language Proficiency Standards and the College and Career Readiness Standards and most of them engage learners in all four language modalities: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Strategies & Routines for Multilingual Learners: This resource details effective strategies and routines to support multilingual learners in an adult education classroom.

Adult ESOL Foundations: This two-hour, self-paced tutorial was designed to introduce or reintroduce adult educators and practitioners to foundational adult English language instructional tenets, practices, and strategies in order to broaden or deepen the understanding of foundational adult English language instruction.

VALRC’s ESOL Literacy Toolkit: This resource offers explanations, tips, materials, and links to help ESOL instructors and programs better understand and address literacy instruction for English language learners. Additionally, in the professional development section of this toolkit, there are archived webinars related to ESOL literacy instruction.

English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (ELPS): This report explains the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards for Adult Education and their relevance to adult education programs with Correspondences to College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy, and Mathematical and Science Practices. If working for a federally-funded adult education program, this is a required component of classroom instruction.

LINCS Self-Paced Courses on Standards-Based Instruction for English Language Learners: This webpage provides information on the LINCS self-paced courses for learning more about the ELPS and how to access these courses.

ESOL Instructional Videos and Lesson Plan: This resource provides videos related to well-structured ESOL lesson plans, limiting teacher talk and facilitating student engagement, error correction, and what not to do in an ESOL class and a sample ESOL lesson plan used to create all of the videos.

REEP ESL Curriculum for Adults: This curriculum provides instructional direction for adult ESOL programs and includes planning, assessment, and classroom content resources which focus on life skills such as health, employment, community, government, and transportation as well as digital literacy.

For more resources related to adult ESOL instruction, please search VALRC’s ESOL resource bank.