Do your students like talking online? Adding fun speaking activities to lessons can make learning more exciting and help students get better at talking and understanding.

Nowadays, incorporating interactive and enjoyable speaking activities into language lessons can help student’s practice their engagement and learning outcomes. 

We have a variety of fun speaking activities designed specifically for online platforms. These activities are not only designed to make learning enjoyable but also to promote language development and communication skills among students.

By actively participating in these activities, students can widen their vocabulary, improve their sentence structure, and develop confidence in expressing themselves effectively in various contexts.

1. Feel the Sound of Nature

Execution: Begin by accessing websites like asoftmurmur.com to play natural sounds such as rain, thunder, waves, wind, or crackling fire, creating an immersive auditory experience that transports students into different natural settings and stimulates their imagination.

Example: Students listen to the sound of rain and waves and imagine being indoors on a cozy day, wrapped in a blanket with a good book, or imagine themselves on a beach vacation, feeling the warm sand between their toes and hearing seagulls in the distance.

❤️Why I Love It: This activity not only develops students’ creativity but also facilitates vocabulary expansion related to nature, encouraging students to describe and discuss various natural phenomena in an engaging manner.

Their understanding of environmental sounds encourages them to share their imaginative scenarios with others, promoting collaborative learning and communication skills.

2. Sell Me a House

Execution: Use real estate websites like Zoopla and RightMove to look at online property listings. These platforms provide a wide range of properties with detailed descriptions, images, and features, allowing students to immerse themselves in the virtual world of real estate and practice their persuasive language skills effectively.

Example: Students describe houses to persuade others to buy them by talking about their features, preferences, and choices. For instance, they might highlight spacious living areas, modern kitchen amenities, and scenic views to capture potential buyers’ interest and showcase their persuasive language abilities in a realistic context.

❤️ Why I Love It: This activity develops the students’ persuasive speaking skills, their housing-related vocabulary, and develops their critical thinking skills relevant to practical scenarios in the real estate settings.

It prepares students for real-life situations, encourages strategic decision-making, and cultivates a deeper understanding of property features and buyer preferences. This practical approach not only sharpens language abilities but also equips students with problem-solving skills essential in the modern world.

3. Guess the Photo

Execution: Show partial images or blurred photos to students, sourced from websites like the British Council, to engage their visual perception and descriptive abilities. This activity challenges them to observe details closely and articulate their observations clearly, fostering critical thinking and enhancing their overall communication skills in diverse scenarios.

Example: Students describe what they see in the pictures, such as animals, landscapes, or everyday objects, developing their descriptive skills, ability to think of thoughts clearly, and use of diverse vocabulary in different contexts.

This activity encourages them to express their observations creatively, enhancing their communication skills significantly.

❤️ Why I Love It: This activity not only improves students’ descriptive abilities and attention to detail but also expands their vocabulary by introducing new words related to objects and scenes, giving them a fun language experience.

4. What Should I Read Next

Execution: Encourage students to actively participate by sharing their favorite books or recent reads during group discussions or online forums.

Example: Students engage in lively discussions about their favorite books, characters, and themes, and then check on new reading options tailored to their interests on online platforms such as What Should I Read Next.

This activity not only develops a love for reading but also encourages analytical thinking and deeper engagement with literary content.

❤️ Why I Love It: This activity not only encourages students to share their thoughts on stories, characters, and themes but also expands their literary knowledge and develops meaningful conversations among peers, making learning more engaging and enjoyable.

It promotes critical thinking as students analyze and discuss various aspects of literature, fostering a deeper appreciation for storytelling and enhancing their communication skills.

5. Finding a Perfect Gift

Execution: Have students search for gifts online on platforms like Groupon, where they can have a wide range of options for different occasions and recipients. This activity encourages students to consider various factors such as preferences, cultural differences, and appropriateness.

Helping them to develop their decision-making skills and understanding of thoughtful gift-giving practices.

Example: Students pick suitable gifts for different occasions or people, such as birthdays or holidays, considering preferences like favorite colors or hobbies, specific events such as graduations or weddings, and cultural differences in gift-giving customs.

This activity not only sharpens their decision-making skills but also develops empathy and cultural awareness, promoting respectful interactions among students.

❤️Why I Love It: This activity not only boosts students’ creativity but also their communication skills as they choose suitable gifts for various occasions or people. Moreover, it encourages students to consider preferences, events, and cultural differences, developing a deeper understanding of cultural differences in gift-giving scenarios.

Get them talking!

By doing these interactive sessions into virtual classrooms, teachers can create an engaging environment where students feel motivated to participate actively.

These activities not only make learning enjoyable but also help students to have a deeper understanding of language differences and improve students’ ability to express themselves confidently.

Through regular practice in such engaging tasks, students can develop strong communication skills that are essential for effective language learning.

Overall, these activities develop a sense of community and collaboration among students as they engage in discussions and share experiences related to language and cultural contexts.

The nature of these sessions encourages peer interaction, leading to the exchange of ideas, perspectives, and insights among students. This collaborative learning environment not only develops language skills but also promotes cultural awareness and empathy. Students learn to appreciate diverse viewpoints and communicate effectively across linguistic and cultural boundaries, preparing them to navigate a globalized world with confidence and respect.

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