ESL Classroom Materials

Copyright Karyo Senior High School

This is a sample of some of the original worksheets, booklets, and other educational materials I designed while working as an assistant English teacher at Karyo Senior High School in Yamaguchi, Japan. Doing design work in a public school setting meant very little budget and no access to professional design software. Using pen and paper and common software like Microsoft Word, I created educational materials that are fun, friendly, and practical.

Well-designed materials communicate essential information efficiently, leaving more time for learning. For example, my design for custom draft paper for the school was the result of many discussions with the teaching staff and incorporated solutions to a number of known problems. Alternating line heights solve the problem of students forgetting to write double-spaced to allow room for teachers' marks. Two subtle guide marks give students the option to divide their writing space down the center, handy when writing skits with short lines. At the bottom of the page, a correction code unifies the correction syntax used by all teachers and communicates it clearly to students. To the right of the correction code, a dedicated box allows teachers to sign their approval with their signature or their favorite stamp.

For "English Camp," a fun day full of English-immersion activities for incoming students, I designed and illustrated a variety of original materials including a 12-page guide booklet, completion certificates, and stamps. The illustrations featured throughout are hand-drawn and simple, but that's their charm. I believe that when students see the personal touch of their teacher in the materials, they can sense the love and enthusiasm that the teacher is bringing to the activity, and in turn feel more motivated. <3