Want an easy way to review grammar, boost writing comprehension, and keep your students engaged? Let me introduce you to one of my favorite ‘secret’ tools that ESL teachers often overlook — Edpuzzle.
Whether you’re teaching young learners at the Pre-A1 level or helping B1-B2 students improve their writing skills, Edpuzzle is a digital tool that transforms any video into an interactive learning experience.
In this post, I’ll show you how you can start using Edpuzzle in your ESL writing classes — even if you’re short on prep time.
✏️ What is Edpuzzle?
Edpuzzle is an online platform that lets you take any video — from YouTube, National Geographic, TED-Ed, or even something you upload yourself — and add:
- Multiple-choice or open-ended questions
- Voice notes or explanations
- Checkpoints to stop and reflect
- Automatic tracking of student progress
This means you can easily turn passive video watching into active learning — and your students will hardly realize they’re reviewing grammar or writing structures!
💡 Edpuzzle – Why use it in ESL Writing Lessons?
If you’ve ever needed to:
✅ Review a tricky grammar point
✅ Practice sentence structure
✅ Strengthen listening-to-writing connections
✅ Assign meaningful, low-prep homework
✅ Make writing class more visual and interactive
Then Edpuzzle is your new best friend.
Students watch a short video and are prompted to write, think, and respond in complete sentences. You can follow up in class with longer writing tasks or discussions. It’s perfect for both one-on-one lessons and small group settings.
🛠️ How to Use Edpuzzle in 3 Easy Steps:
- Choose a Video:
Find a short clip related to your lesson objective — a grammar tutorial, story scene, or educational clip. - Add Questions:
Insert open-ended writing prompts or grammar-based questions. Ask students to rephrase a sentence, complete a response, or identify errors. - Assign to Students:
Share the video with your students and track their responses. Use their answers as a jumping-off point for in-class writing tasks.
✨ Real-World Examples
- Pre-A1 to A2 Students: Add simple sentence prompts like “What is the boy doing?” or “Write one sentence about the girl’s clothes.”
- B1-B2 Students: Pause a video and ask them to summarize what happened so far, rewrite a sentence using a different tense, or describe the speaker’s opinion.
🙌 Why ESL Teachers Love It
- No grading (unless you want to).
- Students are more focused because they like video-based tasks.
- You can use it as part of your lesson, as homework, or even for asynchronous learning.
Your Grammar SideKick
Edpuzzle Originals can help you introduce or reinforce a grammar point. These are your SECRET WEAPON. You can quickly pull up a grammar video related to the rule you need to teach on the fly. Students typically find grammar teaching BORING but with Edpuzzle, students are actively engaged in learning AND practicing grammar rules. There are so many different grammar videos to choose from. You are bound to find one that suits your student’s learning needs.
📌 Try It in Your Next Lesson
Want to explore Edpuzzle more deeply? Check out the full video tutorial where I walk you through how I use it in my writing lessons with students aged 6 to 14.
🎁 Bonus for You!
💥 Want more engagement tips? Download my free guide: 10 Ways to Boost Engagement in Online ESL Classes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edpuzzle free for teachers?
Yes! Edpuzzle has a free plan that allows teachers to create interactive video lessons. It’s perfect for online ESL teachers looking for low-prep tools.
Can I use Edpuzzle with young ESL students?
Absolutely. Edpuzzle works well for Pre-A1 to C2 levels. For younger learners, choose short videos and add simple open-ended questions.
What types of writing tasks can I include in Edpuzzle?
You can ask students to summarize, complete sentences, answer comprehension questions, or rephrase grammar structures—all within the video.
📚 More Warm-Up & Lesson Tools
Curious about other digital tools I use? Read these next:
- Perfect 5 Minute Warm-Up Activities for ESL Learners
- 25 Simple Hacks to Engage and Motivate Your Students
Have questions or want me to create an Edpuzzle lesson for your next grammar point? Leave a comment or send me a message — I love hearing from you!
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