Help secondary English language learners build focus, motivation, and confidence with this engaging ESL informational text about goal setting. Designed specifically for ESL teens, this high-interest nonfiction reading passage helps students learn how to set realistic goals, break goals into manageable steps, reflect after challenges, and make progress over time. Students strengthen reading comprehension skills while developing important Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills that support success in school and beyond.

Perfect for middle school and high school English language learners, this ESL reading passage combines Social Emotional Learning (SEL) with meaningful academic skill practice. Students build reading comprehension, academic vocabulary, listening skills, and writing development while exploring the importance of goal setting, perseverance, responsibility, and self-reflection. Audio support makes this nonfiction reading ESL resource accessible for multilingual learners while strengthening listening comprehension, academic language, and critical thinking skills.

Students strengthen key SEL skills such as perseverance, reflection, responsibility, and self-confidence while building reading comprehension, academic vocabulary, listening skills, and short constructed response (SCR) writing.

What’s Included:

• Leveled A2–B1 & B2 Reading Passages
• Embedded Native Audio Recordings (plus MP3 folder)
• Comprehension Questions (Author’s Purpose, Inference, Text Evidence, Vocabulary in Context, Central Idea)
• Context Clues Practice with 6 vocabulary words
• Short Constructed Response (Rough + Final Draft pages)
• Answer Keys for easy grading
• Printable PDF + Digital Versions (Google Slides & PowerPoint)

Skills Students Practice

• Goal setting and planning

• Reflection after challenges

• Reading informational text

• Using context clues

• Writing Short Constructed Responses (SCR)

• Academic vocabulary development

• Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills for secondary students

Why Teachers Love It

• Designed specifically for secondary ESL teens
• Clear connection between SEL skills and real classroom behavior
• Strong reading + writing integration
• Audio support for increased accessibility
• Easy to implement with no prep required

Perfect For

✔ Middle school & high school ESL

✔ ELDA / ELD classes

✔ English I & II ESL support

✔ Newcomer and multilingual learners

✔ SEL lessons for secondary students

✔ STAAR-aligned reading and writing practice

This resource is part of a growing SEL Informational Text Series for ESL Teens and works beautifully on its own or as part of a bundle.

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Looking for More ESL Informational Texts?

If you and your students enjoy this Goal Setting Social Emotional Learning (SEL) resource, you may also be interested in my ESL Informational Text Mega Growing Bundle.

This growing bundle includes a wide variety of high-interest ESL informational texts, nonfiction reading passages, and reading comprehension activities for middle and high school English language learners. Each resource includes audio support, comprehension questions, context clues practice, and writing tasks designed specifically for secondary ESL students. New texts are added regularly, and when you purchase the bundle, future updates are included at no additional cost.

👉 Click here to explore the ESL Informational Text Mega Growing Bundle