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ESL Reading Comprehension Short Stories | Short Stories with Questions ESL

Do you want to improve your reading skills? Or, you’re a teacher looking for some engaging and interesting reading lesson plans? Then you’re certainly in the right place. Check out these ESL reading comprehension short stories about life in Canada that are designed for intermediate learners.

ESL short stories

Short Stories for English Learners

ESL Short Stories for Beginners and Intermediate

One of the best ways to improve your score on the IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC reading section is to practice reading some short stories. Have a look at these ESL short stories that talk about what life is like in Canada. The Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners has great ESL short stories for beginners, comprehension questions, vocabulary builder sections, as well as discussion questions.

Pick up a Copy of these ESL Reading Comprehension Short Stories

Does this sound like exactly what you need to improve your reading comprehension skills? These stories are fun to read and contain lots of questions and exercises to help you remember what you’ve learned. Improve your scores in the reading portions of the IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC exams (also check out: ESL reading test tips).

You can also find out about Canadian culture in an interesting way. Prepare for a move to Canada in a fun way by finding out what life is like there (hint: it’s really rainy in Vancouver and cold in Edmonton!).

Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Bolen, Jackie (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 138 Pages - 11/01/2021 (Publication Date)
Check Price on Amazon

ESL Reading Comprehension Stories for Teachers

Or, maybe you’re a teacher looking for some reading lesson plans at an intermediate level? These ESL short stories for beginners or intermediate students are perfect for that and you can just grab a story, along with the exercises, and go to class with minimal preparation time. They’re ideal for 1-1 lessons, or even larger classes with university students or adults. You’ll also want to check out ESL Reading Games and Activities. 

You can find the book in both digital and print formats. Get your copy today and get ready for some ESL reading comprehension awesome in your life!check-price-on-amazon

esl reading comprehension stories

short stories for esl students

Tips for Improving ESL Reading Comprehension with Short Stories

If you want to improve your reading comprehension skills using short stories (or you’re a teacher that wants to help your students), here are some of the top tips:

  1. Be sure to look at the title and main headings first. This can give you an idea about what the story or article is about.
  2. If there are comprehension questions, be sure to read them first. This helps you because you’ll know what you’re looking for as you read.
  3. Look up words that you don’t know.
  4. Talk with a friend or teacher about what you read.
  5. Try to apply what you just read to your own life to make it more memorable.
  6. Read more! The more you read, the better you’ll get at it.
  7. Have fun by reading something that you enjoy.

FAQs About ESL Reading Comprehension Short Stories

Here are answers to some of the most popular questions that people have about ESL reading comprehension stories.

What is reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to understand the text and figure out the author’s message. English reading comprehension can be challenging for ESL students. However, it is an essential skill as most English proficiency tests will require reading and understanding.

How do ESL students improve reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension can be one of the biggest challenges for English beginners. It requires a lot of time and effort to improve. Many ESL students will try to translate the whole passage into their native language. However, this is the highway to failure. The point is to understand the text rather than translate it.

Therefore, you want to find appropriate passages for the student’s level. The text is more helpful if it has a relatable context for the student. You want to make students scan the text and find unfamiliar vocabulary. Then, ask questions about the piece of writing and also make students come up with relevant questions.

What are the skills in reading comprehension?

A few important skills in English reading comprehension include decoding, fluency, vocabulary, sentence construction & cohesion, and reasoning & background knowledge.

Why do ESL students struggle with reading?

One of the biggest barriers for ESL students when it comes to reading is the lack of knowledge of vocabulary. Another common difficulty is understanding the sentence structure.

More Short Stories for ESL Students

If you’re looking for some other resources for ESL reading comprehension stories, have a look at these top picks. There are perfect for English learners who want to improve their reading skills with short stories. Or, for English teachers who are looking for some fun stories for a reading-focused lesson plan.

List of easy books to read in English 

FluentU

ESL Writing

ESL Yes

Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Bolen, Jackie (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 138 Pages - 11/01/2021 (Publication Date)
Check Price on Amazon

Short Stories ESL: Join the Conversation

Do you have any questions or comments about Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Also, be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other people looking to improve their reading comprehension skills find this useful resource too.

english reading comprehension

Short stories for ESL intermediate students.

Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder, 67 ESL Conversation Topics,and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults. She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at:
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Best-selling author and English teacher Jackie Bolen has been talking ESL activities and games since 2015. The goal is to bring you the best ideas, lesson plans, and activity recommendations for your TEFL classes.

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