ESL/EAP Teaching Materials

These classroom materials have been developed using real dialogue from MICASE to give your students authentic role-plays and listening activities. Please feel free to use them in your own classroom, but don’t forget to acknowledge the authors and let them know that you are using their materials (e-mail addresses are usually provided on the materials themselves; if not you can send email to ).

• Complaining

  A few students are complaining about a homework assignment. Read their dialogue and answer questions.

• Giving Instructions for an Assignment

  This lesson gives you guidelines on how to give, understand, and follow verbal instructions

• Giving and Asking for Advice

  Learn the most common phrases used to give advice or suggestions.

• Learn How to Hedge Your Claims

  Learn how to politely present your opinions in English so they aren’t too strong (especially in academic settings)

• Say, Talk, or Tell

  Learn how to use the verbs say, talk and tell correctly, and look at common idioms where they appear.

• Idioms Exercises (Part I and II)

  Teach your students over 40 idiomatic phrases and expressions with great contextual examples from MICASE.

• Talking About Other Texts and Discourses

  Guidance for professionally discussing outside sources (news articles, TV programs, etc) in a conversation.

• Standing (a little) Aside From What You're Saying

  Help students identify phrases that indicate that what the speaker is saying should not to be taken too seriously or literally.

• Listening for Conversational Patterns

  Identify different parts of a conversation (small talk, informal speech) and answer questions about what you’ve heard.

• A Metaphor in MICASE

  A common metaphor for academic pursuits is travel. See if you can figure out the difference between the literal and figurative uses of these words and phrases relating to travel.

• Introducing a Speaker

  Learn how to politely introduce a speaker by listening to real recordings of people introducing speakers on a university campus.

• Politeness Strategies

  Learn how to ask polite questions, and how to adjust your tone depending on the situation.