Find quick links to each episode of the Teacher Think-Aloud podcast, hosted by Shélynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean and sponsored by Ellii.  

Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast

Learn how to make the most of your Ellii subscription with tips from our publishing team.

Teaching with Ellii

<p>In Episode 77 of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, Sh&eacute; sits down with Ben Buckwold (Founder &amp; CEO of Ellii) and Tara Benwell (VP of Publishing at Ellii) to explore the story behind one of Ellii&rsquo;s most creative classroom tools: <a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/dilemmas" target="_blank">Ellii Dilemmas</a>. Born, quite literally, on a cocktail napkin, this interactive activity invites students to wrestle with moral and everyday dilemmas through authentic dialogue, reflection, and debate.</p>

<p>Ben and Tara share how Ellii Dilemmas grew from a moment of procrastination into one of the platform&rsquo;s fastest-growing features&nbsp;with thousands of teachers already using it worldwide. The conversation covers the tool&rsquo;s pedagogical design, from its built-in discussion scaffolds and &ldquo;Speak Up&rdquo; feature to the way it fosters empathy, critical thinking, and social-emotional learning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Together, we unpack how moving from debate to dialogue can transform speaking practice into something deeply human and reflective.</p>

<blockquote>&ldquo; It&rsquo;s a way for students to engage, have a conversation, a debate, a discussion, a dialogue, and to just really get into it.&rdquo;&nbsp; &mdash; Ben Buckwold</blockquote>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JNk03oadJgI?si=jxGkKYLzZJPsqhKM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p><strong>Get featured on the podcast!</strong><br />
The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>&nbsp;is looking for contributions to their annual Friends of the Podcast episode&nbsp;in which they feature voices from teachers around the world. In past years, these episodes have focused on&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/6XfSr9oolcE?si=DR_JsVtLKImIXxio" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">teaching contexts around the world</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/Gh7SQJbEEmQ?si=UT3ZIxht0mQOECSu" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">AI in ELT</a>. This year, they&#39;re asking contributors to get back to basics and reflect on what areas they want to work on in their teaching practice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Participating is easy: all you need to do is listen to a short prompt and leave a voice memo at&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/backtobasics26" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/backtobasics26</a>.&nbsp;<strong>The deadline to participate is December 15, 2025.</strong></p>

<p>🎙️&nbsp;<strong>Listen now on your favorite platform:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2zv5mVNpSqkDNiNbQlnm7B" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>🔗&nbsp;<strong>Follow The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast on social media for more updates:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/teacherthinkaloud" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thinkaloud_pod/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/thinkaloudpod.bsky.social" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluesky</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/teacher-think-aloud/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li>
</ul>


Ellii Dilemmas: Sparking Real Dialogue in the ELT Classroom (with Ben Buckwold & Tara Benwell)

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Discover what's new or coming soon, including upcoming lessons and resources and product feature updates. 

Announcements

<p>Are you teaching US history and government and&nbsp;preparing students for the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test? You are changing lives, and Ellii wants to help!</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Yes! Ellii is developing test prep materials for the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>We began working on new content as soon as the notice went out about the new test (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025). If your students are preparing for the naturalization test, you&nbsp;can expect plenty of new content on Ellii in the next few months. We&#39;ll be updating this post as new content is available.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>What has changed with the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test?&nbsp;</h3>

<ul>
	<li>If applicants applied before or within 30 days of the notice (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025), they take the 2008 test.</li>
	<li>If applicants&nbsp;applied 30 days or more after this notice (Sep&nbsp;18, 2025), they take the 2025 test.</li>
	<li>On the new (2025) test, the&nbsp;USCIS officer will ask applicants to answer up to 20 out of&nbsp;128 civics test questions&nbsp;to prove their&nbsp;knowledge of&nbsp;US&nbsp;history and government.</li>
	<li>USCIS officers will&nbsp;stop&nbsp;after the&nbsp;applicant answers&nbsp;12 questions correctly OR misses 9 questions.</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> Scroll down for useful external links to resources regarding these updates.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Media Gallery</h2>

<p>Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;new <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep" target="_blank">US Civics &amp; Test Prep</a> videos build history and government knowledge while offering practical test-taking tips. Choose from short, digestible clips or full-length video lessons with chapter divisions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/colonial-period-independence" target="_blank"><img alt="US Civics Test Prep videos" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5010/content_Civics-Video-Colonial-Period-and-Independence_OG-play.png" /></a></p>

<p>The first 18 <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep" rel="noopener" target="_blank">US Civics &amp; Test Prep videos</a> are available now!&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/the-1800s" target="_blank"><img alt="https://ellii.com/media/videos/us-civics-test-prep/the-1800s" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5011/content_Civics-Video-1800s_OG-play.png" /></a></p>

<p>Videos include a real teacher from Ellii, real&nbsp;photographs, useful drawings, and real questions and possible answers from the test.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/video/recent-american-history" target="_blank"><img alt="Recent US History video " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5055/content_Screen_Shot_2025-11-19_at_3.11.32_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>More videos are coming soon.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Study Packs</h2>

<p>Ellii Study Packs allow you to assign your students bundled content easily with one click. Visit our <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=45&amp;page=1" target="_blank">US Civics</a> category in Courses &amp; Packs&nbsp;and watch this content&nbsp;grow.<br />
<br />
If you and your students like Ellii&#39;s test prep videos, you&#39;ll love the NEW study packs. Each video lesson comes with practice tasks, including vocabulary review, comprehension, and speaking practice. In our first release, <strong><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/colonial-period-independence/materials" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Colonial Period &amp; Independence</a></strong>, students practice questions <strong>73&ndash;89 </strong>of the civics test.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/colonial-period-independence/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="Colonial Period &amp; Independence Study Pack on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5012/content_US-Civics-Test-Prep-Colonial-Period-and-Independence_OG.png" /></a></p>

<p>This follow-up pack on <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/the-1800s/materials" target="_blank"><b>The 1800s</b></a><b>&nbsp;</b>features video lessons and practice about western expansion and the Civil War. Students practice questions <strong>90&ndash;99 </strong>of the civics test. Expand your students&#39;&nbsp;knowledge with related lessons from our library, such as lessons on historic figures from this period, including <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3185-harriet-tubman" target="_blank">Harriet Tubman</a>, <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3473-frederick-douglass" target="_blank">Frederick Douglass</a>, and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2881-susan-b-anthony" target="_blank">Susan B. Anthony</a>.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/the-1800s/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="The 1800s US Civics Test Prep Study Pack on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5013/content_US-Civics-1800s_OG.png" /></a></p>

<p>The third&nbsp;pack features video lessons and practice about conflict and change in <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/recent-american-history/materials" target="_blank">Recent US History</a> (the 1900s and early 2000s). Students practice questions <strong>100&ndash;118&nbsp;</strong>of the civics test. Expand your students&#39;&nbsp;knowledge with related lessons from our library, such as lessons on historic figures from this period, including <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1535-franklin-d-roosevelt" target="_blank">Franklin Roosevelt</a>, the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2856-the-vietnam-war" target="_blank">Vietnam War,</a> and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1466-september-11th" target="_blank">September 11th</a>.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/recent-american-history/materials" target="_blank"><img alt="Recent US History US Civics Test Prep Study Pack: The 1900s and early 2000s" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5054/content_US-Civics-Recent-US-History_OG.png" /></a></p>

<p>You can also send content individually to just the students who are studying for the test&nbsp;(NEW feature).</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-individual-student-assignments" target="_blank"><img alt="individual assignments on Ellii " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/5014/content_Screen_Shot_2025-11-14_at_11.12.24_AM.png" /></a></p>

<p>We have six more packs in the works&nbsp;and will be releasing the videos and lessons as they are ready!</p>

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Collections</h2>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics" target="_blank">US Citizenship &amp; Naturalization</a></h3>

<p>This<strong> </strong>collection category<strong> </strong>offers six ready-made collections of EL Civics content focusing on US law, government, history, and culture. This content will help prepare ELLs for life and citizenship in the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lessons/american-presidents" target="_blank">American Presidents&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-institutions" target="_blank">American Institutions</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-trailblazers" target="_blank">American Trailblazers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/american-holidays" target="_blank">American Holidays</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/us-history" target="_blank">American History</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/us-civics/us-landmarks" target="_blank">American Landmarks</a></li>
</ul>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/el-civics" target="_blank">EL Civics</a></h3>

<p>This collection category features curated content for pre-approved civics objectives <strong>(COAAPs)</strong> selected by California agencies supporting adult ed. Search for content that is specifically related to the needs assessment of your students and use this content toward&nbsp;the 30 hours of instruction your learners need before doing related assessments.</p>

<h3><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/nations-regions/americana" target="_blank">The United States</a></h3>

<p>Our content library is full of lessons about American facts, figures, and firsts. This collection highlights some of our most popular lesson content related to the US, including presidents, famous people, and holidays.</p>

<h2>Popular Ellii Lessons</h2>

<p>Use the <strong>Search</strong> field on Ellii to find lessons on topics you are covering, and reach out to us if you can&#39;t find what you&#39;re looking for. Here are some popular US civics lessons:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5757-us-immigration-rights" target="_blank">US Immigration Rights</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2277-american-citizenship" target="_blank">American Citizenship</a> (in editing)</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3836-n-400-vocabulary" target="_blank">N-400 Vocabulary</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2676-the-united-states" target="_blank">The United States </a>(Listening in English)</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2263-map-of-the-us" target="_blank">Map of the US</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1505-george-washington" target="_blank">George Washington</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2779-trail-of-tears" target="_blank">The Trail of Tears</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3172-the-us-constitution" target="_blank">The US Constitution</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5636-the-bill-of-rights" target="_blank">The Bill of Rights</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4037-the-declaration-of-independence" target="_blank">The Declaration of Independence</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2764-the-supreme-court-us" target="_blank">The Supreme Court</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3381-election-day-us" target="_blank">Election Day</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/video/republicans-democrats" target="_blank">Republicans Vs. Democrats</a> (explainer video)</li>
</ul>

<h3>Coming Soon on Ellii&nbsp;</h3>

<ul>
	<li>30 + more videos</li>
	<li>Six + US Test Prep Study Packs</li>
	<li>NEW comprehensive civics&nbsp;lessons focused on US History &amp; Government&nbsp;</li>
	<li>US Test Prep Speaking Practice Tests</li>
</ul>

<h3>Useful External Resources for 2025 Updates</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/18/2025-18050/notice-of-implementation-of-2025-naturalization-civics-test" target="_blank">Notice of Implementation of 2025 Naturalization Civics Test </a>(09.18.2025)</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/brochures/USCIS-2025-Civics-Test-Study-Guide.pdf" target="_blank">One Nation, One People Study Guide (2025)</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Civics-Test-128-Questions-and-Answers-09.15.2025.pdf" target="_blank">128 Civics Questions (2025)</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/find-study-materials-and-resources/check-for-test-updates" target="_blank">USCIS Comparison of 2008 / 2025 Test</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5n2h5rdfojhykxegok15a/Natz_Test_Comparison_A_2008-2025.pdf?rlkey=47rpmtohvcrqazh1uf17h8o7k&amp;e=1&amp;st=r1lxr88r&amp;dl=0" target="_blank">Bill Bliss&#39;s Comparison chart of 2008 / 2025 Test</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship" target="_blank">USCIS Citizenship Resource Center</a></li>
</ul>


2025 US Naturalization Civics Test Prep Now on Ellii

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<p><em>This post answers frequently asked questions about Ellii&#39;s Placement Tests. For general questions about Ellii&#39;s assessment content, view this related post: <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/ellii-assessments" target="_blank">How to Find Assessments on Ellii</a></em></p>

<h2>Ellii&#39;s Placement Test (<em>Autograded</em>)</h2>

<p>The <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5606-ellii-placement-test-autograded" target="_blank">Ellii Placement Test </a>(autograded) is designed to help teachers or administrators&nbsp;determine the Ellii level of a new English language student. This short, autograded test does not include writing and speaking tasks.&nbsp;Students have&nbsp;<strong>30 minutes</strong>&nbsp;to complete the Ellii Placement Test. There is also a printable version with downloadable audio available if schools prefer this method.</p>

<p>The Ellii Placement Test (autograded) has 30 multiple-choice questions and is divided into 3 sections:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Part 1: Listening (3 recordings, 9 questions)<br />
Part 2: Grammar (12 questions)<br />
Part 3: Reading (3 readings, 9 questions)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For the most accurate scoring, teachers should encourage&nbsp;students to skip questions they can&#39;t answer rather than guessing.</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>Score Range = Ellii Level</strong><br />
<br />
0-3% = Pre Beg<br />
4&ndash;17% = Low Beg<br />
18-40% = High Beg<br />
41-63% = Low Int<br />
64-83% = High Int<br />
84-97% = High Int &ndash; Adv<br />
98-100% = Adv</p>
</blockquote>

<p>After completing the assessment, students are assigned a score and suggested a level placement. This helps teachers decide which Ellii materials to use with their students.<br />
<br />
The type of level teachers&nbsp;see is based on the settings they have selected on their <strong>Account</strong> page (Ellii, CLB, CEFR, ELD, NRS). A percentage score will also be shown.</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Placement Test (<em>Speaking &amp; Writing</em>)</h2>

<p>The<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4226-ellii-placement-test-writing-speaking" target="_blank"> Ellii Placement Test (Writing &amp; Speaking)</a> assesses all four skills and is designed to help teachers determine the Ellii level of a new English language student. Teachers can also consult our&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/equivalencies">Equivalency Scale</a>&nbsp;to determine which materials are best suited for their&nbsp;students based on their level preference.</p>

<p>We recommend giving students a time limit of&nbsp;<strong>60 minutes</strong>&nbsp;to complete this test in order to get the most accurate level placement. If assigning the digital version, teachers can include this guideline as a note: &quot;Please use a maximum of 60 minutes to take this test. I will see the time taken after you submit your answers.&quot;</p>

<p>A printable version with suggested rubrics for the speaking and writing portion is available in the Teacher PDF. If students are taking the digital version, teachers may want to share expectations so students understand what they will be looking for in a response. There is also an <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4798-ellii-placement-test-ireland">Irish version</a> of this test.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This test is divided into 5 sections:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Part 1: Listening (6 recordings, 12 questions, 20%)<br />
Part 2: Grammar (16 questions, 27%)<br />
Part 3: Reading (3 readings, 9 questions, 15%)<br />
Part 4: Writing (3 short answers, 1 long answer, 22%)<br />
Part 5: Speaking (1 long answer, 16%)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For the most accurate scoring, students should be encouraged to skip questions they can&#39;t answer rather than guessing. Here is the suggested level placement for the full test with speaking and writing portions.</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>Score Range = Ellii Level</strong><br />
<br />
0-3% = Pre Beg<br />
4&ndash;17% = Low Beg<br />
18-40% = High Beg<br />
41-63% = Low Int<br />
64-83% = High Int<br />
84-97% = High Int &ndash; Adv<br />
98-100% = Adv</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The score and suggested level will help teachers decide which Ellii materials to use with their students. The type of level teachers see is&nbsp;based on the settings they have set up on their Account page (Ellii, CLB, CEFR, ELD, NRS). A percentage score will also be shown.&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Exit Test</h2>

<p>To assess students&#39; gains since they took the autograded <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5606-ellii-placement-test-autograded" target="_blank">Ellii Placement Test</a> or to use an alternative version of the autograded Ellii Placement Test, teachers can assign the&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5607-ellii-exit-test-autograded">Ellii Exit Test</a>.&nbsp;This is an additional autograded proficiency test with different questions at the same difficulty and with the same number of questions as the autograded Ellii Placement Test. Some teachers also use it to deter cheating or to offer extra practice taking assessments. Students have 30 minutes to complete the test.&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Proficiency Level Account Settings</h2>

<p>Under <strong>Account</strong> settings (top right on Ellii), teachers can adjust their level preferences to the ones they want to see on the materials. Teachers choose the&nbsp;generic&nbsp;<strong>Ellii</strong> level (Pre Beg &ndash; Adv) with the option to add one of the following level systems:&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>Canadian Language Benchmarks: </strong>CLB 1&ndash;12<br />
<strong>Common European Framework: </strong>CEFR A0&ndash;C2<br />
<strong>English Language Development:&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>ELD 1&ndash;6<br />
<strong>National Reporting System: </strong>NRS 1&ndash;6</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/equivalencies" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4927/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_1.54.43_PM.png" /></a></p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii&#39;s Equivalency Scale</h2>

<p>If you want to know more about Ellii&#39;s levels, consider reviewing our <a href="https://ellii.com/equivalencies" target="_blank">Equivalency Scale</a>. You can find this comparison scale on the footer of the site.&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<h2>Ellii Solo</h2>

<p>If your school has <a href="https://ellii.com/solo" target="_blank">Ellii Solo</a>, Ellii&#39;s self-study solution designed for pre-enrollment learning paths, computer lab programs, and independent learning initiatives, students will take the <strong>Ellii Placement Test </strong>when they first begin the program. This test is the same autograded test that teachers assign on Ellii. After taking the test, students will be directed to ready-made pathways of self-study packs and courses most appropriate for their level. The proficiency level will be displayed the way the administrator has chosen (e.g., Ellii + CLB).<br />
<br />
<img alt="Ellii Solo Level" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4928/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_3.25.40_PM.png" /><br />
Students must complete a pathway or retake the placement test in order to unlock higher-level pathways.&nbsp;<br />
<img alt="Ellii Solo Pathways" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4929/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_3.35.56_PM.png" /></p>

<p>Students using Ellii Solo can also access the&nbsp;Library if they choose to explore courses, packs, and videos&nbsp;without using the guided pathways.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii Solo Navigation bar" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4930/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-18_at_3.37.18_PM.png" />We hope <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_blank">Ellii&#39;s diagnostic assessments</a> help you and your learners find the content and courseware you need to ensure proficiency success!</p>


All about the Ellii Placement Test

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<h1>The ultimate all-in-one platform for ELT teacherpreneurs</h1>

<p>Years ago, I was teaching English at a university an hour&rsquo;s drive from my home. Luckily, I had three English-teacher friends all commuting to the same city. Our daily carpool conversations usually revolved around classroom dilemmas and teaching methodology. Very often, while brainstorming our lesson plans, one of us would say, &ldquo;Ellii has the perfect lesson for that!&rdquo; or &ldquo;Today is an Ellii day!&rdquo; (Of course, back then, it was ESL&nbsp;Library, but you get the idea.)&nbsp;Ellii was the most popular resource in school.</p>

<p>When I left classroom teaching and became an independent &ldquo;teacherpreneur,&rdquo; turning to Ellii was a no-brainer.&nbsp;<strong>Here&rsquo;s why Ellii has everything I need to run my teaching business</strong>.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1107880312" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h2>Engaging, ready-made lessons for every student</h2>

<p>Like many independent teachers, my students range widely in age and level on any given day. I always count on Ellii to meet each student&rsquo;s needs and interests.</p>

<p>When a shy middle school student came to her first 1:1 lesson terrified to speak English, Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/true-grammar-stories">True Grammar Stories</a> got her excited to discuss trailblazers like Ruby Bridges and fascinating places like Chile&rsquo;s Marble Caves.</p>

<p>When a socioeconomics student felt &ldquo;stuck&rdquo; expressing her opinions, Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/discussion-starters">Discussion Starters</a> lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2775-universal-basic-income">Universal Basic Income</a> gave her the language to communicate more deeply on a real-world topic that truly mattered to her.</p>

<p>When the cashier at a convenience store in Cyprus asked me to explain the present perfect tense, I pulled up Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1597-present-perfect">Present Perfect</a> Grammar Practice Worksheet&nbsp;on my phone for an impromptu grammar lesson. He responded, &ldquo;You just clarified in five minutes something that has confused me my whole life!&rdquo;</p>

<p>Ellii offers a massive library of&nbsp;<strong>high-quality, ready-made lessons</strong>, interactive games, engaging videos, and more&mdash;with new materials added daily. Ellii&rsquo;s content isn&rsquo;t just interesting and current; it&rsquo;s designed by real teachers to foster meaningful language encounters and genuine human connection.</p>

<p><img alt="Search results for &quot;travel&quot; showing 210 results in Lessons &amp; Resources" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4832/content_Lesson-Search.png" /></p>

<h2>Super simple class management</h2>

<h3>Student accounts</h3>

<p>As a private teacher, I need a simple system to keep track of everyone and give each student a personalized learning experience. Ellii&rsquo;s <strong>built-in LMS</strong> (Learning Management System) is perfect for this.&nbsp;Ellii offers an <a href="https://ellii.com/pricing"><strong>affordable Individual plan</strong></a> that comes with 35 student licenses.&nbsp;Students can be placed into an unlimited number of classes. I can create a class for one specific student or add multiple students to the same class.</p>

<h3>Drag-and-drop lesson prep</h3>

<p>With Ellii&rsquo;s kanban-style&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/try-class-prepping-with-elliis-lesson-planner"><strong>Lesson Planner</strong></a>, class prep is a breeze. I just drag and drop content into the Prepping, Teaching, or Taught lanes to get ready for upcoming classes, assign tasks to my students, and keep track of what&rsquo;s been done. I have full control over the timing and pace of each student&rsquo;s learning journey. My business students appreciate a structured, intentional flow of exercises. My grammar fanatics love having a curated collection of tasks to tackle. And my conversation students enjoy seeing connected topics and feeling a sense of progress in their language development.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii's drag-and-drop Lesson Planner showing lessons in the Prepping, Teaching, and Taught lanes" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4833/content_Lesson-Planner.png" /></p>

<h3>Flexible organization</h3>

<p>Whenever I&rsquo;m browsing Ellii&rsquo;s content library, something always catches my eye. I can quickly &ldquo;<strong>like</strong>&rdquo; lessons or save content to customizable&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/folders"><strong>Folders</strong></a>. I can also create <a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_sets"><strong>Flashcard Sets</strong></a> to share with my students. Whether I&rsquo;m planning days ahead or pulling things together last minute, Ellii keeps me organized.</p>

<h3>Streamlined grading &amp; feedback</h3>

<p>Ellii&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/introducing-grade-feed"><strong>Grade Feed</strong></a>&nbsp;also makes it easy to monitor and support my students&rsquo; progress. I can leave meaningful feedback with stars, written comments, and&mdash;my personal favorite&mdash;audio responses. When I&rsquo;m pressed for time or just need a little inspiration, the suggested responses (created by an Ellii writer) and&nbsp;<strong>Ellii Bot</strong> (built-in AI assistant)&nbsp;are lifesavers.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii's Grade Feed showing a student's answer and Ellii Bot's suggested response" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4834/content_Grade-Feed.png" /></p>

<h3>Built-in support &amp; professional development</h3>

<p>Teachers spend hours a day connecting with students, but running an independent teaching business can still feel isolating. Over the years, I&rsquo;ve leaned on Ellii for support and guidance.</p>

<p>Ellii is built by teachers, for teachers. Beyond great lesson content, Ellii supports teachers with a weekly&nbsp;newsletter, a huge library of&nbsp;teacher resources, and tons of&nbsp;tutorials, demo videos, and practical&nbsp;teaching tips. When I&rsquo;m looking for a curated sequence of lessons, I turn to Ellii&rsquo;s ready-made&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?page=1"><strong>Courses</strong>&nbsp;<strong>&amp;</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Study Packs</strong></a>. When I&rsquo;m not sure what to teach next, I check the <a href="https://ellii.com/discover"><strong>Discover page</strong></a> and <a href="https://ellii.com/calendar"><strong>Lesson Calendar</strong></a> for fresh content and timely topics. If I&rsquo;m ever stuck on how to break down a tricky language point, I head to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog"><strong>blog</strong></a>&mdash;it&rsquo;s full of expert insights and inspiring stories from the Ellii team and guest writers from the English teaching community.</p>

<h2>Teacher webinars</h2>

<p>And coming soon, Ellii is launching a brand-new<strong>&nbsp;webinar series for independent teachers</strong>!&nbsp;Join our free, practical sessions led by experienced educators who understand the unique challenges of private teaching. Register now for one of our&nbsp;upcoming webinars on <a href="https://www.crowdcast.io/c/teachwithellii-aug28" target="_blank"><strong>August 28 at 2:00 pm ET</strong></a> or <a href="https://www.crowdcast.io/c/teachwithellii-aug29" target="_blank"><strong>August 29 at 11:00 am ET</strong></a>.</p>

<p>Discover how Ellii can be your full teaching tool kit&mdash;everything you need to help your business thrive!</p>


Run Your Independent Teaching Business with Ellii

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<p>Have you heard the talk of the town? Ellii&nbsp;has a new <strong><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials">Conversation Phrases</a></strong> course!&nbsp;</p>

<p data-end="438" data-start="251">This video-based course is designed to help students improve their speaking&nbsp;skills and&nbsp;focuses on <strong>reduced pronunciation</strong> for more natural, fluent speech.</p>

<p data-end="745" data-start="440">Throughout the course, students will become familiar with <strong>useful, everyday phrases</strong> they can use to greet people, make plans, make small talk, talk about preferences, and wrap up a conversation. Each video lesson also leads students through oral reduced pronunciation practice and provides opportunities for speaking in a guided conversation.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-end="745" data-start="440">By the end of this course, students will gain the confidence they need to <strong>interact comfortably</strong> in various everyday conversations.</p>

<p data-end="807" data-start="747">Watch the <strong>introductory video</strong> from this course to learn more:</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1098554567" width="640"></iframe></div>

<p data-end="859" data-start="811">The course includes the following <strong>lesson topics</strong>:</p>

<ul data-end="1010" data-start="861">
	<li>How to Start a Conversation</li>
	<li>How to End a Conversation</li>
	<li>How to Make Plans</li>
	<li>How to Make Small Talk</li>
	<li>How to Talk about Likes &amp; Dislikes</li>
</ul>

<p data-end="1371" data-start="1012">Each video-based lesson introduces 12 to 15 <strong>common, conversational phrases</strong> grouped into four sets of questions and responses. Students will hear natural examples of colloquial phrases and expressions, practice reduced pronunciation, and role-play guided conversations. The final video also teaches students how to agree and disagree with someone in a conversation.</p>

<p data-end="1542" data-start="1373">This&nbsp;course includes two digital <strong>assessments</strong> (a mid-course and final assessment) and an optional speaking task that teachers would need&nbsp;to review and score manually.</p>

<p data-end="1693" data-start="1544">You can find our new&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials"><strong data-end="1605" data-start="1557">Conversation Phrases</strong></a>&nbsp;course in the&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=2&amp;page=1">Life Skills</a> section in&nbsp;Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?page=1">Courses &amp; Study Packs</a>.</p>

<p data-end="1842" data-start="1695">From the course page, you can easily click the <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials">&quot;Add to class&quot;</a> button to assign lessons to your students right away or schedule them through your <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/try-class-prepping-with-elliis-lesson-planner">Lesson Planner</a>.</p>

<p data-end="1979" data-start="1844">Don&rsquo;t forget to check out the <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/materials">Materials</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/overview">Overview</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/conversation-phrases-course/notes">Teachers&#39; Notes</a>&nbsp;tabs&nbsp;for helpful resources and teaching suggestions.</p>

<p data-end="2119" data-start="2104">We hope you and your students enjoy this new type of course!</p>


Introducing Ellii's New Conversation Phrases Course

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<p>If you&rsquo;re a teacher using Ellii, you&rsquo;ve likely already met our trusty assistant:&nbsp;<a href="https://help.ellii.com/article/267-how-to-use-the-grade-feed">Ellii Bot</a>. This tool helps you save time by auto-scoring student answers and writing personalized feedback on their Writing and Speaking tasks.</p>

<p>We&rsquo;ve heard your feedback, and we&rsquo;ve been listening closely. Teachers have told us they love the time-saving magic of Ellii Bot, but they have also noticed a few things that could be better.</p>

<p>So we&#39;ve rolled up our sleeves and made Ellii Bot even smarter.</p>

<h2>Smarter scoring, more consistent feedback</h2>

<p>Have you ever seen a student&rsquo;s answers get scores that felt a bit too high or too low compared to others on the same task? Or noticed&nbsp;Ellii Bot was a little too focused on matching the Answer Key perfectly?</p>

<p>That&rsquo;s because, in the past, Ellii Bot looked at each Writing or Speaking question individually&nbsp;without considering the full context of the task or the lesson. And it treated the Answer Key like the only possible correct response, which sometimes made things feel a bit too rigid.</p>

<p>For example, students are given the following instructions:&nbsp;Rewrite the sentence. There is a mistake in each sentence. Find the mistake and then rewrite the sentence correctly.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4787/content_image-1-2.png" /></strong></p>

<p>The result? Inconsistent scoring and feedback that didn&rsquo;t always reflect your teaching goals&mdash;or your students&rsquo; true understanding.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4788/content_image-3-4.png" /></strong></p>

<p>The new Ellii Bot changes that. It now reads and scores&nbsp;<b>all of a student&rsquo;s answers together</b>, which leads to&nbsp;<b>more consistent scoring</b>&nbsp;across the full task. It understands how the questions connect and evaluates them as a whole, just like a teacher would.</p>

<p>And when it comes to Answer Keys, Ellii Bot now treats them as&nbsp;<b>one of many valid reference answers</b>&nbsp;rather than as a strict standard. It uses the key as a helpful guide, but focuses on whether the student&rsquo;s answer is strong and appropriate on its terms.</p>

<h2>Context matters&mdash;and Ellii Bot knows it</h2>

<p>Before giving any feedback, the new Ellii Bot now reads and understands the&nbsp;<b>lesson</b>. This means it knows what your students are supposed to be focusing on&mdash;and tailors its scoring and feedback accordingly:</p>

<ul>
	<li>In a&nbsp;<b>grammar </b>lesson, it emphasizes language accuracy.</li>
	<li>In a&nbsp;<b>topic-based </b>lesson, it prioritizes comprehension and relevant content.</li>
	<li>For <strong>personal</strong>&nbsp;<b>opinion </b>questions, it can recognize thoughtful, on-topic responses&mdash;even when there&rsquo;s no single correct answer.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Simplified feedback&nbsp;based on student level</h2>

<p>Students are not all the same; they are at&nbsp;different levels, even when we are teaching the same lesson. Feedback is now&nbsp;<b>adapted to the learner&rsquo;s level</b>, making it more accessible, supportive, and appropriate for each stage of their learning journey.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4789/content_image-5.png" /></strong></p>

<p>Even though both classes are working on the same intermediate-level lesson, Bicycles,&nbsp;beginner students are performing above their current level, while advanced students are working below theirs, which can result in lower scores for the more advanced group.</p>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4790/content_image-6-7.png" /></strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><b>Beginner students</b>&nbsp;now receive&nbsp;<b>shorter, simpler</b>&nbsp;comments with clear and encouraging language.</li>
	<li><b>More advanced students</b>&nbsp;get&nbsp;<b>deeper, more detailed</b>&nbsp;feedback that challenges their thinking and supports further growth.</li>
</ul>

<p>This thoughtful approach helps ensure students understand and benefit from the feedback without being overwhelmed by it.</p>

<h2>Built to empower teachers&mdash;not replace them</h2>

<p>We recognize the importance of the human connection between teachers and learners. AI will never replace the insight, empathy, or guidance of a teacher. Instead, our goal is to build tools that&nbsp;<b>support your work,&nbsp;</b>freeing you to focus on what matters most: fostering student growth.</p>

<p>Read more about our philosophy at&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/ai">ellii.com/ai</a></p>

<p>The new Ellii Bot is designed to be a helpful partner, making your day a little easier and your feedback process more efficient and aligned with your goals.</p>

<p>We&rsquo;re excited to keep improving it&mdash;and we&rsquo;re so grateful to the educators who help shape the tools we build.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Got feedback? We&rsquo;re always listening, and we count on you to help us keep getting better.</p>
</blockquote>


Ellii Bot Just Got Smarter

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<p>You may know that there are more than 600 long-form videos in <a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos">Ellii&#39;s Media Gallery</a>, but were you aware that we also have a lot of short-form videos?&nbsp;We recently released our <strong>150th short</strong> on Ellii&#39;s social media channels and app, so what better time&nbsp;to discuss how you can make use of all this bite-sized content in class?</p>

<h2>Where can I find Ellii&#39;s shorts?</h2>

<h3>YouTube</h3>

<p>Have you seen Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/featured">YouTube channel for students</a></strong>? We post weekly shorts&nbsp;on YouTube&mdash;usually one or two per week. We make shorts on all kinds of topics, including grammar, vocabulary, idioms, phrasal verbs, pronunciation,&nbsp;listening, and speaking.</p>

<p>Go to&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts"><strong>Shorts&nbsp;tab</strong></a> from our home page (or just click on the following image) to see them all.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts"><img alt="Image of shorts index page on Ellii's YouTube channel for students" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4736/content_Youtube-Channel-Shorts.png" /></a></p>

<p>We also have our long-form <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/videos">videos</a> organized by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/playlists">playlists</a> on our channel, as well as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/community">community posts</a> area where we regularly pose questions to students about grammar, vocabulary, idioms, etc.</p>

<p>In case you missed it, we also have a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@elliiteachers">YouTube channel for teachers</a>!</p>

<h3>Instagram</h3>

<p>We also regularly post reels to our Instagram channel for students, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/">@elliienglish</a>. Reels are often shared as stories as well so that students can easily find our&nbsp;new content.</p>

<p>Go to the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/"><strong>Reels&nbsp;tab</strong></a> on our home page to view them all.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/"><img alt="Image of reels index on Ellii's Instagram for students account" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4735/content_Instagram-Reels.png" /></a></p>

<p>Looking for our Instagram account for teacher? Find it&nbsp;here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/esllibrary/">@esllibrary</a></p>

<h3>Ellii Solo/English App</h3>

<p>Did you know we have a self-study add-on to Ellii called <a href="https://ellii.com/solo">Ellii Solo</a> that schools or libraries can purchase for pre-enrollment programs or computer labs?&nbsp;We also have a self-study app (called <a href="https://www.englishapp.com/">English App</a>) that&nbsp;students can purchase on their own. Both Ellii Solo and English App&nbsp;offer mini-courses,&nbsp;study packs, and a vocabulary bank&nbsp;for self-study along with videos and shorts for extra learning.</p>

<p>Once you&#39;re inside the <a href="https://www.englishapp.com/">app</a>&nbsp;(when using Ellii Solo or English App), go to <strong>Videos</strong> on the bottom menu, and then select&nbsp;<strong>&quot;View all&quot;</strong> to scroll through our library of shorts.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/solo"><img alt="Image of video landing page for Ellii Solo / English App" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4725/content_App-Video-Feed.jpg" /></a></p>

<h2>How can I use Ellii&#39;s shorts in class?</h2>

<p>Now that you know where to find them, what can you do with them in class? Here are a few ideas you could use them for:</p>

<h3>1. Introduce or review&nbsp;a target</h3>

<p>Use a related short as a fun introduction to a grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation target or to do a quick review of it the next day. For example, if you&#39;re about to start&nbsp;a unit on Travel English, you could use our <a href="https://youtu.be/cCQUp73awL4?si=-vCaU8_yqcCexmOP">Airport Vocabulary</a> short to introduce the topic and elicit vocabulary.&nbsp;You could also assign it as homework.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/990227625" width="640"></iframe></div>

<p>Curious how you can search for the topic you want? Never fear! We&#39;ll cover how to search for a specific topic in the next section of this post.</p>

<h3>2. Expand on a target</h3>

<p>No matter what skill you&#39;re teaching, we probably have a short (or five) that expands on that topic. For example, if you&#39;re teaching your students how to pronounce the /m/ sound,&nbsp;you could use our <a href="https://youtu.be/eUJ1Afz2Sf0?si=HiVGbfp3yumvvFYS">short comparing the three nasal sounds</a> to see if they can&nbsp;distinguish /m/ from&nbsp;the other nasal sounds in English.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1090980404" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>3. Answer questions that come up&nbsp;in class</h3>

<p>We often cover tricky topics such as commonly confused words or grammar exceptions in our shorts. We all know students love asking the tough questions about exceptions to a rule, so why not answer these in a fun, visual way? Check out this example that <a href="https://youtu.be/rgr_AEJZtjs?si=VDOJE7jMSptW37Dg">compares &quot;compliment&quot; and &quot;complement.&quot;</a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1065624880" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>4. Use shorts as a basis for a pair activity or presentation topic</h3>

<p>Get your students to scroll through our shorts for homework and pick one that they didn&#39;t know about. The next day, have them teach a partner, group, or even the whole class about what they&#39;ve learned. After all, the best way to learn something really well is to teach it! Here&#39;s an example with <a href="https://youtu.be/V1QA6y7vWHU?si=NzdxwPBd0qoOdn24">&quot;prefer&quot; and &quot;rather&quot;</a>&nbsp;that would work well as a presentation topic.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1084808845" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>5. Use them to keep faster students from getting bored</h3>

<p>In any class, there will always be students who complete an assignment more quickly than others. Having them watch shorts while they wait for their peers to finish up is a fun, engaging task they&#39;ll enjoy. If they don&#39;t have earbuds or headphones at hand, you can have them mute the audio because all of our shorts have closed captions on YouTube and Instagram. (Captions on our app and Ellii Solo are coming soon!)</p>

<p>For example, they might enjoy this popular short on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7b1NKPtrutQ?feature=share">&quot;especially&quot; and &quot;specially.&quot;</a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/989656485" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>6. Use them for extra practice</h3>

<p>Shorts are also great for extra practice on a topic a student is struggling with or is asking about. For example, if a student keeps making mistakes with articles, you could have them watch one or all of our shorts on <a href="https://youtu.be/lC9UsaCV-20?si=CoSV7TlWGBR8wOpK">articles</a>.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/989124592" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h3>7. Use them as a review before teaching</h3>

<p>Sometimes we all need a little refresher, especially when it comes to more advanced grammar targets. Our shorts might even inspire you to teach or present something in a new way. As an example, here&#39;s a good way to&nbsp;teach students <a href="https://youtu.be/WRzQc-SaVpM?si=IdilcxGkuKmouecz">how to use &quot;however</a>&quot; in writing.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1082695695" width="640"></iframe></div>

<h2>Can I search through Ellii&#39;s shorts by topic/target?</h2>

<p>If you want students to do one short per day or random shorts during a study break, there may be no need to search for a specific topic. But if you&#39;re looking for quick teaching tips on something specific, such as a particular pronunciation or grammar target, what&#39;s the best way to&nbsp;search through Ellii&#39;s shorts?</p>

<p>The easiest way is to use our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts">student YouTube channel</a>. Instagram doesn&#39;t show titles, which makes searching more difficult (though we&#39;ve tried our best to make the topic clear in the thumbnails). And though there are filters on English App/Ellii Solo for long videos, our shorts are not filtered just yet (that&#39;s coming in a later phase, though). That&#39;s why <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/shorts">YouTube</a> is your best bet for search, followed by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/">Instagram</a>.</p>

<h3>YouTube</h3>

<p>To search for a topic on YouTube, go to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@ellii">our channel&#39;s home page</a> and look for the&nbsp;search bar in the tabs on the home page (below the banner). Enter your keywords there, and YouTube will display results only from our&nbsp;channel. Don&#39;t be confused by the main search bar at the top of the page (above the banner)&mdash;that search will give you results from all of YouTube, not just Ellii.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ellii/featured"><img alt="Image of search field on Ellii's YouTube for students channel" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4726/content_Youtube-Channel-Search.jpg" /></a></p>

<h3>Instagram</h3>

<p>While you can&#39;t search for a specific target as well as you can on YouTube, you can filter by general topic (grammar, pronunciation, idioms, etc.) in the highlights area on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/">Ellii&#39;s Instagram page</a>. Within these highlights are all our reels from 2025 grouped by topic that you can quickly flip through or watch one after the other. Note that the story highlight&nbsp;cuts off after a certain amount of time, but you can select &quot;watch full reel&quot; within any story to see the whole thing.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliienglish/reels/"><img alt="Image of highlights area on Ellii's Instagram for students account" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4734/content_Instagram-Highlights.png" /></a></p>

<h2>Conclusion</h2>

<p>With Ellii&#39;s short-form videos, you have a lot of quick and easily digestible&nbsp;content at your fingertips. We hope our shorts and reels&nbsp;will be useful for both you and your students!</p>

<blockquote>How have you used Ellii&#39;s shorts in class? Share your experience with us in a comment below, or let us know if there&#39;s a target you&#39;d like us to cover in a short.&nbsp;We love taking requests!</blockquote>


How to Use Ellii's Shorts in Class

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Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

Articles

<p>Once upon a time, literacy skills referred to reading and writing. However,&nbsp;we now access and process information in multiple ways, not simply through interpreting texts. Therefore, we need to support learners to develop multiple literacy skills to help them navigate the world successfully.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this post, I&#39;ll explore the more complex and intertwined nature of the various literacies learners need, and how to integrate them into the English language classroom.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Multiliteracies</strong></h2>

<p>There are various interpretations and classifications of multiple literacies. These depend on the organization and their&nbsp;goals. These&nbsp;often include literacies such as: &nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Textual Literacy (also referred to as Reading and Writing Literacy)</li>
	<li>Critical Literacy (the abilility to think critically and&nbsp;question sources of&nbsp;information)</li>
	<li>Information Literacy (aka Media Literacy)</li>
	<li>Visual Literacy&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Digital Literacy, which could also include Social Media and AI Literacy</li>
	<li>Financial Literacy</li>
	<li>Mathematical or Numerical Literacy (aka Numeracy)</li>
	<li>Global Literacy (aka Intercultural, Cultural, or Social Literacy)</li>
</ul>

<p>In some ways, there is crossover between life skills development and multiliteracy development. For example, mathematical literacy could also be referred to as math or numeracy skills. Likewise, visual literacy requires other skills such as critical thinking, interpretation, and creativity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can read more about life skills development here:&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/top-tips-for-incorporating-life-skills-into-your-classroom">6 Tips for Incorporating Life Skills into Your English Language Lessons</a></p>

<h2><strong>Multimodal&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The information we interact with today is multimodal. Therefore, in order to prepare learners for the real world, we need to equip them with a variety of literacy skills to interpret&nbsp;and use it successfully and responsibly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some examples of the different modes of information sources:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Photos</li>
	<li>Videos</li>
	<li>Infographics</li>
	<li>Diagrams &amp; Graphs</li>
	<li>Illustrations &amp; Artwork</li>
</ul>

<p>Students can be guided to develop their skills in understanding,&nbsp;interpreting, and creating the content within these information sources. In order to do so, they will need to use multiple literacies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Luckily for teachers, many resources are already full of multimodal texts. For example, let&#39;s use some of Ellii&#39;s money-themed lessons.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Word Bank Readers: At the Bank&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>At first, learners watch the video. They use their textual literacy skills to read the subtitles and write down notes. As they watch, they use their visual literacy skills to follow the story of Sheila going to the bank. After watching, they might discuss what problems Sheila had and how she solved them, utilizing their financial, digital, critical, and social&nbsp;literacy skills. They could personalize this further by comparing alternative ways to do this, such as using their digital skills to bank online. To incorporate global skills, they could investigate currencies or banking differences around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can access this lesson here:<strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://ellii.com/video/a-trip-to-the-bank">https://ellii.com/video/a-trip-to-the-bank</a></p>

<p>As extension tasks, learners could use their digital literacy&nbsp;to work through the tasks in their Ellii Classroom.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They could also:</p>

<ul>
	<li>activate their global and visual literacy by discussing this intriguing photo prompt: <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3956-money-money-money">Money, Money, Money</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Ellii Money Money Money Photo Prompt" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4690/content_photo-prompt-money-money-money-Ellii.jpg" /></p>

<ul>
	<li>use textual and visual&nbsp;literacy to watch and take notes of this self-study video:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/video/at-the-bank">At the Bank</a></li>
	<li>Explore their financial literacy more with this lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1210-retirement-savings">Retirement Savings</a></li>
	<li>Have them use their digital and media literacy skills to create a vlog, podcast, or blog on the topic</li>
</ul>

<h2><strong>Multisensory</strong></h2>

<p>The multimodal nature of information consumption is a multisensory process. Learners will interact with the content using a range of senses. This can help them to learn through doing as well as keeping them motivated by adding variety and movement&nbsp;to classroom activities. For example:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>listening to a story</li>
	<li>reading a text</li>
	<li>talking to a partner about the topic</li>
	<li>writing notes or an article</li>
	<li>performing a role-play</li>
	<li>smelling or tasting food from a recipe they followed</li>
	<li>creating a poster or information board</li>
</ul>

<h2><strong>Multicultural</strong></h2>

<p>English language classes are often multicultural. Our learners bring a wonderfully unique blend of beliefs, experiences, cultures, and backgrounds to class. Helping them to develop their social, emotional, and global literacies aid intercultural understanding and can facilitate some interesting real-world discussions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some Ellii materials&nbsp;you might want to use to incorporate global literacies:&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/easy-news-stories">Easy News Stories:</a> These simple news articles cover a range of real-world topics. They are perfect for having students consider unfamiliar cultures, learn about global challenges. and consider ways that they can make the world a better place.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/current-events">Associated Press Videos:</a> These short video clips cover diverse topics such as <a href="https://ellii.com/video/k-pop-exhibition-in-london-museum">K-pop culture</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/video/stranger-things-stars-open-up-about-mental-health">mental health</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/video/india-s-hindus-celebrate-colorful-holi-festival">religious festivals</a>. Students will enjoy using their visual and media literacy skills to explore authentic topics of social, emotional, and global importance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You may also be interested in this blog post on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/social-emotional-learning">social-emotional learning</a>, which shares some ways to develop learners&#39; social and emotional literacies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We also highly recommend watching this video of Nik Peachey&#39;s session on Multimodality in the English Language Teaching and Learning&nbsp;at the APPI Conference in Portugal.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ky_tP7FM4fw?si=tqKDSL8hJ6kqvKjw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<blockquote>
<p>What experience do you have of incorporating multiliteracies into the classroom? Which ones do you feel are particularly important to your learners? We&#39;d love to know your thoughts, ideas, and tips in the comments.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


The Multimodal, Multisensory, Multicultural Power of Multiliteracy Learning

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<p>Putting&nbsp;learners at the center of their learning experience is absolutely critical for successful teaching. It helps us&nbsp;plan lessons on topics that interest them, which, in turn, helps them to stay motivated and achieve their goals. It also shows our learners that we care about them, have their best interests at heart, and have considered their needs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this blog post, I&#39;ll explore some ways to get to know your learners better, whether on the first day of class or throughout the term.&nbsp;</p>

<h1><strong>Learn their names</strong></h1>

<p>This sounds super basic, but it is one of the most important ways to show that you care about every individual learner. <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1211-your-name" target="_blank">Your name</a> is a core part of who you are, so hearing it said correctly makes you feel valued. On the flip side, when someone gets it wrong, it can be annoying or even make us feel unimportant. Therefore, we have to take time to learn every student&#39;s name.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As language teachers who teach learners from around the world, we may often have to learn new and unfamiliar names. It can be helpful to use name badges, write students&#39; names&nbsp;on the board, or have a seating plan to refer to until you have committed their names&nbsp;to memory.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is especially important to get the spelling and pronunciation correct. Don&#39;t be afraid to ask for clarification on how to say someone&#39;s name. They&#39;ll appreciate that you are trying to get it right.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To help you remember names, you can use Ellii&#39;s printable <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2209-class-list%C2%A0">Class List</a>. This handy chart&nbsp;also&nbsp;has a column for &quot;preferred name&quot; in case students prefer to use a nickname or shortened version of their name. You may also want to try this popular Ellii Poll about <a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/polls/names" target="_blank">Names</a>.</p>

<p><img alt="Ellii Class List" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4681/content_Class-list-Ellii.png" /></p>

<h1><strong>Use introduction activities</strong></h1>

<p>The first days of class are critical for making a good impression and getting to know your learners. They are an opportunity to find out your learners&#39; language level, skills, interests, and goals. They are also a great excuse to have a bit of fun, <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/communication-skills/getting-acquainted" target="_blank">help learners get to know each other</a>, and instantly start using their language skills to communicate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One activity&nbsp;I love (which also&nbsp;helps the class learn each other&#39;s names)&nbsp;is a simple ball game. Have students stand in a circle. One student calls out a classmate&#39;s name, asks a question of their choice&nbsp;(e.g., What is your favorite sport?), and then throws the ball to the person whose name they called. That person then answers the question, calls another classmate&#39;s name, asks another question, and throws the ball. This continues until everyone has had a turn and has learned&nbsp;a few facts about each other.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can find&nbsp;ideas for activities to do on the first day of class here:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-fun-ways-to-warm-up-a-new-class">4 Fun Activities to Warm Up a New Class</a></li>
</ul>

<h1><strong>Build relationships</strong></h1>

<p>Getting to know your learners isn&#39;t just an&nbsp;activity for the first week of class. Developing strong rapport with them happens over time. Taking&nbsp;note of topics that interest them and then using these to choose future lessons will be appreciated by learners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The language classroom has many opportunities for learners to share their interests. These will undoubtedly come up in conversation organically. However, you can also build in time at the beginning or end of lessons for relaxed &quot;small-talk&quot; conversations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, you could set aside the first five minutes of a lesson for learners to share:</p>

<ul>
	<li>something exciting&nbsp;they did recently</li>
	<li>something they are planning to do&nbsp;</li>
	<li>something interesting they read online</li>
</ul>

<p>Relaxed discussions such as these are a great way for&nbsp;students to practice their conversation skills and for you to get to know them better.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You could also try these materials&nbsp;from&nbsp;Ellii:</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1749-making-small-talk">Making Small Talk</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/mini-debates">Mini-Debates</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/warm-ups-fillers">Warm-Ups &amp; Fillers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3351-conversation-questions-group-digital" target="_blank">Conversation Questions</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Getting Acquainted screenshot" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4677/content_getting-aquainted-Ellii.png" /></p>

<h1><strong>Create individual learning plans&nbsp;</strong></h1>

<p>Individual learning plans (ILPs) are a great way to get to know learners. They allow students time to reflect on their current skills, prior learning,&nbsp;language level, goals, and ways to achieve those goals.</p>

<p>You can use ILPs in class to have students think about their learning. Although ILPs are&nbsp;personal by nature, it can also be impactful for learners to share their ideas, goals, helpful resources, and learning strategies with each other. Use your discretion to decide if&nbsp;this could work with your particular learners.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Check out one of <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2127-my-language-goals">Ellii&#39;s ILPs</a>:</p>

<p><img alt="My Language Goals screenshot" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4680/content_My-language-goals-2-Ellii.png" /></p>

<p><img alt="My Information Continued screenshot" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4679/content_My-language-goals-1-Ellii.png" /></p>

<h1><strong>Use visual storytelling techniques</strong></h1>

<p>Using visual metaphors can be a fun way to help learners&nbsp;think about their learning. You can draw these, use Ellii&#39;s flashcards, or look for copyright-free icons online.</p>

<p>Here are some ideas for visual metaphors:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>use a road map, pathway, or river to have students think about the distance they have traveled and where they would like to be in their language-learning journey</li>
	<li>use a target with arrows to have students think about their goals and how to achieve them&nbsp;</li>
	<li>use a seed, a sapling, a small tree, and a fully grown tree to signify their current level of skills&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>You can find more ideas on how to implement these suggestions using Ellii&#39;s flashcards&nbsp;in this blog post:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection">12 Ellii Flashcards for Planning &amp; Reflection</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
<p>These are just a few ways to get to know your learners. What has worked for you? Share your ideas in the comments.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>


Getting to Know Your Learners: Supercharging Learner-Centered Teaching

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<p>Visual literacy is a key life skill. So much of the information that we see and process on a daily basis comes from visual sources such as images, pictures, symbols, signs, and diagrams. In the English language classroom, it is important for us to support our learners to develop these skills.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Visual literacy skills can help learners to:</p>

<ul>
	<li>interpret the main idea of a text before reading by looking at pictures</li>
	<li>understand a complex process using a diagram</li>
	<li>navigate online platforms or learning apps using icons</li>
	<li>stay safe through decoding signs and symbols</li>
	<li>analyze meaning, think critically, and discuss their opinions with others</li>
	<li>be aware of how their responses to imagery and colors can be different from others&#39;</li>
	<li>inspire them to ask questions and explore the topic further</li>
	<li>be creative in how they communicate and convey information</li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;In this blog post, I will share some creative ways to bring visual literacy into the ELT classroom.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>1. Infographics</h2>

<p>Infographics are a visual summary of complex information. They use icons, images, and diagrams to convey complex information in a visually engaging and quick way. Their popularity is growing as people in our fast-paced world consume information in more rapid ways.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When I want to find information online quickly, I will search for an infographic (or sketchnote) as a starting point. This way I can have an overview of the key aspects of a topic in seconds, without having to read dense texts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In class, they are a great way to incorporate real-world reading skills into the classroom. They also support reading skills development in a fun way that reduces processing load on learners who may get overwhelmed by longer texts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here is an example infographic about <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4116-sun-protection" target="_blank">Sun Protection</a> from Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/real-world-reading" target="_blank">Real-World Reading</a> section.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4432/content_infographic.jpg" /></p>

<p>The Real-World Reading section supports learners to develop literacy and visual literacy skills in tandem. It provides texts in their authentic layout such as emails, bank statements, menus, receipts, bills, bus schedules, and maps.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>2. Sketchnotes</h2>

<p>Sketchnoting is a form of visual note-taking that can boost creativity, information processing, and focus. It is a fun way to bring whiteboards, notebooks, and lessons to life. Students can try it out as a way of helping them take notes, express ideas, or keep a journal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can collaboratively create a large scale sketchnote of a topic on the whiteboard and then have students copy it or take a photo of it for their records. You could also have students search online for sketchnotes of a topic (e.g., the water cycle) and have them analyze it as they would an infographic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>What is the infographic/sketchnote about?</li>
	<li>What images does it use? Why?</li>
	<li>What colors does it use? Why?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What facts does it summarize?</li>
	<li>What numbers does it show?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What types of lettering style does it use? Why?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What questions do you have about the topic?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>And of course, you could have students research a topic and then create their own sketchnotes to share with the class.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>You can find out more about sketchnoting here:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/sketchnoting-101-supercharged-professional-development-with-visual-notes">Sketchnoting 101: Supercharge Professional Development with Visual Notes</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/top-digital-tools-for-visual-thinking-activities">Top Digital Tools for Visual Thinking Activities</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-an-elt-conference">How to Get the Most Out of an ELT Conference</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>3. Diagrams, charts &amp; graphs</h2>

<p>Analyzing data in the form of diagrams, charts, graphs, and maps is crucial for navigating life, but also to prepare for academia and work. The ability to interpret with a critical eye can ensure that learners understand diagrams, charts, graphs, and maps correctly and don&rsquo;t get duped by <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/fake-news-in-the-ai-era-essential-skills-for-every-language-teacher-learner" target="_blank">fake news</a>. Learning to create their own can help them to process information, present their knowledge confidently, and study effectively. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/academic-vocabulary" target="_blank">Academic Vocabulary</a> lesson on the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4185-the-digestive-system" target="_blank">Digestive System</a>, for example, offers learners the opportunity to understand the human body in more detail&nbsp;and learn vocabulary using visual markers. Having a diagram like this in their notebooks serves as an engaging memory booster to help them study and retain the information.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4433/content_diagram.jpg" /></p>

<p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3570-introduction-to-graphing " target="_blank">Introduction to Graphing</a> lesson helps students to learn the basics of understanding, using, and creating graphs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4434/content_graph.jpg" /></p>

<h2>4. Graphic organizers</h2>

<p>Graphic organizers are visual tools that provide a space for learners to add their ideas, notes, and answers. They are a great way to reduce processing load by providing structured learning in visual form rather than written.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, in this lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1681-internet-entrepreneurs" target="_blank">Internet Entrepreneurs</a>, students read three texts and then complete a graphic organizer in the form of a Venn Diagram. This allows learners to think deeply about the similarities and differences between each business owner. Having a small space to write in also encourages them to take notes in as succinct a fashion as possible. It also provides a quick visual memory booster to ignite conversations later in the lesson.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4435/content_Venn-diagram.jpg" /></p>

<p>You can read more about graphic organizers in the English language classroom here:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/graphic-organizers-for-language-skills-development" target="_blank">Using Graphic Organizers for Language Skills Development</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/graphic-facilitation-101">Graphic Facilitation 101: Teaching English through Visual Communication</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>5. Icons, signs &amp; symbols</h2>

<p>International iconography is everywhere&mdash;from the cursor icon on your computer screen to the emergency exit icon in buildings or public transportation vehicles. These icons are specifically designed to be recognizable in any language and can help learners of all levels communicate effectively.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Discussing these signs and symbols in class can make learners more aware of the international language of imagery&nbsp;and how they can use it to convey their own visual messages.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3077-road-signs-signals">Road Signs &amp; Signals</a> is a good place to start. Students can discuss what a red triangle or a green traffic light means. On completing the lesson, you could send them off around the college (or their computer screen) to find other icons that are instantly recognizable. For example, the microphone on or off icon uses a similar circle with a cross through it as the no parking sign.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4436/content_signals.jpg" /></p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4437/content_flashcard.jpg" /></p>

<p>You could also use symbolism like this to help learners to express their feelings towards a lesson, concept, or activity. Give them a red, amber, and green &quot;traffic light&quot;&nbsp;card. Students can show the green card if they understand and are happy with an activity or turn it to red if they are confused and need more clarification.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>6. Flashcards</h2>

<p>There is more to flashcards than simply teaching vocabulary. One image may have infinite interpretations. Take the <a href="https://ellii.com/search/flashcard" target="_blank">microphone</a> icon above for example. It could be used to:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>express that the sound is off</li>
	<li>ask people to turn their mobile phones to silent</li>
	<li>signal where to press to turn your sound off</li>
	<li>show that this is a quiet space</li>
</ul>

<p>In class, it could be used to:</p>

<ul>
	<li>represent quiet reflection time</li>
	<li>manage turn-taking (or active listening time) during conversations or debates</li>
	<li>initiate a silent role-play, skit, or presentation</li>
	<li>inspire a story or conversation about a (broken) microphone</li>
</ul>

<p>Ellii has over 6,000 <a href="https://ellii.com/media/flashcards" target="_blank">flashcards</a> in its library. Each can be renamed. A fun visual literacy boosting activity could be to pick a flashcard&nbsp;and have students make suggestions for different ways it could be interpreted. This is a fun way to have learners get creative, think critically, and share their differing perspectives, interpretations, and ideas of a visual.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some other ideas for using flashcards in class:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-our-flashcards">How to Use Our Flashcards&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/3-tips-for-using-flashcards-no-prep-required">3 Tips for Using Flashcards&mdash;No Prep Required</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/assigning-videos-and-flashcards-to-students">Assigning Videos &amp; Flashcards to Students</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection">12 Ellii Flashcards Perfect for Planning &amp; Reflection</a></li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>7. Emoji</h2>

<p>Emoji&nbsp;are everywhere. They are bright and fun, and they can convey actions, feelings, and opinions. Choosing the right emoji to respond to an online message&nbsp;or to accompany a social media comment can quickly convey how someone feels about something.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example: &nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>They asked me to write an article for the school magazine! 🤩🥳</li>
	<li>They asked me to write an article for the school magazine! &nbsp;😤🤦&zwj;♀️</li>
	<li>They asked me to write an article for the school magazine! 😳🫣</li>
</ul>

<p>The first emoji&nbsp;convey delighted excitement, while the second shows annoyance and the third embarrassment and anxiety. These emojis are commonplace and generally understandable to everyone across cultures. However some may be more open to interpretation.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>For example, my friend often uses this one for a smile, but I think it looks like a grimace: 😬&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Then there are cultural differences. This one could be pray, high five, or thank you depending on the person, place, or context: 🙏</li>
	<li>This one could be &quot;okay&quot;or &quot;perfect&quot;&nbsp;in some places, but highly offensive in others: 👌</li>
</ul>

<p>Inviting discussions on these different interpretations can raise awareness, allow students to choose which icons to use in which contexts, and when to avoid them or explain their interpretations of them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some other ways to use them to develop visual literacy:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/emoji-feeling-adjectives">Blog</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2381-emoji " target="_blank">Discussion Starter</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls/how-are-you-feeling " target="_blank">Ellii Poll</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>8. Visual storytelling</h2>

<p>It is often said that a picture can say a thousand words, so why not use pictures to inspire learners to use a thousand words (or ten, depending on their level).</p>

<p>There are many ways to do this. You could bring comics or graphic novels into class and have students read them, discuss them, rewrite the captions, and do role-plays of the panels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another idea is to have students draw their own stories&nbsp;or create them using pictures, such as cutouts from magazines or Ellii&rsquo;s flashcards. Students can then narrate or tell the story, turn it into a video story,&nbsp;or interview a character from it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some other ideas:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/create-your-own-adventure-teaching-english-the-wordless-way">Create Your Own Adventure: Teaching English the Wordless Way!</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-stories-we-tell">The Stories We Tell</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simply-storytelling-inspiring-english-learners-with-story-prompts">Simply Storytelling: Inspiring English Learners with Story Prompts&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>9. Photos</h2>

<p>One of the best ways to bring natural discussion into the classroom is to have students share personal photos. Have them bring in a photo that is important to them&nbsp;or share some of their recent photos from their phone. Students can then describe the photo to others, ask questions, and find out more about the other learners in their class.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a written activity, have students share images in an online group such as on a shared padlet or virtual learning environment and write a caption. Then have students comment on other learners&#39; posts, encouraging them to ask and answer questions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If you prefer higher-impact photos with a more global outlook, check out Ellii&rsquo;s <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/photo-prompts " target="_blank">Photo Prompts</a> section. These digital activities are a great way to spark conversations and think critically about world topics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Have learners:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>describe the photo</li>
	<li>guess what happened before the photo</li>
	<li>predict what will happen next</li>
	<li>write a caption</li>
	<li>role-play the photo</li>
	<li>consider different people&rsquo;s emotions or perspectives</li>
</ul>

<p>Here are some ideas for how to get a whole three-hour lesson out of just one image:</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-one-image-can-develop-visual-literacy-and-critical-thinking">What&#39;s the Story? How One Image Can Develop Visual Literacy &amp; Critical Thinking Skills</a></p>

<h2>10. Videos</h2>

<p>As with photos, these are a great way to personalize lessons. Have students share their favorite online funnies or a short clip of them doing something funny or entertaining. Facilitate discussion about what they liked about the video, why it might be popular on socials, and any interesting language that it uses. Let them reflect on the impact the video had on their emotions or beliefs.</p>

<p>There are many ways to use videos in the English language classroom. Here are some tips and ideas for other ways to use them in class:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-videos-in-class">4 Ways to Use Videos Effectively in Class</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-ways-to-use-silent-video-clips">4 Creative Ways to Use Silent Video Clips in English Class</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/selfie-videos-ell">Teaching English with Selfie Videos&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

<p>These are just a few ways to incorporate visual literacy skills development in the English language classroom. Which ideas have you tried? What other ideas do you have? We would love to know.</p>


10 Ways to Develop Visual Literacy in the ELT Classroom

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Posts describing lessons or activities for the ESL classroom.

Activities

<p>Ellii&#39;s new <a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=6&amp;page=1" target="_self">career-specific courses</a> were initially designed to be used as self-study solutions for English learners looking to explore a variety of career pathways. While some students are waiting patiently to get into English language classes, others are looking for specialized content that meets their specific needs outside of a General English class.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Teachers or administers can assign a course, and&nbsp;ELs&nbsp;can work their way independently&nbsp;through the digital-only units on their laptops or mobile devices. All tasks and assessments are autoscored; however, we hope that teachers are&nbsp;monitoring students&#39; results and progress and helping as much as they can along the way.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
But what if you want to teach Ellii&#39;s workplace&nbsp;courses in a group setting? We know now that many teachers are previewing these ready-made courses with this question in mind.</p>

<p>Here are some ideas for adding speaking, writing, and other group activities into a classroom setting. Please share your own activity suggestions and feedback in the comments below!&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Exploit the dialogues in pairs&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Each unit in a career-specific course at Ellii&nbsp;centers around one dialogue with two or three speakers. As a self-study task, students can read and listen to the dialogues and review vocabulary in context. As a class, you can play the audio and students can follow along. Students can also take turns reading the dialogue out loud. But what else can you do in class with ready-made dialogues? Here are some ideas:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Read the dialogues&nbsp;out loud as a pair&nbsp;and then swap roles</li>
	<li>Peform the dialogues for the teacher and work on pronunciation and intonation</li>
	<li>Swap out a set number of words or expressions and perform a new dialogue&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Write an entirely new dialogue using the key vocabulary and expressions&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Role-play what happened before</li>
	<li>Role-play what happens next</li>
</ul>

<h2>Have a class discussion after&nbsp;each scenario</h2>

<ul>
	<li>What was the dialogue mainly about?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What went wrong?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What went right?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Do you think this scenario would happen&nbsp;on a daily basis? If not, how often?</li>
	<li>Is this a scenario that you could see yourself excelling in? Why or why not?</li>
	<li>Are you still interested in this career after studying this scenario? Why or why not?&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What else do you want to know about this type of scenario?</li>
</ul>

<h2>Help the new vocabulary become more sticky</h2>

<p>Here are a bunch of activity ideas we have shared in the past about reviewing vocabulary with ELLs. We also recommend using these blank&nbsp;<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2966-vocabulary-cards" target="_self">Vocabulary Cards</a>.</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-remember-vocabulary" target="_self">How to Remember Vocabulary</a>&nbsp;(Share the URGE&nbsp;method with your learners)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-activities-for-reviewing-vocabulary" target="_self">4 Activities for Reviewing Vocabulary</a> (Hot Seat, Matchup, Concentration A &amp; B)</li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/one-to-one-vocab-review" target="_self">One-to-One Vocabulary Review Ideas</a>&nbsp;(Wh-questions;&nbsp;Reduce, Reuse, Recyle; Speed Sort; Word Soup; and more!)</li>
</ul>

<p>In addition, we&nbsp;hope you have already discovered the places to find related <strong>flashcards</strong> and <strong>silent clips</strong>&nbsp;(and how to use them) in this&nbsp;post: <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/career-pathways-for-newcomers" target="_self">Career Pathways for Newcomers</a>.</p>

<h2>Have students quiz each other&nbsp;before assigning the assessments</h2>

<p>Each workplace course has two assessments&mdash;a mid-course and a final assessment. Your students can work in pairs&nbsp;to quiz each other on the vocabulary and scenarios&nbsp;using the <strong>Review</strong> task from each unit. Alternatively, ask each student to come up with five questions and then pull them out of a box and quiz the class as a group.&nbsp;Students can raise their hands or approach the board to answer. Examples of question types include drawing, spelling, or defining&nbsp;words. Encourage students to also ask&nbsp;main idea or detail&nbsp;questions about the scenarios.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Draw a <em>call button</em> for me.</li>
	<li>When would a nursing assistant use <em>an ear thermometer</em>?</li>
	<li>How does a pharmacist technician verify a person&#39;s ID?</li>
	<li>How do you spell <em>autoclave</em>?</li>
	<li>What kind of questions does an EMT ask when arriving at the scene of an accident?</li>
</ul>

<h2>Create your own additional units together</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Put students in pairs or groups of three.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Have groups come up with a new scenario involving the worker (e.g., nursing assistant) and a colleague or patient/customer from the course.</li>
	<li>Encourage students to research their new scenarios. (They may want to try to use AI for this task, but make sure that they fact-check the results!)</li>
	<li>After writing a new short dialogue, encourage students to choose about 6&ndash;10 keywords that they want to teach from it. (Alternatively, encourage them to&nbsp;recycle vocabulary they learned in&nbsp;the course.)</li>
	<li>After writing their new dialogues, have students work together to peer-edit each other&#39;s work (try our <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2218-writing-correction-key" target="_self">Writing Correction Key</a>). Where would the new scenario fit best into the course?</li>
	<li>Students can then try to create other tasks to build out their lesson (matching, dialogue, vocabulary review, comprension, review), using the template that Ellii has used in the course.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Interview a professional</h2>

<p>To build these courses, Ellii collaborated with people in the field, including nursing assistants, phlebotmists, and others. Your students could do this as well!</p>

<p>Do you or any of your friends, colleagues, or even students know someone who works in this field? Would they be willing to come into your class to talk to the students or even call in via speaker phone?</p>

<p>Have your students prepare&nbsp;some questions for a professional whether you find someone to ask or not. If you can&#39;t find someone to answer the questions live for you, consider putting students to work researching the answers to their own questions.</p>

<h2>Reflect on the course</h2>

<p>We hope you and your learners always take the time to reflect on the content you use at Ellii. We have plenty of reflection tools that you can use in our Assesment Tools area. Some of these tools may be useful for you to use alongside these courses. You could even have students share comments on this blog post!</p>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2557-3-2-1-reflection" target="_self">3-2-1 Reflection</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2228-exit-slips" target="_self">Exit Slips</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3085-wrap-up" target="_self">Wrap-Up</a></li>
</ul>

<h2><br />
Help Ellii design a printable workplace course template</h2>

<p>If you are&nbsp;hoping to use paper-based versions of Ellii&#39;s workplace courses, we would love to hear from you!</p>

<ul>
	<li>Which tasks and activites would you like to see in a paper-based version of Ellii&#39;s courses?&nbsp;Would you use an abridged printout that has the dialogue and comprehension questions, or are you looking for a full printable lesson with all of the tasks from the digital version (i.e.,&nbsp;similar to an Everyday Dialogues PDF)?</li>
	<li>Would you be using the printable version in a group or one-to-one setting?</li>
	<li>Is there a reason the digital version is not currently meeting your classroom needs?</li>
</ul>

<p>Any suggestions or feedback you have will help as we explore how to reverse-engineer our courses for your printable needs in 2025. Thank you for your requests!</p>

<blockquote>
<p>What ideas do you have for adding&nbsp;engaging classroom activities to self-study materials.</p>
</blockquote>


Transform Self-Study Workplace Courses into Engaging Group-Learning Experiences

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<p>Every week, our <strong>Customer Support</strong> team answers dozens of questions from Ellii subscribers. The Support team&nbsp;passes some of these questions on to our <strong>Publishing</strong> and <strong>Product</strong> teams in order to:&nbsp;<br />
<br />
1. gather specialized tips and suggestions that will benefit teachers&nbsp;<br />
2. push for features, updates, and content that subscribers request<br />
<br />
Frequently asked questions&nbsp;often turn into full-length blog posts (e.g., <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/categories/grammar-usage" target="_parent">grammar questions</a>), Help Docs (e.g., <a href="https://help.ellii.com/" target="_parent">step-by-step instructions</a>), or videos (e.g., in-depth feature <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2HAIBUNgKo&amp;list=PLP0N5nuiA3aM_OP18M7G9XSYjXigIuunA" target="_parent">explainers</a>).&nbsp;Reflecting on questions like these&nbsp;also helps us think about what we can do to improve the user experience for teachers, students, and administrators.</p>

<p>Here is a question the Customer Support<strong> </strong>team passed on to the Publishing team this week.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>I was wondering which lessons already have built-in assessments. For example, your <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1754-making-requests" target="_parent">Making Requests</a> lesson, found in the <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/functional-english" target="_parent">Functional English</a> section, already has a ready-made assessment included with it.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For 20+ years, Ellii (formerly ESL Library) has been creating materials&nbsp;focused primarly on helping students <strong>learn</strong>, <strong>practice</strong>, and <strong>use</strong>&nbsp;real and relevant English.</p>

<p>We began incorporating <strong>formative</strong> and <strong>summative</strong> <strong>assessments</strong> into our ready-made lessons and courses several&nbsp;years ago when teacher&nbsp;requests for ready-made assessments&nbsp;began to pour in.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With so many different types of lesson sections and resources available at Ellii, we did not take&nbsp;a standardized approach when it came to adding assessments. For example, we added multiple-choice quizzes to our<strong>&nbsp;foundational </strong>sections that focus on grammar and vocabulary. For sections focusing on<strong> life skills</strong>, we added assessments more aligned with&nbsp;real-world tasks with ready-made tools for grading and offering feedback.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While some teachers appreciated our <strong>ready-made rubrics</strong>, other preferred editable ones that they could <strong>customize</strong>. To answer this need, we developed an <strong>Evaluation</strong> resource category in our&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_parent">Assessment Tools</a> section and added generic forms that could be used with a variety of lessons.</p>

<h1>Index of assessments on Ellii</h1>

<p>As we work on improving how teachers can find suitable assessments on Ellii, we&nbsp;hope the index below&nbsp;will give you a better idea of what types of assessments you will find in sections that have built-in assessments.</p>

<p>We also have several sections that were designed to focus on <strong>skill using</strong>, and we do not have plans to add assessments to these. If you come across a lesson or section that you think would benefit from the addition of&nbsp;built-in assessments, please let us know!&nbsp; Note that some of our older lessons in the sections below may be missing a printable or digital&nbsp;assessment.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_parent">Diagnostics</a></h2>

<p>The following tests are available to help you get a better idea of your students&#39; proficiency levels. This can then help you determine which level of Ellii you should set your filters to when browsing lessons for these students.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4226-ellii-placement-test" target="_self">Ellii Placement Test (Speaking &amp; Writing)</a>&nbsp;(Multiple-Choice and Open Answer: Grammar, Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4164-ellii-placement-quiz" target="_self">Ellii Placement Test (Autograded)</a> (Multiple-Choice: Grammar, Listening, Reading)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/5607-ellii-exit-test-autograded">Ellii Exit Test (Autograded)</a>&nbsp;(Multiple-Choice: Grammar, Listening, Reading)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2448-grammar-test-1" target="_self">Grammar Test 1</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2449-grammar-test-2" target="_self">Grammar Test 2</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2450-grammar-test-3" target="_self">Grammar Test 3</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2451-grammar-test-4" target="_self">Grammar Test 4</a></li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="speaking task placement test" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4100/content_Ellii_placement-test-speaking.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample speaking question from Ellii&#39;s Placement Test.</p>

<h2><img alt="grammar test 2 writing" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4099/content_Ellii-Grammar-Test-2-Writing.png" /></h2>

<p class="caption">A sample index of questions and a sample writing question from the digital version of Ellii&#39;s Placement Test.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/casas-test-preparation" target="_blank">CASAS Test Preparation</a></h2>

<p>In this section, you will find ready-made practice tests for all levels of the CASAS STEPS Reading and Listening tests. These tests are modeled after the CASAS STEPS tests and will give your students practice and help them become familiar with the types of questions they will encounter on the real tests. The amount of time students have and the number of times they can listen to the audio is identical to the real tests.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/casas-test-preparation" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4925/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-17_at_2.01.13_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>To use the tests in practice mode during class time, you can click on the left menu and launch the questions in a <strong>Task</strong> player. Otherwise, assign a test to your students and they will see it in the same way as you do when you click the <strong>Launch assessment</strong> button.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/casas-test-preparation" target="_blank"><img alt="practice task or test mode" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4926/content_Screen_Shot_2025-09-17_at_2.03.43_PM.png" /></a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/grammar-practice-worksheets" target="_parent">Grammar Practice Worksheets</a></h2>

<p>This is our most popular grammar section. A suggested teaching order is available.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable quizzes</li>
	<li>digital quizzes</li>
</ul>

<p>Note: We&#39;ve had some requests to offer assessments in our companion grammar section for young learners (<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/fun-grammar-lessons" target="_parent">Fun Grammar Lessons</a>). If this is something you would like to see on Ellii, be sure to let us know.</p>

<p><img alt="grammar assessment printable" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4071/content_Grammar-printable-quiz.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample assessment from a printable lesson in&nbsp;<strong>Grammar Practice Worksheets</strong>.</p>

<h2 class="caption"><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/super-simple-grammar" target="_parent">Super Simple Grammar</a></h2>

<p>This section offers verb basic grammar drills focused on a single target.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable quizzes</li>
	<li>digital quizzes&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/functional-english" target="_parent">Functional English</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around real-world dialogues. It focuses on teaching everyday vocabulary and expressions used in daily&nbsp;interactions.&nbsp;Each lesson includes&nbsp;a few short dialogues.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable review tasks for assessment purposes with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment tasks (some include videos)</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="functional english assessment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4074/content_Functional-english-assessment.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample ready-made rubric from the&nbsp;<strong>Functional English</strong> section.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/english-basics" target="_parent">English Basics</a></h2>

<p>This section offers&nbsp;lessons for newcomers with very low-literacy skills.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment (check)</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="money assessment tool b" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4092/content_money-assessment-tool-ellii.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample assessment&nbsp;and rubric from the <strong>English Basics</strong> section.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/everyday-dialogues" target="_parent">Everyday Dialogues</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around real-world dialogues. It focuses on teaching everyday vocabulary and expressions used in English-speaking communities and&nbsp;workplaces. Each lesson introduces one main dialogue. Assessments may introduce new dialogues while reviewing targeted language. Role-plays that can be used for assessment purposes are available in each lesson. A generic <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2771-role-play-assessment-tool" target="_parent">assessment tool</a> is also available.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable review tasks that can be used for assessment purposes&nbsp;</li>
	<li>role-plays that can be used for assessment purposes</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="everyday dialogues sample assessment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4082/content_Screen_Shot_2024-11-05_at_11.39.31_AM.png" /></p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/real-world-reading" target="_parent">Real-World Reading</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around real-world reading and vocabulary. Each lesson features&nbsp;materials with&nbsp;authentic formats, such as receipts, maps, posters, and emails. These materials help prepare adult ed students to answer reading questions on&nbsp;standardized proficiency tests.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="real-world reading digital assessment" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4101/content_Ellii-digital-assessment-sample.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample digital assessment from&nbsp;the <strong>Real-World Reading</strong> section.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/reading-in-english" target="_parent">Reading in English</a></h2>

<p>This academic English&nbsp;section centers around reading strategies. It focuses on reading skills that are useful for improving comprehension.&nbsp;Each lesson is based on&nbsp;one main reading skill.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment with ready-made rubrics</li>
	<li>digital assessment (check)</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/writing-in-english" target="_parent">Writing in English</a></h2>

<p>This academic English&nbsp;section centers around writing&nbsp;strategies. It focuses on writing&nbsp;skills that are useful for academic and workplace purposes.&nbsp;Each lesson hones in&nbsp;on&nbsp;one main writing skill.</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable writing challenge</li>
	<li>digital writing challenge&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="digital writing challenge" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4102/content_Ellii-sample-writing-assessment.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample writing assessment from the digital version or a <strong>Writing in English</strong> lesson.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/career-pathways" target="_parent">Career Pathways</a></h2>

<p>This digital-only workplace section focuses on career exploration with an emphasis on vocabulary and reading comprehension. Each lesson introduces one possible career pathway.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>digital quiz</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/super-simple-questions" target="_parent">Super Simple Questions</a></h2>

<p>This life skills section centers around very short&nbsp;real-world dialogues for absolute beginners.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>printable assessment suggestions&nbsp;in answer key</li>
	<li>digital assessments</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="Assessment suggestions in Answer Key" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4084/content_Assessment-in-akey.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample answer key excerpt with suggested tasks a teacher could use for assessment.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=43&amp;page=1" target="_parent">General English courses</a>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>These Ellii Up courses are designed for teachers who do not use a coursebook or do not want to build their own curriculum. They&nbsp;offer a sequence of lessons from multiple sections on Ellii&nbsp;at a single proficiency level. Students can progress through the levels and take assessments as they go.</p>

<p>In addition to the course assessments, some lessons within each course&nbsp;have their own assessments within them.</p>

<ul>
	<li>mid-course assessment</li>
	<li>final assessment</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=3&amp;material=courses&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Grammar courses</a></h2>

<p>These courses are designed for teachers who do not use a coursebook or do not want to build their own curriculum. They&nbsp;offer a sequence of grammar-focused lessons from multiple sections on Ellii&nbsp;at a single proficiency level. Students can progress through the levels and take assessments as they go.</p>

<ul>
	<li>final digital assessment</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=6&amp;material=courses&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Workplace&nbsp;courses</a></h2>

<p>These ready-made courses focus on business English or career-specific English.&nbsp;They&nbsp;offer a sequence of lessons at a&nbsp;proficiency level with two main assessments. These are ideal for self-study.</p>

<ul>
	<li>mid-course assessment</li>
	<li>final assessment</li>
</ul>

<p><img alt="final assessment sample workplace course on Ellii" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4083/content_Screen_Shot_2024-11-05_at_11.44.52_AM.png" /></p>

<p class="caption">A sample vocabulary question from a final assessment in an Ellii workplace course.</p>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/packs/?category=2&amp;material=courses&amp;page=1" target="_parent">Serials</a></h2>

<p>These ready-made courses focus on informal English.&nbsp; They&nbsp;offer a sequence of lessons at a&nbsp;proficiency level with assessments throughout.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>3-4 assessments (printable/digital) per course&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_blank">Generic evaluation &amp; reflection tools</a></h2>

<p>Ready-made printable rubrics and forms to use for a variety of purposes when assessing language learners. Below are 10 examples. Many more are available in our <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/assessment-tools" target="_parent">Assessment Tools</a> section.</p>

<ol>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2832-english-questionnaire" target="_parent">English Questionnaire</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2132-reading-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Reading Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2131-writing-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Writing Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2129-speaking-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Speaking Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2130-listening-task-assessment-form" target="_parent">Listening Task Assessment Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2326-advanced-reading-comprehension" target="_parent">Advanced Reading Comprehension</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2383-personal-opinion-assessment-tools" target="_parent">Personal Opinion Assessment Tools</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2126-self-evaluation-form" target="_parent">Self-Evaluation Form</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2228-exit-slips" target="_parent">Exit Slips</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2557-3-2-1-reflection" target="_parent">3-2-1 Reflection</a></li>
</ol>

<h1>A Note on Grading</h1>

<p>If you&#39;re interested in learning more about Ellii&#39;s <strong>Grade Feed</strong>, please watch this video. Note that important updates are in the works, including expanding on our use of AI for grading open-ended writing and speaking responses.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lk1zLa3MGU0?si=UxvrrU74VSMcEXEy" width="640"></iframe></div>

<blockquote>Which Ellii assessments have you used? Which tests are your students preparing for? Share thoughts and feedback about assessment in the comments. Be sure to share your feedback on&nbsp;Ellii&#39;s new CASAS practice tests!</blockquote>