For ESL Teachers ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll have a Claude Project set up with your teaching context — learner demographics, proficiency levels, curriculum topics, and CASAS standards — so every material you generate is already calibrated to your specific class without re-explaining from scratch. Instead of typing a long setup paragraph before every prompt, you open your project and generate a vocabulary activity in 30 seconds. Over a semester, this saves hours and produces consistently better-targeted materials.
What you'll need
What you should see: The Claude interface with a Projects option in the left sidebar.
What you should see: A project workspace with a chat panel and a sidebar for Project Instructions and Knowledge.
This is the most important step. Click Project Instructions and paste in a customized version of this template:
You are an ESL materials creation assistant for [Your Name], an ESL teacher at [Program Name — e.g., "Lincoln Adult Learning Center"].
TEACHING CONTEXT:
- Program type: [Adult education center / Community college / K-12 school district]
- Class level: [e.g., "CASAS Level B (215-225), approximately A2/B1 CEFR"]
- Class size: [X students]
- Student population: [e.g., "Adult immigrant learners, primarily Spanish-speaking (70%), also Haitian Creole, Somali. Most have limited formal education. Work in food service, agriculture, and domestic work."]
- Class schedule: [e.g., "Monday-Thursday, 6-9pm, 60-minute sessions"]
- Curriculum focus: [e.g., "CASAS life skills competencies: health, employment, consumer, community, family"]
MATERIALS GUIDELINES:
- All vocabulary should be level-appropriate (A2/B1 — avoid idioms and complex grammar)
- Example sentences should use real-world contexts (work, home, health, community)
- Cultural references should be broadly accessible to immigrant adult learners from multiple backgrounds
- Reading texts should be between 100-200 words for this level
- Activities should be practical and connect to learners' actual daily lives
CASAS COMPETENCY AREAS (reference these when appropriate):
- Employment (job applications, workplace communication, job safety)
- Health (medical appointments, symptoms, medicine, insurance)
- Consumer (shopping, banking, housing)
- Community (civic participation, services, transportation)
- Family (childcare, school communication, family health)
WHEN I ASK FOR MATERIALS:
1. Generate content appropriate for A2/B1 level unless I specify otherwise
2. Keep vocabulary simple and high-frequency
3. Include an answer key for any exercise with right/wrong answers
4. Note the target skill (reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar)
5. Format clearly so I can paste directly into a Word document
Click Save. Customize every bracketed section for your actual class.
Type a simple request in the project chat:
"Generate a vocabulary list and matching activity for a lesson on renting an apartment. Include 12 words relevant to our learner population."
What you should see: Claude generates a vocabulary list calibrated to your stated level and learner context — not generic vocabulary, but words relevant to adult immigrant learners navigating housing. It includes a matching activity with simple definitions and an answer key.
Over the next few sessions, save the prompts that produce the best results. Keep a simple Google Doc with your best prompts:
Best prompts for generating materials:
[VOCAB + ACTIVITIES] Generate vocabulary activities for these 12 words: [list]. Create: matching, fill-in-the-blank, Quizlet pairs. Level: A2.
[LESSON PLAN] Create a 60-minute lesson on [topic] for our level. Include warm-up, vocabulary, reading, speaking activity, and exit ticket.
[DIFFERENTIATION] Take this reading text and create 2 versions: (1) simplified for A1 beginners in our class, (2) extended questions for the B1 students.
[PROGRESS REPORT] Draft a 150-word progress report narrative for [student data].
[ROLE PLAY] Create a role play for our level on [topic]. Include Partner A/B cards, target phrases, model dialogue.
When Claude generates materials you like, save them. Create a Google Drive folder organized by unit:
Over a semester, you'll build a library of high-quality, calibrated materials you can reuse and adapt.
Generate [X] vocabulary words with simple definitions and example sentences on the topic of [topic]. For our A2/B1 adult learner class.
Create a 150-word reading text about [topic]. Include a vocabulary box with 5 key words at the top. For adult newcomer learners.
Design a 20-minute speaking activity on [topic] for our class. Include Partner A and Partner B roles, 4 conversation prompts, and useful phrases.
Create a grammar handout on [grammar point] for our level: brief explanation, 3 examples, 10 fill-in-the-blank sentences, answer key.
Draft a 150-word student progress report narrative. Student info: [CASAS scores, attendance, strengths, goals].