Private Teaching ESL Activities and Games | 1-1 ESL Teaching Ideas

If you do private, 1-1 language teaching, then you’ll need to keep on reading. I’ll share with you my top tips, tricks, games, and activities for 1-1 English teaching to keep your students (and their parents!) happy and improving their English skills. Check out these ESL tutoring ideas and activities to help you make some awesome lesson plans.

Let’s get into the ideas for ESL private tutoring lesson plans, including the best activities to try out with your student.

Private Teaching Activities and Games

Private teaching can sometimes be a little bit difficult because the activities and games you’d normally use with bigger classes often won’t work when it’s just you and a student. I know that I’d way rather teach a class of 30 than a private session with only one or two students!

However, I still occasionally do private teaching and I have a go-to repertoire of activities and games that I rely on. These are most appropriate for both children as well as adults with some adaptations.

I’ll share a few of my favourite activities for 1-1 ESL teaching here. Are you ready for some ESL awesome? Then read on teachers for everything ESL private lesson activities!

#1: English Central Videos for Private Teaching

I love to use videos to teach English, but it’s sometimes not easy to find ones on YouTube that are the right level for your students. That’s what makes English Central so great. The videos are grouped according to level and there are lots of features that make it really easy to use them in your lessons. Try them out in your private teaching lessons and I’m sure you’ll find them useful.

More details about English Central here:

English Central Videos for 1-1 Teaching

#2: Follow-Up Reading Activity

I will often assign reading of some kind for homework in my private tutoring sessions. Extensive reading is an excellent way to build vocabulary, reinforce grammar concepts as well as increase speaking fluency. However, it works best if you do a few quick follow-up activities in class together.

One of my favourites is this Story Timeline Review. It’s excellent for kids as well as adults and easy to adjust depending on the level of your students.

Check out this follow-up ESL reading activity here:

Story Timeline

#3: Is that Sentence Correct?

Is that Sentence Correct is an excellent way to review some grammar or vocabulary concepts that you’ve introduced in previous classes to make sure your student has a good grasp on them. It’s reasonably fun, or as fun as teaching grammar can be!

Check out this fun English grammar activity below:

Is that Sentence Correct?

#4: Brochure Scanning: A Reading Activity for Private Teaching

It can get pretty boring just to read the standard stuff from the ESL textbooks. You know what I’m talking about I’m sure. There are the same old stories, again and again.

It’s often better to use authentic material, especially for intermediate or advanced-level students. Brochure scanning is one way to introduce some authentic material into your private teaching sessions.

You can check out this 1-1 reading activity here:

Brochure Scanning Details

#5: Fortunately, Unfortunately Warm-Up Activity

Fortunately, Unfortunately is a fun warm-up for the beginning of your private tutoring class. You’ll have lots of laughs and get the creative juices flowing. It’s a great way to help ease your student into using English.

Check it out here:

Fortunately, Unfortunately ESL Warmer

#6: Cosmo Quizzes for Private Teaching

If you’re a woman and teach another woman of a similar age, you’ll find that Cosmo quizzes can be really fun to do together. They’re almost guaranteed to create some interesting discussion about a variety of issues, including whether or not quizzes like this have any validity, or are a total waste of time. There are some less taboo ones, so search around and you’ll be able to find a suitable one.

More details here about one of the best activities for private English classes for adults:

Cosmo Quizzes, A Fun Private Teaching Activity

#7: Ideas for Business English

Many ESL private lessons are focused on business English. If this is the case for you, there are certainly some specific resources out there to help you with this. Business English is quite different from general English and your students will certainly appreciate some focused attention on it.

Here are some of the best ideas:

ESL Business English Teaching Resources.

#8: Presentations

One of my favorite ESL tutoring activities is presentations. I love them because they can give our students a real skill to take into the world with them. And, it’s less intimidating to work on presentations with only one person (you!) than it is in front an entire class.

There are a ton of different kinds of presentations you could consider having your student do. Check this out for some of my best ideas:

ESL Presentation Projects.

#9: Conversation Starters

A classic private ESL tutoring activity is free talking. Sometimes it’s easy if the student is chatty but if not? Then you’ll definitely want to have some conversation starters up your sleeve to have some things to talk about. Here are some of my top picks for this:

ESL Conversation Starters for Adults.

#10: Making Predictions

Talking about predictions for the future is an excellent way to introduce or review the future verb tenses. Plus, it often leads to some very interesting discussions.

It’s certainly one of the best ESL tutoring lesson plans. Here are some of the best activity and games you can use for this topic:

Making Prediction ESL Activities.

#11: Ideas for ESL Private Tutoring

#12: Current Events Presentations for ESL Private Teaching

I love to talk about what’s going on in the news with my students. They seem to enjoy it too because the topics are relevant to real life and not the same old things you usually see in most ESL textbooks!

A nice activity to go along with this is to have your student do a presentation, especially if they have to do presentations in their jobs or at school. Check out these tips for getting it all set up:

Current Events Presentations for ESL.

#13: Retell the Story 1-2-3 Speaking Fluency Activity

A nice ESL tutoring idea is this one that focuses on fluent speaking. The way it works is that your student has to tell a story about something in a certain amount of time. Then, they have to say it again but have less time. And then a third-round but with less time. The key is including all the same information.

Want to find out more? Check this out:

Retell the Story ESL Fluency Activity.

#14: Reading Focused ESL Private Lesson

When doing private ESL tutoring, I often like to do some reading-focused lessons. There are lots of excellent news articles that can be graded to match the student’s level if necessary. Besides reading the article, there are a ton of activities that can be done along with it. Here are some of the best options:

ESL Reading Activities.

Or, have a look at a nice resource here:

Short Stories for ESL Adults.

#15: Social Issues ESL Lesson Plan

One of the best ways to get 1-1 students talking and enjoying their private English lesson is to introduce an engaging, interesting topic, some vocabulary and American English idioms related to it, and then get to speak. A lesson plan like this one is the perfect way to get your students coming back for more. Have a look here:

Social Issues ESL Lesson Plan.

#16: Draw a Picture ESL Tutoring Activity

A fun activity that is ideal for working on things like body parts, numbers and shapes is this one where you have to describe to each other a picture to draw. Find a funny alien or monster picture and then have a good time together! The results are usually hilarious. Switch it up and do both roles with your student.

Check out this fun ESL speaking and listening activity for 1 1 teaching here:

Draw a Picture ESL Activity.

#17: Sentence Building Activities

Helping your student make better sentences and teaching them about English sentence structure during a 1 1 teaching session will always be a fruitful exercise! Here are some of the best ideas for that:

Sentence Structure ESL Activities.

#18: Giving Directions Private Teaching Activities

If you are doing private ESL tutoring for someone who anticipates travelling outside of their country, a fruitful exercise can be a lesson related to giving directions. After all, what’s a more common travel experience than feeling a bit lost when in a foreign country, right?

Sounds like something your student might be interested in? Here are the best ideas for that:

Giving Directions ESL.

#19: Would You Rather?

A fun warm-up private English teaching idea is Would You Rather? The way it works is that you have to choose between two things and it can be either positive or negative things. For example:

• Would you rather play tennis or watch TV?
• Would you rather eat super spicy chicken wings or mashed potatoes without salt?

Find out more here:

ESL Would You Rather?

#20: Teaching the Passive Voice

The passive voice is one of those things that isn’t very commonly used in English but intermediate or advanced students should certainly be aware of. There are certain situations in which it’s almost required. For example, scientific or legal writing or talking about crimes that are unsolved. Check out some ideas here:

Passive Voice ESL.

#21: Choose your Own Adventure Writing Activity

If you want to focus on writing during your private English lessons, then this Choose your Own Adventure activity makes a great choice. It’s interactive, engaging and most students find it really interesting to do!

It’s certainly possible to explain the assignment and then assign it for homework. Or, brainstorm together some of the possible scenarios and then assign the rest for homework. Or, consider doing it together with the student in the class, with you writing half of it. Learn more about it here:

Choose your Own Adventure Story Activity.

#22: Technology ESL Conversation Lesson Plan

One of my favourite things to do when teaching privately is to use a conversation lesson that’s engaging and interactive. One such example is this technology lesson plan that’s designed for teens or adults and intermediate level or above. It’s perfect for a 1-2 hour class and is guaranteed to get some great conversation going! Have a look here:

Technology ESL Lesson.

#23: What are you Cooking? ESL Tutoring Idea

This is a fun ESL activity that is actually designed to be done in small groups. However, it’s also a nice ESL private tutoring idea. The way it works is that you can each give the other a list of ingredients. Then, you can design a 3-course meal based on this.

Sounds like something you want to try out? You can see all the details here:

What are you Cooking ESL Activity?

#24: Teach English Phrases and Expressions

If students are struggling with English, it’s often the case that they lack an adequate vocabulary to be able to express themselves how they want to. That’s where teaching English phrases and expressions can come in.

The best way is to teach phrases around a certain topic, not just random, disconnected ones. Here’s one example of how to do that:

English Phrases for Asking Permission.

#25: Speaking Fluency Activity

#26: ESL Listening Lessons

I love to spend some time working on listening with all my students. It’s also one of the best ESL tutoring ideas and it’s ideal for working 1-1 with students. It’s a nice break for both the student and teacher from talking to each other ALL the time. Of course, listening skills are vital and it’s a good use of class time.

For some tips on teaching ESL listening, have a look here:

How to Teach ESL Listening.

#27: Advanced English Conversation Dialogues

If your student wants to learn American English, including phrases and dialogues, this may be the perfect book to use. It’s ideal for assigning as homework between sessions and then going over the answers and reviewing them at the beginning of a session.

# 28: Five Senses ESL Warmer

A fun way to begin 1-1 classes is with this quick warmer activity. Show your student a common object such as an apple. Then, w0rk together to think of some descriptive words that fall under the five senses to describe that object. Consider using this warm-up multiple times using a different object. Find out more about it:

Fives senses ESL speaking activity.

#29: Business English Dialogues

If you teach businessmen or women, then consider teaching them some business English vocabulary, including idioms, phrases and expressions. Check out these dialogues in American English.

#30 ESL Tutoring Idea: Movies and TV

One of my favourite ESL tutoring lesson plan ideas is to use movies or TV shows. Students usually love watching them anyway, so why not bring them into the lesson as well?

The key is finding a clip that leads nicely into whatever grammar or vocabulary you’re teaching. The good news is that other people have already done the hard work and these are very easy to find on YouTube! Here are some of my top ideas:

ESL Movies and Television.

#31: Occupations Quiz

#32: I’m Going on a Picnic

Try out this class game for a nice warmer or time-filler activity.

I’m Going on a Picnic Game.

Do you like These Private Teaching Activities and Games?

Do you do 1-1 English classes with kids and are having a hard time coming up with fun, engaging activities? Then you’re certainly in the right place.

Check out this book filled with activities for private teaching with children to get you on the right track. Before you know it, you’ll be having a ton of fun with your private teaching students! Keep reading to find out more about it.

Private Classes With Kids = Difficult!

Teaching private classes to kids can be quite difficult and I personally find it far harder than doing the same thing with adults. Adults are usually able to focus reasonably well for an hour or two and their motivation is usually high since they’re the ones paying for the lesson!

With kids, however, it’s a very different story. Learning English with a private tutor can sometimes be the last thing they want to be doing. Their attention spans are short, sometimes only 5-10 minutes. And, they are sometimes very unmotivated, especially if all their friends are watching TV or playing video games.

Don’t worry, help is here!

Fun, Engaging 1-1 ESL Activities

It is indeed possible to have fun, engaging, productive 1-1 ESL lessons with kids. The book has 39 1-1 ESL activities that will help make your lesson planning easy and your classes awesome. There are enough activities to make it through months without having to repeat any of them.

Happy kids equal happy parents which equals more money in your pocket at the end of the month, right?

Sounds good to you? You can get the book over on Amazon in both print and digital formats. Keep a copy on your bookshelf in the office to use a reference guide. Or, take a copy with you on your phone or tablet for lesson planning in your favourite coffee shop.

It really is that easy! Check out this book of activities for private teaching over on Amazon now:

Build up the Best Reputation with Quality Private Classes

By planning some great lessons that the students really enjoy, you’ll be able to build up a really solid reputation in your neighbourhood and in a place like Korea, perhaps even have more work than you know what to do with. Trust me. Moms talk to each other. They know who the good teachers are and the ones to avoid.

Private Teaching = Potentially Lucrative

Private teaching with kids really can be quite lucrative in countries where competition to get into the best schools is fierce. Parents are often willing to do whatever it takes to give their kids a slight advantage. This is where you come in.

Plan interesting lessons that are different each week. Your classes will be painless for everyone. A happy teacher who doesn’t have to spend a ton of time planning. Happy students who have fun in your lessons. And finally, happy parents who see their child enjoying English and learning a lot.

Get 39 Awesome 1-1 ESL Activities Today

Does it sound like exactly what you might need to make your 1-1 English classes better? You can get 39 Awesome 1-1 ESL Activities: For Kids (7-13) over on Amazon. It really is possible to have better one-on-one classes tomorrow.

Stop Wasting Time: All the Good Activities in One book

If you’re tired of wasting time searching around on the Internet for interesting things to do in your lessons, it’s time to pick up the book. You’ll find only the top-quality activities and games you need to create interesting and engaging private lessons for your students.

There’s enough material in the book that you should be able to make it through almost a year of private lessons without having to repeat them. If that’s not ESL teaching gold, then I’m not sure what is!

Available in a Variety of Formats

The book is available in both digital and print formats. Keep the physical copy on the bookshelf in your office and use it as a handy reference guide. Or, take the e-version with you to your favorite coffee shop for some lesson planning on the go.

Shop Now

It really is that easy to prepare some awesome private lessons for your students. You can check out the book for yourself over on Amazon, but only if you want to get yourself a serious dose of ESL awesome in your life:

ESL Private Lessons FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about private English tutoring. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

How do I find English students for private tutoring?

In order to find English students for private tutoring, try some of these ideas:

• Make a website to promote yourself.
• Let your friends and network know that you’re accepting students.
• Promote of social media, particularly Facebook groups.
• Network with colleagues.
• Post on community message boards, both on and offline.
• Join social groups.

How to teach private English lessons?

To teach private English lessons, follow these simple steps.

1. Understand what your student’s needs are and tailor the lessons to that.
2. Make a custom lesson plan for each session with a different topic but include some review.
3. Interact with the students and give feedback.
4. Assign some homework to be checked for the next lesson.
5. Have fun and be sure to set up a time for the next English lesson.

What do ESL tutors do?

ESL tutors teach non-native English speakers to help them improve their speaking, reading, listening, or writing. They work in a variety of situations including preschools, public schools, private schools, universities as well as for private teaching.

How much do private English lessons cost?

The cost of private English lessons really varies depending on the country you’re teaching in. They generally start at around $15 USD for one hour and can up to $50 USD per hour or even more. The higher rates are generally for specific purposes, such as preparing for a TOEFL, TOEIC, or IELTS exam.

English Tutoring Lesson Plans

If you want some ready-made English tutoring lesson plans, have a look at this book: Great Debates for ESL/EFL. There are dozens of ESL tutor lesson plans at your fingertips. They are designed for intermediate-advanced English learners, from teenagers to adults. Have some fun discussing important topics of today in your private English lessons.

Pick up a copy of the book today, and get ready for better tutoring lesson plans tomorrow!

Tips for Teaching ESL Private Tutoring

Teaching private ESL (English as a Second Language) lessons offers a unique opportunity to tailor your approach to the individual needs of your student. Here are some tips to make your private ESL lessons effective and engaging:

Assessment and Goal Setting

Begin by assessing the student’s current language level and identifying their goals. This will help you customize your lessons to their specific needs and aspirations.

Personalized Curriculum

Develop a curriculum that addresses the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Tailor lesson plans to focus on areas they want to improve, whether it’s conversational skills, grammar, vocabulary, or other aspects.

Build Rapport

Establish a comfortable and trusting relationship with your student. This encourages open communication and a positive learning environment.

Flexible Approach

Private lessons allow you to be flexible. If a particular topic captures the student’s interest, take the time to explore it more deeply.

Use Real-Life Materials

Incorporate authentic materials like newspapers, articles, videos, and podcasts that match the student’s interests. This exposes them to real-world language usage.

Interactive Activities

Engage the student with interactive activities like role-playing, debates, discussions, and problem-solving tasks. These activities encourage active participation and language use.

Corrective Feedback

Provide constructive feedback on errors, focusing on the positive aspects of their language use as well. Encourage them to apply corrections in future conversations.

Cultural Insights

Incorporate cultural discussions and insights into your lessons. This helps students understand language nuances and social norms in different English-speaking contexts.

Variety of Resources

Utilize a variety of resources, including textbooks, online resources, apps, and games. This keeps lessons interesting and caters to different learning styles.

Set Realistic Expectations

Help the student set achievable milestones and goals. Celebrate their progress, no matter how small.

Effective Communication

Pay attention to the student’s learning preferences and communication style. Adapt your teaching methods accordingly.

Consistency and Regularity

Schedule lessons at regular intervals to maintain momentum and continuity in learning. Consistency is key to language acquisition.

Homework and Practice

Assign relevant homework or practice tasks to reinforce what was covered during the lesson. Review the homework together in the next session.

Encourage Autonomy

Gradually encourage the student to take control of their learning. Provide guidance on how to self-assess and identify areas for improvement.

Reflect and Adapt

Regularly reflect on the progress and effectiveness of your lessons. If a particular approach isn’t working, be willing to adapt and try different strategies.

Open Communication

Keep lines of communication open with your student. Regularly discuss their goals, interests, and any concerns they might have.

Stay Updated

Stay informed about new teaching methodologies, resources, and technologies to keep your lessons fresh and engaging.

Manage Time Wisely

Plan your lessons with a clear time structure, allowing time for warm-up, activities, practice, and review.

Have your say about these Activities for Private Language Teaching 

What’s your go-to activity or two for when doing private English teaching? Do you have any tips for 1-1 ESL teaching? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. It’ll help other teachers, like yourself, find this useful teaching resource.

Last update on 2024-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API