5 Spooky Stories for ESL Newcomers and Remote Learning!

Have a ton of fun in the weeks leading up to Halloween (if not all of October)! Teach vocab, grammar and ELA skills with this great bundle of stories and a non-fiction article for your classroom, all specifically designed for newcomer / beginner English Language Learners.

All can be assigned to ELLs remotely, via Google Classroom. Please note "The Interlopers" is a Google Slides document. The other resources are PDFs, that can be printed out or assigned using TPT's Easel.

As a bonus, The Interlopers also comes with a higher level, perfect for intermediate ESL students.

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THE INTERLOPERS

Allow your students to explore the famed Saki short story "The Interlopers" via Google Classroom. It's a great story - an exciting classic, full of conflict and irony. And now it's accessible to all.

This packet includes the original short story, plus adaptations at two more levels, ideal for lower level readers or beginner and intermediate ESL/ENL students. (This would not be suitable for an AP class, but is rather aimed at students who need some help making classic texts accessible.)

First, students listen to a reading of the story, at their level, while watching the text on their screen. (This is a video embedded in the Google Slideshow that is hosted on my Youtube channel).

Then they move on to the interactive Google Slides, where students perform a close read, while learning various ELA points including conflict, irony, mood and setting. They write, and underline parts of the text during the close read.

They create a picture story grid to show the events of the story and write a couple of paragraphs about literary elements.

A separate mini-lesson slideshow teaches about imagery, looks at some examples of it and then gives the students opportunity to write their own.

A further mini-lesson slideshow teaches about conflict, then students write their own story, using lessons in conflict from "The Interlopers".

When you are ready there are two 10-question quizzes on Google Forms. One of the self grading quizzes is for beginner level ESL students, one for more advanced students.

This is a complete mini-unit, in which the students can work 100 per cent individually, from home if necessary. I think it would be reasonable to assign this to cover around a week of home instruction.

A PDF of the story is also included at the three levels, which you can easily copy over to Google Translate, if you have students who need the second language support.

There are three versions of the Slides activity, each one of approximately 30 slides.

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THE MONKEY'S PAW

Have you ever wanted to read "The Monkey's Paw" with your ESL class? Then this is perfect for you!

The chilling classic is adapted to make it accessible to Beginner ESL students and less advanced readers. It is also available at a higher (but still adapted level) for regular ELA classroom.

Tackle vocabulary and ELA critical thinking -- including inferencing, irony and literary elements -- with the story, bundled lesson ideas, six reusable graphic organizers and activities! Also includes a 5-day lesson plan ready to submit.

This two-part story is part of a collection of high-interest material specifically designed by an experienced ESL/ELA teacher for ENL, ESL, ELL students. It is short enough for beginner English Language learners (spanning 10 core pages of text, graphics and questions), yet contains meaningful content and engaging activities that are sure to provoke discussion. ELA concepts are embedded throughout the text. additional lesson plan suggestions are included.

The 10-sided handout can be copied for your class. The images can be displayed on a screen, if you have one. You can expand the story into a mini-unit with the extra graphic organizers.

You get:

• One two-part story with artwork. The language of the story has been simplified for ELLs, but it follows the original story exactly. You could spend anywhere from a single period to a week on the story.
• Activities including vocabulary and writing. (Note the vocabulary is aimed mainly at English Language Learners.)
• Ideas for teachers — what to do before reading, during reading and after reading.
• Extension project ideas.
• Two grids for retelling the story as a comic - with cut out and glue speech bubbles and sequence words.
• A 3 page graphic organizer to teach character with a portrait frame and STEAL analysis.
• A film strip graphic organizer for teaching setting.
• A scary story Pumpkin graphic organizer to analyze what makes a story scary.
• The original version of the story for advanced students.
• A 5 day lesson plan (Word Doc) ready for submission. Includes aims, objectives, activities, and summarizers.
• Answer key.

ELA = Fiction, Conflict, Questioning, Setting, Details, Inferencing, Character, Irony.
Grades = 6+
English as a New Language Level = Beginner +
Estimated length = Five hours, plus (depending on how many of the additional exercises you use, such as the setting or character handouts.)
Answer key included

File Type = PDF (Lessons plans in Word format for modification). Plus a digital version for TPT digital, assigning on Google Classroom.

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TELL_TALE HEART

This bright, colorful and fun adapted text version of The Tell-Tale Heart makes Poe's classic accessible to ESL and ENL beginners and newcomers. The unit includes 5-days of lesson plans, based around an initial and then close read of the text. See preview for details.

It is easily set up for DISTANCE LEARNING on TPT Digital, shared via Google Classroom. The PDF also prints out for in class instruction for your ELLs.

Unit includes:

• An illustrated adapted text of The Tell-Tale Heart by Poe. The reading level has been vastly reduced, while maintaining the unique flavor of this beloved classic.
• Vocabulary preview.
• Close-read directions.
• ELA direction on repetition, quoting, paragraph writing, explaining words, narrators and more.
• Quiz and vocabulary-based sentence writing activity.
• Personal-writing handout.
• Writing-about-literature handouts, focusing on using text evidence to explain what makes the narrator unreliable.
• A timeline graphic organizer.
• A grid for graphical storytelling.
• A setting grid.
• Two 3D make-your-own pumpkin activities.
• A giant vocabulary word search.
• Lesson plans, with standards.

This is a great way to introduce your students to a classic they will never forget!

It also pairs with a higher level, but still adapted version of the same text with parallel activities so you can differentiate in the classroom. Simply pick up the bundle with both versions.

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A STRANGE TEACHER

A perfect Halloween story for ENL Beginners!

Beginner English language learners are crying out for stimulating texts to develop their reading and language skills. These texts are hard to find.

This story is part of a collection of high interest material specifically designed by an experienced ESL teacher for ENL, ESL, ELL students. It is short (230 words), yet contains meaningful content and exciting activities that are sure to provoke discussion. It is designed to be used to easily teach ELA concepts.

Each story and nonfiction article in the series uses vocabulary from one section of the Oxford Picture Dictionary. If you have access to the dictionary, the text pairs with it, enabling you to easily create a multiple day unit of vocabulary work and reading. If you do not have access to the dictionary the text and activities can stand alone. The series of texts introduces literary elements, reading skills, grammar and vocabulary.

The four-sided handout can be copied for your class. The image can be displayed on a screen, if you have one.

You get:

• One two-side story with original artwork.
• Activities including grammar and writing.
• Ideas for teachers — what to do before reading, during reading and after reading.
• Two grids for retelling the story as a comic.
• A portrait frame (to teach character) with text detail boxes.
• A film strip graphic organizer for teaching setting.
• A T-Chart for comparisons (the story's classroom setting vs. your classroom).
• An answer key.

This Story

The scary Mrs Fox explains the class rules to Sarah, a new student. The teacher's requests get bizarre (for food as she is hungry) and Sarah is told to leave the room. The principal passes by and is holding a knife and cooking pot. At the end of the story it is implied that Sarah is to be Mrs Fox's lunch.

Oxford Picture Dictionary alignment = Succeeding in School, The Classroom, A Day at School.

Grammar = To be, Regular present tense (to say), Some prepositions (in, behind, on, outside, off).

ELA = Setting focus (also character).

Grades = 4+

ENL Level = Beginner

Estimated length = From 60 minutes to multiple hours (depending on how many of the additional exercises you use, such as the setting or character handouts.)

Answer key included

Please note: this product can be used alongside The Oxford Picture Dictionary, but is in no way associated with or endorsed by Oxford University Press.

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THE GHOST SCHOOL

Beginner English language learners are crying out for stimulating texts to develop their reading and language skills. These texts are hard to find. 

This story is part of a collection of high interest material specifically designed for ENL, ELL and ESL students. It is short (140 words), yet contains meaningful content and exciting activities that are sure to provoke discussion.

Each story and nonfiction article in the series uses vocabulary from at least one section of the Oxford Picture Dictionary. If you have access to the dictionary, the text pairs with it, enabling you to easily create a short unit of vocabulary work and reading. If you do not have access to the dictionary the text and activities can stand alone. 

The series of texts introduces literary elements, reading skills, grammar and vocabulary.

This Article

It starts with a mystery -- a description of an empty classroom using vocabulary from A School and the Classroom section of The Oxford Picture Dictionary. Then it asks: "why is the classroom empty?" The answer is it was abandoned during the Chernobyl disaster.

The four-sided handout can be copied for your class. The image can be displayed on a screen, if you have one.

You get:

• A four page handout for students.
• Activities based on the reading.
• Ideas for teachers — what to do before reading, during reading and after reading, including suggested aims.
• Two grids for retelling the story as a comic.
• A portrait frame (to teach character) with text detail boxes.
• A t-chart to compare the classroom in the story with your classroom.
• A setting film strip to teach setting.
• An answer key.

Further details:

Oxford Picture Dictionary correspondence = The Classroom, School.

Grammar = To be, past tense.

ELA = Nonfiction, questioning

Grades = 4+

ENL Level = Beginner

Estimated length = 40 minutes to multiple hours (depending on how many of the extra handouts are used, such as the comic grid.)

Answer key included.

Please note: this product can be used alongside The Oxford Picture Dictionary, but is in no way associated with or endorsed by Oxford University Press.

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More great materials for your ELLs:

Be sure to check out my Halloween products for nonfiction, an original short story, plus the classic "The Monkey's Paw". They are all for beginner ESL students, and there is a great value bundle containing the whole lot of them. If you're looking for fun activities, nonfiction, a short story for Christmas ("The Little Match Girl") and the New Year, take a look at my Christmas and New Year materials. I also have a series of short stories that will engage your students at any time, while teaching grammar and vocab. Enjoy and have fun teaching!