Language Playground
40 Followers
Brookline, Massachusetts, United States
About the store
I'm an experienced English Language Education (ELE/ESL) teacher who has been teaching multilingual learners in public schools since 2006. I specialize in creating interactive games, worksheets, vocabulary activities, and classroom resources that motivate students and transform language learning into meaningful, fun experiences.
My resources, ideal for grades 5-8, are tailored specifically for English learners across WIDA levels 1–5 though many can also be used in the mainstream classroom. Every resource includes supportive visuals and scaffolds designed to enhance understanding and promote student success.
Read moreAll resources
Filters
Grade
Subject
Format
Resource type
Standard
7 Continents and 5 Oceans of the World - Game Based Geography Lesson
Would you like to teach your students the 7 continents and 5 oceans in a fun and interactive way? Learn and Play Continents and Oceans slides and work pages are your perfect, prep free solution! This resource is perfect for ESL/ELL students and great for all learners!Learning outcomes:Students will learn the names of the 7 continents and 5 oceans.Students will learn the 4 directions.Students will recognize a physical map and a political map.Students will expand their knowledge of geography.What
3rd - 9th
Geography
February Break Writing & Speaking Activities for ESL / ELL
Turn February Break into engaging, structured speaking and writing practice for multilingual learners.This resource combines Past Simple interview questions, visual supports, and differentiated writing options to help ESL / ELL/ MLL students confidently talk and write about their vacation experiences. Perfect for WIDA Level 2 and above. What’s Included✔ 16-page Printable Conversation Booklet (single & double-sided) ✔ Follow-Up Questions Example Booklet ✔ 8 Editable Writing Activities ✔ Bonus Sou
3rd - 12th
Classroom Community, Speaking & Listening, Writing
ACCESS Test Q&A and Test Prep Editable Presentation and Parent Letter
Are your students feeling nervous about the WIDA ACCESS test? This student-friendly ACCESS Test Q&A and test prep presentation explains what the test is, why it matters, and gives clear, supportive tips for Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. Includes a ready-to-use presentation, an editable presentation template, a printable PDF version, an editable parent letter and a "Students Testing" sign with visuals for your classroom door.. ⭐ What’s Included✔ Ready-to-Use PresentationUse
3rd - 12th
ELA Test Prep
Newcomers First Week: Get to Know You Speaking and Writing Activities
Are you looking for a fun ESL / ELL friendly Back to School ice breaker that will engage your students? Are you looking for a community building writing activity that will allow even your beginning level English Learners to write a paragraph about themselves? This “Let’s Talk about Me” Interview activity includes 13 Q & A slides that can be printed into a student booklet or viewed online. Each slide includes visuals and sentence starters to support accessibility and inclusion of ALL learners. Th
1st - 8th
Writing
Also included in: ESL / ELL Newcomers Back to School Basics Bundle
ESL / ELL Newcomers Back to School Basics Bundle
Are you welcoming a new English learner to your class and want "Get to know you" activities or ice-breakers that are EL friendly? Are you beginning to teach an ESL / ELL / MLL class and are looking for engaging activities that will be accessible to all levels of English proficiency? This bundle has everything that you need! All of the activities below have visuals that support comprehension. They are all appropriate for level 1 beginners. You will get: 1. Multilingual welcome signs. 2. Paper-B
3rd - 10th
Other (ELA), Vocabulary, Writing
"Hot Potato" Game for ESL students - with Present Progressive and Present Simple
Need an engaging ice breaker, language warm up, movement break and game for indoor recess? Want to get even your most reluctant students talking? The Hot Potato Game is a game my students can't get enough of. It's simple to play. Students stand in a circle. We choose a category and pass a "hot potato" usually a small bean bag for 45 seconds. Who every is holding the "hot potato" when the timer is done has to choose a task card. A super fun way to get your students moving and speaking! For Engl
2nd - 12th
Grammar, Vocabulary
Verb “Be” & “Have” Practice – ESL/ELL/MLL Grammar & Drawing Activity
Make grammar fun with this engaging write and draw activity which helps English learners practice using the verbs “Be” (am, is, are) and “Have” (have, has) in context. Students read short Halloween-themed sentences, fill in the correct verb, and draw a picture to match each description—combining language practice with creativity! Perfect for ELL / ESL / MLL/ EFL students, this worksheet supports beginner English learners (WIDA Levels 1–3) as they build confidence with sentence structure and
K - 7th
Grammar, Vocabulary
Back from Break Interview Warm Up with Editable Writing Activities for ESL / ELL
Are you looking for a fun ESL / ELL friendly "back from break" ice breaker that will get your students talking and writing about their Winter Break? This Q & A interview activity is the perfect way to welcome your students back and support their speaking and writing skills. It is also a great preview to Wh Questions in the Past Simple. Perfect for ESL / ELL students! The resource includes: A. 15 Q & A slides with visuals and sentence starters. Slides can be printed into a students’ booklet in
2nd - 12th
Back to School: ESL Newcomers First Week Speaking and Writing Activities
Engage Newcomers from Day One Would you like to help your ESL/ELL newcomers start speaking, writing, and feeling at home on Day 1? This Is My First Day is the perfect icebreaker and language-building bundle for Level 1 beginners, helping them learn class names, share preferences, and decode their daily schedules—all in a fun, scaffolded way. What’s Included?Subject Survey (Print & Digital)Elementary & Middle School versionsRate subjects on a 5-point scale with clear visualsSpeaking Scaffold
1st - 8th
Vocabulary, Writing
Also included in: ESL / ELL Newcomers Back to School Basics Bundle
Write and Speak ACCESS PREP and Writing Warm Ups
Looking for additional practice for the ACCESS writing and ACCESS speaking tests? Quick writing warm ups? An easy sub plan? Or Maybe some Independent work for students? These engaging writing and speaking prompts can help you!16 different writing prompts. Variation for student choice. Visuals and EL friendly supports. 7 themes include:“HOW TO” WRITING, LUNCH WITH FRIENDS, AT THE PLAYGROUND, SCIENCE: THE WATER CYCLE, AT A BALL GAME, WITH THE COACH. The writing assignments include a “record you
2nd - 12th
Writing
The ESL Secret Number Games for Learning Numbers 1-1000 plus digital practice
This is one of my students' favorite games! They keep asking to play it again and again. A few asked to take it home to play with their families. Yep! That's true! I hope to create a better video explanation that will do it justice. This game is super fun and educational for the students and NO PREP for the teacher!Learning outcomes: Vocabulary: Learn the numbers 1-1100 and 6 basic shapes: circle, triangle, square, rectangle, heart, oval Improve number fluency - Many beginning level student
1st - 10th
Numbers, Other (Math)
Also included in: ESL / ELL Newcomers Back to School Basics Bundle
Polygon Memory Games for ELL/ESL Math + Language Skills
Help your students master polygon names (triangle through decagon) while supporting English language development! These engaging polygon memory games are perfect for ELL/ESL/MLL learners—yet fun and effective for every classroom. Why Teachers Love It:Dual Practice Sets: Singular (“has”) + Plural (“have”) versions reinforce grammar and geometry vocabulary.Self-Guided Visuals: Each card features clear, color-coded polygons so learners can independently match shapes with labels.Flexible Play: Ide
3rd - 9th
Geometry, Vocabulary
CCSS
K.G.A.2
Back to School Get to Know You Questions Games
Fun first week of school NO PREP activities to get to know your students and build a strong classroom community! Perfect for both remote or in person learning. A great option for morning meetings, especially when newcomers arrive. Works well in the ESL classroom with students who have some English fluency (WIDA level 2 and above). Editable digital activities allow you to modify the games to your specific needsRESOURCES INCLUDED: A. Interactive Google slides Q&A Game. 23 “Get to know you” questi
3rd - 12th
Classroom Community
Also included in: ESL / ELL Newcomers Back to School Basics Bundle
The Thankful Turkey - ESL Friendly Thankfulness Activity
Are you looking for a fun and easy thankfulness activity / craft for Thanksgiving? Do you want to make sure your ESL/ ELL/ Multilingual learners can access the activity? This no prep activity is great for language learners. I often do it after I read a short picture book about Thankfulness. How does it work? Students choose between 5 different designs (4 thankful turkey designs or 1 thankful flowers design). Students love having a choice! They think about what they are thankful for and write i
K - 8th
Not Subject Specific
Halloween Speaking and Writing Activity for ESL / ELL / MLL Students
Are you looking for a fun ESL / ELL / MLL friendly post Halloween speaking activity that will engage your students? Are you looking for a community building writing activity that will allow even your beginning level English Learners to write a paragraph about their Halloween experience? The“Let’s Talk and Write about Halloween” Interview activity includes 8 Q&A slides that can be printed into a student booklet or viewed online. Each slide includes visuals and sentence starters to support access
2nd - 9th
EDITABLE ESL Friendly "This or That" Game - Ice Breaker and Movement Break
Do your students need a movement break? Would you like to get to know your students? This ELL / ESL friendly "This or That" game is a fun ice breaker and movement break. *Includes visuals to support comprehension. *ACCESSIBLE TO ALL ENGLISH PROFICIENCY LEVELS! **Includes a printable PDF and link to Canva presentation which can be displayed on screen and to EDITABLE template. *** My students LOVED this game! I hope yours will love it too! ***
3rd - 12th
Also included in: ESL / ELL Newcomers Back to School Basics Bundle
Survival Questions for Newcomer ELLs - FREE Visual Support Resource
Help your newcomer English learners communicate with confidence from day one!This free printable resource is a must-have for any teacher working with Level 1 ELL/ESL/MLL students. It provides essential visual supports and common survival questions to reduce anxiety and build independence for students who are just beginning to learn English. Whether you're an ESL teacher, classroom teacher, or bilingual educator, this tool will make a big difference during those first critical days! ✅ What’s I
K - 8th
Showing 1-17 of 17 results
About the store
Experience
I'm an experienced English Language Education (ELE/ESL) teacher who has been teaching multilingual learners in public schools since 2006. I specialize in creating interactive games, worksheets, vocabulary activities, and classroom resources that motivate students and transform language learning into meaningful, fun experiences.
My resources, ideal for grades 5-8, are tailored specifically for English learners across WIDA levels 1–5 though many can also be used in the mainstream classroom. Every resource includes supportive visuals and scaffolds designed to enhance understanding and promote student success.
Teaching style
I use a combination of explicit instruction and game based learning to create lessons where every student will experience success. I'm inspired by research-based methods like Gameful Pedagogy, Retrieval Practice, and Self-Determination Theory, and craft each resource to build confidence, fluency, and academic vocabulary through playful interaction.
Awards & shining teacher moments
I have presented at several national and international conferences including MATSOL NYTESOL and TESOL International. I love sharing my passion for game based learning with other teachers.
My own education history
BA in Psychology and Honors Program Studies
MA Clinical Psychology
Educational Studies courses at Lesley University's Individually Designed PhD program.
Over 45 post Masters credits in the field of English Language Education.
Professional License in English Language Learning from the state of Massachusetts.
Additional biographical information
I am a full time teacher and a mom of three wonderful boys.
TPT is the largest marketplace for PreK-12 resources, powered by a community of educators.
IXL family of brands