According to the U.S. Department of Education (2004), more than 40% of approximately three million learners in the federally-funded adult education programs are in the area of English as a second language (ESL). These learners, the majority of whom are immigrants and refugees, represent a huge diversity of cultural backgrounds and nationalities, yet face common learning challenges that traditional young learners may not. In her study, Bernat observed that when adults come to their class, they bring with them tension, anxiety, personal problems such as responsibilities for an extended family, lack of job and personal support system provided by their relatives and friends. An ESL adult teacher expressed that because many of her students work from 4:00 p.m. until midnight or later, they arrive at school tired. Thus, what can be done to help ESL adult learners overcome these challenges and get involved in their classrooms? The authors' teaching practice indicated that one answer to this question is to include humor and create a pleasant learning atmosphere in the classroom to make the learners feel relaxed and safe. This article presents some practice-confirmed techniques that the authors successfully applied into their ESL classroom with 12 adult learners from different countries. Evidence on their effectiveness is reflected in the full retention of learners during the 17-week course and their satisfaction after the course.