Festive Fun for the Virtual ESL Classroom
The air is getting crisper, the days a little shorter, and your local retailers are already showing off their festive wares and decorations. It’s that time of the year again – the holiday season is upon us! “But, Crystal, it’s only October!” I hear you gasp. That’s right, my fellow teachpreneurs, and we’ve got a festival-filled few months ahead of us, starting with the spookiest time of the year that’s lurking around the corner, waiting to jump out and shout “BOO!”
Incorporating festive lessons and activities into your online ESL lessons can be an invaluable educational tool and an opportunity to strengthen bonds with students from different walks of life.
Are you ready to infuse some festive spirit into your online ESL lessons? Then cosy up with a spiced pumpkin latte, and let’s tuck into how holiday lessons can add magic to your virtual classroom.
????Boost Student Engagement & Make Learning Memorable:
Festive-themed lessons provide a much-needed break from the routine of tricky textbooks and grammar gripes. Students and teachers alike can start to feel stale towards the end of the year, so dedicating a day to a festive lesson can add some excitement back into your virtual classroom. Holiday themes lend themselves to a Santa sack full of games and activities that can make learning a more memorable and joyful experience. (Read our blog about the benefits of gamification here.) Festive lessons are also a great opportunity to take a communicative approach to your lessons by simulating real-world interactions through dialogues and role-play.
???? Enhance Cultural Awareness:
Festive holidays offer a valuable entry point for delving into diverse cultures and gaining deeper insights into your students’ own cultural backgrounds. When approached with respect and sensitivity, festive lessons can encourage students to appreciate the world’s rich tapestry of diversity and nurture a genuine appreciation for cultural differences. Moreover, festive-themed lessons can broaden your students’ global perspective, highlighting its interconnectedness and underscoring the significance of cultural exchange. In an increasingly globalised world, cultural awareness is an invaluable soft skill that can boost career prospects and open doors for ESL learners traveling to English-speaking countries.
????️ A Feast of New Vocabulary:
Ghosts and ghoulies, turkey and tinsel, Santa, snowmen, and present-filled stockings! The festive season is a splendid time to introduce holiday-related concepts and vocabulary to ignite your students’ communicative prowess and enrich their lexical repertoire. By delving into the enchanting lexicon of festivities, students can grasp the nuances of seasonal expressions and cultivate a deeper connection to the cultural fabric woven through these celebrations.
???? Festive FREEBIES for the Virtual ESL Classroom ????
Take one scoop of excitement, add a sprinkle of anticipation, a pinch of seasonal stress, and finish off with a dollop of overwhelming dread. Mix it all together, and you’ll have the perfect batter for immersing yourself in those festive feelings. With the holiday season already knocking on our doors, yelling “Trick or treat!” start planning your festive lessons and activities early to avoid being overwhelmed by the year-end hubbub. Festive lesson planning might be right at the bottom of your ‘to-do’ list during the holiday season, so we’ve stirred the creative cauldron and come up with some festive freebies for the upcoming celebrations of Hallowe’en, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
FREE Festive Lessons: ????????????
The Crystal Clear Free Lessons library is a not-so-secret stash of FREE downloadable festive lessons and worksheets for (almost) every celebration! Level 3 Unit 5 and Level 4 Unit 6 from our core curriculum also explore cultural celebrations from around the world. Before we go any further, click the button below to browse our free festive lessons for all levels of proficiency. Download the ones you need now so that you’re already prepared for the upcoming holiday celebrations.
Bookmark these upcoming holidays in your teaching calendar and let’s embrace the magic of the festive season together:
Hallowe’en: 31 October
Thanksgiving: 23 November 2023
Christmas: Do we really need to remind you?
Chinese New Year: 10 February 2024 (the beginning of the Year of the Wood Dragon)
