As those of you who drop by regularly will have seen, I’ve recently been involved in the production of a free e-book of ‘controversial’ lesson plans (if you missed my last post, take a look).
To continue in this spirit of giving and sharing, I’m following up with a list of ten fantastic and totally free ELT e-books for you.
Here we go then, with ten books you can download right now…
1. Entertainment in English — 12 Game Show Lesson Plans for ESL by Luan Hanratty
In this collection of lessons Luan Hanratty has readapted some of the most successful and entertaining gameshow formats from US and UK television and radio from over the last forty years. This set of lessons forms the third pillar in Luan’s ‘theory of communicative learning’. This is a great read and is guaranteed to give you many ideas for spicing up lessons with interesting and motivating games.
2. Using Games in the Language Classroom by Adam Simpson
OK, this might seem like shameless self-promotion, but as this is in the top 5 of downloaded ELT books on Smashwords, I feel justified in plugging it here! If you enjoyed No. 1 on my list, this makes for a good companion text. Contents include: 10 good reasons why we should use games in the language classroom; Are we really sure about using games in the language classroom?; The 9 golden rules of using games in the language classroom; 3 strategies for incorporating games into beginner level classes; Great kids games to use with adult language learners; 3 great games for verb tense review; Using games to teach vocabulary?
3. PARSNIPS in ELT: Stepping out of the comfort zone (Vol. 1)
Just in case you did download Vol. 2 which I mentioned in my last post, make sure you don’t miss out on Vol.1! Like the follow up, this e-book has 7 lesson plans for ELT teachers that cover Politics, Alcohol, Religion, Sex, Narcotics, Isms and Pork in an engaging and enjoyable style. Written by Mike JC Smith, Cecilia Lemos, David Petrie, Adam Simpson (me!), Katherine Bilsborough, Noreen Lam, Phil Wade and cover designed by Kati Alice Bilsborough.
4. Off the Top of My Head – 300 American Workplace Idioms for People Who Speak English as a Second Language by Jonathan Homa
Jonathan Homa invites us to ‘speak the language of the American workplace‘ in this e-book. 305 colorful and commonly used American workplace expressions have been organized into twenty categories like “Working Smart” and “Thinking and Imagining”. Each expression or idiom is accompanied by a brief explanation, a fun illustration and several examples of use.
5. Intermediate English Comprehension – Book 1 by Stephen Harrison
With access to 45 minutes of free audio, this is the first book in Stephen Harrison’s bestselling series. Each book contains fifteen articles on a variety of topics such as: history, religion, the natural world, science, travel, food and more. it is perfect for students of English who want to improve their reading and listening comprehension. it’s also great for exams. You need to join his website to access the audio, but it’s worth it.
6. Learn Eng with funny conversations6. Learn English with Funny Conversations by Joe & Gail Crossman
This may have the worst book cover in the history of the written word… but don’t judge the book by its cover! Practice your English by reading some funny conversations from their Facebook page. You can learn new vocabulary and other tips about learning English from this book and have a lot of fun at the same time.
7. English for Job Interviews (workbook) by T.J. Taylor
‘Do you need to prepare for a job interview in English?‘ asks T.J. Taylor. If so, download this free workbook with 5 mini-lessons to help your learners improve their English and answer the questions with confidence. This book may be used as a self-study course, or together with a teacher as a guide to common interview questions in English, how to deal with difficult questions, and with lots of role-plays The free teacher book is also available.
8. Story by Story PLUS: BEGINNER by Faiza Raintree
People can ‘learn English quickly & easily with this book’, exclaims Faiza Raintree. This is an intensive reading program for ESL students, a great resource for both adults and children. There are 25 units and a total of 150 activities, including: pictures, pre-reading tasks, comprehension/discussion questions, graphic organizers, vocabulary, grammar and writing.
9. Coaching & Mentoring Activities for ELT by Phil Wade, Ron Morrain & Michelle Hunter
Phil Wade is one of the most prolific e-book writers in ELT and is especially adept at collaborating with people to get books out there (trust me, I’ve been there!). This one offeres 30 Coaching and Mentoring activities for ELT professionals to try out.
10. The Ascent of the Vampires – Book One by Stephen Harrison
Stephen’s second book on the list is a reader, written especially for learners of English as a second language. It tells the story of what happens when vampires take over the world. As well as being exciting and enjoyable, it is also easy to follow. There are twenty chapters and each has about five hundred words. At the end of each chapter there is a glossary which explains difficult words and expressions.
Any books I’ve missed off my list? Please let me know; I’m always happy to expand posts like this to include suggestions.