What Lessons Should I Use? - US K‑12

Teaching Context: As a K‑12 educator of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the US, you likely work with students across a range of proficiency levels and ages. Most of your teaching happens in person, through models like push-in (support), pull-out (small group), and dedicated class periods (often for-credit ELD). You might also teach in virtual or blended settings. No matter the scenario, we provide a flexible, standards-aligned online curriculum that you can seamlessly integrate into your instruction. Below is a guide to the lesson categories available and how to choose the right lessons for your students’ needs.

Table of contents

• Foundational Literacy
• Newcomers
• Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools
• WIDA ACCESS test preparation
• Core Curriculum
  
• Single-skill lessons
• Standalone lessons
• Accommodating younger learners

 

Foundational Literacy

For students with minimal English literacy (including SLIFE – Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education), start with our Foundational Literacy lessons. 

These lessons focus on the basics of reading and writing in English: alphabet recognition, phonics, phonological awareness, decoding simple words, and starting to read full sentences. This is critical for older newcomers who never received explicit phonics instruction in earlier grades. Our Foundational Literacy module introduces these building blocks in an age-appropriate way, so even middle or high school newcomers can learn letter-sound correspondences and basic reading skills without feeling like the material is “babyish.” Use these lessons to ensure students have the fundamental reading and writing skills necessary to succeed with more advanced English instruction.

Newcomers

When you have newly arrived ELLs with little to no English, our lessons for newcomers are the ideal starting point. 

Start first with Step-by-Step Curriculum Newcomers. These newcomer lessons are the first phase for true beginners (those students that have zero prior knowledge of English). The lessons are highly scaffolded with visuals and are designed to quickly give students the language they need to function in school and the community. They’re also age-appropriate for teenagers – topics include things like hobbies, foods, or school routines (you won’t find infantile cartoons here, so your middle and high school newcomers stay engaged). The units can be covered in any order, so pick the topics that are most relevant to your students and jump right in. Lessons focus on fundamental language chunks – not wordy grammar explanations – meaning students get the language they need to start expressing themselves right away.

Once newcomers gain some basic vocabulary and confidence – enough to understand simple instructions and form basic sentences – you can try our skills-focused Speaking for Newcomers and Reading for Newcomers. These lessons are designed to develop fluency and accuracy in speaking and reading, with topics and themes that are motivating for teenagers in school environments. With meaningful language introduced in relevant contexts, these speaking and reading lessons help newcomer students progress fast.

Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools

For ELLs in grades 6–12 who have acquired some basics, the Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools is your core resource. This is a comprehensive, sequenced English curriculum covering proficiency levels from roughly WIDA Level 1 (Entering) up to Level 2 (Emerging) – i.e. from beginner to high-beginner (CEFR A1 to A2). The key difference from the regular (adult) Step-by-Step Curriculum is that the school version uses content and themes tailored to secondary students. Texts, examples, and exercises have been adapted to be relevant and engaging for adolescents, and visuals are more appealing for teens. The curriculum is also fully mapped to WIDA’s ELD Standards and language functions, so each lesson explicitly ties into the academic language expectations for K‑12 ELLs.

When to use: Once a student has some basic English (can greet others, understand simple phrases, etc.), you can place them into this Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools. It’s designed to be followed sequentially – each unit builds on the last, integrating all four language domains (reading, writing, listening, speaking) in every lesson. Because the lessons flow in a logical progression, you don’t need to create an ESL course plan from scratch – just start at the student’s level and proceed step by step. By following the sequence, you will systematically cover essential grammar, vocabulary, and skills.

Scope: The Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools takes students through the high-beginner stage. Many students will enter this curriculum as “false beginners” meaning they may already know some words or phrases but need structured lessons starting from basics. After completing the Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools, students will be ready to tackle more complex language and can transition to other Off2Class lessons.

Example: A 9th-grade newcomer who has finished the alphabet and a few newcomer lessons might start Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools Unit 1, which teaches basic sentence structure with school-themed vocabulary. Over time, they’ll move through units that gradually introduce new tenses, question forms, academic vocabulary, and more, with teen-friendly topics. By the end of the Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools, a student might reach WIDA Level 2 (Emerging) and be able to handle everyday school communication in English. They could then continue to pre-intermediate lessons from other modules, such as our Core Curriculum.

WIDA ACCESS test preparation

If your school uses the WIDA ACCESS assessment, preparing students for this annual exam is important. We offer a set of WIDA ACCESS Test Prep lessons to help students become familiar with the test format and improve the specific skills the test evaluates. The WIDA ACCESS test measures academic English proficiency in Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing, and students often need practice with the style of questions it uses.

What’s included: Our WIDA prep is tailored to the 9-12 grade band test and consists of four modules (one per domain: Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing), each containing a series of lessons that mimic actual WIDA test tasks. These lessons use authentic test-like items, mirroring the style, format, and sequence of the real ACCESS test questions. For example, the reading prep lessons include sample passages and multiple-choice questions similar to those on WIDA ACCESS, and the speaking prep lessons have students practice recording spoken responses to typical prompts. The content covers a range of proficiency levels from PL2 (Emerging) up to PL5 (Bridging), so students at different WIDA levels can all benefit. The lessons even incorporate test-taking tips and strategies, explicitly telling students how to approach tasks (e.g. how to plan an extended speaking response or what to look for in multiple-choice questions).

Use these lessons in the lead-up to test time to boost confidence and motivation. Many long-term ELLs get “stuck” at intermediate WIDA levels despite improving their everyday English. Often the issue is lack of familiarity with the test’s academic language and format. By practicing with these materials, students can break through those plateaus – they’ll know what to expect and how to demonstrate their skills on test day. WIDA ACCESS is high-stakes: reaching a certain score can determine if a student exits ESL services and enters mainstream classes full-time. So, dedicating some ESL class time to test prep is always worthwhile.

Core Curriculum

To help ELLs succeed in their core classes, we provide a Core Curriculum series targeting language in specific subject areas. There are six strands available, aligned to common K‑12 skills and subjects:

• Classroom Language & Skills: Covers general school-related language and study skills. These lessons help students understand classroom routines and instructions (e.g. following a syllabus, using school technology, discussing homework) and build skills like note-taking, summarizing, or participating in group work.
• Language Arts: Focuses on English class terminology and skills. Lessons might include literary terms (plot, character, theme), essay formats, grammar as relevant to ELA, and reading strategies for literature. This helps ELLs navigate English Language Arts coursework.
• Mathematics: Teaches the vocabulary and structures needed in math. For example, how to read word problems, math operation terms (add, subtract, fraction, equation), and how to discuss reasoning. These lessons make the “language of math” more accessible.
• Science: Covers key science terms and language for experiments, lab procedures, and scientific concepts. Students learn how to read lab instructions, describe observations, and grasp science texts. This is crucial for participating in science classes and labs.
• Social Studies: Focuses on history and geography content language. Topics include understanding timelines, discussing historical events, government structure, and geographical terms (climate, economy, etc.). It equips students to better comprehend social studies material.
• Civics & Citizenship: Centers on government, civics, and citizenship topics. Lessons cover the structure of government, civic responsibilities, and related vocabulary (constitution, elections, rights, etc.). This can help not only in classes but also newcomers preparing for civics tests or understanding their new country.
  
  

These Core Curriculum lessons are designed for students who have at least a pre-intermediate foundation in English (around WIDA Level 3 / CEFR B1). They’re perfect for Long-Term ELLs who speak English socially but need help with academic language, or for newcomers who have reached a conversational level but struggle with content classes. By targeting subject-specific lexicon, the Core Curriculum gives students the tools to access grade-level content. Think of it as ESL support within the context of math, science, and so on. Rather than teaching those subjects, you’re teaching the language needed for those subjects.

How to use: Coordinate with content teachers if possible. For instance, if the science class is starting a unit on climate, you could use the Science lessons on weather/climate vocabulary that week. In a pull-out session, you might pre-teach key terms and practice reading a simplified science text. This frontloading will pay off when the student later encounters the concept in the mainstream class. The Core Curriculum can also be used in embedded ESL approaches – e.g., during a co-taught lesson, you might take 10 minutes to explicitly teach a few target vocabulary words from the day’s history lesson. Because Off2Class’s lessons in this series reflect authentic high school topics and US curriculum standards, you’ll find them very relevant.

Note: The vocabulary leans American, but the lessons are adaptable to other contexts. So if you support ELLs in a Canadian or international school, you can still use them – just be aware of any specifics (e.g. units of measurement or government systems) that might differ and adjust accordingly.

Standalone lessons

In addition to the structured curricula above, you also have access to a library of standalone language-focused lessons. These are one-off lessons each targeting a specific grammar point or language function. They’re extremely useful for filling skill gaps or providing extra practice on trouble spots. For example, if you notice your students keep mixing up past and present tenses, you might pause the regular curriculum and do a standalone lesson on the past simple tense. We offer lessons on virtually every major grammar topic – from the basics like nouns & articles and prepositions, to intermediate points like adjectives & adverbs, verb tenses (simple, continuous, modals), conditionals, and even more advanced structures like passive voice, reported speech, relative clauses, etc. There are also lessons on everyday functional language (e.g. making suggestions, apologizing) and idiomatic expressions including idioms and phrasal verbs.

When to use: These lessons are not meant to be a linear course, but rather a collection you can pick and choose from as needed. Many K‑12 ESL teachers use them for differentiation – if most of your group is ready to move on but a few students need reinforcement on a particular grammar point, you can assign those students a remedial lesson. Or, integrate them into your whole-class teaching: for instance, if the Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools lesson assumes prior knowledge of comparatives and you realize your students are lost, take a day to use one of the comparatives standalone lessons. The slides and exercises will explicitly teach the form and usage, allowing students to grasp it before returning to the main curriculum.

Another use is focus workshops: maybe every Friday you do a “Grammar Blast” mini-lesson addressing common errors you heard that week. The standalone grammar lessons make this easy – just select the relevant topic and you have a ready-made interactive lesson to present. Because these lessons are teacher-guided with examples and practice questions, they fit well into a classroom period focused on language accuracy.

Lastly, if you ever work with mixed proficiency groups, these standalone lessons can target specific needs. For example, more advanced ELLs in your class could work on an idioms lesson while newcomers might simultaneously use a past simple lesson – each at their own level, but all within the same platform. Off2Class gives you the flexibility to assign different content to different students and track their progress.

Single-skill lessons

To further complement the integrated lessons, we provide special sets of single-skill activities – particularly for speaking, reading and listening. These are great for providing extra practice in one domain of language.

• Speaking Activities: These lessons offer structured speaking prompts and conversation practice. They often center on a theme or situation to spur discussion – for instance, a speaking lesson might involve debating an opinion, describing a picture, or role-playing a real-life scenario. Using speaking activities is a fun way to get students talking, especially if you want to focus on fluency or pronunciation on a given day. You can use them for warm-ups, or devote an entire class to a speaking workshop. Topics are varied and engaging (e.g. “urban legends,” “technology in our lives”), ensuring students have something to say. The teacher notes include guiding questions to help you facilitate the discussion. These lessons are especially handy for virtual classes where you can use the slideshow and have students respond orally – but they work in person too (project the prompts, and have students respond or discuss in groups).
• Reading Activities: These are standalone reading lessons that usually include a short text (such as a news article, story, dialogue, or essay) followed by comprehension questions and discussion prompts. They promote reading fluency and critical thinking, often introducing new vocabulary in context. For example, we have reading lessons on topics like film reviews, family life, vacation plans, historical figures, and more. Each comes with pre-reading activities (to activate prior knowledge or pre-teach key words) and post-reading discussions or writing tasks, so students practice not just reading but also expressing opinions about what they read. You can select readings by level (there are upper beginner through advanced readings available) to match your students’ abilities. These are perfect for building up students’ reading stamina and skills in processing texts – essential for content classes and tests. They also work well if you want to expose students to different genres or just enjoy a structured “reading for fun” session once a week.
• Listening Activities: These lessons focus on developing students’ listening comprehension skills through specially structured audio materials. They typically include a short recording followed by comprehension questions and related practice tasks. Each listening activity is designed to train students to understand spoken English in real-life contexts while expanding their vocabulary and reinforcing grammar in use. Pre-listening activities often activate background knowledge or teach key phrases, while post-listening tasks might include summarizing, note-taking, or role-playing based on what students heard. Listening activities are flexible: they can be used as a quick warm-up, integrated into a skills-focused lesson, or expanded into a full workshop on comprehension strategies. These lessons are especially valuable in helping students get used to different accents, speeds, and registers of English.
  
  

How to use: Incorporate single-skill lessons when you notice an imbalance – e.g., if your students are writing a lot but not speaking enough, boost the oral component with a speaking activity. These lessons can also break the routine and energize the class. Many teachers do “Free Talk Friday” or “Reading Club Wednesday” using Off2Class activities to vary the class format. Because the topics are often real-world and thought-provoking, they’re excellent for engaging long-term ELLs who may be bored with drills – a discussion about social media or a reading about a teen entrepreneur can spark genuine interest and get them using English in new ways.

Accommodating younger learners

While the above resources are designed with secondary (grade 6–12) students in mind, you might occasionally work with elementary-age ELLs who need a gentler approach. Off2Class can still be used with younger learners (even as young as 6 or 7) with some adaptation. In fact, many of the simpler lessons – especially vocabulary lessons and phonics – are inherently kid-friendly. Topics like animals, family, or food tend to engage children. We have compiled a list of recommended lessons for young learners and tips on how to adapt them:

• Select appropriate lessons: Choose topics that match children’s interests. For example, a lesson about “Pizza toppings” or “Space (NASA)” might captivate a young learner more than one about business or politics. The Lesson Library lets you filter for young learner-friendly content – many Vocabulary and Functional Language lessons (greetings, daily routines, etc.) are great for kids. There are also phonics and simple reading lessons designed for young minds. Even advanced kids enjoy lessons on fun topics like space or holidays, which can be found in the Lesson Library.
• Use visuals and tools: Young students often need more interaction to stay focused. Our classroom interactive tools like the drawing tool and canvas can be incredibly helpful. For instance, if a lesson slide has a scenario, have the child draw their response or use the canvas to play a quick game (like draw a monster when practicing body part vocabulary).
  Keep it lively: To maintain attention, incorporate TPR (Total Physical Response) and off-screen breaks. For example, if you’re teaching “actions” vocabulary, have the student stand up and act out “run, jump, clap” along with the lesson slides. Encourage them with lots of enthusiasm and praise – some kids love big, animated reactions, while others might prefer a calm tone, so gauge their preference. The key is to be flexible; if a child seems restless, switch things up: do a quick song, or use a relatable example.
• Shorter segments: Young learners have shorter attention spans. You might not get through a whole Off2Class lesson in one sitting with a 2nd grader – and that’s okay. Break a lesson into 2–3 shorter sessions if needed. The platform allows you to resume where you left off. You can also mix one of the lessons with another activity (e.g., use a worksheet or a game after 15 minutes on Off2Class, then come back). This blended approach keeps things fresh.
  
  

By adjusting your approach with these strategies, Off2Class becomes a viable tool even for elementary ELLs. It means you have one comprehensive platform to support all your English learners, from a first grader learning colors to a high schooler writing essays. As one teacher noted, the content library is broad enough that it "caters to young and old - conversation, grammar, exam prep - everything I need."

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In summary, as a US K‑12 ESL teacher, you can think of our offering in a few buckets: 

1. Core language development: Foundational Literacy, Newcomers, and Step-by-Step Curriculum for Schools for general English development.
2. Academic support: Core Curriculum for content classes
3. Test prep: WIDA ACCESS-focused lessons
4. Supplementals: Grammar-specific standalone lessons, plus single-skill speaking, reading, and listening lessons for skill practice.

All lessons are aligned with standards like WIDA and designed to integrate the language domains, so you can be confident you’re addressing the skills your students need for school success. And whether you are pushing in to a social studies class, pulling out a small group for focused ESL, or teaching online, Off2Class’s flexibility allows you to deliver lessons in any setting.

By leveraging the right mix of lessons, you’ll meet your students where they are: newcomer or LTEL, elementary or high school, in-person or remote.