Family
Overview
Welcome to our beginner ESL lesson on family and related vocabulary. Family is a topic that is relatable and universal, making it an excellent foundation for language learning. In this lesson, students will develop their vocabulary and learn how to describe and discuss their own families.
The lesson begins with a suggested boardwork example that sets the stage for a clear introduction to the target language. After that, we move on to several low-resource classroom activities where students get the chance to interview each other about their families. Finally, the lesson concludes with a fun and interactive game that reinforces what your students have learned in this session.
Classroom activities
Use of the board
The students are introduced to family vocabulary by looking at a family tree.
Tell your students that you are going to draw your family tree on the board. Then, build out the family tree to introduce the target language. If you can, lean on L1 to reinforce your students' understanding of the new vocabulary and teach a few simple questions. e.g. "Who is my ___?"

Family questions
For this speaking activity, you'll query the class on your family tree.

My family tree
It's your students' turn to create a family tree.

Family Q & A
In this speaking activity, the students will now quiz each other on their family trees.

Classroom games
Live family tree
The students arrange themselves into a family tree and answer questions.

More ESL lesson plans for beginners
Our suggested next lesson is on Possessive adjectives. Be sure to check out our full list of ESL lesson plans for beginners (A1 Mid-level), as well as our complete library of ESL lesson plans. If you own a mobile device, have a look at the TEFL Handbook app. An ESL lesson planner for English teachers. It has a lot more content and gives you faster access to our ESL resources, making it easier to use in class.
Access the entire
TEFLHandbook library
- 750+ Low-prep classroom activity ideas
- 1100+ Printable ESL flashcards
- 180+ ESL lesson plans
- 8 Distinct language levels
- Offline access through the TEFLHandbook app
750+ Low-prep classroom activity ideas
1100+ Printable ESL flashcards
180+ ESL lesson plans
8 Distinct language levels
Offline access through the TEFLHandbook app
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