How to Start an Online ESL Book Club for Engaging Language Learning in 5 Easy Steps

Reading is a powerful tool for language learning, and an online ESL book club can create an interactive and supportive environment for students to develop their reading, speaking, and comprehension skills. Whether you teach a group of students or offer one-on-one lessons, a book club can be a great way to make reading more enjoyable while fostering critical thinking and discussion skills.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up an online ESL book club, choose the right books, and keep students engaged.

Table of Contents

Why Start an Online ESL Book Club?

An ESL book club provides students with more than just reading practice. Here are some of the benefits:

Improves vocabulary and comprehension – Students encounter new words in context, making it easier to understand and remember them.
Encourages speaking and discussion – Students practice forming opinions and expressing ideas in English.
Builds reading habits – Regular book club meetings encourage consistent reading practice.
Creates a community – Students gain confidence as they engage with peers in a fun, low-pressure setting.
Enhances critical thinking – Discussing themes, characters, and plots helps students think analytically in English.

Growing Your Teaching Business Through an Online ESL Book Club

Online Book Clubs can be a great way to grow or promote your online teaching business.

Lead Magnet – You can use a book club as a lead magnet to attract new students or as a way to introduce your existing private students to small group lessons. For example, I speak French as a second language. One of the French second language teachers that I know offers a free monthly book club. It is open to everyone. Each month they discuss one chapter of the book. When you register for the book club, you get added to her e-newsletter list AND receive a copy of the ebook to read.
Premium Upgrade – You can offer it as a ‘premium upgrade’ for your students as part of your packages.
Regular Class Offering – Some students love to read. Book clubs can be a great way to improve reading, comprehension and speaking skills. They can be an excellent option for more advanced students.

The purpose of your online ESL book club will help determine the frequency of your meetings. How can you use an online ESL book club to help grow your business?

How to Promote Your Online ESL Book Club

Once you have decided how you will use your book club, consider how you will promote it. There are several ways you can promote it. Consider using some or all of these channels:

Social Media – Use your social media channels to help spread the word. Share teasers or ‘book trailers’ similar to movie trailers about the books that you will be reading and the activities you have planned. Encourage your followers to sign up for your book club. Make sure you get their email address so that you can add them to your e-newsletter.
Email newsletters – Send out newsletters to your existing students and parents highlighting the benefits of joining the book club.
Bring a Friend Event – Encourage your students to bring a friend to one of the meetings. You might have this as an ongoing offer or maybe a special event. You can plan fun activities that can involve friends even if they have not read the whole book.
Website – Create a dedicated page on your website to promote your book club. Include a ‘schedule’ for each week. Include all the details about the book club along with a sign-up form.
Word of Mouth Referrals – Consider offering a referral incentive such as a copy of the book (or the next book) for students who refer new students to your book club.

Set Up Your Book Club – The Nuts and Bolts

Now that you have decided upon the purpose of your online ESL book club and begun to promote it what do you do now to ensure its success?

Step 1: Choose the Right Books

Selecting the right books for your book club is key to keeping students engaged. Here are some factors to consider:

Language Level: Choose books that match your students’ reading abilities. Graded readers or books with simplified vocabulary can be great for lower levels, while young adult or classic novels work well for more advanced learners.
Student Interests: Survey students about their favorite genres or topics to keep them motivated.
Length and Complexity: Short stories or books with manageable chapters are ideal, especially for beginners.
Audiobook Availability: Listening while reading can help students improve pronunciation and listening skills.
Cultural Relevance: Books that connect to students’ backgrounds or introduce them to new cultures can spark deeper discussions.

Book Suggestions by Level:

Beginner: The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry), Frog and Toad (Arnold Lobel)
Intermediate: Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White), Because of Winn-Dixie (Kate DiCamillo)
Advanced: The Giver (Lois Lowry), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (J.K. Rowling)

When choosing a book, check the publisher’s website. Some publishers offer book club discussion guides and teacher activities for free.

Step 2: Set Up Your Online ESL Book Club

Once you have a book in mind, it’s time to set up your club. Follow these steps:

Choose a Platform – Use Zoom, Google Meet, or a private Facebook/WhatsApp/WeChat group for discussions and updates. Decide if you will conduct live video meetings or use a forum-based discussion where students can post their thoughts at any time.
Create a Schedule – Decide on a reading schedule that gives students enough time to complete sections of the book. You may want to do weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meetings. Determine the duration of your meetings. Sessions can be 30 minutes to an hour depending on the age and attention span of your learners.
Assign Roles – Give students responsibilities, such as leading discussions or summarizing chapters, to boost participation.
Set Expectations – Establish guidelines for participation, discussion, and book completion.
Use a Reading Journal – Encourage students to take notes, jot down new words, and write reflections on each section.
Encourage Vocabulary Journals – Highlight key vocabulary from each chapter and discuss their meanings and usage.

Step 3: Facilitate Engaging Discussions

To keep discussions lively and meaningful, try these strategies:

Start with Icebreakers: Ask general questions like “What’s your favorite book?” to help students warm up.
Use Discussion Questions: Prepare open-ended questions such as:
- What do you think of the main character’s choices?
- How does the setting influence the story?
- What would you do differently if you were in the same situation?
Ask text-to-self questions to help students understand the story and learn more about themselves. Use questions such as:
- Which character do you think you might be friends with?
- Which character do you think you are most like?
- Would you like to live in the story’s setting? Why?
- What are you learning from the story?
Encourage Predictions: Before starting a new chapter, ask students to guess what will happen next.
Incorporate Multimedia: Show related videos or images to enhance comprehension.
Use Breakout Rooms: In larger groups, small discussions help quieter students participate more easily.

Step 4: Add Fun and Interactive Activities

Enhance the reading experience with creative activities:

Creative Projects: Let students create digital posters or video summaries of the book.
Role-Playing: Have students act out scenes from the book. Rewrite sections of the book as a ‘script’ to facilitate this.
Alternative Endings: Ask students to write or discuss different ways the story could have ended.
Book-Themed Games: Use quizzes, word searches, or Kahoot! to reinforce vocabulary and comprehension. Create reading or vocabulary comprehension games on sites like Kahoot, Quizizz or Nearpod. Quizizz has a teacher community where you can search for books and articles. You never know – the quiz you need might already be created.

Step 5: Keep Students Motivated

Reading in a second language can be challenging, so keeping students engaged is essential:

Set Achievable Goals: Break the book into smaller sections to avoid overwhelming students.
Celebrate Progress: Give certificates or digital badges for participation.
Be Flexible: Allow students to read at their own pace and use audiobooks if needed.
Offer Choice: Let students vote on the next book to increase involvement.

Conclusion

Starting an online ESL book club is a fantastic way to build a sense of community while strengthening students’ reading, listening, and speaking skills. By choosing the right books, creating engaging discussions, and incorporating fun activities, you can turn reading into a rewarding and social experience for your students.

Are you ready to start your own online ESL book club? Let us know what book you would choose in the comments!