ESL level E1: English as a second language

In this unit, 'Hello and me', you learn to greet people, give my name and age and spell my name. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Hello and me' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: greet people, give my name and age and spell my name, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Choose the greeting by time of day. Say "Good morning" before noon, "Good afternoon" after noon, and "Hello" or "Hi" any time. Model: "Good morning, teacher." We use a short, friendly greeting first, before any other words.
2. Step 2, Give your name with "My name is" or the short form "I'm". Model: "Hello. My name is [your name]." Reason: the full form sounds clear and polite for a first meeting; the short form "I'm [your name]" is fine with friends.
3. Step 3, Ask and answer the name question as a pair. A: "What's your name?" B: "My name is [your name]." Then turn it round: "And you?" Reason: "And you?" keeps the conversation going without a new question.
4. Step 4, Say your age with "I am" plus the number. Model: "I am eight." Ask: "How old are you?" Common error: "I have eight years." Correction: "I am eight." English uses the verb be for age.
5. Step 5, Spell your name by saying each letter slowly. Model: "My name is [your name]. Spell it letter by letter, for example the word NAME: N, A, M, E." Say the vowels clearly: A is "ay", E is "ee", I is "eye". Pause after each letter so the listener can write it.
6. Step 6, Put it together as a mini-dialogue. A: "Hello! I'm [name A]. What's your name?" B: "Hi, [name A]. My name is [name B]. Then spell it letter by letter." A: "How old are you?" B: "I am nine. And you?" A: "I am ten."
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write a four-line dialogue between you and a new classmate: greeting, name, age, spelling. Model answer: "Good afternoon. I'm [name A]." / "Hi, [name A]. My name is [name B]. Spell it letter by letter." / "How old are you?" / "I am seven. And you?"

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Greet people, give my name and age and spell my name: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Numbers, colours and shapes', you learn to say numbers to 20 and name colours and shapes. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Numbers, colours and shapes' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: say numbers to 20 and name colours and shapes, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Count from one to ten out loud: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Point to a finger for each number. Reason: matching the word to a real object makes the sound stick in memory.
2. Step 2, Continue to twenty and notice the pattern. Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. The teens end in "-teen". Stress falls on the end: thir-TEEN. Say each one twice.
3. Step 3, Name colours using a full sentence. Model: "The ball is red." "The leaf is green." Point to an object, then say its colour. Reason: a short sentence frame gives you a pattern you can reuse for every colour.
4. Step 4, Name shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle. Model: "It is a circle." Combine with colour: "It is a blue square." Word order matters: colour first, then shape.
5. Step 5, Fix a typical error. Wrong: "I have three red." Right: "I have three red pencils." After a number and colour we still need the thing we are counting. Also "thirteen" and "thirty" sound different: thir-TEEN, THIR-ty.
6. Step 6, Answer counting questions. A: "How many circles?" B: "Five circles." A: "What colour is the triangle?" B: "It is yellow." Reason: "How many" asks for a number; "What colour" asks for a colour word.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Draw two green triangles and four orange squares. Write two sentences about the picture. Model answer: "I have two green triangles." "I have four orange squares."

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Say numbers to 20 and name colours and shapes: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'My family and my home', you learn to name family members and rooms in a house. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'My family and my home' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: name family members and rooms in a house, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, List the family words in pairs: mother and father, sister and brother, grandmother and grandfather. Model: "This is my mother." "This is my brother." Use "This is" for one person and point to a photo.
2. Step 2, Introduce several people with "These are". Model: "These are my grandparents." Reason: "This" is for one person, "these" is for more than one. Error: "This are my sisters." Correction: "These are my sisters."
3. Step 3, Name rooms: kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living room. Model: "This is the kitchen." Show a drawing of a house and touch each room as you say it. Reason: pointing links the new word to the place.
4. Step 4, Say where a person is with "is in". Model: "My mother is in the kitchen." "My brother is in the bedroom." Reason: "in" tells the place, and the verb "is" goes with one person.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "My father in the living room." Right: "My father is in the living room." Every sentence needs the verb "is" or "are". Say the correct sentence aloud three times.
6. Step 6, Make a mini-description. "This is my family. This is my mother. She is in the kitchen. This is my brother. He is in the bedroom." Reason: "she" and "he" replace names so we do not repeat them.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write three sentences about your family and home. Model answer: "This is my sister. She is in the bathroom. My grandfather is in the living room."

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Name family members and rooms in a house: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'School things and classroom language', you learn to name school objects and follow classroom instructions. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'School things and classroom language' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: name school objects and follow classroom instructions, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Name classroom objects with "It is a" before a consonant sound and "It is an" before a vowel sound. Model: "It is a pencil." "It is a book." "It is an eraser." Reason: "an" makes the vowel sound easier to say.
2. Step 2, Ask what something is. A: "What is this?" B: "It is a ruler." Point to the object as you ask. Reason: "this" means the thing is near you.
3. Step 3, Follow classroom instructions with action. "Stand up." "Sit down." "Open your book." "Close your bag." Do each action as soon as you hear it. Reason: acting out the words proves you understand.
4. Step 4, Add "please" to polite requests. Model: "Open your book, please." Answer a teacher with "Yes, Miss." Ask for help: "Can you help me, please?" Reason: "please" makes every request polite.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "This a pencil." Right: "This is a pencil." Do not drop "is". Another wrong sentence: "It is a umbrella." Right: "It is an umbrella", because umbrella starts with a vowel sound.
6. Step 6, Say a small classroom dialogue. Teacher: "Take out your pencil, please." Student: "Yes, Miss. Here is my pencil." Teacher: "Write your name." Student: "OK." Reason: short replies keep the lesson moving.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write what the teacher says for four actions using the words stand, open, take out, write. Model answer: "Stand up, please." "Open your book." "Take out a pencil." "Write your name."

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Name school objects and follow classroom instructions: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Food and drink', you learn to say what I like and ask for food politely. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Food and drink' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: say what I like and ask for food politely, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Name foods and drinks you know: rice, bread, apple, banana, milk, water, juice. Say each with "I like". Model: "I like rice." Reason: "I like" plus a food word is the simplest pattern for opinions.
2. Step 2, Say what you do not like. Model: "I don't like milk." Pair the two: "I like bread, but I don't like milk." Reason: "don't" is the short form of "do not" and takes the plain food word.
3. Step 3, Ask a polite question about likes. A: "Do you like apples?" B: "Yes, I do." or "No, I don't." Reason: short answers repeat "do" and do not need the whole sentence.
4. Step 4, Ask for food politely. Model: "Can I have some water, please?" Answer: "Here you are." Reply: "Thank you." Reason: "Can I have" with "please" is the polite way to ask at a table.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "Give me water." Right: "Can I have some water, please?" The first sounds like an order. Another error: "I no like fish." Right: "I don't like fish."
6. Step 6, Make a small dialogue. A: "Hello. Can I have some rice, please?" B: "Yes. Here you are." A: "Thank you. Can I have juice, please?" B: "Sorry, we have milk." A: "No, thank you."
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write what you like, what you do not like, and one polite request. Model answer: "I like bananas. I don't like fish. Can I have some juice, please?"

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Say what I like and ask for food politely: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Animals and the body', you learn to name animals and body parts and say what they can do. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Animals and the body' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: name animals and body parts and say what they can do, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Name animals: cat, dog, fish, bird, horse, cow. Model: "This is a dog." Point to a picture card for each one. Reason: matching a picture to a word is the fastest way to learn the first twenty animals.
2. Step 2, Name body parts: head, arm, leg, foot, eye, ear, nose, mouth. Touch each part as you say it. Model: "This is my nose." For two of a thing, say "These are my eyes."
3. Step 3, Say what an animal can do with "can". Model: "A bird can fly." "A fish can swim." "A horse can run." Reason: "can" stays the same for every animal and is followed by the plain verb.
4. Step 4, Say what an animal cannot do. Model: "A dog can't fly." Reason: "can't" is the short form of "cannot". Ask: "Can a cat swim?" Answer: "Yes, it can." or "No, it can't."
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "A fish can swims." Right: "A fish can swim." After "can" the verb never takes "s". Another error: "I have two ear." Right: "I have two ears."
6. Step 6, Describe an animal using body words and abilities. "This is a rabbit. It has two long ears and four legs. It can run. It can't swim." Reason: "has" is used for one animal, "have" for I and they.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Describe an animal you know in three sentences using a body part and can. Model answer: "This is a bird. It has two wings. It can fly, but it can't swim."

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Name animals and body parts and say what they can do: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Clothes and weather', you learn to describe what I wear and the weather. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Clothes and weather' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: describe what I wear and the weather, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Name clothes: shirt, dress, trousers, shoes, hat, coat. Model: "I wear a blue shirt." Use "wear" for what is on your body. Reason: "wear" shows the clothes are on you now.
2. Step 2, Say what someone else wears with "wears". Model: "She wears a red dress." "He wears black shoes." Reason: with he, she and it the verb takes "s". Say "I wear" but "he wears".
3. Step 3, Name weather words: sunny, rainy, windy, cold, hot, cloudy. Ask: "What's the weather like?" Answer: "It's sunny." Reason: "it" is the empty subject we use for weather.
4. Step 4, Link weather and clothes. Model: "It's cold, so I wear a coat." "It's rainy, so I wear boots." Reason: "so" joins the weather with the result of what we choose to wear.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "He wear a hat." Right: "He wears a hat." Another wrong sentence: "Is rainy today." Right: "It is rainy today." English sentences need a subject, even for weather.
6. Step 6, Make a short paragraph. "Today is Monday. It's windy and cold. I wear a coat and a hat. My sister wears a green scarf." Reason: each sentence has one idea, which is simple and clear.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write three sentences about today's weather and what you wear. Model answer: "It's hot and sunny. I wear a white shirt. My brother wears shorts."

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Describe what I wear and the weather: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Letters, sounds and first words', you learn to match letters to sounds and read simple words. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Letters, sounds and first words' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: match letters to sounds and read simple words, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Match a letter to its sound. The letter s says "sss", the letter m says "mmm", the letter a says "a" as in apple, the letter t says "t". Say the sound, not the letter name, when you read words.
2. Step 2, Blend sounds to read a word. For "mat": say "m", "a", "t" slowly, then run them together: "mat". Reason: blending each sound left to right is how we read new words.
3. Step 3, Read another group: "sat", "mat", "tap", "map". Change only the first sound: s-at, m-at; t-ap, m-ap. Reason: changing one letter shows how small sounds make new words.
4. Step 4, Fix an error. A child reads "cat" as "cut". Correction: look at the middle letter. The letter a says "a" and the letter u says "u". Slide a finger under each letter while you say the sound.
5. Step 5, Read a first sentence from known words: "A cat sat." Tap out each sound of "sat": s, a, t. Reason: a decodable sentence uses only letters you already know, so you can read it alone.
6. Step 6, Match words to pictures. Picture of a hat: the word "hat". Picture of a pin: the word "pin". Say the first sound, then the other sounds, then the whole word. Check that the picture and the word agree.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Read these words aloud sound by sound: "sit", "pan", "tin". Model answer: s-i-t, "sit"; p-a-n, "pan"; t-i-n, "tin". Then write one more word using m, a and p: "map".

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Match letters to sounds and read simple words: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Listening and speaking practice', you learn to follow a short talk and answer simple questions. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Listening and speaking practice' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: follow a short talk and answer simple questions, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Listen for one thing at a time. Hear: "I am nine. I like football. I am at school." Listening task: how old is the speaker? Answer: "Nine." Reason: choosing one detail makes a short talk easy to follow.
2. Step 2, Answer a simple question in a full sentence. Question: "How old is the boy?" Answer: "He is nine." Reason: repeating the words from the question helps you build a correct sentence.
3. Step 3, Use question words. "Who" asks for a person, "what" asks for a thing, "where" asks for a place. Question: "Where is the boy?" Answer: "He is at school." Match the question word to the kind of answer.
4. Step 4, Ask for help when you do not understand. Say: "Sorry, can you say that again, please?" or "Slowly, please." Reason: asking for repeats is a normal skill, and it is polite.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong answer to "What do you like?": "Yes." Right: "I like football." A "what" question needs a thing, not yes or no. Another error: "Where is the boy?" "Nine." The answer should be a place.
6. Step 6, Practise a short listen and answer. Teacher says: "I have a dog. It is small. It is brown." Questions: "What animal is it?" "A dog." "What colour is it?" "It is brown."
7. Step 7, Your turn. Listen to this and answer: "This is my friend. She is ten. She likes books." What does she like? Model answer: "She likes books."

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Follow a short talk and answer simple questions: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Writing my first sentences', you learn to write short sentences with capital letters and full stops. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Writing my first sentences' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: write short sentences with capital letters and full stops, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Look at one sentence: 'I am Sam.' It starts with a big letter, a capital letter: I. It ends with a dot, a full stop. Say the sentence. Then point to the capital letter and point to the full stop. A name like Sam also has a capital letter at the start.
2. Step 2, Copy a sentence slowly: 'The cat is big.' Start with a capital T. Leave a small space between each word (use one finger). Write the full stop at the end. Say each word as you write it. Copy the sentence three times on your page.
3. Step 3, Fix a sentence. Wrong: the dog is red. Right: The dog is red. Change t to T and add a full stop. Another one. Wrong: i like milk. Right: I like milk. The word I is always a capital letter. Fix both sentences in your book.
4. Step 4, Put the words in order. Words: is / My / happy / mum. Sentence: My mum is happy. Check three things: a capital M at the start, the words in the right order, and a full stop at the end. Read the sentence aloud and listen to it.
5. Step 5, Write three sentences about you. My name is Ana. I am nine. I like rice. Each sentence has a capital letter at the start and a full stop at the end. The name Ana has a capital A. Now write your own three sentences.
6. Step 6, Your turn: fix this sentence: we have a ball. Answer: We have a ball. (Capital W at the start and a full stop at the end.)

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Write short sentences with capital letters and full stops: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

In this unit, 'Review and showcase', you learn to present a short talk about myself. Lessons are short and spoken, with pictures and real objects. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Review and showcase' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: present a short talk about myself, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Plan the talk in four short parts: greeting, name and age, family, likes. Reason: four small parts are easy to remember and give the talk a clear order.
2. Step 2, Write the model talk. "Hello. My name is Ali. I am eight. I have a mother, a father and one sister. I like football and rice." That is a greeting and four short sentences. Each sentence has a subject and a verb.
3. Step 3, Practise saying each sentence aloud slowly. Stress the key words: "My name is ALI." "I am EIGHT." Reason: clear stress and a steady pace matter more than speed.
4. Step 4, Add one extra detail with "and". Model: "I have a cat and a dog." Reason: "and" joins two things in one sentence, so your talk sounds smoother.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "I am have a sister." Right: "I have a sister." We use "am" or "have", not both. Another error: "My name [your name]." Right: "My name is [your name]."
6. Step 6, Finish with a polite ending and a question. Model: "Thank you. Do you have any questions?" Answer a question like "How old are you?" with "I am eight." Reason: a closing line tells the listener the talk is over.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write your own six-line talk. Model answer: "Hello. My name is Maya. I am nine. I have a brother and a cat. I like apples. Thank you."

Activity. About 15 to 25 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a voice note or one page of work.

Standard to meet. Present a short talk about myself: at least 4 of 5 attempts understood by a listener who does not know you.

On the slide: L1 Basic · First words and survival phrases

Notes: Say hello, give your name and ask for help in simple English. Notes: teach Hello, My name is... and Can you help me? with gestures and pictures; learners practise each phrase with three partners and point to objects as they name them.

This course: ESL level E1 English as a second language is at this level. Its units include Hello and me; Numbers, colours and shapes; My family and my home; School things and classroom language and more.

On the slide: L2 Awareness · Everyday words and short sentences

Notes: Understand and write short sentences about family, food and daily routine, using present simple. Notes: show I eat rice, she eats bread; learners write five true sentences about their day, read them to a partner, and fix the verb ending together.

On the slide: L3 Foundation · Questions, past tense and short texts

Notes: Ask and answer questions and write a short paragraph about last weekend using past simple. Notes: contrast I go and I went; learners interview a partner using What did you do?, then write six sentences from the answers and underline each past verb.

On the slide: L4 Practitioner · Real-life communication and listening

Notes: Follow a two-minute conversation and take part in a phone call, a shop visit or a clinic visit. Notes: play a short recording with a booking at a clinic; learners note three key facts, then role-play the same call with their own details and ask for repetition politely.

On the slide: L5 Specialist · Academic and workplace English

Notes: Write a 250-word report or email and give a short talk with clear structure, linking words and few errors. Notes: teach First, However, As a result; learners rewrite a plain paragraph with three linkers, then present it in two minutes with a peer giving feedback.

On the slide: L6 Advanced · Language analysis and teaching methods

Notes: Explain why learners make common errors and design a lesson that targets them using evidence from learner writing. Notes: collect ten samples; learners classify errors such as article, tense or word order, rank them by frequency, and plan a thirty-minute fix for the top two.

On the slide: L7 Super expert · Research and curriculum design

Notes: Design a classroom-based study or a full course plan for adult learners, with measures and ethics set out. Notes: choose a question such as whether peer feedback improves writing; define the sample, the pre-test and post-test, and one risk, then present the plan for critique.