Hello, everyone! I’m Mary, and if you’re a language teacher like me, you understand the importance of making English lessons engaging and fun, especially when it comes to speaking activities.
Today, I’ll share five easy-to-prepare speaking activities that will have your students talking non-stop and add excitement to your lessons.
1. Video Narration:
Material: Videos from YouTube (or any free video-sharing website)
Execution:
– Select short, silent videos from platforms like YouTube.
– Watch the silent video with your students, instructing them to take notes on details they observe.
– After the first viewing, discuss the video briefly to ensure comprehension.
– During the second viewing, ask students to narrate the video based on their notes.
– Optionally, record their narrations for post-class analysis.
Why I Love It ❤️:
Encourages creativity and individual expression.
Builds confidence in narrating stories spontaneously.
Enables a multi-sensory learning experience by incorporating visual elements.
Provides an opportunity for self-reflection through recorded narrations.
Examples of videos you may use: The Elevator or Waiting
2 Analyzing Data on a Map:
Material: Maps showing interesting facts about the countries
Execution:
– Explore visually engaging maps on topics like recycling rates, pollution, or well-being.
-Discuss the data collectively, asking students to describe what they observe.
-Encourage them to group countries based on shared characteristics.
-Prompt discussions on environmental and other interesting issues, fostering critical thinking and opinion sharing.
Why I Love It ❤️:
Facilitates discussions on real-world topics, making language learning relevant.
Encourages critical thinking and opinion sharing on global issues.
Enhances vocabulary related to geography, environment, and social issues.
Promotes a deeper understanding of cultural and environmental diversity.
Examples of pages you may use: Far & Wide or Planet Aid
3. Making Up Excuses:
Material: Photos taken from Google
Execution:
– Display photos showing various scenarios or problematic situations, for example, a person running late for work.
-In pairs or individually, students create imaginative excuses the character would make for that situation. In the example, an excuse could be: “Hi boss, I was caught in traffic”.
-Emphasise that this activity is for linguistic practice and should not be taken literally (no lies in real life ladies and gentlemen).
-Encourage discussion about honesty, ethics, and the importance of context in communication.
-Share some emerging vocabulary and language structures during the activity.
Why I Love It ❤️:
Builds fluency and creativity in spoken language.
Prompts discussion about honesty and ethics.
Enhances vocabulary related to everyday scenarios.
4. Comparing Cities:
Material: Photos of different cities
Execution:
-Show images of different cities, focusing on distinctive aspects such as public transport, weather, or local cuisine.
-Facilitate discussions comparing cities, encouraging students to express preferences and opinions.
-Integrate relevant grammar and vocabulary lessons based on the topics emerging during the discussion.
-Highlight cultural nuances, broadening students’ understanding of the world.
Why I Love It ❤️:
Promotes conversational skills and cultural awareness.
Integrates grammar naturally into discussions.
Encourages authentic expression of preferences.
Provides insights into global cultural diversity.
Examples of videos you may use:
5.Social Media Storytelling:
Material: Social media feed
Execution:
-Capitalize on students’ social media presence by asking them to choose a photo from their profiles (if they feel comfortable doing so).
-Instruct them to narrate the story behind the chosen photo, including details like location, people involved, and the emotions captured.
-Encourage questions from classmates to facilitate further interaction.
-Correct language errors constructively and reinforce positive expressions.
-Discuss the impact of storytelling on language learning and self-presentation.
Why I Love It ❤️:
Personalizes language learning through real experiences.
Encourages storytelling as a learning tool.
Promotes peer interaction and discussion.
Final Thoughts
These speaking activities are designed to make your English lessons dynamic, engaging, and filled with lively conversations. Whether it’s narrating videos, analyzing data, creating excuses, comparing cities, or sharing social media stories, these activities will keep your students talking and learning with enthusiasm.
Keep exploring new ways to make your lessons even more enjoyable! If you found these activities helpful, give the video a thumbs up and subscribe for more exciting language-teaching ideas.
See the full video with these activities here: Teacher Little Mary
