Pinterest is more than just a platform for DIY projects and recipe collections—it has evolved into a powerful educational resource, especially for TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) teachers. With its visual approach, Pinterest is ideal for engaging ESL students, sharing resources, and enhancing classroom activities. Here’s how TESOL educators can effectively integrate Pinterest into their teaching.
1. Creating Visual Vocabulary Boards
One of the best ways to use Pinterest in an ESL classroom is by creating visual vocabulary boards. Since vocabulary acquisition is essential for language learners, Pinterest allows you to curate images, videos, and infographics that explain new words visually. For instance, if you’re teaching a lesson on food, you can pin pictures of different types of food with corresponding vocabulary words. This helps students associate the word with a visual image, reinforcing retention.
- How to Use: After introducing a set of vocabulary, share a link to a Pinterest board where students can explore more images and use them for practice. They can even create their own boards to demonstrate understanding.
2. Pinning Lesson Plans and Classroom Ideas
TESOL teachers can use Pinterest to collect and organize lesson plans, activities, and teaching strategies. Pinterest hosts an active community of educators who share ESL-specific materials, from printable worksheets to interactive lesson ideas. You can save these resources on your own boards and organize them by topic, grammar point, or language skill (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, listening).
- How to Use: Search for specific lesson ideas on Pinterest (e.g., “ESL speaking activities”) and save pins that align with your curriculum. When planning a lesson, you’ll have quick access to diverse materials that can help differentiate instruction.
3. Using Pinterest for Cultural Exploration
Pinterest is an excellent tool for introducing cultural lessons. You can create boards that highlight various English-speaking countries, their traditions, and cultural differences. This helps students not only with language acquisition but also with understanding the cultural context of the language they’re learning.
- How to Use: During cultural lessons, create a board featuring images, articles, and videos about the target country’s food, holidays, and landmarks. Students can explore the board and then discuss or present what they’ve learned, practicing their speaking and presentation skills.
4. Incorporating Writing Prompts
Pinterest can also serve as a source of inspiration for writing prompts. Visual stimuli are a great way to engage ESL students in creative and reflective writing. Teachers can create boards with intriguing pictures, cartoons, or memes, asking students to write short stories, essays, or dialogues based on the images.
- How to Use: Ask students to browse a board of writing prompts and select one image to write about. They can describe the scene, imagine what happens next, or reflect on how the image makes them feel. This activity can be used to target descriptive language, narrative writing, or even grammar.
5. Collaborative Learning Projects
Pinterest allows for collaborative boards, making it easy for teachers and students to work together. For group projects, students can gather research, resources, and multimedia on a shared board. This feature is ideal for project-based learning, where students might research a topic like environmental issues, global cultures, or careers, and present their findings visually.
- How to Use: Assign a group project where students collaboratively pin content related to a research topic. They can add pictures, articles, and videos. Afterward, students can use the board to present their research to the class.
6. Professional Development and Networking
Pinterest isn’t just a tool for classroom activities; it’s also a valuable platform for teacher professional development. TESOL educators can connect with peers, follow other teachers’ boards, and discover new methodologies and tools for the classroom. Pinterest has a wealth of boards dedicated to ESL teaching tips, classroom management strategies, and even ways to use technology in teaching.
- How to Use: Follow boards related to TESOL or ESL education. Look for professional development resources that can keep you updated on the latest trends in language teaching. Additionally, share your own boards and ideas with the teaching community to contribute to collective knowledge.
7. Building a Classroom Library of Resources
Pinterest makes it easy to organize and save online resources, such as blog articles, podcasts, and teaching tools. You can create a classroom library of useful links, categorized by skills or topics. This library can be used throughout the school year to pull up games, exercises, or readings that align with specific lessons.
- How to Use: Create different boards for each language skill (reading, writing, grammar, etc.) or for specific themes (e.g., holidays, academic writing). Add resources that students can access for extra practice or independent learning.
Getting Started with Pinterest for TESOL Teachers
- Create a Free Account: Sign up for Pinterest using your email or a Google account.
- Organize Your Boards: Decide how you want to categorize your boards—whether by language skills, lesson themes, or student projects.
- Collaborate with Students: Teach your students how to use Pinterest to find resources or work on projects together.
- Stay Connected: Follow other educators and Pinterest boards to stay updated on new tools, ideas, and resources in the TESOL community.
By integrating Pinterest into your ESL classroom, you can make learning more dynamic, visual, and interactive, all while organizing valuable teaching materials and collaborating with students in meaningful ways.
For more ideas, explore educational resources on Pinterest at Pinterest for Teachers.
