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The new school year is here — and it’s time to break the ice! I still remember some of my first days in the classroom. I would walk in with my lesson carefully planned, my materials ready, and probably far too much enthusiasm for a first lesson! 😄 And then… silence. There was that awkward moment when everyone was looking at everyone else, nobody quite knew what to say, and I was trying to figure out how to get the conversation started. I quickly realised something important: You can have the perfect lesson plan, but if your students don't feel comfortable speaking, it's very difficult to get the lesson going. That was when I started experimenting with games. And honestly, games changed everything. Games Became My Secret Weapon I discovered that students who were too shy to answer a question in front of the whole class were suddenly happy to speak when there was a game involved. A student who wouldn't volunteer an answer would happily get up and ask a classmate a question. Students started laughing, moving around, and interacting with each other. And without even realising it, they were speaking English. That's when I really began to understand the power of a good classroom game. It's not just about making a lesson more fun. Games can create the little bit of energy and confidence students need to take that first step and speak. I discovered that students who were too shy to answer a question in front of the whole class were suddenly happy to speak when there was a game involved. That's Why I Love “Find Someone Who…” One of my favourite activities for the first lessons of the school year is a simple Find Someone Who… And because we're heading back to school after the summer holidays, I created a Summer Edition. Instead of asking students to introduce themselves one by one, they get up and walk around the classroom. They have to find someone who: enjoyed swimming went camping ate watermelon and so much more! They ask questions such as: “Did you go camping this summer?” “Did you travel to another country?” “Did you try a new food?” And they write down the name of a different classmate for each statement. Suddenly, that awkward silence is gone. Everyone has a reason to talk. Why I Use Games at the Start of the Year Over the years, I've learned that the first lesson doesn't need to be perfect. It doesn't need to be packed with grammar. And students don't need to sit quietly while we go through a long list of rules and introductions. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply give them a reason to talk. So, if you're heading back to school and wondering how to get your students talking from day one, I've created this free Summer Edition “Find Someone Who…” handout from my Free Resource Library. It's simple, requires very little preparation, and is perfect for getting students up, moving, and speaking English after the summer break. Simply download by clicking the blue button below. Because sometimes, the best way to start a new school year is not with a worksheet… but with a game. 💛 Happy teaching and welcome back! Miss Marilena Learning English the fun way ────── 🏖️ ────── Do you know that I publish my own ESL resources? Explore them all in my TPT store. Milo’s Mischief: Fun Present Simple Practice! This fun, story-based ESL resource is designed to help young learners practice grammar, reading comprehension, and vocabulary through colorful activities. ────── 🏖️ ────── 🙏 Used one of my resources recently? I’d be so grateful if you left a quick testimonial on my page! It helps more teachers find what they need — and helps me keep creating the resources you love. (You can find the form at the bottom of the Library page) Miss Marilena - English Language Teacher - BLOG | RESOURCES | ABOUT ME

Summer has a funny way of making everything feel a little more relaxed. The routines disappear, the days get longer, and learning often takes a back seat to ice creams, beach trips, and family adventures. But here's the wonderful thing about summer... Some of the best learning happens when children don't even realize they're doing it. Think about a child building a sandcastle at the beach. They aren't just playing—they're planning, creating, solving problems, and using their imagination. Language works in much the same way. Sometimes the smallest discoveries become the most memorable ones. Take the word sandcastle. At first, it's simply another summer vocabulary word. But look a little closer and you'll notice it's actually made up of two smaller words: sand and castle. Suddenly, children begin to see that English isn't just about memorising long lists of words—it's about discovering patterns. That's exactly what inspired this month's FREE printable. Instead of simply teaching five summer vocabulary words, I wanted to create an activity that encourages students to become little word detectives. As they learn words like sunglasses, watermelon, sandcastle, and swimsuit, they also begin exploring the idea of compound words in a way that feels natural and fun. The worksheet includes a variety of simple activities that keep students engaged while practising reading, writing, and vocabulary. Best of all, everything fits onto a single page, making it perfect for a quick classroom lesson, summer school, homework, or an end-of-year activity. I always love finding opportunities to teach more than one skill at a time. When children realize that water + melon becomes watermelon, or sun + glasses becomes sunglasses, they're doing much more than learning new vocabulary—they're developing an understanding of how English words are formed. Those little "Aha!" moments often stay with them far longer than memorising a list of words ever could. If you'd like to use this activity with your students, you can download the FREE Summer Fun Vocabulary worksheet below. I hope it brings a little sunshine into your classroom and makes learning just a little more fun. Looking for More ESL Resources? If you enjoy my free printables, don't forget to explore my Teachers Pay Teachers store, where you'll find a growing collection of ESL resources for young learners. From grammar and vocabulary activities to reading comprehension and my Milo's ESL Adventures story-based lessons, every resource is designed to make learning English engaging, meaningful, and enjoyable. Thank you for stopping by and happy summer learning! Toodaloo! – Miss Marilena Featured Resource Milo’s Mischief: Fun Present Simple Practice! This fun, story-based ESL resource is designed to help young learners practice grammar, reading comprehension, and vocabulary through colorful activities. ────── 🌼 ────── 🙏 Used one of my resources recently? I’d be so grateful if you left a quick testimonial! It helps more teachers find what they need — and helps me keep creating the resources you love. (You can find the form at the bottom of the Library page)

Hello and welcome back to another post full of easy ideas and practical tips  to help you practice English in a simple and stress-free way! One of the most common things I hear from my students (and parents too!) is: “I really want to practice English, but I don’t have time.” And honestly—I understand. Life is busy. School, work, family, activities… it all adds up. But the good news is this: you don’t need hours to practice English . What you really need is a little English every day . Let me show you how. Listen to English While Doing Other Things Small Daily Practice Makes a Big Difference From my experience in the classroom, students learn much faster when English becomes part of their everyday life—not something they only do once or twice a week. Even 5–10 minutes a day  can help a lot when it’s done consistently. ➽ Easy Ways to Practice English Every Day 1. Change Your Phone Language to English This is one of my favorite tips because it requires no extra time at all . By changing your phone or tablet language to English, you start seeing and reading English words naturally every day: settings notifications apps It’s a simple change, but very effective! 2. Listen to English While Doing Other Things You don’t need to sit at a desk to practice English. ➮Try: short YouTube videos simple English podcasts reels or videos made for English learners ➮You can listen while: cooking cleaning driving walking This kind of listening helps your brain get used to the sound and rhythm of English. 3. Think in English During Daily Activities This is something I always encourage my students to try. ⇝While you’re doing everyday things, ask yourself: What am I doing? What do I need? How do I feel? ⇝For example: “I’m making breakfast.” “I’m tired today.” “I need my keys.” These small sentences help you stop translating and start thinking  in English. 4. Speak Out Loud (Even If You’re Alone!) Yes—talking to yourself really helps! ➾You can: describe your day talk about what you see around you repeat sentences from videos or lessons Speaking out loud helps your mouth and brain work together. This is very important for building confidence. Think in English During Daily Activities A Simple Weekly Routine (Realistic and Easy) Here’s an example you can follow: Monday–Friday:  5–10 minutes of listening or speaking Weekend:  watch a movie, cartoon, or longer video in English Every day:  think in English for a few minutes Nothing complicated—just small, daily habits. ❧ Final Thoughts ☙ You don’t need more time. You don’t need perfect English. What you need is consistency . A little English every day is much better than a lot of English once a week. And remember—learning English doesn’t have to be boring. With the right habits, it can be fun, natural, and part of your daily life. If you enjoyed this post and find these tips helpful, don’t forget to join my email list  so you never miss a new post full of ideas, tips, and free resources. I’ll see you in the next one. Toodaloo! 💛 -Miss Marilena Do you know that I have my own ' This or That' handouts? You can check them here in my store or my TPT store. If you liked this post you might also like this one: