English Drills
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Grade/Year 7 & 8 English Lessons

Fifteen standalone lessons for Grade/Year 7 & 8 English language learners from any language background. Choose any lesson in any order to build reading, vocabulary, speaking and writing through English, maths, science and social studies topics.

How to use the lessons

Each lesson takes about 45–60 minutes with a teacher or learning partner and can be used independently. Preview the key words, read the short text together, answer the questions, practise with the sentence starters, and complete the speaking and writing tasks. Finish with Word Study, Sentence Builder, School English and Exit Reflection. Print any student lesson or open its separate Teacher Answers page.

Designed for ELL students from any language background. Invite students to discuss ideas in their strongest language before expressing them in English. Model each task aloud, give thinking time and adjust support to the learner’s English proficiency. Adapt examples and terminology to your own school or learning setting.

School and English skills

Practical language for understanding instructions, reading, writing and working with others.

Finding Your Way at SchoolSCHOOL LANGUAGE

Finding Your Way at School

School language

Asking When You Do Not UnderstandCLARIFYING INSTRUCTIONS

Asking When You Do Not Understand

Clarifying instructions

Getting Homework OrganisedPLANNING AND DEADLINES

Getting Homework Organised

Planning and deadlines

Finding the Main IdeaREADING SKILLS

Finding the Main Idea

Reading skills

Writing a Clear ParagraphWRITING SKILLS

Writing a Clear Paragraph

Writing skills

Working in a GroupSPEAKING AND COLLABORATION

Working in a Group

Speaking and collaboration

Maths, science and social studies

Build the subject language needed to understand information, explain ideas and solve problems.

Solving a Maths Word ProblemMATHS LANGUAGE

Solving a Maths Word Problem

Maths language

Observing Like a ScientistSCIENCE LANGUAGE

Observing Like a Scientist

Science language

Using a Map KeySOCIAL STUDIES

Using a Map Key

Social studies

Reading Data from a GraphMATHS DATA LANGUAGE

Reading Data from a Graph

Maths data language

Planning a Fair TestSCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Planning a Fair Test

Science investigation

Comparing Two SourcesSOCIAL STUDIES EVIDENCE

Comparing Two Sources

Social studies evidence

Reading, research and presentation

Use evidence, respond to texts, research information and present ideas clearly.

Responding to a StoryREADING AND EVIDENCE

Responding to a Story

Reading and evidence

Researching and PresentingRESEARCH AND SPEAKING

Researching and Presenting

Research and speaking

Using What You Have LearntINDEPENDENT LEARNING

Using What You Have Learnt

Independent learning

Adjust the support

Newer English learners can listen to the reading first, point to key words and speak using the sentence starters. Learners ready for more challenge can explain answers with evidence, write a longer paragraph or compare ideas with a partner. Students may plan in a language they know well before sharing in English.

Mix and match

Choose lessons to match the skills your students need. You can use one lesson as a stand-alone class, combine several around a subject area, or revisit a lesson for extra practice.