Ready to teach ESL? I love November! It brings crisp air, falling leaves (sometimes too many!), and cozy moments — the perfect time to introduce your ESL students to fun seasonal idioms!
Idioms are tricky because their meanings don’t always match the words, but they help students sound more natural in English. Here are four November-themed idioms you can use right now with your class.
1. Teach ESL – Bundle Up
Meaning: Dress warmly for cold weather.
Example: “It’s chilly outside. Don’t forget to bundle up before you go out!”
2. Teach ESL –Under the Weather
Meaning: Feeling sick or not well.
Example: “She stayed home today because she was feeling under the weather.”
3. Teach ESL –Turn Over a New Leaf
Meaning: Make a fresh start or try to do better.
Example: “I’m going to turn over a new leaf and start doing my homework on time.”
4. Teach ESL –Stuffed
Meaning: Feeling very full after eating.
Example: “After Thanksgiving dinner, I was so stuffed I couldn’t move!”
Finally, teaching idioms in November helps students connect language to the season, culture, and real-life experiences. You can pair these idioms with autumn crafts, Thanksgiving activities, or seasonal writing prompts.
🍁 Mini Lesson Plan: Teach ESL November Idioms
Objective:
Students will learn and practice four seasonal idioms and use them in sentences.
Materials:
- Word cards with idioms (easy to draw your own!)
- Picture prompts (bundled-up child, someone sick, falling leaves, Thanksgiving food)
- Chart paper or whiteboard
Step 1: Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Ask: “What clothes do you wear in November? What holidays happen this month?” Write answers on the board to build background knowledge.
Step 2: Introduce Idioms (10 minutes)
- Show each idiom on a card.
- Give the meaning and a simple example.
- Show a picture that matches.
- Ask students to repeat the idiom.
Step 3: Guided Practice (10 minutes)
- Put students in pairs.
- Give each pair one idiom card.
- Ask them to make up a new sentence using the idiom.
- Share sentences with the class.
Step 4: Independent Practice (10 minutes)
- Provide students with a short fill-in-the-blank worksheet or a mini writing prompt.
Example: “Yesterday I was so ______ after dinner.”
Step 5: Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
Play a quick game: Charades with Idioms. One student acts out “stuffed” or “bundle up,” and the class guesses the idiom.
✨ By the end of the lesson, students will have learned four useful seasonal idioms, practiced them in sentences, and connected them to November traditions.
Your partner in ESL!
Lori
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Don’t miss this chance to get organized and get prepared for the rest of the school year.
Click the picture below to check out this ESL Year-long Curriculum Bundle and save yourself some time:
