20th June 2024

So, you might have come across a situation where you are done with your ESL lessons. Students are also done with their given tasks as well. After that, you may find out that you have extra time left for class to be over.

Wondering how to utilize that remaining free time and make the most of it in your ESL online classroom? Those teachers who have pursued courses like Live Online TEFL Course, knows already the answer to it. However, there’s no need to worry, we have got you covered.

In this blog post, we will be sharing some of the fun and quick ESL filler activities for teaching online with which you can enhance the language learning experience more fun and exciting for the learners.

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So, without any further delay, let’s get started.

What Is The Purpose of ESL Filler Activities?

In ESL classrooms especially online teachers must need to be prepared and ready for any kind of situation. You may encounter various situations in your ESL classroom like-
 

• You may have completed teaching your ESL lesson before the class ends
   
• You may have observed that students are losing interest in your ESL online class
   
• You may face technical issues in your online ESL classroom (poor internet connection or app not loading, etc.)
   
• You need to take class in absence of another ESL teacher.

If you face any of the situation above then having numerous ESL filler activities under your sleeves can prove to be beneficial. Not only that, ESL filler activities can also prove to be a best ice-breaker and make learners of all age comfortable in the online ESL classroom.

The purpose of the ESL filler activities is basically to maximize the language learners learning experience and help to transition smoothly before, middle or post of your Online English lesson.

6 Best Quick and Fun ESL Filler Activities for Teaching Online

Let’s get to know some of the best ESL Filler Activities for Teaching Online for all age group learners:

1. 20 Questions

20 Questions is one of the fun ESL filler activities which is suitable for all language learners. In this game you can choose any category like-
 

• Food
• Sports
• Movies
• Vegetables
• Animals

In the chosen categories you can select any relevant word that fit perfectly into it. Then you can instruct students to guess the word you have chosen and they have the option to ask 20- Yes or No question to figure out the right word. Whoever, guess the right word, will score a point. This activity is perfect for learners to form questions in a proper manner.

You can make this game more interesting by dividing groups of students and form a virtual breakout room where each student can ask questions turn by turn to figure out the correct word.

2. Language Race

Language Race is also one of the fun ESL filler activities which is suitable for young learners more but it also suitable for adult learners as well. To conduct this activity, you can show certain objects or items on-screen or you can describe them by just saying.

Now, student’s need to identify it and thy have to say it or they can write in the chatbox names of the object or items. Whoever, identified it first, will score a point.

3. Photo Hunt

Photo hunt activity is suitable for teen or adult learners more. To conduct this ESL filler activity, you can think of a particular category and then you can instruct students to find out images related to that category in their smartphones, laptops or they can find digital prints also if available.

For example- You have told them to find out their vacation photos. Now, each student can show their vacation pictures to everyone and they can share stories related to that picture like-

-Where this photo has been taken?

-With whom they were travelling?

-How was the experience?

Other students can also ask questions related to the photos. To make students more comfortable with these activities, you can start by sharing photos of your first and by sharing all the experience related to it.

Learn 6 Fun Zoom Teaching Ideas For Kids:

4. Song Related Activities

Learners of every student likes music and songs, then why not use it as a ESL filler activities. To conduct this activity, you need to have either music platforms like- Spotify or YouTube. You can implement below-mentioned song related activities.

Identify The Song Title

You can choose some of the popular and relevant songs with which all of the students are familiar with from different genres. Then, you can play a song for 10 seconds and let students figure out the song title, whoever say the title first will score a point.

Fill in the Lyrics

You can play any of the songs for few seconds and pause it midway. Instruct your students that they need to sing the next line when the song get paused. Whoever, songs the right lyrics, will score a point.

5. Writing Quick Articles

This activity is one of the fund ESL filler which helps learners to sharpen their wring and reading abilities. You can think about 5-6 topics and instruct learners that they need to write on that particular topic for 2-3 minutes and then read aloud in-front of the class.

For example - You can tell them to write about their goals, vision or about their friends.

6. Creative Story-telling

You can either come up with random 5-6 words or you can involve learned to share any of the words from their vocabulary list. Then, after finalizing words, you can share those words in the chatbox or virtual whiteboard of Online class.

Then, you can instruct learners to write a creative story with the use of given words. Give them proper time to come up with unique and creative stories. At the end, you can let every learners decide whose stories was the most creative.

Always Prepare For The Unexpected

Aside from preparing the ESL lesson plans, having some ESL filler activities for just-in-case situation can come in-handy to deal with uncertain situations in the online ESL classroom. You can use the above-mentioned ESL Filler Activities for Teaching Online, to help learners to maximize their language learning experience and have fun.

If you want to learn some more super-exciting and fun-fillled ESL classroom activities, then consider pursuing course like Live Online TEFL Course, where you will get assistance from top expert trainer from the education industry.

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Written By: Sheetal Sharma