While many of these resources are geared toward ESL/EFL teachers (English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, respectively), you may also find them helpful if you are teaching another subject and happen to have a non-native English speaker in your class. 

Teaching tools

  • Dave’s ESL Café provides resources for ESL students and teachers including idioms, slang, quotes, a job center, and discussion forums. Use the site to plan lessons or search for TESL jobs. 
  • English 4 IT is an online training program with reading, writing, and listening activities for ESL students and teachers in the IT field. As an instructor, you can pair this website's learning resources with your own curriculum to create an engaging, semi self-guided environment for your students. 
  • ESL Go offers free ESL classes and free English practice message boards, as well as free teaching ESL activities created by an experienced ESL teacher.
  • ESL Gold has free materials for both students and teachers with all materials categorized by skill or level for easy access.
  • Master's in ESL offers a collection of materials about ESL education and a host of resources for those entering the field, including scholarships, masters programs, and job listings. 
  • NMU ESL Resources contains links to practice tests for the TOEFL and IELTS exams; links to speaking, listening, and reading activities; academic vocabulary builders; and more. 
  • Using English features an array of teaching handouts, lesson plans, training resources, eBooks, and blog posts, plus a forum where you can connect with other instructors. 
  • Snappy Words has an SAT vocabulary quiz section that provides a quick way to check how a student's vocabulary stacks up against 15 different sections of SAT vocabulary.

Professional organizations

International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) keeps you current on the latest news in the ESL teaching community, lets you network with other instructors through special interest groups and events, and much more.

TESOL International Association lets you connect with other instructors through events and opportunities for publication, grants, and career advancement . It also helps you connect with your students by providing you news updates and online seminars to enhance your teaching skills. 

Working with international students

If you are the instructor of an international student applying to or currently attending NMU, you can also direct them to our International Programs page for information about our application process, summer programs, other international students' stories, and international student services, such as employment, insurance, and student involvement opportunities.

Recommending resources

If you are an NMU faculty or staff member who would like to see additional resources on our list, please send us your recommendations at writing@nmu.edu.