Members' Testimonials: Reviews From Our Members

I left EFL teaching during Covid, but have come back to it recently. I trawled the web yesterday looking for good materials and your site is head and shoulders above the others. I can tell the plans have been created by teachers, active current teachers! I will certainly be signing up, it looks a Godsend!
Helen Worth, Canada

I have been a member of the Premium site since the start, maybe 2006 I signed up. I left you for a year or so and then came back very quickly. I tried two other sites, but your materials beat them hands down. I love the 'teacher notes', it makes them very precious resources. Gracias!
Amelia Munoz, Valencia

It's the teacher notes that make the difference. I used a Pre-intermediate lesson plan last week and there was so much in the notes, guidance and tips. Thank you for passing on your experience to new teachers at my school.
Melisa, Anglo School, Asuncion, Paraguay.

I did not sign up to the site. Membership was included in the program I'm a part of. It was an absolute Godsend though. Just wanted to pass along the good wishes of us teachers who used the resource.
Rudy McGovern, Enjoy Russia Summer Courses

I've just seen your e-mail about the new lesson tags. Wonderful! I wrote to you some months ago saying something like this was needed. Since then, you added the grammar curriculum page and now these super tags. I'm going go ahead and presume this was done for me, thank you for this personal attention. :) It helped to find a little group of reading lessons I hadn't seen before, the short stories. I have wonderful new materials for my advanced classes for the next few weeks.
Ana Ehlers, Hamburg, Germany

The lesson tags and the Grammar Curriculum are other additions to the search page to make your job easier on the site.

I've been using the lesson plans from esl-lounge Premium now for the past year and a half in private tutoring. They have been an indispensable asset. I can't tell you the number of times my students have told me how useful they have found the lessons from your site. I have yet to find a comparable resource.
Mark, Vancouver, Canada

I'm very impressed with the lessons here, you have a real "educator's heart", I think the teacher notes are worth their weight in gold, always pushing teachers towards bettering their students, always thinking like an educator. Your lessons are better, didactically, than the coursebooks we use. Big thumbs up.
Jessica Lotspeich, Seattle, US

I tried two other sites, but now I'm back. I wasn't happy with the other materials and I think my students noticed too. Without your Teacher Notes, I was a bit lost and I only realized now the value of them. I will never leave again. :)
Ina, Sao Paolo, Brazil

The short stories are fantastic, please let me tell you that do sincerely admire your abilities as an author! I wished, I could invent such stories for my students, too. Anyway, it's fantastic material that you offer and I do always appreciate to find new and interesting ideas on your site.
Angela, Germany

Just saw the board game section. You continue to grow, you never stand still. That's what I've always admired about the site. Keep up the good work and please please please, don't go changing. I speak for many when I say that. Tip of the hat.
Jenson, NYC

I wanted to write to you. I've been a member for a month and only now have the time to pen you a few lines. I was sceptical when my DoS suggested your site, but I was impressed with the free samples and blown away by the continuing, consistent high quality once I saw that all the lesson plans were of the same standard...I already know I want to buy the Lifetime Membership, it's worth every cent, I just wish I'd bought it first time round.
Clare, Arizona, teaching in Sofia, Bulgaria

I'm furious with myself. I was recommended esl-lounge in about 2007 and I put the link in my e-mail folder and there it's been ever since. Our course director mentioned it to me yesterday and I signed up.

I'm overjoyed! But furious with myself, as I said. Five years ago I could have joined this fantastic site. But, well I'm here now and I have to tell you I'm looking forward to the coming year as I never thought I would. You have done all my work for me. You have provided me with the car - I just have to drive.

The best thing I can say is that these lessons have been produced by someone who teaches - not by education consultants or whatever. Your classroom experience drips off every page.

I'm now terrified you'll disappear one day. Please don't.

I am very busy at a fulltime teaching job and I love to throw in one of your worksheets to make the class more interesting and it really saves my time.
Paul Gregg

The ideas, worksheets and explanations are very useful, clear and precise. I like having the updates as well. Great site.
Russel Teskey

We like your site very much, our teachers are satisfied with the materials. We've noticed that you are improving the materials for young learners, which made us very happy. Thanks, Laura.
Idiomas Unipam

The lessons are interesting, the activities follow a pattern and have a good structure,the teacher's notes are very helpful and I rarely have to supplement with extra material. The site is easy to navigate and i have often simply 'popped in' to find a lesson for the same day!
Moya

I have been using your lessons with my students since January 2006 and I keep on finding them very useful. I always find something creative and my lessons are for ever exciting. I thank you for it.
Franca Malaguti

The site is great, worth every penny. I'll be renewing when my account expires next month. One suggestion I would make: I can't use the Elementary lessons on my afternoon classes of 12 year olds, any chance of adding something for younger students alongside the excellent adult materials?
Doug Anderson, Torino, Italy

We now have Young Learner lessons available. See our Young Learners section

The lessons are fast and efficient. I've been using them more and more and my coursebook less. The Director isn't happy with that, my students are. Have a guess who wins! :)
Michel, Marseille

I've just seen the new site layout with the lesson plan covers - ten out of ten! It beats the socks off the old layout and I thought that was great! I don't need a dedicated folder for my Premium lesson plans anymore - you have that covered in a far more efficient manner than I could ever think of. Congrats from a veteran member.
Cindy Waterman, OR

I was a member a few years ago, you may remember me. I left you and signed up to another similar site. Bad move. I'm back now and seeing esl-lounge Premium feels like coming home. The materials on here are second to none. I would go as far as to say my teaching suffered in the ten months I didn't have a membership here. Thanks for everything.
John Rocastle, Toronto

I'm a first year teacher with a tough set of students but the Premium site has been a life-saver. What a discovery. You remember how I was delaying signing up to you guys, but it was the best decision I've made. Every time you add new lessons, there's an absolute diamond among the new stuff. Great work.
Jessica Carson, Las Vegas

The site continues to go from strength to strength. As you know, I work as a DoS and I have about two thirds of my teachers regularly using these materials now. Great job Neil. Please, don't leave us!
Kevin Higgs, DoS, Poland.

It seems you have come back from your travels refreshed. The quality of the lessons has taken another step forward and my classroom life has been made even easier. I can't wait to see your next lessons. I know already they'll be of the very highest standard.
Margaret Barnes, Cincinnati, USA.

The teacher notes can be overwhelming and I don't mean it in a negative sense. But you're always thinking about how you teach the class, the notes act like a monitor, a quality standard that supports you.
Jennifer, Oregon, USA.

...and I found the lesson plans to be of an unfalteringly high standard. It was so much more than I expected. The advanced plans I used this week went really well...
Sandra Corbett, Manchester, teaching in southern France.

I have found the resources a delight to use. I have found them really useful in the lessons. The students that I have used them with have found them easy to use and helpful. They seem to provide all the help and assistance that is needed. Thanks again.
James Lloyd, UK

Thank you very much for you great web-site and the terrific material. You've already brought a much needed "balance" into my classes and that's only after two days of membership! Thanks again and keep up the great work, cheers.
Mike Moore, Czech Republic

Basically all I can say about your site is that I love it.

As I have already mentioned in the forum, for me the listening exercises are just perfect. The worksheets fit perfectly, the listening task itself is not too long and the exercises vary.

I have used them at different levels, taking a slower route with my pre-intermediate students who really liked it, and a very fast route with the more advanced students.

My students used to hate listening tasks, but with this type of exercises it is fun. They have asked for more and would like to have a short listening task included in every lesson.

These lessons have also had the side-effect I'd hoped for. My students have started to listen to English on the radio or watch TV in order to be better prepared for the lessons ;-) “Real’ English is not easily available here in Germany so everything that motivates them to use the scarce resources we have here is just great.

Your site is easy to navigate, loading times are fast. No problems at all.

All in all I can only say: You have done and are doing a marvellous job!

Your lesson plans (not only the listening) are worked out in every single detail and they are the only material I can use without having to check it first. Find, print out and teach. This is teaching made easy and fun.
Anne Schedding

Your website has saved my life on a weekly basis! I was hired by a private school and didn't have any ESL training or experience. I have taught ESL for six months now and have confidence and enjoy my job thanks in part to your great lesson plans. This was the best money I ever spent, a true investment. I found out about you through Yahoo Answers. Many thanks.
Kathy Miller

Just a short email to say once again how brilliant your materials are. I have just been looking through and each time I find something new I hadn't seen before. I am due to teach a new course and I'm sure I will have everything I need for the students from your materials. Well done and thanks. The listening bank instructions are very easy to understand!!
Moya Daly

Wow! I am really impressed so am happy to provide you with this feedback you requested. My favorite part? The integrated mp3 listenings. I have now worked my way through all of them. Give me more!

In all seriousness, the listening lessons have been a sheer delight to teach and the students have commented on the realism of the dialogues and especially the radio interviews. And some smart questions and exercices to go with them.

I have only been a member for 3 weeks so I have used the listenings first. Now I am gonna have a look at the rest. Very deserved praise from this overworked teacher mom.
Sally Hoestler

I bought your esl-lounge CD Rom awhile back and I LOVE IT. Best money I've spent on curriculum in a long time. I'm a credentialed teacher in California who is now a stay-at-home mom working part-time as a private English tutor. I currently have four Japanese students, ages 11-16, with whom I'm working.
Norah Leddy

I just had to write to you. I paid for the Senior $50 membership and I feel I should send you three times as much. Your site is simply stunning. It looks superb, it's logically laid out. I can find things in 20 seconds that would take me 10 minutes to find on ANY other site. You have thought of everything I could possibly want and three or four things I never thought of but realise now I need (the transcripts for the listenings for example are absolutely wonderful). Your site is so far ahead of the competition, I feel sorry for them.

If there is a teacher heaven, your place is reserved with the grace of God, our Lord. You have shared your wonderful gifts and I am honored to have become a member.
Karin Abbot, Idaho

Thanks- you were asking about what we thought of the lessons and I feel I "must" take the time to give you some feedback.

I teach all kinds of students. I have 14 different lessons to plan per week- group, individual whatever - adults past dropouts- govt. workers - regular people learning English etc.

I was teaching the comparative to three of the groups, and I was getting out my comparative material, when I went to check the Lounge and there it was- a nice Comparative lesson ( Easy- Easier) and then, later, a review of the Comparative with the Superlative (Super).They are both great lessons and even the students said that "it's fun doing these lessons".

And I am actually going to give a 3- hour workshop using the Present Perfect with lessons that are on the site.

These lessons are made up by someone who knows how to teach and they have made my life infinitely easier. I have spent my life preparing these kinds of lessons and now they are done for me. And with my many groups, I can just use the whole lesson instead of picking and choosing from here and there to build the lessons. So I say kudos to you - a job super well done!

And you answer immediately when I write to you which is indicative of one who looks after his business - another thing to be admired.  Thanks for making my life easier.
Patricia Adams

For a company that's been online for just over two months, I think you can bet on a rosy future. I've already downloaded a few of the lesson plans which I found extremely professional and easy to follow. I'll certainly be watching out for more. Keep up the good work and best wishes for the future.
Adam Carim

I am very happy with the content on Premium. Without the material (especially the lesson plans) I would be hours preparing things. I give 11 classes a week to different individuals and they really enjoy the worksheets.

I would recommend this Premium site to anybody teaching English. It's the best investment I've made in a long time and will definitely be signing up again when my membership expires.
Christina Smith

Overall the lesson and its approach is good for children to learn English. I like the way of teaching that covering grammar, vocab, listening, reading speaking and writing.
Amanda Leong

Everything is OK for me. I've already taught the lessons I found on your website and I'm waiting for more! The lessons I've already used were easy to use and I found them (and my pupils too!) excellent. Congratulations !Thanks.
Jeannine Nadin

You guys are head and shoulders above the others and I congratulate you on that. Kudos from a well-traveled, weathered ESL teacher. I was dubious about our DoS spending out this cash but it's been a great resource to the badly-equipped school where I teach in Vietnam. Well done.
Bryan Foley

I'm loving it! It's a great service and the lessons are clear and easy to use. Business English is getting more popular and I would love to see more lessons in that topic (intermediate or advanced). Keep up the great work!
Barb Powell

We now have business lessons available. See our Business English section