With Mother’s Day around the corner, it’s the perfect time to explore the topic of motherhood in your ESL lessons. This theme offers rich opportunities for vocabulary, cultural discussion, and personal storytelling — and it’s a topic many students will connect with, whether they’re parents themselves or reflecting on their own families.

Here are a few ideas to bring the topic to life in class:

1. Vocabulary brainstorming
Start by brainstorming words related to motherhood: mother, mom, parent, caregiver, nurture, support, responsibility, love, patience. Ask students to share words in their own languages and discuss similarities or differences.

2. Small-group discussions
Give students conversation questions like:

What is the role of a mother in your culture?

What is the most important lesson you learned from your mother or a mother figure?

How has the idea of motherhood changed over time?

3. Listening and speaking practice
Play a short audio or video clip (or read a short article) about Mother’s Day traditions around the world. Follow up with comprehension questions or a discussion about which traditions they find most interesting.

4. Creative writing or speaking
Ask students to write a thank-you note or speech to a mother or caregiver — even imaginary! This builds emotional vocabulary and gives them a chance to practice polite language.

5. Role-play or dialogue practice
Create role-plays, like a conversation between a new mother and a doctor, or between a mother and child planning a special day.

If you want ready-to-use slides, vocabulary, and activities on this topic, check out my Motherhood ESL Lesson in the shop — it’s perfect for adult learners and intermediate-level students.