Teach This ESL: Complete Guide to Printable Teaching Resources

If you have searched for “Teach This ESL”, you were probably looking for printable teaching resources — worksheets, speaking activities, grammar exercises, and lesson plans that you can use immediately in your classroom. You are not alone. Thousands of ESL teachers search for these materials every month.

This guide covers what Teach This ESL is, how to find the best resources, and the alternatives available — including free and premium options — so you can spend less time searching and more time teaching.

What Is Teach This ESL?

Teach This ESL (teach-this.com) is a popular website offering printable ESL worksheets, lesson plans, and teaching resources created by teachers for teachers. The site is known for its extensive library of grammar worksheets, speaking activities, and vocabulary exercises designed for classroom use.

The platform covers a wide range of topics — from basic verb tenses for beginners to advanced conditionals and modal verbs. Many teachers appreciate the answer keys and clear instructions that come with each resource.

However, Teach This ESL is not the only option. As teaching contexts evolve — especially with online and hybrid classrooms — teachers need resources that work in multiple formats, not just printable PDFs.

Why Teachers Look for Teach This ESL Resources

Teachers search for “Teach This ESL” for a few common reasons:

1. They need something ready to print — worksheets they can hand out in 5 minutes
2. They want engaging speaking activities — pair work, group discussions, role-plays
3. They are looking for grammar practice — controlled exercises with answer keys
4. They need lesson plans — structured activities with clear objectives
5. They heard about teach-this.com from a colleague — and want to see what it offers

Understanding the search intent is key. When someone searches “teach this esl”, they are not looking for a review of the website — they are looking for the actual teaching resources. The best content answers that need directly.

Best Alternatives to Teach This ESL

Whether you are looking for a free option, a broader selection, or materials specifically designed for adult learners, here are the best alternatives:

1. ESL Materials (eslmaterials.org) — Curated Directory

ESL Materials curates teaching resources from multiple providers, organized by type, level, and topic. Instead of searching through dozens of websites, you browse a carefully reviewed directory of the best ESL resources. Every listing is tested before being recommended.

Best for: Teachers who want vetted, quality resources without spending hours filtering through low-quality content.

2. ESL Brains (eslbrains.com)

ESL Brains offers modern, video-based lesson plans for adult and business English learners. Their materials are conversation-focused, with contemporary topics that engage adult learners.

Best for: Teachers of adults and business English who need discussion-driven lesson plans.

3. ISL Collective (islcollective.com)

A massive community-driven library of worksheets uploaded by teachers worldwide. The quality varies, but the rating system helps identify the best resources. Most content is free.

Best for: Teachers who are comfortable filtering through user-generated content to find hidden gems.

4. British Council TeachingEnglish (teachingenglish.org.uk)

Free lesson plans, teaching tips, and classroom activities from one of the most trusted names in English language education. Professional development resources included.

Best for: Teachers who want professionally developed materials with strong pedagogical foundations.

How to Choose the Right ESL Resources

Not all ESL teaching materials are created equal. Here is what to look for:

Clarity: Instructions should be simple enough that students can work independently. If you have to explain every instruction, the worksheet is not saving you time.

Appropriate Level: Materials should match your students’ proficiency. A worksheet that is too easy bores learners. One that is too difficult destroys confidence.

Real-World Context: The best materials connect language learning to actual situations — job interviews, travel, social interactions, workplace communication. Abstract drills have their place, but context is what makes language stick.

Answer Keys: A worksheet without an answer key creates extra work for you and removes the option for self-checking. Self-checking builds learner autonomy and confidence.

Emotional Safety: The best resources reduce anxiety by normalizing mistakes, providing scaffolding, and celebrating progress. Look for materials that treat errors as learning steps, not failures.

Printable vs Digital ESL Resources

While teach-this.com focuses on printable worksheets, modern ESL teaching often requires digital options too:

Format	Best For	Examples
Printable worksheets	In-person classes, homework, self-study	Grammar drills, gap-fills, vocabulary lists
Interactive digital	Online classes, self-paced learning	Auto-checking quizzes, drag-and-drop exercises
Video-based lessons	Engaging discussions, listening practice	ESL Brains-style lesson plans
Speaking activity cards	Pair work, group work, warm-ups	Role-plays, discussion prompts, information gaps

The best approach is to build a toolkit that includes both printable and digital resources, so you are prepared for any teaching context.

Building Your ESL Resource Toolkit

A well-rounded ESL teaching toolkit should include materials for each core skill area:

• Speaking: Pair work prompts, role-play cards, discussion questions
• Listening: Audio exercises with comprehension questions
• Reading: Graded texts with vocabulary and comprehension tasks
• Writing: Guided writing templates, email exercises, essay outlines
• Grammar: Contextualized practice, not isolated drills
• Vocabulary: Thematic word lists, collocation exercises, review games

Start with materials that address the most common needs in your classroom, then expand as you discover what works for your students.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Teach This ESL free?

Teach This ESL offers a combination of free and premium resources. Many worksheets are available for free download, while full access to the library requires a subscription. The free resources are useful but limited in scope.

What is the best alternative to Teach This ESL?

The best alternative depends on your teaching context. ESL Materials offers a curated directory of resources from multiple providers, making it ideal for teachers who want quality without the research time. ESL Brains is excellent for conversation-driven adult lessons.

Can I find free ESL printables online?

Yes. ESL Materials curates free and premium resources from multiple providers, organized by type and topic. Many teacher communities also offer free content, though quality varies — look for resources with clear instructions, answer keys, and positive reviews from other teachers.

Are there ESL resources for teaching adults specifically?

Absolutely. Adult ESL resources focus on professional contexts (job interviews, workplace communication, business writing) and practical life skills (medical appointments, banking, housing). Look for materials designed for adult learners — they use mature content and respect the learner’s life experience.

Conclusion

Whether you use Teach This ESL or one of the many excellent alternatives, the most important thing is finding resources that work for your specific classroom. Every teaching context is different: the level of your students, their goals, their cultural background, and your teaching style all influence which materials will be most effective.

The best ESL resources are the ones that actually get used. A library of unopened worksheets is less valuable than five well-chosen activities that build confidence and real progress. Start with what your students need most, build your toolkit gradually, and always choose quality over quantity.

Looking for curated ESL resources? Browse our Resource Directory or explore our ESL Teaching Materials guide to find classroom-tested resources that work.