Teaching resources, training opportunities and practical guidance to support high-quality ESOL delivery in classrooms, community settings and conversation clubs.
Resources
General
ESOL resource bank collated by Rachel Öner
Rachel Öner, a UK-based education consultant and teacher trainer specialising in ESOL, has created this free resource bank for ESOL practitioners. It is a valuable collection of essential teaching and learning resources, many which are hard to find elsewhere.
Visit the Resource Bank
British Council Teaching English – Teaching Adults Unlimited
Free lesson plans, activities and teaching resources for adult ESOL and English language teachers, organised by level and designed for engaging, practical learning.
Access Teaching Adults Unlimited
BBC Learning English
Free teaching and learning resources, including videos, audio, worksheets and lesson materials to support English language teaching across a range of levels.
Access BBC Learning English
Refugee Welcome Programme (RWP) ESOL Resources
Created in 2026 by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in partnership with Manchester Adult Education Service (MAES), this online, free to use resource bank is useful for practitioners, volunteers and learners.
View the RWP Resources
Learning English Plus
Learning English Plus is a specialist online hub for tutors, volunteers and providers. It is managed by the Migrant English Support Hub (MESH), a Leeds-based charity that supports ESOL provision across Yorkshire and the Humber. It is a collection of links to websites, documents, videos and audios for ESOL teachers. Whilst many are specifically ESOL teacher resources, many included may be useful in a general ESOL context.
Visit Learning English Plus
Language Support for Adult Refugees: A Council of Europe Toolkit (2017)
This toolkit was developed as part of the Council of Europe’s Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants (LIAM) project. It is designed to support organisations and volunteers providing language support to adult refugees and asylum seekers. The toolkit includes 57 downloadable tools and resources that can be adapted to different contexts and learner needs.
Access Language Support
ESOL Digital Pathways
Developed by a team of experienced ESOL practitioners at the Southern Regional College in Northern Ireland, this free online platform offers over 300 interactive lessons from Pre-Entry to Level 2. It supports blended learning, independent study and digital skills development through self-marking activities and an online assessment tool.
View the ESOL Digital Pathways Platform
English Hub for Refugees
English Hub for Refugees is a project linked to the University of Kent that provides free English language support for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. It began in 2016 and works closely with refugee organisations in Kent, including KRAN (Kent Refugee Action Network).
Visit the English Hub for Refugees
Breaking News English
Lessons and activities based on current affairs, available in different levels.
View Breaking News English
Running a Conversation Club – A Guide, Toolkit and Resource Pack for Volunteers
Practical guidance, activities, topics and resources to support running conversation clubs — with ideas that can also be adapted for ESOL classes (developed by Learning and Work and Learning Unlimited).
Access the Conversation Club ToolkitTeaching Learners with Low Level Literacy
New To ESOL Resources
Set of free resources (hosted by Rachel Öner) designed to support practitioners (teachers, classroom assistants, volunteers and others) working with ESOL learners who are often referred to as being at ‘pre-Entry’ level, beginner language learners with no or very limited literacy and/or with no knowledge of the Roman alphabet and numbers. These resources were created by Learning Unlimited as part of a project led by Learning and Work Institute, funded by ETF.
Access the Resources
NATECLA Scotland ESOL Literacies Readers
NATECLA Scotland ESOL Literacies Readers are online beginner-level readers on everyday topics, developed by ESOL teachers in Scotland.
Visit NATECLA Scotland
Learning Unlimited
Learning Unlimited has developed graded ESOL readers to support ESOL learners with their reading skills. They are currently hard copy only.
View the Graded Reader Publications
Simply Stories
Simply Stories is a Newcastle University collaboration between creative writer Margaret Wilkinson and second language acquisition specialist Martha Young-Scholten to create short, engaging and accessible fiction books for adults in English and to make these available in a range of other languages. Simply Stories readership includes beginners learning a second language, immigrants with little or no schooling in their home language just learning to read in a new language and those who have suffered a stroke or have a form of dementia.
Visit Simply Stories
BRIDGES Project – Language Skills
BRIDGES Project – Language Skills is a website with interactive topic-based lessons for beginners. Although it can be used as a self-access resource, there is a teacher’s book, a downloadable workbook and a learner dictionary
Visit BRIDGES ProjectWorking with Young People (16-18)
Learning and Work Institute and SESPM
A co-created list of advice for working with this cohort.
View the ListTraining
CPD
NATECLA
NATECLA (National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults) is the national forum and professional organisation for ESOL teachers. NATECLA offers CPD for ESOL practitioners including:
- In-house training for ESOL departments
- Webinars
- Specialist training topics such as trauma-informed ESOL, online teaching, ESOL literacy, neurodiversity, pronunciation, differentiation, wellbeing, and digital/AI skills in ESOL
Learning Unlimited – training for adult learning practitioners and volunteers.
Learning Unlimited (LU) offer training for adult learning practitioners and volunteers.
Participatory ⬧ Bespoke ⬧ Contextualised
ESOL training includes:
- Trauma-informed practice in the ESOL classroom
- Teaching ESOL Literacy Learners (TELLs)
- Participatory photography and creative writing
- Running ESOL conversation clubs
- Using graded readers with ESOL literacy learners
Training can be online, in-person or blended and can be delivered as a one-off workshop or across several sessions.
Öner Training and Consultancy
Rachel Öner (BA FSET QTLS ATS CTeach CMALT), a specialist Education Consultant with over 35 years’ experience of Teaching and Learning in FE.
Visit the Consultancy
The Education and Training Foundation (ETF)
ETF supports individuals and teams to improve teaching, training and leadership, with practical, expert-led professional development tailored to role, subject area and stage.
Visit the ETF WebsiteSelf-Access Courses
TESOL Training – online self-access courses
Judy Kirsh has over 35 years’ experience in English Language Teaching as a teacher educator, examiner, consultant and materials writer. She has contributed to a wide range of national and international ESOL and Literacy projects, including leading the development of ESOL CPD modules for the British Council’s ESOL Nexus project. She is now offering online CPD focused on ESOL literacy. Judy’s professional interests centre on ESOL teacher development, especially work with emergent readers and writers. She is a former co-chair of NATECLA and currently volunteers with Herts Welcomes Refugees.
View TESOL Training
University of Leicester Trauma-Informed ESOL for Refugees
A self-access course and live workshop that helps volunteers understand trauma and apply trauma-informed strategies in ESOL settings.
Best Features:
- Based on research and classroom experience
- Self-paced modules and optional live sessions
- Focus on inclusive, sensitive teaching
British Council: Teaching English to Refugees and Displaced Learners
A free self-study course from the British Council that helps teachers and volunteers create trauma-sensitive classrooms, work with limited resources, and manage challenging behaviour.
Best Features:
- Three self-paced modules with certificates
- Workbook, live events, and Facebook community
- Focus on trauma, resourcefulness, and behaviour management
