ESL Literacy Readers

Forty theme-based readers for adult ESL literacy learners

Welcome to the ESL LIteracy Readers. Our collection of forty theme-based readers, along with an instructors guide, will support ESL literacy instructors to create comprehensive, theme-based lessons for adult ESL literacy learners.

The themes were carefully chosen and are both of high interest to learners, and more importantly, relevant to their lives. Every effort was made to ensure the stories would authentically represent learners themselves as well as events and issues that a typical learner may experience.

This project was funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

    • The ESL Literacy Readers are wonderful! How great it is to have such carefully crafted and beautifully produced resources for literacy learners.
      ELL instructor
    • We have used the ESL Literacy Readers in class many times, and the learners really like them. They enjoy the photographs.The instructor guide has been a real help to lesson planning.
      ELL instructor
      Instructor

    Instructor Information

    Levels A - G

    The ESL Literacy Readers are organized into seven levels, suitable for learners at different stages of literacy development. The text, structure, and vocabulary increase in difficulty. At the lower levels, the learner is supported with large photographs and simple sentences. Higher level stories are written in paragraphs with more complex language and ideas.

    View PDF

    Levels A - G

    The ESL Literacy Readers are organized into seven levels, suitable for learners at different stages of literacy development. The text, structure, and vocabulary increase in difficulty. At the lower levels, the learner is supported with large photographs and simple sentences. Higher level stories are written in paragraphs with more complex language and ideas.

    View PDF

    Instructor Guide

    The ESL Literacy Readers Guide supports the use of the Readers in the classroom. Included in this guide are pre-reading and extension ideas to enable you to create comprehensive, theme-based lessons for adult ESL literacy learners. The guide also contains a list of best practices for creating ESL literacy stories.

    View PDF

    Instructor Guide

    The ESL Literacy Readers Guide supports the use of the Readers in the classroom. Included in this guide are pre-reading and extension ideas to enable you to create comprehensive, theme-based lessons for adult ESL literacy learners. The guide also contains a list of best practices for creating ESL literacy stories.

    View PDF

    Learner Audio Books

    Visit the ESL Literacy Readers Learner Page to access the Readers with your learners. The simple and uncluttered webpage is designed especially for learners. The Readers are available in a digital book format and all contain audio files.

    View Learner Page

    Learner Audio Books

    Visit the ESL Literacy Readers Learner Page to access the Readers with your learners. The simple and uncluttered webpage is designed especially for learners. The Readers are available in a digital book format and all contain audio files.

    View Learner Page

    Level A

    There are two versions of each of the Readers. The Audio Book allows you to preview the contents of the book. The Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. Information on the complexity of the text, structure, and vocabulary for this level of Readers is listed below.

     

    Text

    • book with photographs
    • one sentence per page
    • large, print-like font

    Structure

    • same or repetitive sentence stems
    • three to four words per sentence
    • simple sentences in the present simple

    Vocabulary

    • highly familiar
    • concrete vocabulary
    • no adjectives and times phrases
     

    Lien Buys Food

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Inge Cuts Hair

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Mo Stays Warm

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Deng Starts School

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Food From Home

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Level B

    There are two versions of each of the Readers. The Audio Book allows you to preview the contents of the book. The Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. Information on the complexity of the text, structure, and vocabulary for this level of Readers is listed below.

     

    Text

    • book with photographs
    • one sentence per page
    • large, print-like font

    Structure

    • varied sentence stems
    • five to six words per sentence
    • simple sentences in the present simple

    Vocabulary

    • highly familiar and concrete vocabulary
    • few adjectives and time phrases
     

    Mursal on the Bus

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Visiting Friends

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    A Part-Time Job

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Amir Gets Sick

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Andres Needs Gas

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Perminder's Cleaning Day

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Level C

    There are two versions of each of the Readers. The Audio Book allows you to preview the contents of the book. The Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. Information on the complexity of the text, structure, and vocabulary for this level of Readers is listed below.

     

    Text

    • book with photographs and one sentence per page
    • large, print-like font

    Structure

    • varied sentence stems
    • five to six words per sentence
    • simple sentences in present simple and continuous

    Vocabulary

    • familiar and conrete vocabulary
    • some adjectives and time phrases
     

    Mark Goes to the Dentist

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    A Proud Canadian

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: legal sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    A Cold Winter Day

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Lien Goes Shopping

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Sado Goes to School

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    A Problem at Work

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Level D

    There are two versions of each of the Readers. The Audio Book allows you to preview the contents of the book. The Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. Information on the complexity of the text, structure, and vocabulary for this level of Readers is listed below.

     

    Text

    • book with photographs and one to two sentences per page
    • large, print-like font

    Structure

    • some compound sentences with because, and, or but, in the present simple and continuous

    Vocabulary

    • mostly concrete vocabulary with some thematic words
    • adjectives and time phrases
     

    Jiadeep's Big Fall

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Andres' Speeding Ticket

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Maria Gets Sick

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Spending Too Much Money

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Pooja Finds a Job

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Mursal's Trip to School

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, landscape, double sided, flip on the short side

    Level E

    There are two versions of each of the Readers. The Audio Book allows you to preview the contents of the book. The Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. Information on the complexity of the text, structure, and vocabulary for this level of Readers is listed below.

     

    Text

    • one page story with one photograph and two paragraphs
    • medium, print-like font

    Structure

    • compound sentences in present and future simple and continuous

    Vocabulary

    • mostly concrete vocabulary with some thematic and abstract words
     

    Perminder Looks for a Home

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Ali Chooses a Leader

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Natasha's Trip to Canada

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    A Relaxing Weekend

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    A Terrible Toothache

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Level F

    There are two versions of each of the Readers. The Audio Book allows you to preview the contents of the book. The Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. Information on the complexity of the text, structure, and vocabulary for this level of Readers is listed below.

     

    Text

    • one page story with one photograph and three paragraphs
    • authentic font

    Structure

    • compound sentences and dialogues in simple, continuous, and perfect tenses

    Vocabulary

    • some concrete vocabulary and some themactic and abstract words
     

    Duang's Big Scare

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Marie's Path to a New Job

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    A Woman's Rights at Work

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Prepared for Winter

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Level G

    There are two versions of each of the Readers. The Audio Book allows you to preview the contents of the book. The Print PDF has the book laid out for printing as a booklet. The print settings are listed beside each book. Information on the complexity of the text, structure, and vocabulary for this level of Readers is listed below.

     

    Text

    • two page story with one photograph and four to five paragraphs
    • authentic font

    Structure

    • complex compound sentences and dialogue in simple, continuous, and perfect tenses

    Vocabulary

    • many thematic and abstract words
     

    Pooja's New Beginning

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    An Expensive Lesson

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Bola Gets Sick

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Mursal Plans Ahead

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    A Home of Their Own

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    A Trip to the Dentist

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Fun on the Weekend

    Audio Book

    Print PDF

    Print settings: letter sized paper, portrait, double sided

    Back to Top