Your Guide to theOET’s Educational Resources for Families Learning ESL

If your family is learning English as a second language, you want resources that are clear, friendly, and easy to use. theOET helps families like yours with practical tools and advice that make language learning less stressful and more enjoyable. My mission is to provide affordable and accessible resources that help you grow your English skills together.

Whether you’re looking for free support or ready to invest in your family’s learning, theOET has something for every need. You’ll find everything from helpful blog posts and a lively YouTube channel to a supportive Facebook community and a free resource library full of printable activities. If you want more, you can explore affordable printables, engaging children’s books, self-paced courses and workshops, or even join live classes and the Print and Play Club when you’re ready.

Let’s take a closer look at how theOET’s educational resources can make a real difference in your family’s ESL learning journey.

Table of Contents

• What is theOET, and Who Do They Support?
  • What Does theOET Do?
  • Who Does theOET Support?
• Explore Free Resources from theOET
  • theOET Blog: Expert Advice and Insights
  • YouTube Channel: Engaging Video Lessons
  • Facebook Community: Peer Support and Networking
  • Free Resource Library: Downloadable Materials for Home Use
• Premium Content: Paid Resources by theOET
  • Printable Resources: Ready-to-Use Worksheets and Activities
  • Children’s Books: Bilingual and Language-Focused Stories
  • Courses and Workshops: Structured Learning Paths
  • Live Classes: Interactive Learning (Coming Soon)
  • Print and Play Club Membership: Exclusive Access and Benefits
• How to Choose the Best Resources for Your Family
• Build a Unique Routine for Your Family

What is theOET, and Who Do They Support?

When your family is learning English, knowing where to turn for advice or find reliable resources can save you a lot of stress. theOET stands for the Online English Teachers, which is dedicated to supporting families like yours through every stage of their ESL journey. Resources are designed with real families in mind, recognising the ups and downs of learning together at home.

What Does theOET Do?

theOET helps families build confidence in English with tools that work in everyday situations, not just for use in the classroom, but practical resources you can use at home. All materials are made by teachers who understand the daily needs of parents and children learning together.

You’ll find:

• Step-by-step guides that break down language goals into small, easy wins.
• Printable games and activities you can use anytime.
• Ongoing support through community spaces where you can share questions and wins.
• Friendly advice for fitting English practice into your busy family schedule.

By simplifying English learning, theOET makes it less overwhelming and easier to stick with as a whole family.

Who Does theOET Support?

theOET supports families at all stages of learning English:

• Parents who want to guide their children, even if they are not fluent themselves.
• Children from preschool to primary school, making learning playful.
• Multilingual families who are balancing more than one language at home.
• Home educators and anyone teaching ESL to kids in a family setting.

Whether you’re just starting out or growing your skills together, you’ll find help geared to your needs.

theOET also brings together families from around the world. Many have moved to English-speaking countries or hope to. Some just want their children to speak English with confidence. No matter your background, there’s a place for you in theOET’s supportive community.

The supportive community offers you peace of mind with answers, encouragement, and practical tools you can use as a family every single day.

Related Post: Read more about theOET’s mission and vision here.

Explore Free Resources from theOET

theOET offers practical, supportive resources that fit into daily life, making it simpler for families to learn English together. You can access expert tips, connect with other parents, watch structured video lessons, and print out quality materials, all for free, ideal for parents on a shoestring budget. Here’s what you’ll find across theOET’s free resources:

theOET Blog: Expert Advice and Insights

theOET blog is your go-to source for friendly, easy-to-follow tips on learning English at home as a family. Each post is full of advice drawn from real-life experience as an ESL teacher and home-educator. Whether you’re looking for ways to build your children’s vocabulary, ideas for stress-free English games, or guidance on setting learning goals, you’ll find answers here.

The blog features:

• Short, helpful guides for parents who aren’t teachers but want to help their children.
• Activity inspiration that shows ways families can learn English with fun, hands-on ideas.
• Clear action steps that you can try right away.
• Topics for every stage, whether your children are just starting out or getting ready for school.

It’s updated regularly with new ideas to support your family’s progress. You can browse by core topic or use the search tool to find posts that match your needs.

Here are some family favourites you can start reading:

• A Guide to Helping Your Children Learn Phonics Sounds
• How to Use Flashcards for Families Learning ESL
• How to Help Your Children with Poor Vocabulary

YouTube Channel: Engaging Video Lessons

Some children learn better by watching and listening. theOET’s YouTube channel brings language learning to life with engaging videos you can watch as a family. Each video is engaging yet simple and designed for real families learning at home.

What you’ll get:

• Step-by-step lessons that break down tricky topics.
• Fun stories to help expose children to English in a natural way.
• Hands-on activities for practising everyday English.
• Tips for parents on keeping your child motivated.

The videos work well for short daily practice or as a break from printed homework. Plus, your children may look forward to seeing familiar faces guiding them each week.

View family-favourite videos with your children here:

Facebook Community: Peer Support and Networking

Learning a new language can be lonely without support. theOET’s Facebook community lets you connect with other families on the same path. This is a private, friendly group where you can ask questions, celebrate wins, or share challenges. You don’t have to do it alone.

Inside the group, you’ll find:

• Quick answers from teachers and fellow parents.
• Weekly discussion topics to spark ideas for home learning.
• Event announcements for free live sessions or challenges.
• Motivation as you share your progress and cheer on others.

Whether you join to read, ask for advice, or help others, this group can boost your confidence and keep you moving forward.

Take a look at the guides section within the Facebook group to help offer advice and answer initial questions you might have.

Free Resource Library: Downloadable Materials for Home Use

Sometimes, you need ready-to-go materials you can use today. theOET’s free resource library puts dozens of printable games, flashcards, and activity sheets at your fingertips. You can download them anytime, print what you need, and use them with your children at home.

The library includes:

• Matching games and puzzles for vocabulary building.
• Printable story prompts for practising speaking and writing.
• Handy checklists to track your family’s progress.
• Seasonal activities to help learning fit with holidays and events.

Every resource is designed by teachers who know how to keep things simple but effective. You don’t need special supplies or lots of prep time.

With these free resources, theOET helps make English learning a natural, stress-free part of your family’s day.

Take a peek at 3 of my member’s favourite resources from the Free Resource Library:

• 5 Days of Print and Play Pre-A1 Activities
• Storytelling Tools and Props
• Months of the Year Bundle

You can sign up for the Free Resource Library here.

Premium Content: Paid Resources by theOET

theOET knows families want resources that are simple, practical, and ready to go. Sometimes, you need things in one place and organised for you so you can save time and energy. Premium resources are a step up from freebies, offering more support and giving you quality tools that save time and keep kids engaged. Whether you’re looking for ready-to-use worksheets, bilingual storybooks, or structured courses, you’ll find something to match your child’s needs and your family’s routine. Here’s how theOET’s premium content can help your family.

Printable Resources: Ready-to-Use Worksheets and Activities

When you need fast, effective activities, printable resources are a lifesaver. theOET designs worksheets and games that fit real family life. Each pack focuses on building core English language skills without complicated instructions or endless prep.

What makes these printables helpful?

• Clear step-by-step activities that guide you every time.
• Colourful games and sheets created by teachers for real students.
• Themed packs for skills like vocabulary, grammar, or speaking.
• Instant download means you can print and use them as soon as you need.

You don’t have to hunt online or create your own materials. Everything is ready for you to print and play. It’s a quick way to fill your learning time with purpose.

Here are three favourite printables to get you started:

Children’s Books: Bilingual and Language-Focused Stories

Stories offer a more natural way for children to learn ESL. theOET offers engaging children’s books designed with ESL families in mind. Many of these books are bilingual, making it easier for kids to connect with the story and follow along as they learn.

Here’s what you get with theOET books:

• Simple, fun storylines focused on themes kids love.
• Parallel texts in English and your home language, so you never lose the meaning.
• Helpful prompts to talk about the story together.
• Appealing illustrations that help children understand and stay interested.

Reading together can make English feel friendly and boost confidence, even for parents who are still learning.

At theOET, I am still developing our stories to ensure they are high quality, educational, and provide a consistent visual appeal. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an update on theOET’s upcoming story release dates.

Courses and Workshops: Structured Learning Paths

Sometimes you want more structure with a clear path to follow when teaching English at home. theOET’s courses and workshops guide you step by step. These aren’t just for your children; there are also workshops specifically designed to aid parents in supporting their children with English at home.

Key features of theOET courses:

• Bite-sized lessons you can fit into busy schedules.
• Self-paced modules that let you go at your own speed.
• Video, printable, and interactive tasks to keep lessons varied.
• Practical tips so you can build confidence, not just skills.

You’ll know exactly what to focus on next. These courses take away the guesswork and support real progress.

Check out the courses currently on offer here.

Live Classes: Interactive Learning (Coming Soon)

For families who want live, interactive practice, theOET’s upcoming classes are worth watching for. These sessions will bring children and parents together with experienced teachers in real time.

Planned benefits of live classes include:

• Group learning making English social and lively.
• Direct teacher feedback without leaving home.
• Planned topics that cover everyday English.
• A safe online space for families to learn together.

Children often learn best when they can ask questions and get answers right away. Live classes offer this in a relaxed, friendly setting.

If you are interested in live group classes, sign up here to be added to the waiting list. When there’s enough interest, these sessions will become available for live booking. Be the first to join and receive a 20% discount when paying for a monthly subscription.

Print and Play Club Membership: Exclusive Access and Benefits

If you want regular support and a steady stream of fresh resources, then the Print and Play Club is for you. This membership gives you access to mini Story and Play activity packs every week so you’ll never have to spend hours searching for resources and lesson planning again.

When you join, you’ll enjoy:

• New Story and Play Pack every week added directly into your membership
• 7-days worth of planned activities, games, and crafts focused around a children’s book in each pack
• Excusive discounts on all of theOET’s printables for members.
• Bonuses for completing different tasks e.g. posting in the community.

This club is for families who want to keep learning fun and easy, month after month. Having pre-made, planned activities to follow every week. All you need is a printer, simple stationary, and access to the book at home (or watch the Youtube video).

Try the Print and Play Club here.

With these paid resources, theOET supports families who want more options just right for their everyday needs, giving you peace of mind and one less thing to worry about.

How to Choose the Best Resources for Your Family

Every family learns differently. With so much on offer from theOET, picking the right mix of resources for your home can seem a bit much at first. The good news is you don’t need to use them all at once. By thinking about your family’s needs, you can create a learning routine that makes sense, keeps children interested, and fits your daily life. Here’s how to find the best options for you.

Understand Your Family’s Learning Styles

Not every child enjoys the same kind of learning. Some love pictures and hands-on games; others prefer stories or talking through ideas. Take a moment to notice what works for your children.

Ask yourself:

• Does your child remember things better when they see, hear, or do them?
• Are they excited by games, stories, or step-by-step lessons?
• Do you prefer printed sheets, online videos, or learning together as a group?

Matching your resources to your children’s learning styles makes practice something everyone can look forward to.

Decide Where You Need the Most Support

theOET offers help with key language skills from vocabulary and grammar to speaking and writing. Some families need some ideas of how to get started. Others want ways to keep learning going after school or during the holidays.

Take note of your family’s routine. Where do you feel stuck? Would printable games help fill quiet time? Do you want a clear path to follow with a structured course? Are you looking for ways to keep your children busy on a rainy day? 

Being clear about what you need most will help you skip the extras and go straight to what resources will work for you.

Mix Free and Paid Resources for Balance

theOET’s free materials enable you to try things out without pressure. The blog, Facebook community, video lessons, and printable library are open for everyone. If you want more, try a premium resource, such as a printable pack. You can always sign up for the membership later on if you find value in the resources you are using.

Start with:

• The blog and YouTube channel for fast tips and short, educational lessons.
• The Facebook group if you want advice or support from other parents.
• The free resource library for games, flashcards, and activity sheets to print.

When you find something that works for your family, consider:

• Printable resources for ready-to-use packs you can return to again and again.
• Children’s books if your little ones love stories and pictures.
• Courses or workshops if you want a clear learning path or need guidance.
• Print and Play Club membership if you want new ideas each month at your fingertips, without having to pay for each individual activity or search for reputable resources.

Trial and Error

No need to overhaul your family’s routine all at once. A lot of the time, we need to test an idea or resource, see what reaction it gets, and then either use more of the same or try something completely different.

Start by trying a free resource or borrowing an idea from a blog post. See what helps engage your children. If you find it hard to keep their attention, look at something more interactive, e.g. a course or YouTube video. Or perhaps they prefer learning through games. You could try a printable game or one of the live lessons.

When you do find something that works, incorporate more of that, but don’t be afraid to try other things. Utilising different resources can help increase intrigue and participation. You might be surprised at what your children enjoy the most.

Get Involved and Share the Learning

Children react best when parents join in. Whether you print a matching game, read a bilingual book, or sing along to a YouTube song, taking part shows your children that learning English is for everyone and that time with them is important to you. 

If you’re using courses or premium workshops, don’t be afraid to sit with your children and interact with them, ask them questions, or ask how they found the class. You’ll get better results when you feel equally part of the process and show your children that you are invested in their education.

In the end, the best theOET resource is one you’ll use often. By tuning into your needs, mixing options, and trying things out, you help your family build English skills step by step—without stress or guesswork.

Build a Unique Routine for Your Family

This post has shared a lot of both free and paid resources to aid your family’s ESL learning journey. But, equally, sharing too many resources can be overwhelming and lead to you using nothing. 

To help avoid overwhelm, theOET has created a free tool powered by AI, that will help you create an ESL learning routine for your family. Simply enter your children’s ages, English language levels, how much time you have to dedicate to learning ESL, any specific ESL areas to target, interests and how they like learning. 

For example:

• Ages 3 and 5
• Beginner language learner
• 10 minutes per day
• Need to build vocabulary and simple speaking skills
• Interested in Lego, soft toys, and playdough, and they like watching videos and playing games.

Once entered into the tool, it will generate an example learning routine with activity ideas suited to your family’s needs and learning styles. Here’s a sample from the answers provided above:

Focus: Build vocabulary and simple speaking skills
Approach: Story-based, play-focused, multisensory (Lego, soft toys, playdough, videos, games)

Daily Routine (10 minutes)

1. Warm-up (1 min):
   Greet your children in English using simple phrases like “Hello! How are you?” Encourage them to respond with words they know.
2. Themed Vocabulary Play (4 mins):
   • Choose a theme each day (e.g., animals, colours, food, shapes).
   • Use Lego bricks or soft toys to introduce 3–5 new words. For example, build a red Lego car and say “car” and “red.” Ask them to say the word after you.
   • Encourage them to point and name the objects or colours.
3. Story Time with Playdough (3 mins):
   • Tell a short story (1–2 sentences) related to the day’s theme. Example: “The red car is fast.”
   • Let your children create a simple playdough figure related to the story, like a car or an animal. Repeat keywords.
4. Sing & Watch (2 mins):
   • End with a short, fun English video or song related to the vocabulary theme.
   • Encourage your children to sing or say key words from the video aloud.

Weekly Tips

• Rotate themes daily to keep vocabulary fresh and exciting.
• Praise all attempts to speak English to build confidence.
• Use simple, clear language to match beginner levels.

Want to give it a try? You can find the ESL Study Routine Maker tool here.

theOET brings families together with simple, friendly resources that make learning English feel possible at home. The free materials provide practical help right away, creating accessibility for all budgets. 

When your family wants more, the paid options add structure, variety, and ongoing support, from colourful worksheets to storybooks, courses, live classes, and monthly membership perks.

You don’t have to do it all at once or on your own. Explore what feels right for your family, mix free and paid resources to fit your routine, and connect with a community that understands the journey. Make the most of the resources to help your children learn English as part of their everyday routine..

Take a look at their resources, try something new, and join other families who are making steady progress together. Which resource will you choose to help your family’s English skills grow? 

Related Posts

• Getting Started with Learning ESL At Home
• How to Support Your Children’s English Language Skills at Home
• Done-For-You Educational Resources That Teach My Children English