ESL Printables - you've got to try it!

Have you ever found the perfect book? That one in which the topics and grammar points are presented in the exact way you would teach them; that one which gives you loads of supplementary material so that you never have to prepare anything on your own and squeeze your brain trying to write sentences and texts in which they can practise everything you have just taught. Well, I haven’t.

I love giving my students exercises that are different from the ones they have in their books because I think they have to be ready for everything. It is undeniable that there are some grammar points that need far more practice than others, and unfortunately, no book author seems to bare that in mind. At least, that I know of.

Searching the internet for extra material, I’ve found what is, for me, the best site for teachers. ESL Printables is a site massively used by teachers from all over the world. What is the key for its success and excellence? Its perfect system. The site offers you an incredibly wide variety of flashcards, worksheets, lesson plans, powerpoints, online exercises and many more things. But not everyone has access to them. To download the files you want, you need points. How do you get them? You share with your colleagues some material you have created. Once you’ve uploaded something you’ve authored, people will start downloading it, and every time someone does so, you get one point. And that’s pretty much how it works.

And as if finding exactly what you need ready for printing was not enough, the site also gives you the fantastic sense of belonging. There are many people who leave comments thanking you for your contribution and saying great things about your work. The system which, in a way, obliges you to do your bit, is also teaching you how rewarding it is to share.

Working Online

In spite of certain arguments and occasional brake-ups in our relationship, I have to say that technology, and more specifically the computer, is definitely a friend of mine. I cannot even begin to describe how much easier my life is with it. It helps me to study, to be tidier, to work properly, to feel encouraged to do anything. And within the computer, a bigger love: the internet, oh l'internet!

The internet has given me the chance to learn as never before. Every single day I find something new to profit from. And I’m convinced that, if you know how to use it, it’s the most enriching invention ever come up with.

Lately, I’ve started to use it with my students, and although many are reluctant to work with it, when there’s at least one who can benefit from what you’ve posted, it makes your day. I’ve decided to work with wikis, since I find them nice and easy to handle. There’s one for my adults and one for my kids.
As you can see, the adults’ wiki is more concerned with theory and extra practice. I have some students that even prefer the summaries and explanations I write there than the ones that appear in the book. And, at the end of the year, when they have to study everything to pass the final exams, they feel more confident knowing they have everything there. There are some fantastic pages to copy grammar rules from, and which offer amazing online exercises.

The kids’ wiki aims more at entertaining, but there’s also undercover practice. Some games are incredibly cute! But of course some students would be like “They are soooo easy! We want something more difficult!” (in Spanish, of course), but well… you can never do it all right.
Both groups are difficult to encourage since some grown-ups are not at all interested in getting involved with anything related to technology advances, and some kids don’t have computers at home or don’t really know how to use them.

So, regarding this just like anything else, my motto is “Do your best but don’t expect much.”