Teaching ESL High School: Teen-Friendly Tips, Freebies, and Resources
Sunshine’s Secondary ESL Studio
Hi! I’m Sunshine Castro, a high school ESL teacher and creator of Sunshine’s Secondary ESL Studio. I have been teaching high school ESL since 2013. Over the years, I’ve learned that finding engaging, age-appropriate materials for English learner teens isn’t easy—especially when most ESL resources are made for young children or adults. That’s exactly why I started creating my own.
If you want something you can use right away, start with my Free ESL Resources or browse my ESL resources on TpT (including audio-supported materials for teens).
This site was designed with teachers like you in mind—educators who are passionate about helping teen English learners thrive. Whether you’re new to ESL or a seasoned pro, you’ll find resources here that are:
Classroom-tested
Standards-aligned
Designed for teen learners
Focused on practical, research-based strategies
Not sure where to begin? I recommend starting with my Guide to Teaching ESL High School and then grabbing a freebie or two.
Why this Site is Different
Most advice and materials skip over the unique needs of ESL teens. But here, everything is tailored specifically for teenagers. From grammar and phonics to academic language and classroom culture, I share tools and strategies that make your teaching life easier – and your students’ learning more effective.
If you’re building your routine for Teaching ESL High School, you can explore my free teacher freebies or head straight to my best-selling ESL resources on TpT to save planning time.
Teaching ESL high school doesn’t have to be overwhelming. My goal is to save you time while giving your students the support they need to succeed. I’m excited to share my lessons, tips, and strategies with you!
Ready for your next lesson? Start here → Free ESL Resources or Shop TpT Resources
New to Teaching ESL Teens?
Read the Ultimate Guide to Teaching ESL Teens & Tweens
This guide includes advice, best practices, and some resources that can help support your ELL teens.
Guide to Teaching ESL Teens
Translanguaging in the Secondary ESL Classroom (Without Confusion or Chaos)
Translanguaging is becoming one of the most talked-about strategies in ESL education—but for many secondary teachers, it also raises concerns. Does allowing students to use their home language slow down English acquisition? Will it create confusion or classroom management issues?
In this post, I break down what translanguaging actually looks like in a secondary ESL classroom and how to use it intentionally—without chaos, without abandoning English, and without sacrificing academic rigor. If you teach ESL teens and want practical, classroom-tested strategies, this guide will help you use translanguaging with confidence.
MLK Day Activities for ESL Students: A Ready-to-Teach Mini Unit for Secondary ELs
Need meaningful, student-friendly MLK Day activities that actually work for English learners? This post shares low-prep ideas for secondary ESL students, including listening/viewing, discussion, and easy classroom routines—plus ready-to-use resources you can plug into your lesson plans right away.
Social Emotional Learning for ESL Teens: Practical, Low-Prep Classroom Support
Social Emotional Learning for ESL teens looks different than SEL in general education classrooms. This post explores practical, language-accessible ways to teach SEL in secondary ESL settings and highlights ready-to-use informational texts with audio that support both emotional growth and English language development.
ESL Speaking Confidence Activities That Actually Get Teens Talking
Some ESL students will talk your ear off in the hallway but shut down the moment you ask them to speak in class. Sound familiar? Speaking requires confidence, structure, and low-pressure routines. With the right activities, even the quietest students can begin participating more naturally—and maybe even enjoy it.
Differentiating ESL Instruction for A1–B2 Students Without Doubling Your Prep Time
Teaching a class with A1 newcomers, B1 intermediates, and B2 advanced students all at once can feel impossible. You’re planning three lessons in your head while teaching one. But with a few simple shifts, you can differentiate ESL instruction without doubling your prep time—and still meet everyone’s needs.
Why ESL Students Freeze When Writing (and 5 ESL Writing Support Strategies That Work)
If your ESL students freeze the moment you ask them to write, you’re not alone. Writing is one of the hardest skills for multilingual learners because it demands vocabulary, grammar, organization, and confidence all at once. The good news? With the right supports, you can break down the overwhelm and help your students write with more ease and independence.