Sports Flashcards for ESL | Vocabulary and Grammar Activities

 This resource ( Sports Vocabulary Flashcards for Elementary ESL Learners) is included here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sports-for-ESL-Vocabulary-and-Grammar-Activities-14663481

Students will learn the names of common sports and related verbs and equipment in context. Talking about sports helps learners make connections between English and their daily interests and experiences. 

Teaching sports vocabulary and language structures can be challenging when students only see lists of words. These hands-on, sports-themed ESL resources help elementary English learners practise vocabulary through **visuals, movement, games, speaking prompts, and hands-on tasks**, making language meaningful and memorable.

Sports Flashcard Activities for ESL Classrooms for the students  build vocabulary recognition (soccer, basketball, tennis, etc.)  

Flashcard Drill Game where the teacher holds up a flashcard and says the sport: basketball!  students repeat. Then, show a new card silently, and students shout the sport. This is an easy way to learn vocabulary related to sports.

Fast Grab: Place several sports vocabulary flashcards on the floor. Call out a sport, and two students race to touch the correct card.

Charades as Extension Activities. A student picks a flashcard secretly and acts out the sport without speaking. The class guesses: You’re playing golf!

Sort the sports by:  team vs. individual sports

• indoor vs. outdoor sports

Class Graph or Survey

 Each student picks their favorite sport flashcard.

• Make a class chart: How many like soccer? How many like basketball?
• Practice speaking: I like bowling. / I don’t like karate.

Simple past statements

Yesterday I Played…Show a flashcard (e.g., football). Students make a sentence:  Yesterday, I played football. Extend with different time expressions: Last weekend, two days ago, etc.

Then, ask questions with What and Who?

Ask Yes/ No questions in the past as you show the flashcard and the students stand up if the answer is yes!

What Are They Doing? Present Continuous with Wh- questions

Show a flashcard. Ask: What is he doing? Students answer:

He is playing volleyball.

Who’s Speaking? Place several flashcards and say: I am diving. Students point to which card matches your sentence. Then, students take turns being “the speaker.”

Like It or Not Sorting Game. Place Two baskets or areas labeled “I like” and “don’t like,”. Students pick a flashcard and decide where it belongs.  They must say the full sentence:
“I like table tennis.” or “I don’t like sailing.”

Do the same with can and can’t as a review of that grammar structure. Student: I can play basketball, but I can’t play soccer.

Label the clothes each player is wearing and the sports equipment.

Matching sports, their equipment, and equipment flashcards helps students connect vocabulary.

There are printable games for this resource. Find engaging ESL activities to teach sports words through games, team challenges, and communicative classroom fun, all in the same sports unit pack. Check it here:   https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/11/sports-games-for-esl-vocabulary-and.html

Feel free to explore everything on my Linktree:
linktr.ee/HolisticEnglishResources

I used Creative Fabrica for my covers. Here is my affliate link:   https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/sports-collection-digital-paper/ref/2670802/?sharedfrom=pdp

Counting 1–20 cows | Numbers Activities for Elementary ELLs

 This resource (Counting to 120 Cows – ESL Number Words & Activities (1-120) is included here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Farm-Unit-for-Elementary-EFL-3790548

The Counting Cows 1 to 20 resource can be used to support math and language development. This resource perfect for math centers, ESL lessons, or thematic farm units.Many ESL students struggle to connect numerals with quantities and spoken language at the same time. This cow-themed counting resource solves that problem by combining visual quantity, number recognition, and simple speaking tasks in one engaging activity set.

These Counting Cows 1 to 20 flashcards are designed to help elementary English language learners build number recognition, counting skills, and English vocabulary through a farm-themed visual experience.  Each card helps students make the connection between numerals, quantities, and number words.

Cow Line-Up Numbers with flashcards

 Give each student a flashcard and have them line up in numerical order from 1 to 20. Then, mix up the cards and have them fix the sequence again.

 Find My Match:
Cut the word out of the flashcards and have one with numerals and another with cows. Hand in the parts randomly in to your students. They will walk around the room to find their matching pair (for example, the “15” card finds the cow image with fifteen grass pieces).

Games with the Small Counting Cow Cards. These smaller cards are ideal for hands-on games, centers, and pair work. Their compact size makes them perfect for tabletop activities.

Number Bingo.

Use the printable blank bingo grid. Students write any number from 1 to 20 on each space. The teacher calls a number, and students cross it out. The first to fill a row or column shouts, “Moo Bingo!”. Have the save the grid and use it to play at any time during the unit.

I used the small counting cow cards along with fun foam letters and numbers for a hands-on writing activity. Students built and wrote number words and numeral.  This activity helps children strengthen spelling, number recognition.

Students look at the small counting cow cards and write the numbers words and numeral with a pencil on their paper.

Match the Cows and Numbers small cards. 

Students count the grass on each cow card and find the matching number. This simple hands-on activity helps students connect quantity with numerals, strengthens counting and reinforces number recognition in English. It’s also great for pair or small-group work, encouraging communication and cooperative learning.

Cows Counting file folder Game

Create a reusable file folder game by gluing one of the three boards inside a file folder. Keep the remaining cards in the pockets for matching practice. Students match the picture cards to the correct numeral or number word, making this activity perfect for math centers, independent practice, and fast finishers. Once assembled, it's a durable resource students can use again and again to strengthen counting and number recognition.

Students start by coloring the numbers on each grass piece in the first worksheet. Then, they complete the answer worksheet by writing the color words that match each number. These worksheets help students connect numbers, colors, and words.

Read and Color the Grass worksheet set. Students read simple sentences and color the pieces of grass according to the instructions.

Complete the Number Sequence worksheet where students fill in the missing number words and numerals to complete each sequence. Completing number sequences helps students develop number sense and understand numerical order. It also builds logical thinking, pattern recognition, and counting fluency.

In this worksheet, students match each numeral to its number word and then color the spaces as directed by the teacher.

In this worksheet, students unscramble the mixed-up letters to form the correct number words. This activity strengthens spelling, word recognition, and problem-solving skills.

Number Matching Games where students connect the numeral, number word, and quantity shown on the cards. The interactive format keeps learners engaged while reinforcing both math and English language skills through play.

Use the game board with four different paths. When students land on a square, they say the number and using any of the cards available, match it to the quantity cow card. The students with the most cards wins.

This is another game. Students write the number words using the letters and teen words tiles available.

Teaching the present continuous tense using a farm theme helps elementary ESL students understand actions in a clear and visual way. Go to the blog post: https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/08/farm-unit-present-continuous-for.html

There is a BUNDLE for the Farm Unit,here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Farm-Unit-BUNDLE-for-Kindergarten-and-Elementary-ESL-6710655

Please check my Pinterest board to find more ideas and resources for the farm unit.

https://www.pinterest.com/ei98srl/esl-animals-unit/farm-animals/

I made my covers using Creative Fabrica, here is my affliate link:    https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/pastel-seamless-cow-pattern-digital-pape/ref/2670802/?sharedfrom=pdp

Halloween Present Continuous Activities for Elementary ESL Students | Witch Action Flashcards, Games & Worksheets

Teach the Present Continuous with fun Halloween witch activities! Includes ESL flashcards, speaking games, worksheets, writing activities, sentence building, grammar practice, and printable resources for elementary ELL students. This resource is found here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Present-Continuous-for-Elementary-ESL-4403402

In this Halloween theme they see a witch flying, cooking, or dancing, which helps them understand what is happening right now — the core meaning of the present continuous.

Why Teach the Present Continuous with Halloween?

Young learners remember grammar more easily when it is connected to meaningful themes. Halloween naturally encourages students to describe what characters are doing, making it one of the best topics for introducing and practicing the Present Continuous tense.

TPR Activity with the Halloween Actions flashcards: What Is the Witch Doing? Students respond physically and verbally to the witch flashcards to understand and use present continuous actions. Show a flashcard and say the sentence clearly: “The witch is walking.”
Mime the action as you say it. Have students repeat the sentence and copy your movement.

Students can easily describe what the witch is doing on the flashcards: “She is flying.”
The repetitive sentence pattern helps beginners gain fluency and confidence.

What Is the Witch Doing? – Present Continuous & Collocations. 

 Learners describe what each witch is doing while completing meaningful verb + noun collocations in context.By combining the Present Continuous with common collocations, students expand their vocabulary and develop more accurate, complete sentences. 

This activity is ideal for guided practice, whole-class instruction, literacy centers, partner work, or independent grammar review during your Halloween lessons.

Put a flashcard and have the students give you more collocations for just one action.

What Is the Witch Doing? – Present Continuous Questions & Answers

Students learn to ask and answer questions in the present continuous tense using Halloween-themed actions. 

Display one Witch flashcard and ask: "What is the witch doing?"

Model the answer clearly: "She is drinking a potion."

This activity is ideal for whole-class practice, pair work, small groups, literacy centers, or quick oral reviews throughout your Halloween unit.

Question-and-answer practice gives students repeated exposure to one of the most useful grammar patterns in English. 

The Witch Action Grid – Make and Write Sentences.

This interactive activity encourages students to build and write Present Continuous sentences by selecting a flashcard from a grid. The combination of pictures, coordinates, and sentence writing keeps learners actively engaged while reinforcing grammar in a meaningful way.

Arrange the witch action flashcards on the board to create a grid labeled with letters and numbers. Call out a coordinate, such as B2 or C3, and have students identify the matching flashcard. They then make a complete Present Continuous sentence based on the picture.

For example:  B2: The witch is drinking.

Categorize the Verbs (Spelling Rules).

 Help your students master the spelling changes needed to form the Present Continuous tense with this engaging Halloween Spelling Rules activity. Using the witch action flashcards, students observe each verb, identify the correct spelling pattern, and classify it into the appropriate category before changing it into its -ing form.

This activity is perfect for introducing, reviewing, or reinforcing spelling rules while keeping students engaged with a fun Halloween theme.

Small cards for talking about activities. 

Connect grammar to writing and creativity. Students choose a small card and write a sentence about it.

Write about what the witch is doing in affirmative, and in negative sentence based on any card.

Write Yes/no questions and suggestions with Let’s!

Students practice writing short descriptive sentences using clothing vocabulary and the present continuous tense.

Speaking Chain. 

Practice fluency in question-answer patterns. One student picks a card and asks: “What is the witch doing?”  The next student answers: “She is drinking.”
Then takes a new card and continues the chain.

Cut-and-match games build word recognition

 Cut the words out the card and play match.

Worksheet 1. Match sentences to the correct witch picture by coloring the frame and sentence in the same color.

Worksheet 2. Answer the question: What are you doing?

Worksheet 3. draw a line from the word to the matching picture, after completing the verb with the missing vowel.

Worksheet 4. Match the verb to the picture.

Worksheet 5. Complete all the verbs and use it as pictionary.

Worksheet 6. Complete the Sentence with the verb.

Sentence Association Game: What Is the Witch Doing?

Students match the witch picture, and the sentence to practice the present continuous tense. Students can work in pairs to match all actions.

Halloween Present Continuous Flip Book Activity: What Is the Witch Doing?

Make grammar practice interactive with this hands-on activity.

Students begin by cutting the flap page and gluing it onto the writing page. They then look at each witch illustration and write a complete Present Continuous sentence under the matching flap. Once the flap book is assembled, students can lift each flap to check their sentences, read them aloud, and review the grammar independently or with a partner.

This flap book transforms a traditional grammar worksheet into an interactive learning experience. 

This resource is also available individually here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-Witch-Actions-Present-Continuous-Grammar-for-ELLs-14615876

Present Continuous with School Actions –for Elementary ELLs is included in the complete pack.Go to the blog post, here:   https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2026/03/present-continuous-with-school-actions.html

Find more ideas, tips, and free resources for teaching English to preschool and kindergarten learners.  Come follow me on Facebook! Clock here:

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Made the covers using Creative Fabrica, here is my affliate link:    https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/cute-witch-digital-paper-halloween/ref/2670802/?sharedfrom=pdp