Teacher Hub — ESL Classroom Activity Tools

The Teacher Hub is a free collection of 12 classroom activity tools built specifically for ESL teachers preparing students for IGCSE ESL, IB English B and Cambridge B2 First examinations. Every tool connects to the ESLe College vocabulary database — so Spin the Wheel, Bingo and Blockbusters all work with the same high-frequency exam vocabulary your students are studying, not random words from a generic word list.

All 15 classroom tools

• Blockbusters — the classic hex grid vocabulary game, whole class or pairs mode. Students pick a letter and must supply a vocabulary word from the definition. In memory of Bob Holness (1928–2012).
• Spin the Wheel — a random vocabulary word spinner. Filter by topic and level. Perfect for quick warmers, speaking prompts and conversation starters.
• Vocabulary Bingo — students mark words on their cards as the teacher calls definitions. First to a full house wins. Works beautifully as an end-of-unit review.
• Hot Seat — one student sits with their back to the board while their team describes vocabulary words shown on screen. Timed and scored — great for building fluency and circumlocution skills.
• Definition Auction — teams bid points on definitions they believe are correct. A brilliant critical thinking activity that rewards careful reading and vocabulary precision.
• Connect Four — the classic grid game reimagined for vocabulary practice. Answer a question correctly to place your counter. First to four in a row wins.
• Word Sort — students sort vocabulary into categories against the clock. Builds lexical set awareness and topic grouping — key skills for IGCSE ESL and IB reading tasks.
• Odd One Out — three words, one doesn't fit. Students explain their reasoning. Develops vocabulary depth, lexical relationships and speaking confidence.
• Random Word Generator — instant random vocabulary words for speaking activities, debates, writing prompts or spontaneous discussion tasks.
• Class Timer — a clean, full-screen countdown timer. Use it for timed tasks, pair work, exam practice or any activity that benefits from a visible countdown.
• Team Picker — randomly and fairly divide your class into teams in seconds. Removes the awkwardness of manual selection entirely.
• Spin & Write — a spin-and-respond writing activity. Students spin to a vocabulary word and must write a sentence, definition or short paragraph using it.
• Gap Fill — choose the correct word to complete a sentence. Definitions and explanations shown after each answer. Targets the grammar and vocabulary structures tested in B2 Use of English.
• Spot the Mistake — students identify the grammatical or vocabulary error in a sentence. Builds proofreading skills essential for exam writing tasks.
• Sentence Scramble — put the words back in the right order. Develops understanding of syntax, word order and sentence structure for IGCSE ESL and B2 writing.

Designed for the classroom screen

Every tool in the Teacher Hub is designed to be projected on a classroom screen. Large text, clear controls and minimal clutter mean the whole class can engage without squinting at the board. Instructions are hidden by default — toggle them open when you need them, collapse them when you want maximum screen space for the activity.

Curriculum-aligned vocabulary

The Teacher Hub draws vocabulary from the ESLe College database — over 8,000 words tagged by CEFR level (A1–C1), topic, and exam curriculum. Whether you are teaching IGCSE ESL, IB English B or Cambridge B2 First, the tools automatically surface the vocabulary your students need to know. No preparation required beyond selecting a level and topic.

Access for approved teachers

The Teacher Hub is available to all approved teacher accounts on ESLe College. If you are a teacher and do not yet have an account, register and request teacher access. Once approved you will have full access to the hub, all 9 student-facing vocabulary and grammar games, the full lesson library — all free.