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13 ESL Classroom Tips You Must Know Before You Teach

Are you a new teacher gearing up for your first ESL classroom ?

I’ve been in your shoes before – I taught abroad in the UAE for six years and have been teaching English language learners (ELLs).

Teaching English in the classroom to students who have a limited English language understanding can feel like a daunting task.

But at its core, teaching ELLs isn’t really all that different from teaching fluent speakers.

How can that be possible?

The same basic principles should apply to any good classroom: a lesson should be organized, engaging, and catering to students’ different learning needs.

Sure certain unique challenges come with teaching English online or in a foreign language classroom.

Teaching students from an array of cultures, learning styles, educational backgrounds, along with a language barrier, take some getting used to.

So you can come to your first classroom prepared, here are 12 little-known ESL classroom tips and teaching strategies for English language learners:

• Connect with your students.
• Create a safe learning environment.
• Establish routines.
• Speak slowly and enunciate words.
• Use non-verbal communication.
• Make things visual.
• Check for understanding.
• Be adaptable.
• Create engaging lessons.
• Introduce new vocabulary before use in lessons.
• Practice differentiated teaching strategies.
• Learn about your students’ cultural backgrounds.
• Incorporate technology.  

1. Connect with your students.

Picture this: you’re a student sitting in a class with a stranger at the front of the classroom who speaks a foreign language you can hardly understand.

It can be intimidating when the teacher launches right into their lesson without an ice breaker.

It’s important to remember that students (especially kids) don’t learn from people they aren’t comfortable with.

Introduce yourself. Ask questions or do an icebreaker. Get to know your students before you get started.

Learn and address your students by name, greet each student and make a genuine effort to get to know them.

Building a rapport will go a long way in creating strong relationships with your students and will help them learn better.

2. Create a comfortable learning environment.

Students need to feel safe and secure to express themselves fully.

By creating a positive learning environment, not just physically but emotionally, students will be more willing to try new things.

And, more importantly, practice their English language skills.

Correct errors with compassion. ELL students are bound to make mistakes – that’s how they learn!

Try positive reinforcement strategies. Reward good work and effort. Positive reinforcement is a  great way to make students feel safe but build a rapport.

It’s also essential to give students time to finish their work and answer questions, so be patient!

Keep in mind that ELL students will most likely need to translate questions, formulate an answer and then translate it back to English.

That whole process can take a bit of time, so it’s important to give students a chance to think it through rather than demanding a quick answer.

Using teaching strategies like Think-Pair-Share will give students time to process information, answer confidently and increase participation.

Considering getting TEFL certified ? Look into TEFL certifications that offer additional specializations in teaching English to young learners for more help.

3. Establish routines.

ESL students thrive with routine and structure.

Writing a daily agenda, having circle time or a sit-down activity for students when they enter the classroom will help students become familiar with their lesson plans.

Just make sure to post clear objectives.

ELL students need to understand the purpose or end goal of the activity or lesson to comprehend the lesson’s content.

Using examples is a great way to bridge the gap between communicating objectives and student comprehension.

4. Speak slowly and enunciate words. 

Slow down! You’re going to want to reduce your talking speed so that everyone in the class has a chance to hear every word you say.

A lot of language learners will agree that fluent speakers speak too fast. It can be hard to understand the whole message when you didn’t catch all of it.

Try to be mindful of the speed of your voice. And try to speak as clearly as possible by enunciating your voice.

Speak louder than you usually would.

It’s really important that your students can learn how to pronounce vocabulary and hear all the nuances of a word.

5. Use non-verbal communication.

Time to flex your acting chops! Get creative and use your body language to express an action during a lesson.

One of my favorite tricks to help students learn important grammatical rules like prepositions is to use my body as a prop when using the word.

For example, you can demonstrate each preposition by acting it out. When I say “in” I act out the action of putting something in my mouth and repeat patterns. Repetition helps people remember!

Tip: the more outlandish the action, the easier it is for them to recall it later.

You may also play a game of charades with your students!

6. Make things visual.

Make learning English interesting and fun, so it’s stickier.

One way to do that is by engaging learners with visuals or props. Bring your lesson plan to life by drawing on the board or sharing pictures, videos and art.

Label everything! The label maker is your new best friend.

Using labels on everyday classroom resources (like chairs, doors, desks, computers, pencils, etc.) will help students absorb new English vocabulary.

Also, word walls are a great way to create print-rich environments.

I highly recommend building a visual wall where words are accompanied by a picture to help students match meanings with words.

7. Check for understanding.

Think your students are gonna stop you in the middle of a sentence and ask for clarification when they don’t understand? Think again!

Most language learners get shy about admitting to the whole class they didn’t understand something.

You’d be surprised how many students pretend they understood when they have no idea what you’re talking about.

That’s why you should remember to pause after you say something or give instructions to check for understanding.

Ask a few more questions or explain the context a little more before you move on to make sure they took it in.

8. Be adaptable.

Teaching in an ELL classroom can be unpredictable. That’s why you’ll want to learn multiple ESL teaching methods.

I remember working so hard preparing a lesson plan only to be met with a class full of blank stares.

I thought maybe the activity’s point wasn’t clear, so I adjusted my explanation, but I still got glares of confusion no matter what.

It’s essential to bear in mind that lesson activities can (and will) fall flat on many occasions.

That’s why I learned to be flexible with my lessons and prepare multiple ways to teach a specific concept in advance. Preparation is key!

Side note: The phrase, “do you understand?” should never, in my opinion, be uttered in an ESL/ELL classroom. Students are frequently eager to please their teacher and will almost always answer this question in the affirmative.

Need help coming up with a lesson plan? Check out some of our favorite free ESL lesson plans .

9.  Create engaging lessons.

Small practices that we, as fluent English speakers, can take for granted can make learning English a whole lot easier and more enjoyable.

Make your lessons engaging and interactive for your students.

Do everything out loud ( think alouds !) and make sure to demonstrate concepts in multiple ways to increase student understanding and reach various learning styles.

Using visuals, close activities and graphic organizers can all aid ELL students in their learning.

I would often teach the same concept multiple times using different strategies such as singing, videos, actions, stories, etc.

By the time I had returned home from teaching abroad, I was no longer just a teacher – I was an actress, singer and author, too (ok, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself!)

10. Introduce new vocabulary before use in lessons.

As part of my regular classroom routine, I created a list of words that were related to the weekly themes.

At the beginning of each week, we’d go through each word, discussing the meaning and practicing its use in sentences.

Each word was posted for the week at the front of the classroom, along with a visual conveying meaning.

My students were able to have a quick point of reference and memorize words easier.

Learning vocabulary first, freed them up to focus on the overall learning objectives of the lesson.

After the week was up, I’d post each new word on the word wall built up throughout the entire school year.

11. Practice differentiated teaching strategies.

Teaching languages taught me the importance of differentiation .

This means tailoring your lessons to meet your students’ individual needs for those who don’t know.

It’s not just for students with special needs or individualized educational plans, but it’s also for mainstream students that find themselves below, at and above grade level.

Differentiation goes so much further than having high, medium and low leveled worksheets and activities.

I was able to differentiate my lessons by:

• Product: allowing students to choose how to display their learning.
• Process: creating activities that appealed to multiple learning styles.
• Content: leveling outcomes and activities based on ability.

Providing students with a choice in learning increased student engagement in my classroom.

I used a lot of center-based, hands-on learning activities. I also found grouping students in mixed ability and ability groupings helped them work more independently.

For more ideas, check out websites that provide lesson plans and resources for teachers, including:

• Education.com
• Share My Lesson
• Learning Games For Kids
• ESL Games and Activities for Online English Teachers

All of these great resources are designed to help enhance the student learning experience in your classroom.

12. Learn about your students’ cultural background.

ELL students need to retain recently acquired English vocabulary by relating it to their own real-life experiences to store it in their long-term memory.

Make sure to do some research before going to your international teaching destination and familiarize yourself with your students’ culture, customs, and everyday lives.

Use that knowledge in your classroom to help students retain vocabulary and abstract concepts.

If you’re looking for practical ways to help create a more culturally responsive classroom, check out Teach Away’s professional development course for teachers, Culturally Responsive Teaching: Connecting with students and parents of different cultures .

13. Incorporate technology.

We live in a digital world. Kids nowadays are growing up in a world dominated by technology tools and apps.

Incorporating digital tools and technologies into your curriculum and lesson plans is a great way to reach and engage digitally-savvy students in more creative ways.

So, how can you grow your digital skills as well as those of your students?

Get started by trying out some free classroom apps like ClassDojo and Quizlet .

We also launched an online course for teachers to help bring digital literacy and learning into the classroom, Digital Learning for the K-8 Classroom , in partnership with Teachers College, Columbia University.

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35+ ESL Speaking Activities: Engage with Fun for Better Fluency

Updated on June 28, 2024

A H M Ohidujjaman

Affiliate Disclosure : ESL Info participates in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Associate Program. This means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through links on our site, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting us! Access our full disclosure .

Have you ever found yourself, as an English teacher, scratching your head, trying to come up with new and engaging ESL speaking activities to get your students talking?

You’re not alone. Speaking can be a tough skill to master for ESL learners, but if you can choose the right activities , you can turn this challenge into a fun and interactive learning experience for them.

In this article, you’ll discover 36 popular and effective ESL speaking activities that really work. These activities are designed to get your students talking , whether they’re young learners or adults.

They cover a range of scenarios, from casual chit-chat to formal presentations and everything in between. You can customize these activities based on your teaching methods to engage your specific learners.

So, if you’re on the hunt for fresh ideas to liven up your speaking class and help your students gain confidence in their spoken English, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in and explore these activities together. Your next great class activity could be just a scroll away!

Table of Contents

What is an esl activity.

An ESL activity is a fun and helpful task for people who are learning English as a second language (ESL). These activities help learners practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English.

They can include games, conversations, exercises, and role-playing to make learning English enjoyable and easier to understand. For example, playing a word game, having a group discussion, or doing a listening exercise are all types of ESL activities.

What is An ESL Speaking Activity?

An ESL speaking activity is a task that helps people who are learning English as a second language practice talking in English. These activities are designed to make speaking English easier and more natural.

Examples of ESL speaking activities include having a conversation with a partner, role-playing different situations (like ordering food in a restaurant), and playing games that involve speaking, like asking and answering questions. The goal is to help learners become more comfortable and confident when they speak English.

Benefits of Using ESL Speaking Activities

As an ESL teacher, you want to help your learners speak English more confidently and fluently. You also want to make learning fun and engaging so they learn faster. So, you need to look at the benefits of using ESL speaking activities in your class to help your learners achieve their goals.

Using ESL speaking activities has many benefits for people learning English. Here are some of the main benefits:

• Practice Speaking : They give you a chance to practice speaking English, which helps you improve your pronunciation and fluency.
• Build Confidence : Speaking activities help you feel more confident when talking in English because you get used to using the language in real situations.
• Improve Listening : These activities also help you improve your listening skills because you listen to others and understand what they are saying.
• Learn New Words : You can learn new words and phrases by talking about different topics and situations.
• Fun and Engaging : Speaking activities are often fun and interesting, making it easier and more enjoyable to learn English.
• Real-life Practice : They give you practice in real-life situations, like having a conversation, asking for directions, or ordering food.

Overall, ESL speaking activities help you become better at using English in your daily life.

Let’s explore the best ESL speaking activities to make learning fun and engaging.

Show and Tell: Engaging Young Minds

Show and Tell is a classic activity that’s always a hit with young learners . It provides a platform for students to talk about something they’re passionate about, helping them practice their spoken English in a fun, personal way.

Materials Needed: The only materials required for this activity are the items that students choose to bring from home. These could be anything from a favorite toy to a cherished book or a family photo. The key is that the item should hold some significance to the student, giving them plenty to talk about.

Conducting the Activity:

• Let students know about the upcoming Show and Tell session well in advance so they have time to select their item and prepare what they want to say.
• On the day of the activity, each student takes turns presenting their item to the class.
• Students should describe their item, explaining what it is and why it’s important to them. They can also share any interesting stories or facts related to the item.
• To help students structure their presentations, you can provide sentence starters such as “This is my…”, “It’s special because…”, or “I feel… when I…”.
• After each presentation, encourage the rest of the class to ask questions. This promotes active listening and interaction.

Benefits of the Activity: Show and Tell offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice their descriptive language skills.
• Builds confidence in public speaking.
• Fosters a sense of community as students learn more about each other.
• Develops active listening skills as students engage with their peers’ presentations.
• Encourages curiosity and deeper understanding as students learn to ask relevant questions.

Incorporating Show and Tell into your ESL classroom can provide a fun, low-pressure way for students to practice their speaking skills while sharing a bit of their world with their classmates.

Role Play: The Power of Pretend in ESL

Role Play is a dynamic and versatile activity that can be tailored to suit any age group or proficiency level. It involves students acting out different scenarios, which can range from everyday situations like ordering food at a restaurant , to more complex interactions such as job interviews or debates.

Materials Needed: Materials for this activity can vary depending on the scenario you choose. You might need props to set the scene or role cards with character descriptions and objectives. For more complex role plays you might also provide conversation scripts for ordering food.

• Choose a scenario that is relevant to your students’ learning objectives and level of proficiency.
• Explain the scenario to the students and assign roles. If necessary, provide props, role cards, or scripts.
• Give students time to prepare for their roles. They might need to practice certain phrases, plan their dialogue, or think about their character’s motivations.
• Have the students act out the scenario in front of the class. Encourage them to stay in character and use English to the best of their ability.
• After the role-play, facilitate a class discussion. Ask students about the outcome of the scenario, the language used, and how they could apply what they’ve learned in real-life situations.

Benefits of the Activity: Role Play is a powerful tool in the ESL classroom. It:

• Provides a practical context for language use, helping students understand how to use English in real-life situations.
• Encourages creativity and improvisation, which can make speaking practice more engaging and fun.
• Helps students develop their problem-solving skills as they navigate through the scenario.
• Builds confidence as students get comfortable with speaking English in front of others.
• Allows for the practice of specific language functions, such as making requests, giving advice, or expressing disagreement, in a controlled environment.

By incorporating Role Play into your lessons, you can provide your students with a safe and supportive space to practice their English speaking skills, while also preparing them for real-world interactions.

Storytelling: Creating Narratives for Language Development

Storytelling is a universal form of communication that can captivate learners of all ages. In the ESL classroom, storytelling activities can help students practice narrative tenses, descriptive language, and sequencing, all while sparking their creativity.

Materials Needed: Materials can vary based on how you choose to conduct the activity. You might need story prompts, picture cards for visual aid, or even digital tools if you’re incorporating multimedia elements.

• Depending on your students’ proficiency level, you can provide a story prompt or let them come up with their own ideas.
• Give students time to plan their stories. They should think about the characters, setting, and plot. For lower-level students, you can provide a story structure to guide them.
• Students then tell their stories to the class. Encourage them to use descriptive language and narrative tenses where appropriate.
• After each story, facilitate a brief discussion. Ask the class about the story’s sequence of events, the characters, and the overall narrative. This can reinforce comprehension and narrative skills.

Benefits of the Activity: Storytelling offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Encourages creativity and imagination, making the learning process more engaging.
• Helps students practice narrative tenses and descriptive language in a meaningful context.
• Enhances students’ ability to sequence ideas logically.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their unique stories.
• Fosters listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s stories.

Incorporating storytelling into your ESL lessons can provide a creative outlet for students while offering ample opportunities for language practice. Whether they’re telling tales of far-off adventures or recounting personal experiences, students will be developing their English skills every step of the way.

Picture Descriptions: Painting with Words

Picture Descriptions is an activity that can be adapted for learners of all ages and proficiency levels. It involves students describing a picture in detail, which can help them practice their descriptive language skills and expand their vocabulary.

Materials Needed: For this activity, you’ll need a variety of pictures. These could be photographs, illustrations, or even comic strips. The pictures should be rich in detail to give students plenty to talk about.

• Distribute a picture to each student or pair of students. You can also project a picture on the board for the whole class to describe.
• Give students time to look at their picture and think about how they will describe it.
• Students then take turns describing their picture to the class. Encourage them to be as detailed as possible, describing not only the main elements but also the colors, shapes, and any actions or emotions they perceive.
• After each description, you can facilitate a brief discussion. Ask the class about the details they remember, or have them guess what’s happening in the picture based on the description.

Benefits of the Activity: Picture Descriptions offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice their descriptive language skills in a focused context.
• Expands students’ vocabulary as they learn to describe various elements and scenes.
• Enhances students’ observational skills as they learn to notice and describe details.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their descriptions with the class.
• Fosters listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s descriptions.

By incorporating Picture Descriptions into your ESL lessons, you can provide a visual context for language practice, making the learning process more engaging and memorable for your students.

Interviews: Peer-to-Peer Learning

Interviews are a great way to get students to talk and listen to each other. This activity can be adapted to any topic, making it versatile for different lessons and proficiency levels. It’s an excellent way for students to practice question formation, active listening, and conversational skills.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a list of interview questions for this activity. These can be prepared in advance by the teacher, or you can have students come up with their own questions. The questions should be open-ended to encourage more than just yes/no answers.

• Pair up the students and give each pair a list of interview questions. If students are creating their own questions, give them time to prepare.
• One student in each pair takes on the role of the interviewer, while the other is the interviewee.
• The interviewer asks the questions, and the interviewee responds. Encourage students to expand on their answers and provide as much detail as possible.
• After a set amount of time, have the students switch roles.
• Once all interviews are complete, facilitate a class discussion. Students can share interesting things they learned about their partner or discuss any challenges they faced during the activity.

Benefits of the Activity: Conducting interviews in the ESL classroom offers several benefits. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice question formation and response.
• Enhances active listening skills as students engage in one-on-one conversations.
• Encourages students to express their thoughts and opinions in English.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students interact directly with their peers.

Incorporating interviews into your ESL lessons can provide a real-world context for language practice, helping students improve their conversational skills and build stronger connections with their peers.

Debates: The Art of Argument for Adult ESL Learners

Debates are a powerful tool for advanced language learning, particularly suited to adult learners. They provide a platform for students to practice persuasive language, critical thinking, and active listening, all within the context of a structured argument.

Materials Needed: For a debate, you’ll need a list of debatable topics that are appropriate and engaging for your students. You may also want to prepare some resources or reading materials for students to research their arguments.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign a debate topic to each. Make sure each group is clear on which side of the argument they are on.
• Give students time to research their topic and prepare their arguments. They should consider both their points and potential counterarguments.
• When it’s time for the debate, each group presents their arguments, alternating between the ‘for’ and ‘against’ sides. Encourage students to rebut and respond to each other’s points.
• After the debate, facilitate a class discussion. Ask students to reflect on the arguments presented and the language used.

Benefits of the Activity: Debates offer numerous benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice persuasive language and argumentation.
• Enhance critical thinking skills as students have to construct and deconstruct arguments.
• Develop active listening skills as students need to respond to each other’s points.
• Build confidence in speaking as students present and defend their arguments.
• Encourage students to explore different perspectives on a topic, promoting empathy and understanding.

Incorporating debates into your ESL lessons can provide a dynamic and engaging way for students to practice their English speaking skills. Not only will they be learning to express their ideas more effectively, but they’ll also be developing valuable skills in critical thinking and active listening.

Information Gap Activities: Bridging the Gap

Information Gap activities are a staple in the communicative approach to language teaching. These activities involve students having different pieces of information that they need to share with each other to complete a task. It’s a great way for students to practice asking and answering questions, giving and following directions, and explaining ideas.

Materials Needed: The materials for this activity depend on the specific task. You might need task sheets with different information, maps with missing details, or incomplete diagrams. The key is that each student or pair of students has a piece of the puzzle, and they need to communicate effectively to put it all together.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give each a different set of information.
• The task is for students to fill in the gaps in their information by communicating with their peers. They should ask questions, give answers, and clarify information as needed.
• Once students believe they have completed the task, check their work. If there are any mistakes or missing information, they should go back and continue the activity.
• After the activity, facilitate a class discussion. Reflect on the communication strategies used and the language practiced during the activity.

Benefits of the Activity: Information Gap activities offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice specific language functions, such as asking and answering questions.
• Encourage cooperative learning as students work together to complete the task.
• Enhance problem-solving and critical thinking skills as students figure out how to obtain the information they need.
• Build confidence in speaking as students interact directly with their peers.
• Foster active listening skills as students need to understand their peers’ information.

Incorporating Information Gap activities into your ESL lessons can provide a fun and interactive way for students to practice their English speaking skills. They’ll be learning to communicate more effectively while also developing valuable skills in problem-solving and cooperation.

Presentations: Public Speaking in ESL

Presentations are an excellent way for students to practice their public speaking skills in English. They can present on a topic of their choice or one assigned by the teacher, providing an opportunity to practice organizing and expressing their thoughts in a structured format.

Materials Needed: Students will need time to prepare their presentations. They may also need access to resources for research, and materials or technology for visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides or posters.

• Assign a topic or let students choose their own. The topic should be appropriate for their proficiency level and relevant to their interests or course content.
• Give students time to prepare their presentations. They should think about how to structure their talk, what information to include, and how to make their points clear and engaging.
• Students then deliver their presentations to the class. Encourage them to speak clearly, maintain eye contact with the audience, and use their visual aids effectively.
• After each presentation, allow time for questions and feedback from the class.

Benefits of the Activity: Presentations offer numerous benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Help students practice organizing and expressing their thoughts in English.
• Build confidence in public speaking.
• Enhance research and planning skills.
• Provide an opportunity for students to delve deeper into a topic of interest.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s presentations.

Guessing Games: Fun with Descriptions for Young Learners

Guessing Games are a fun and interactive way for young learners to practice their descriptive language skills. In this activity, students describe a person, place, or thing without naming it, and the rest of the class tries to guess what it is.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of cards or pictures with different people, places, or things for the students to describe.

• Give a card or picture to a student, making sure the rest of the class can’t see it.
• The student describes the person, place, or thing on the card without saying its name.
• The rest of the class tries to guess what the student is describing.
• The game continues with different students taking turns to describe and guess.

Benefits of the Activity: Guessing Games offer several benefits for young ESL learners. They:

• Provide a fun and interactive way for students to practice their descriptive language skills.
• Encourage creativity as students think of different ways to describe the same thing.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to the descriptions and try to guess the answers.
• Build confidence in speaking as students take turns describing and guessing.

News Report: Current Affairs in ESL

Creating a News Report is a dynamic activity that can help students practice formal language and reporting skills. It involves students researching a current event and presenting it as a news report, either individually or in groups. This enables learners to engage in conversations about the news in their daily lives.

Materials Needed: Students will need access to news resources for research. They may also need materials to create their news report, such as paper and pens for a written report, or a camera and microphone for a video report.

• Assign a current event or let students choose their own. The event should be appropriate for their proficiency level and relevant to their interests.
• Give students time to research the event and prepare their news report. They should think about the key facts of the event, the different perspectives involved, and how to present the information clearly and objectively.
• Students then present their news reports to the class. Encourage them to speak clearly, use formal language, and present the information in a balanced way.
• After each report, facilitate a class discussion about the event and the language used in the report.

Benefits of the Activity: Creating a News Report offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice formal language and reporting skills.
• Enhance research and critical thinking skills as students delve into a current event.
• Foster media literacy as students learn to analyze and present news information.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s reports.

Problem-Solving : Collaborative Learning in ESL

Problem-Solving activities are a great way to get students working together and communicating in English. These activities involve presenting students with a problem or challenge that they need to solve collaboratively.

Materials Needed: The materials for this activity will depend on the problem you set. You might need puzzle pieces, task cards with the problem scenario, or physical materials for a building challenge.

• Divide the class into small groups and present each group with the same problem or challenge. This could be a riddle to solve, a mystery to unravel, or a structure to build.
• Students work together to solve the problem, discussing their ideas and strategies in English.
• Once the groups have completed the task, have them present their solutions to the class. Encourage them to explain their thought process and the steps they took to solve the problem.
• Facilitate a class discussion about the different solutions and the language used during the activity.

Benefits of the Activity: Problem-Solving activities offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Encourage collaborative learning as students work together to solve a problem.
• Provide a practical context for students to practice their English speaking skills.
• Enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Build confidence in speaking as students interact with their peers and present their solutions.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s solutions.

The Mystery Bag: Sensory Language Practice

The Mystery Bag is a fun and interactive activity for practicing sensory language and descriptive skills. It involves students feeling an object in a bag and describing it to the rest of the class, who then try to guess what it is.

Materials Needed: For this activity, you’ll need a bag and a variety of objects with different shapes, sizes, and textures.

• Place an object in the bag without showing it to the class.
• Have a student feel the object in the bag without looking. The student then describes the object to the class, focusing on its size, shape, texture, weight, and any other sensory details.
• The rest of the class listens to the description and tries to guess what the object is.
• The game continues with different students and objects.

Benefits of the Activity: The Mystery Bag offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their descriptive language skills.
• Encourages creativity as students think of different ways to describe the same object.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the descriptions and try to guess the answers.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students take turns describing and guessing.

Playing 20 Questions: Inquisitive Minds at Play

Playing 20 Questions is a classic game that’s perfect for practicing question formation and critical thinking skills. In this game, one student thinks of a person, place, or thing, and the rest of the class asks up to 20 yes/no questions to figure out what it is.

Materials Needed: No specific materials are needed for this activity, although you might choose to use picture cards or word cards to provide ideas for the students.

• One student thinks of a person, place, or thing, or chooses one from a card if you’re using them.
• The rest of the class takes turns asking yes/no questions to figure out what the student is thinking of. They can ask up to 20 questions.
• The game continues until the class guesses correctly or they run out of questions.

Benefits of the Activity: Playing 20 Questions offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice question formation.
• Enhances critical thinking skills as students have to think strategically about their questions.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the answers and adjust their guesses accordingly.

Speeches: Formal Language Practice

Giving speeches is a valuable activity for more advanced ESL students. It provides an opportunity to practice formal language, public speaking, and the organization of ideas. Speech topics can range from personal experiences to persuasive arguments on current issues.

Materials Needed: Students will need time and resources to prepare their speeches. Depending on the topic, they may need to conduct research. They may also need notecards for their speaking notes or technology for any visual aids they want to use.

• Give students time to prepare their speeches. They should think about how to structure their speech, what points they want to make, and how to support their ideas.
• Students then deliver their speeches to the class. Encourage them to speak clearly, maintain eye contact with the audience, and use their visual aids effectively.
• After each speech, allow time for questions and feedback from the class.

Benefits of the Activity: Giving speeches offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice formal language and public speaking.
• Enhances research and planning skills.
• Builds confidence in speaking in front of others.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s speeches.

Dialogue Journals: Interactive Learning

Dialogue Journals are written conversations between the teacher and student. While not a speaking activity per se, they can help students develop their conversational skills, grammar, and vocabulary in a low-pressure environment.

Materials Needed: Each student will need a journal for this activity. This could be a physical notebook or a digital document, depending on your preference.

• Each student starts by writing an entry in their journal. They can write about their day, ask questions, or respond to a prompt that you give them.
• You then read each student’s entry and write a response. Your response should model correct language use and may include comments, answers to questions, or further questions to keep the conversation going.
• The activity continues back and forth like this over time, creating an ongoing written dialogue.

Benefits of the Activity: Dialogue Journals offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a low-pressure environment for students to practice their English.
• Allow for individualized instruction as you can tailor your responses to each student’s needs.
• Enhance writing and reading skills alongside conversational skills.
• Foster a sense of connection between you and the student.

Charades: Non-Verbal Communication for Young Learners

Charades is a fun and interactive game that can help young learners practice their English vocabulary and sentence structure. In this game, students act out a word or phrase without speaking, and the rest of the class tries to guess what it is.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of cards with words or phrases for the students to act out. These could be verbs (like “jump” or “eat”), animals (like “cat” or “elephant”), or even simple sentences (like “I brush my teeth”).

• One student chooses a card and acts out the word or phrase without speaking or making any sound.
• The rest of the class watches and tries to guess the word or phrase. They should guess by making full sentences (like “Are you jumping?” or “Is it a cat?”).
• The game continues with different students taking turns to act and guess.

Benefits of the Activity: Charades offers several benefits for young ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their English vocabulary and sentence structure.
• Encourages creativity and physical movement, which can help keep young learners engaged.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the guesses and adjust their acting accordingly.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students take turns guessing in full sentences.

Listening and Drawing: Visualizing Language

Listening and Drawing is an engaging activity that helps students practice their listening comprehension and following instructions in English. In this activity, students listen to a description or a set of instructions and draw what they hear.

Materials Needed: Students will need paper and drawing materials for this activity. You’ll need a script or a set of instructions to read out.

• Students start with a blank piece of paper. You read out a description or a set of instructions for something to draw.
• Students listen carefully and draw what they hear. They should not ask questions or confirm their understanding during the activity.
• Once the drawing is complete, students can compare their drawings and discuss any differences. You can also reveal the original image or intended result for comparison.

Benefits of the Activity: Listening and Drawing offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their listening comprehension.
• Helps students practice following instructions in English.
• Encourages creativity and visual thinking.
• Fosters active listening skills as students need to pay close attention to the details.
• Builds confidence as students see the results of their listening skills.

Story Retelling: Reinforcing Narrative Skills

Story Retelling is a powerful activity to reinforce narrative skills, comprehension, and memory. In this activity, students listen to a story and then retell it in their own words.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a story for this activity. This could be a short story, a chapter from a book, or a story that you tell orally. The story should be appropriate for the students’ proficiency level.

• Read the story to the class or have them read it individually.
• Once they’ve heard or read the story, students take turns retelling it in their own words. They should try to include the main events and characters, but they can also add their own interpretations or details.
• After each retelling, facilitate a class discussion about the story and the different ways it was retold.

Benefits of the Activity: Story Retelling offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice narrative skills and comprehension.
• Enhances memory and recall as students have to remember and retell the story.
• Encourages creativity as students add their own interpretations or details.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s retellings.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their retellings with the class.

Find Someone Who: Interactive Icebreaker

Find Someone Who is a popular icebreaker activity that gets students up and moving. It involves students finding classmates who match certain criteria, providing a fun and interactive way for students to practice their question-asking and answering skills.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a worksheet with a list of criteria for this activity. The criteria could be things like “Find someone who has a pet” or “Find someone who has been to another country”.

• Give each student a worksheet and explain the activity. Students will walk around the room and ask their classmates questions to find someone who matches each criterion.
• Students interact with each other, asking questions and responding in English. They should try to find a different person for each criterion.
• Once students have found someone who matches each criterion, they can sit down. You can then facilitate a class discussion about what they learned about their classmates.

Benefits of the Activity: Find Someone Who offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their question-asking and answering skills.
• Helps students get to know each other, fostering a sense of community in the class.
• Encourages movement and active learning.
• Fosters active listening skills as students need to listen to and understand their classmates’ responses.

Discussion Circles: Group Conversations in ESL

Discussion Circles are a great way to get students talking about a topic in depth. In this activity, students sit in a circle and discuss a topic, question, or text, providing a structured yet flexible way to practice conversational English.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a discussion topic or question for this activity. This could be a controversial statement, a thought-provoking question, or a text that students have read.

• Arrange the students in a circle and present the discussion topic or question.
• Students take turns speaking, giving their opinions, responding to each other, and asking follow-up questions. Encourage them to use appropriate discussion language and to listen actively when they’re not speaking.
• As the teacher, you can participate in the discussion, but try to let the students do most of the talking. You can also guide the discussion by asking probing questions or bringing up new points.
• After the discussion, facilitate a class reflection. Reflect on the content of the discussion as well as the language used.

Benefits of the Activity: Discussion Circles offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a structured yet flexible context for students to practice conversational English.
• Enhance critical thinking skills as students discuss a topic in depth.
• Foster active listening skills as students respond to each other’s points.
• Build confidence in speaking as students express their opinions and ideas.
• Encourage respect for different perspectives as students hear a variety of viewpoints.

Book Club: Literature in ESL

A Book Club can be a wonderful way for students to engage with English literature and practice their speaking skills. Students read a book (or a chapter of a book) and then discuss it in class, providing an opportunity to explore themes, characters, plot, and language in depth.

Materials Needed: You’ll need copies of the book for each student. Choose a book that is appropriate for your students’ proficiency level and interests.

• Assign a book or a chapter for students to read before the class.
• In class, facilitate a discussion about the book. Ask open-ended questions about the plot, characters, themes, and language. Encourage students to share their opinions and respond to each other’s comments.
• After the discussion, you can focus on specific language points from the book, such as vocabulary, grammar structures, or literary devices.

Benefits of the Activity: A Book Club offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a context for students to explore English literature and culture.
• Enhances reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to each other’s comments.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students express their opinions and ideas.
• Encourages a love of reading in English.

Dictation: Listening and Repeating

Dictation is a classic language learning activity that can help students practice their listening comprehension, spelling, and grammar. In this activity, you read a sentence or a short paragraph aloud, and students write down exactly what they hear.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a script for this activity. This could be a sentence, a paragraph, or a short text, depending on your students’ proficiency level.

• Choose a script that is appropriate for your students’ proficiency level and relevant to your lesson content.
• Read the script aloud at a normal pace. Students listen and write down what they hear.
• Repeat the script a few times, allowing students to fill in any gaps or correct any mistakes.
• Once the dictation is complete, reveal the written script. Students can then check their work and discuss any difficulties or challenges they faced.

Benefits of the Activity: Dictation offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice their listening comprehension in a focused way.
• Enhances spelling and grammar skills as students have to write down exactly what they hear.
• Provides a quiet, focused activity that can balance out more interactive or noisy activities.

Travel Agency Activity: Planning and Persuasion

The Travel Agency activity is a fun and interactive way for students to practice their persuasive language skills. In this activity, students work in pairs or small groups to plan a trip and then try to persuade the rest of the class to join their tour.

Materials Needed: You’ll need resources for students to research their trip, such as travel brochures, internet access, or travel books. You might also want to provide poster paper and markers for students to create their travel advertisements.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign each a destination. The destination could be a city, a country, or a type of trip (like a beach vacation or a cultural tour).
• Students research their destination and plan a trip, including the itinerary, accommodations, and attractions.
• Students then create a travel advertisement for their trip and present it to the class, trying to persuade their classmates to join their tour.
• After all the presentations, the class votes on which trip they would most like to join.

Benefits of the Activity: The Travel Agency activity offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice persuasive language.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students present their trip to the class.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and evaluate each other’s presentations.
• Encourages creativity and teamwork as students work together to plan their trip and create their advertisement.

Job Interview Role-Plays: Preparing for the Real World

Job Interview Role-Plays are a valuable activity for more advanced ESL students. They provide an opportunity to practice formal language, answer common interview questions, and discuss career-related topics.

Materials Needed: You’ll need role-play cards for this activity. These should include a job description and a list of common interview questions.

• Divide the class into pairs and give each a role-play card. One student will be the interviewer and the other will be the job applicant.
• Students prepare for their roles, with the applicant thinking about how to answer the interview questions and the interviewer thinking about what they’re looking for in a candidate.
• Students then act out their role-play. After each role-play, facilitate a class discussion about the interview, the language used, and how to prepare for a job interview in English.

Benefits of the Activity: Job Interview Role-Plays offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice formal language and job interview skills.
• Enhance students’ understanding of job interviews and career-related topics.
• Build confidence in speaking as students act out different roles.
• Foster active listening skills as students respond to each other in the role-play.
• Prepare students for real-world situations, such as job interviews in English.

Story Cubes: Narrative Skills for Young Learners

Story Cubes are a fun and creative way for young learners to practice their narrative skills. In this activity, students roll dice with pictures on each face and then create a story based on the pictures that come up.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of story cubes for this activity. These are dice with different pictures on each face. If you don’t have story cubes, you can make your own with regular dice and a list of pictures corresponding to each number.

• One student rolls the story cubes and looks at the pictures that come up.
• The student then creates a story that includes all of the pictures. They can make the story as imaginative and creative as they like.
• The game continues with different students rolling the cubes and telling their stories.

Benefits of the Activity: Story Cubes offer several benefits for young ESL learners. They:

• Provide a fun and creative way for students to practice their narrative skills.
• Enhance creativity and imagination as students create their own stories.
• Build confidence in speaking as students tell their stories to the class.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and respond to each other’s stories.

Discussion Circles: The Power of Group Discussion

Podcast creation: modern learning for adult learners.

Creating a podcast is a modern and engaging way for adult learners to practice their English skills. In this activity, students work in pairs or small groups to create a podcast episode on a topic of their choice.

Materials Needed: Students will need a recording device for this activity. This could be a smartphone, a computer with a microphone, or a dedicated audio recorder. They’ll also need a topic for their podcast episode.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign each a topic for their podcast episode. The topic should be something they’re interested in and can research.
• Students research their topic and plan their podcast episode. They should think about what points they want to make, who will say what, and how to engage their listeners.
• Students then record their podcast episode. They can do this in one take or edit together multiple takes for a more polished result.
• Once the podcasts are complete, have a listening party where you play each podcast and discuss them as a class.

Benefits of the Activity: Creating a podcast offers several benefits for adult ESL learners. It:

• Provides a modern and engaging context for students to practice their English skills.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students record their podcast episodes.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s podcasts.
• Encourages digital literacy skills as students record and edit their podcasts.

Picture Story Activity: Sequential Storytelling

The Picture Story activity is a fun and creative way for students to practice their narrative skills and sequential language. In this activity, students arrange pictures to create a story and then tell the story to the class.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of pictures for this activity. The pictures should be able to be arranged in different ways to create different stories. I’ve written a complete guide on creating story sequencing pictures with ChatGPT and given away all the necessary prompts you use with little effort.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give each a set of pictures.
• Students arrange the pictures to create a story. They should think about the sequence of events, the characters, and the plot.
• Students then tell their story to the class, using the pictures as a guide.
• After each story, facilitate a class discussion about the story and the language used.

Benefits of the Activity: The Picture Story activity offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and creative way for students to practice their narrative skills and sequential language.
• Enhances creativity and imagination as students create their own stories.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students tell their stories to the class.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and respond to each other’s stories.

Surveys: Data Collection and Discussion

Conducting surveys is a practical way for students to practice their question-asking and data-interpretation skills. In this activity, students create a survey, collect data from their classmates, and then discuss the results.

Materials Needed: Students will need paper and pens for this activity. They might also need resources to research their survey topic.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign each a survey topic. The topic should be something they can collect data on from their classmates.
• Students create a survey with a variety of question types, such as yes/no questions, multiple-choice questions, and open-ended questions.
• Students then conduct their survey, asking their classmates the questions and recording their answers.
• Once the surveys are complete, students analyze the data and present their findings to the class.

Benefits of the Activity: Conducting surveys offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice their question-asking and data-interpretation skills.
• Enhances research and analytical skills.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students conduct their surveys and present their findings.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to the survey questions and listen to the presentations.

Movie Reviews: Critical Thinking in Action

Writing and discussing movie reviews is a fun way for students to practice their critical thinking and persuasive language skills. In this activity, students watch a movie, write a review, and then discuss their reviews in class.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a movie for this activity. Choose a movie that is appropriate for your students’ proficiency level and interests. Students will also need paper and pens to write their reviews.

• Assign a movie for students to watch before the class. This could be for homework or you could watch the movie together in class if time allows.
• After watching the movie, students write a review. They should include a summary of the movie, their opinion of it, and reasons to support their opinion.
• In class, students share their reviews and discuss the movie. Facilitate a discussion about the different opinions and the language used in the reviews.
• You can use conversation questions to facilitate the discussions.

Benefits of the Activity: Writing and discussing movie reviews offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun context for students to practice their critical thinking and persuasive language skills.
• Enhances writing skills as students write their reviews.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their reviews and discuss the movie.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and respond to each other’s reviews.

I Spy: Observation and Description

I Spy is a classic game that can be adapted for the ESL classroom to practice observation and descriptive language. In this activity, one student describes something they can see, and the other students guess what it is.

Materials Needed: This activity doesn’t require any specific materials. You can play it in the classroom using the objects and people that are present.

• One student chooses something in the room and says “I spy with my little eye something that…” and then gives a description. The description could be about the color, size, shape, or function of the object.
• The other students take turns guessing what the object is. The student who guesses correctly gets to describe the next object.

Benefits of the Activity: I Spy offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their observation and descriptive language skills.
• Enhances vocabulary as students describe and guess different objects.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students describe objects and guess what others are describing.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the descriptions and guesses.

Mock Trial Activity: Legal Language in Practice

A Mock Trial is a dynamic activity for more advanced ESL students to practice legal language and persuasive speaking. In this activity, students take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, and jurors in a simulated trial.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a case for the trial. This could be a real case, a fictional case, or a simplified version of a complex case. You’ll also need role cards with character descriptions and information about the case.

• Divide the class into roles and give each student a role card. The roles could include lawyers, witnesses, jurors, and a judge.
• Students prepare for the trial, with the lawyers preparing their arguments and questions, the witnesses preparing their testimonies, and the jurors preparing to listen and make a decision.
• Conduct the trial, with the lawyers presenting their cases, the witnesses giving their testimonies, and the jurors listening and making a decision.
• After the trial, facilitate a class discussion about the trial, the language used, and the legal concepts involved.

Benefits of the Activity: A Mock Trial offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice legal language and persuasive speaking.
• Enhances students’ understanding of legal concepts and courtroom procedures.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students take on different roles.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to each other in the trial.
• Encourages critical thinking as students prepare their roles and make decisions during the trial.

Describing a Process: Sequential Language Practice

Describing a Process is a useful activity for students to practice sequential language and technical vocabulary. In this activity, students describe a process, such as cooking a recipe, assembling a piece of furniture, or conducting a science experiment.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a process for students to describe. This could be a recipe, assembly instructions, a science experiment procedure, or any other process that involves a sequence of steps.

• Assign a process for students to describe. This could be for homework or you could describe the process together in class.
• Students describe the process, using sequential language and the appropriate technical vocabulary. They should try to make their description as clear and detailed as possible.
• After the descriptions are complete, facilitate a class discussion about the process, the language used, and any difficulties or challenges in describing the process.

Benefits of the Activity: Describing a Process offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice sequential language and technical vocabulary.
• Enhances students’ understanding of process and procedure.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students describe a process in detail.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss the process descriptions.

Board Games: Learning through Play in ESL

Board Games are a fun and interactive way for students to practice English in a relaxed setting. In this activity, students play a board game, using English to discuss the game, make decisions, and interact with each other.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a board game for this activity. Choose a game that involves some level of language use, such as Scrabble, Pictionary, or a trivia game.

• Divide the class into small groups and give each a board game.
• Students play the game, using English to discuss the game, make decisions, and interact with each other.
• After the game, facilitate a class discussion about the game, the language used, and any new vocabulary or phrases that were learned.

Benefits of the Activity: Playing Board Games offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and relaxed context for students to practice English.
• Enhances a variety of language skills, depending on the game.
• Encourages cooperative learning as students play together.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students interact in a low-pressure setting.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to each other during the game.

Cultural Exchange: Broadening Horizons in ESL

Activity Description: The Cultural Exchange activity is a fantastic way for students to learn about different cultures and practice their speaking skills. In this activity, students research a specific culture and present their findings to the class. This could be their own culture, the culture of an English-speaking country, or any other culture that interests them.

Materials Needed: Students will need resources to research their chosen culture. This could be books, internet access, or even interviews with people from that culture.

• Assign each student (or pair/group of students) a culture to research. This could be assigned by you, or students could choose their own.
• Students research their chosen culture, focusing on aspects such as traditions, customs, food, language, history, and more.
• Students prepare a presentation about their chosen culture. This could be a spoken presentation, a poster, a slideshow, or even a demonstration of a cultural activity.
• Students present their findings to the class. Encourage the class to ask questions and engage in a discussion about each culture.

Benefits of the Activity: The Cultural Exchange activity offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a meaningful context for students to practice their research and speaking skills.
• Enhances students’ global awareness and understanding of different cultures.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students present their findings to the class.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s presentations.
• Encourages respect for diversity and an appreciation for different cultures.

Question to Question: Transforming Statements into Questions

Question to Question is an engaging and thought-provoking activity designed to enhance ESL learners’ questioning and speaking skills. By transforming their own statements into questions, students gain a deeper understanding of sentence structure and improve their ability to communicate in English.

Materials Needed: The only materials required for this activity are the list of questions provided by the teacher and a notebook or paper for students to write their answers and subsequent questions. The questions can be related to various topics like daily routines , hobbies , favorite things, or personal experiences.

• Let students know about the upcoming Question to Question session well in advance, and explain its purpose. Provide the list of questions in advance to allow students to think about and prepare their answers.
• On the day of the activity, each student individually answers the list of questions. Encourage them to write detailed responses, as this will make the next step easier and more meaningful.
• After answering the questions, students will set aside the original list and create questions from their own statements. For example, if a student’s answer to “What is your favorite hobby?” is “My favorite hobby is painting,” they will transform it into the question, “What is my favorite hobby?”
• In pairs or small groups, students take turns presenting their original statements and the questions they derived. They should explain their thought process and how they converted each answer into a question. This promotes deeper understanding and reinforces learning.
• To encourage interaction, have students ask follow-up questions to their peers based on the new questions generated. This fosters a dynamic and engaging discussion.

Benefits of the Activity: Question to Question offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Enhances question formation skills.
• Improves understanding of sentence structure.
• Boosts confidence in speaking.
• Fosters critical thinking.
• Encourages peer interaction.

Incorporating Question to Question into your ESL classroom offers a unique and effective way for students to practice speaking and question formation skills while engaging with their peers in a meaningful and enjoyable manner.

Choosing the right ESL speaking activities for your ESL class can make a big difference in your students’ engagement and progress. Consider your students’ proficiency level, interests, and learning goals when choosing activities.

Remember that variety is key – a mix of quiet and noisy activities, individual and group work, and different types of language practice will keep your classes interesting and effective. Happy teaching!

FAQs on ESL Speaking Activities

1. What are ESL speaking activities?

ESL speaking activities are tasks that help students practice speaking English in a structured and enjoyable way. These activities can include conversations, role-playing, games, discussions, and presentations. They are designed to improve students’ fluency, pronunciation, and confidence in using English.

2. Why are ESL speaking activities important?

ESL speaking activities are important because they provide students with opportunities to practice speaking English in a safe and supportive environment. This practice helps students improve their fluency, pronunciation, and ability to communicate effectively in English. It also boosts their confidence, making them more willing to use English in real-life situations.

3. How often should I use ESL speaking activities in my lessons?

It’s beneficial to incorporate ESL speaking activities into every lesson. Even dedicating a few minutes to speaking practice in each class can significantly help students improve their speaking skills. Regular practice ensures that students are continuously developing their ability to communicate in English.

4. Can ESL speaking activities be used with beginners?

Yes, ESL speaking activities can be adapted for all proficiency levels, including beginners. For beginners, use simple vocabulary and short, easy-to-understand sentences. Activities like basic conversations, simple role-playing, and using visual aids can help beginners practice speaking in a manageable and encouraging way.

5. How can I make ESL speaking activities fun?

To make ESL speaking activities fun, use games, role-playing, and topics that interest your students. Incorporating elements of competition, such as team-based games or challenges, can also make activities more engaging. Using real-life scenarios that students can relate to, like ordering food in a restaurant or asking for directions, adds relevance and enjoyment to the practice.

6. What if my students are too shy to speak?

If students are too shy to speak, start with low-pressure activities, such as pair work or small group discussions, where they can speak without the whole class listening. Encourage participation by creating a supportive atmosphere, praising their efforts, and gradually increasing the complexity of the activities as their confidence grows.

7. How can I correct mistakes during speaking activities?

When correcting mistakes, focus on being gentle and positive. Instead of interrupting students, note common errors and address them after the activity. Provide specific feedback and model correct usage. Praise their attempts to speak and gently guide them towards improvement without making them feel embarrassed or discouraged.

8. Can ESL speaking activities help with listening skills?

Yes, ESL speaking activities also improve listening skills. When students engage in conversations or role-playing, they must listen carefully to their partners to respond appropriately. This dual focus on speaking and listening helps reinforce their overall communication skills in English.

9. How do I choose topics for ESL speaking activities?

Choose topics that are interesting and relevant to your students’ lives. Ask them about their interests, hobbies, and daily experiences. Topics related to current events, popular culture, and everyday scenarios can make the activities more engaging and meaningful for students.

10. Can technology be used for ESL speaking activities?

Yes, technology can enhance ESL speaking activities. Use language learning apps, online games, and video chat platforms to create interactive and dynamic speaking opportunities. Recording tools can also help students practice and review their speaking, while online forums and discussion boards can provide additional platforms for practice.

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73 ESL Writing Activities

From a student’s point of view, writing assignments are something to dread.

But from an ESL teacher’s point of view, they should be a challenge worth accepting.

The challenge for you is to motivate your students enough to actually be excited about writing.

Sounds impossible? It’s actually quite simple.

The key is a strong pre-writing activity that boosts their confidence and adds to their vocabulary at the same time.

So, how do you get your students’ writing off to a great start?

In this post, we’ll look at some different ESL writing activities that will transform your students from hesitant writers to confident wordsmiths in their own right.

Writing Assignments Based on Stories

Writing activities prompted by music, writing practice exercises based on images or pictures, writing assignments based on food, writing activities based on mysteries, exercises to practice writing emails, activities to practice writing advertisements, assignments to practice writing reports, creative writing activity: class newsletter/newspaper.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

People of all ages love a well-told story, and using stories to teach ESL is a sure winner.

A story for a pre-writing activity could be in the form of:

• A  movie . It could be a biography, sci-fi film, thriller, action-packed adventure, fairy tale or even a cartoon.
• A  story read aloud from a book. If you’re using this, read in a way that brings the characters’ voices to life (including the narrator’s), hold the book up to show any pictures within or scan them and project onto a screen as you read. You can also search YouTube videos of famous authors or celebrities reading a book aloud, and show these in class.
• A  story from the news . It could be from the TV, radio, newspaper or an online news site .
• A story read by your students. In this case, you could let them read a story silently or with a partner, and take as long as they like to think about the important parts.

No matter what you choose, it’ll be a great lead-in to the ESL writing exercises below.

1. Re-tell the story as is, or summarize it. (This works best for beginners, who are still getting their feet wet in the waters of English comprehension.)

2. After watching “Finding Nemo” : Tell the story from the point of view of the whale, the dentist’s daughter or Bruce the shark.

3. Explain to Marlin how he should take care of Nemo better.

4. Make up a story about a farm animal/zoo animal/jungle animal. What if a baby ___ was lost? What if a child was lost in the city? What if you found a lost child?

5. After the story of “Goldilocks” : Tell the story from the baby bear’s point of view.

6. What if the baby bear and Goldilocks became best buds? What would happen?

7. After discussing “The Gingerbread Man” : Tell the story from the fox’s or gingerbread man’s point of view.

8. What did the old woman do wrong that made the gingerbread man run away?

9. How do you make a gingerbread man? What other shapes could be made instead?

10. After “Little Red Riding Hood” : Write the story in the first person—from the point of view of either Red Riding Hood or the wolf.

11. What should Red Riding Hood have done when she met the wolf?

12. After watching a “Lord of the Rings” movie: What would you do if you had the One Ring? Write about a magical quest you and several friends would have if you could.

13. After watching a “Pirates of the Caribbean”  movie: What if you were a pirate? What adventures would you have if you were a pirate?

14. After watching “Titanic” : Write about what you discover when you dive onto the wreck. Or imagine you were on the ship when it sank, and talk about how you escaped.

15. Whose fault was it that so many people drowned on the Titanic? What should they have done?

16. After watching a “Star Wars”  movie: Imagine you’re a space explorer and write about what happens when you meet some characters from “Star Wars.”

17. After watching a “Terminator”  movie: Imagine your teacher is a robot that has come back from the future. Or imagine you have come back from the future—what would it be like?

18. After watching a “Harry Potter” movie: Make up some magic spells and explain how you’d use them.

Everybody loves music! Watch your students’ faces light up as soon as they realize that they’re about to be treated to some songs rather than chalk-and-talk. Music stirs the emotions, after all, and can get your students excited about writing.

Here are some ideas for music you can incorporate into ESL writing activities:

• Classical music. There are some pieces of well-known classical music that specifically tell a story , and many of these are available on YouTube.
• “Fantasia 2000,” particularly “Rhapsody in Blue.” This wonderful, wordless animated story can kick off so much great writing!
• Movie music. The music that goes with a movie tells watchers how they should be feeling, and could be a good jumping-off point for some writing.
• Popular songs and music. Self-explanatory. Check out the most popular or trending artists on YouTube or Spotify for ideas.
• Kids’ songs . There’s something about singing a catchy little tune that makes the words stick in your mind more than just saying them. These can lead to some interesting writing, too.

19. After Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” : Tell the story from Peter’s point of view.

20. After Saint-Saëns’ “The Carnival of the Animals” : Imagine walking through the scenes with the animals and interacting with them. Write a story from the point of view of one of the animals.

21. Describe the animals in “The Carnival of the Animals.”

22. After Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” : Re-tell this classic Shakespeare story, adding a twist.

23. After watching and listening to “Rhapsody in Blue” : Tell all/part of the story.

24. If you were the main character in “Rhapsody in Blue,” what would you do?

25. Listen to a piece of classical/instrumental music and tell the story that it might be a background to. Imagine that it’s the background music for a movie.

26. Tell the story (real or made up) behind some popular songs like Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams.”

27. Describe meeting someone special like in the aforementioned Taylor Swift song.

28. What happens in your wildest dreams?

29. What if you were a famous pop star or musician? What would it be like? What would you do?

30. Give instructions on how to find your favorite song on the Internet, both music and lyrics.

31. If you play an instrument, or have a relative who plays one, write about some of the basics of how to play. (This could also work as a speaking and listening activity, and then the whole class could write about it.)

32. What is your favorite genre of music, and why? (Be sure to explain what “genre” means !)

33. Do you think young children should be allowed to freely watch music videos?

Some pictures you can use for ESL writing activities include:

• Pictures from social media. If you use social media at all, you doubtless have a barrage of amazing photos and videos on your feed, all of which make for excellent writing prompts.
• Pictures from Google Images . A quick Google search on any (classroom-safe) image will turn up plenty.
• Cartoons . If you have young students, they’ll definitely enjoy this one.
• Pictures selected by your students. Not sure what to choose? Have your students pick their own pictures to write about. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how vibrant their writing can be when they’re writing about subjects they actually care about.

Regardless of the picture you (or your students) choose, here are some writing prompts you can consider.

34. Tell a story—real or imagined—of what is happening in the picture.

35. Write about what happens next from the pictured moment.

36. Write about what was happening just before the pictured incident.

37. What if that was you in the picture?

38. What if you were the person who took the picture?

39. What if you knew the people in the picture? What would you say to them?

40. Describe all of the elements in the picture. This is great for vocabulary practice.

41. Describe how someone in the picture might be feeling.

42. Explain how to get into  a pictured predicament (for example, in the picture here , how did he get into the boat without the crocodile eating him?) as well as how to get out of it.

43. Express an opinion about the rights and wrongs of the pictured situation. For example, for the same picture above: Should crocodiles be hunted and killed? What should happen if a crocodile kills someone?

Many of your students likely enjoy thinking and talking about food. So why wouldn’t they be motivated to write about it?

How you integrate food into your ESL writing assignments depends on your classroom arrangements and the amount of time you’re willing to put into preparation.

In any case, here are some ideas:

• Start with the preparation and sharing of food before writing about it.
• Look at pictures of food, and talk about them before moving on to writing.
• Have students research food-related topics on the internet.
• Start with a story about food.

Here are the specific food writing prompts:

44. After the story of “The Gingerbread Man”: Think about food that develops a life of its own, and what would happen with it. (This can also open up a discussion about cultural foods.) For example, make up a similar story about another piece of food (e.g., spaghetti or rice that comes alive). What if you felt something moving in your mouth after you bit into your burger?

45. Write a story (real or imagined) about being very hungry and/or finding/buying/stealing food to meet a desperate need.

46. Write a story about trying a new, unfamiliar kind of food—maybe in a (relevant) cross-cultural setting.

47. Write a story about finding and eating a food that has magical properties. (Maybe read or watch some or all of “Alice in Wonderland”  first.)

48. Describe interesting/disgusting/unusual/delicious/colorful foods, especially after a class tasting lesson. (Prepare students first with suitable taste vocabulary .)

49. Describe a food that’s unfamiliar to most students in the class. (This is particularly helpful for classes where there are students belonging to minority groups who hesitate to speak up.)

50. Describe an imaginary magical food.

51. Give instructions for preparing a particular recipe.

52. After a class activity or demonstration involving food: Write down what you have learned.

53. Give instructions for producing food—growing vegetables, keeping animals, etc.

54. Give instructions for buying the best food—what to look for, looking at labels, checking prices and the like.

55. Write about your opinion on food and health in First World and Third World countries. (Explain what makes a country “First,” “Second” or “Third World” first.)

56. Write about your opinion on the cost of food.

57. Write about your opinion on GMOs or genetically engineered foods .

There’s nothing quite like a good “whodunnit,” and students will always enjoy a good puzzle. You can base various pre-writing activities around the two games below to get the class warmed up for ESL writing practice.

• Conundrum. This is an example of a game that can be played as a speaking and listening activity, and can lead into some good writing. The game starts with a simple statement or description of a situation like the ones described in situation puzzles . Students ask questions and receive yes/no answers until they work out the explanation for the situation.

After Conundrum, here are some of the activities your students can do:

58. Write a story about the sequence of events involved in a situation brought up in the game.

59. Devise and describe your own situation puzzle.

• Putting their hands inside a cloth bag (or just feeling the outside) to guess what an object is.
• Smelling substances in opaque jars with perforated lids, and trying to guess what they are.
• Tasting mystery foods on plastic spoons (with blindfolds).
• Looking at pictures of mysterious objects from obscure angles.
• Listening to and guessing the origins of sound effects. (You can record your own, or use some from the Internet .)

(Important: Make sure that whatever you’re using for your guessing game is safe for your students, especially if they involve having to touch, taste or smell the object.)

After a guessing game, your students can:

60. Write about a possible mystery object and a magical quality it could possess.

61. Describe what you thought you saw, heard, felt, tasted or smelled.

For both games, here are some writing prompts you can do:

62. Give instructions for playing one of the games.

63. Give instructions for the perfect crime.

64. Give your opinion about a recent crime and the punishment for it.

Emailing can often be a scary task for your students, especially if they’re using a new, strange language like English. You can utilize an email writing activity to help your students build confidence and get more comfortable writing in English.

Email can also teach your students things like proper language (formal or informal), structure and format. Email-related writing activities for ESL students can offer ample opportunities to teach all of these three aspects.

Since emails involve two parties (the sender and the receiver), you’ll need to pair your students up for this activity. Here’s how to prepare for it:

• Create one set of worksheets explaining details relevant to the sender. For example, it could contain information about a sender’s upcoming birthday party that they want to invite the receiver to.
• Create another set of worksheets with the receiver’s details. The worksheets could contain questions about food dishes or gifts, or it could say that the receiver can’t make it for one reason or other.

Once the above has been done, give one set of worksheets to the “senders” and the other to the “receivers.” Then, here’s what your students will do:

65. Based on the senders’ worksheets, write an email inviting the receiver and explaining the key aspects of the event featured in the worksheet.

66. Based on the receivers’ worksheets, write an email explaining why you can or cannot make it to the party, and/or what other information you need about the event.

Advertisements are everywhere, and you can bet that your students have a few favorite ads of their own. Advertisement-related writing activities work across age groups and can be adapted to most students and their needs.

This great ESL writing assignment can help your students put the adjectives they’ve learned into good use, as well as showcase their creative writing and persuasion skills.

You can find advertisements everywhere, including:

• YouTube videos
• Newspapers and magazines

You can also bring an object (or handful of objects) to class that your students can write ads about.

67. After your students carefully examine the object(s) you brought into class: Write all the adjectives you can think of about it.

68. For a more challenging writing exercise: Write an ad about the object. How would you persuade someone who knows nothing about the object whatsoever to buy it? (Your students may or may not use the adjectives they wrote down earlier. Encourage them to be creative!)

Your students have likely already done some kind of report during the course of their studies. Also, writing reports is a skill that’ll be useful to them once they enter college or the corporate world (if they aren’t in it already). If you feel that they need a little more practice in this area, use this ESL writing assignment.

First, discuss how research and structure matter to reports—and perhaps show them a few samples. Then, give them a few questions to base their reports on, like:

69. What can you say about (insert topic here) in terms of (insert specific angle here)? (For example, “What can you say about the government’s efforts to improve the local park in terms of its impact on the general public?” Of course, you should adapt this question to the level of your students.)

70. After talking about a YouTube video on bears eating salmon : What would happen to the bears if the salmon ran out? 

This ESL writing activity is a bit more intensive and will allow your students to employ many different aspects of their ESL knowledge. Crafting a class newsletter will build collaboration, communication, listening, speaking and, of course, writing skills. If they’re not sure how to build a newsletter or newspaper from scratch, they can always swipe from premade templates like this one .

The newsletter/newspaper can follow a specific theme, or the articles can consist of a hodgepodge of random topics based on questions like:

71. What is the most interesting thing that happened in school this year? It can be the funniest/scariest/most heartwarming incident. Write a feature article about it. (Make sure to explain what a “feature article” is .)

72. Write a report highlighting the key events in some recent local festivals or concerts.

73. Going off of the last exercise, write an ad inviting the reader to buy a product or attend an event.

Once all of the articles are done, you can start putting them together. Make sure to walk your students through these newspaper layout tips . And when the newsletter/newspaper is finally published and circulated out there for the world to see, remember to congratulate your students for a job well done!

No matter what writing assignments you choose, make sure to keep the excitement level high so that your students are enthusiastic for your next writing session.

Whether they write by hand or type on a computer, remember to encourage them as much as you can by focusing on the good points rather than just running all over their mistakes with a red pen.

Lastly, find ways for them to share their efforts—whether online, on the classroom wall, bound together in a book to be passed around, etc.

They can also read aloud to each other, share with their parents and siblings and even share with other classes!

For more ESL assignment ideas, check out this post: 

Great ESL homework ideas can be difficult to come up with. So check out these 13 great ideas for ESL homework assignments that your students will love. Not only are they…

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9 Essential Tips for Teaching EFL/ESL to Adult Learners

Some EFL/ESL teachers love teaching adults. Others would much rather avoid older students entirely and stick to teaching kids. A lot of that is down to personal preference. However, in some cases, teachers may be uncomfortable teaching adults because they’re not used to it. It’s a totally different experience.

But lots of teachers think classes with adults have to be dry and academic. Far from it. Just because they don’t always want to run about and play silly games, that doesn’t mean you have to sit and do grammar exercises all the time.

1. Create a supportive atmosphere

Adults of all ages and backgrounds feel shame. They get embarrassed when they make mistakes, and the prospect of looking incompetent in front of classmates is enough for most of them to close up and shy away.

Until you know your class very well, you want to avoid competition and favour collaboration. Crack down on anyone laughing at others for getting something wrong, and give plenty of praise for those who try hard.

2. Set rules and expectations

I’ve found some adults (not all – many are very well-behaved) think that because they’re no longer schoolchildren, they can get away with things like using their phone during class, or talking over the teacher. And if you don’t stop it early, it’s hard to reassert control.

3. Be realistic about homework

Homework typically fails in adult classes. Unless you have extremely motivated students, most people don’t have the time, energy or inclination to do a bunch of grammar exercises or writing tasks at home.

This way, you’re all on the same page. Even in a large group, you can ask individuals if they honestly intend to do homework, and set it to those who say yes.

4. Give students agency

I touched on this in tips 2 and 3. Let your students have a say about what happens in class.

There is one caveat with this tip. Make sure your students aren’t trying to change lessons so they can cover up their weaknesses.

5. Get students set up with Anki

For a detailed explanation and guide to setting up the app, check out my article Supercharge EFL/ESL Vocab With Spaced Repetition (Anki)

Using Anki is just one part of my system for learning new words in English. To read the whole guide, click the link to my Best Method to Improve EFL/ESL Students’ Vocabulary: 9 Steps .

6. Provide quality activities

Teachers can fall into the trap of thinking adults are more mature than children, so you can give them less exciting activities. True, they’re generally more mature, but it doesn’t mean you should give them boring things to do.

Adults may show a preference for book work and worksheets due to the previously mentioned reluctance to look silly in front of their classmates. But they’re missing out on deeper learning. Don’t settle for second best.

Role plays are a great example of this. At first, adults are often wary of role playing a different character, but when they’ve had a few positive experiences, it doesn’t take long before they’re really enjoying themselves. All while improvising wonderful English dialogue on the spot.

For my advice on how to run role plays with older students, read Teaching EFL/ESL to Teenagers & Adults With Role Play , and for some great scenario ideas, follow this link: 5 Engaging EFL/ESL Role Play Activities for Adults (+ tips) .

7. Engage with their reality

Spend some time learning vocab related to the topic. Design a few activities where students have to use their English skills and deduction to solve a crime. Go one step further, and get a print-and-play escape room ( Mystery Locks is a great place to start) and let them role play as their favourite sleuth.

John ____________ walked to the park. (slow) Columbo ____________ lifted the victim’s arm to inspect the fatal wound (slow).

8. Consider projects

Before you get stuck in, though, remember tip 4 – agency. Check your students are happy with project-based learning, and let them come up with ideas of what kind of project they’d like to do.

When adults are motivated, they can achieve some pretty awesome things. You could start up a small business, have a cultural festival, or even get stuck into a table-top role-playing game.

For more project ideas, as well as tips from my personal experience with them, read 9 Fantastic Project Ideas for EFL/ESL .

9. Remember to have fun

They’re missing out. Learning English (or any subject, to be fair) should be an exciting and memorable activity, not a bland, lifeless process.

I’m not saying you have to be a clown, or a stage entertainer. And at first, it might be too much for your new adult students if you’re overly excited about everything. Just be positive and willing to let loose a little.

And now we come full circle, back to tip number 1. When you build that supportive atmosphere, you give students permission to enjoy themselves and take risks.

For quick access to all my other guides linked throughout this article, check out the list below: Acing Your First Private EFL/ESL Class: 9 Steps to Success Lesson Plans for First Private EFL/ESL Lesson (+ tips) How to Set Rules & Expectations in Private EFL/ESL Classes 9 Engaging Homework Ideas for EFL/ESL: No worksheets! Supercharge EFL/ESL Vocab With Spaced Repetition (Anki) Best Method to Improve EFL/ESL Students’ Vocabulary: 9 Steps 9 Classy EFL/ESL Games & Activities for Adults (+ tips) Teaching EFL/ESL to Teenagers & Adults With Role Play 5 Engaging EFL/ESL Role Play Activities for Adults (+ tips) 9 Fantastic Project Ideas for EFL/ESL: Tips for success

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Big guide to teaching efl/esl writing: 16 simple steps, does a tefl certificate get you an english teaching job, what should an efl/esl curriculum include 8 key concepts, big guide to starting out in tefl: all you need to know, 6 fantastic picture books for efl/esl beginners & kids, 10 fundamental skills all efl/esl teachers should have.

Rike Neville

June 6, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Breaking Barriers: 7 Strategies for Supporting Adult ESL Students Facing Challenges on the Road to Fluency

Teaching Tips

The challenges adult ESL students face can be daunting, from limited study time to difficulty understanding native speakers. However, you can help them break down these barriers by providing strategies and support. Keep reading to explore seven effective strategies for supporting adult ESL students, from accessing resources to staying motivated and expanding horizons. 

Article Contents

Strategy #1. Balancing Time: Overcoming the Challenge of Limited Study Hours for Adult ESL Students

One of the biggest challenges adult ESL students face is limited time to devote to studying and practicing English. With full-time jobs and family obligations, finding the time and energy to focus on language learning can be difficult. By supporting your busy students and providing alternate resources, you can help them find success. This might require allowing a child to occasionally attend class with a parent, being understanding of a student constantly having to leave the room to deal with a business call because they’re still running their company back in their home country, or allowing a student who works in a family bakery starting at 3:00 am to sleep undisturbed while recording your class.

Your adult ESL students need your understanding, but they also need alternatives.

Maximize flexible and convenient learning options.

Online and evening classes allow students to fit language learning into their busy schedules, while self-paced courses can allow students to work at their own pace. However, teachers employed by programs such as IEPs (Intensive English Programs) may not have any control over the course format or schedule. That doesn’t mean you can’t provide adult ESL students with flexible and convenient learning options. Here are some ideas:

• Offer online resources: Provide your students with links to online learning materials, such as grammar and vocabulary exercises, audio and video resources, and online practice activities. This allows them to study and practice English at their own pace and on their own time.  
• Provide flexible assignments: Instead of assigning homework that must be completed by a specific deadline, give students tasks they can complete on their own time. For example, you could assign reading or listening activities and ask students to complete a reflection or response at their own pace. Digital assignments can be the perfect fit for students with smart phones and data plans.
• Incorporate technology: Use technology to enhance your lessons and offer students more flexibility. For example, you could use online discussion forums or chat groups to allow students to ask questions and discuss course material outside class time. When your super-busy adult ESL students can still join in the class conversation via a discussion forum, they’ll be up to speed for those times when they can make it to class.
• Allow make-up work: Life happens, and sometimes students need to miss class, come late, or leave early. By offering make-up work or alternate assignments, you give students the opportunity to catch up on missed material on their own time.

Offer practical tips for overcoming time constraints.

Your adult ESL students are already dealing with a lot and might need some help making it all work. So, give your students practical tips for fitting language learning into their busy schedules. For example, suggest setting aside specific times of the day for practice, such as early in the morning or late at night when there are fewer distractions. Recommend using language learning apps on the go, such as during commutes or breaks at work, to make the most of limited time.

Encourage multitasking. Students can integrate language learning into their daily routines by combining it with other activities. For example, they can listen to English-language podcasts while exercising, cooking, or commuting. Or, they can watch English-language TV shows or movies while doing the laundry or other household chores. If they have kids who need supervision while doing homework, encourage your adult ESL students to do their own homework (or study) during this time.

Strategy #2.  Cracking the Code:  Strategies to Help Learners Understand Native English Speakers

One of the challenges your students may face is understanding native speakers due to differences in accent, pronunciation, and speed of speech. They need exposure to lots of voices and varying regional accents because you don’t want them to be limited to your voice alone. While still in university, I tutored a Korean student one-on-one for a couple of hours every day. His English proficiency grew quickly, but he was so accustomed to my pronunciation, intonation, and rate of speaking that he couldn’t understand even simple answers when he asked questions of others.

Provide opportunities to listen to and practice speaking with native speakers.

Give explicit instruction on pronunciation and accent reduction..

Another way you can help your adult ESL students understand native speakers is by providing explicit instruction on pronunciation and accent reduction. This includes teaching the sounds and rhythms of English and the rules of stress and intonation. Consider using minimal pairs to zero in on specific sounds. 

Give your adult ESL students opportunities to listen to and practice speaking with native speakers. You can use authentic materials, such as podcasts and videos, that expose students to different accents and help them develop their listening skills. You can also use role plays to allow students to practice speaking in a controlled, safe environment before venturing outside the classroom to speak with native speakers. Consider recruiting native-speaking volunteers to participate in the role plays!

One of my most eager-to-speak students gradually lost her bubbly enthusiasm for speaking because while everyone in the class could understand her, she struggled to get her meaning across when speaking with others in her community. Her accent was strong, and it wasn’t a common one. Once we began targeting some of her biggest pronunciation difficulties, she blossomed and regained her love of talking to everyone who stood still longer than 15 seconds. 🙂

Strategy #3.  Bridging the Support Gap: Helping Adult ESL Students Thrive

Inadequate support from teachers and classmates can be a major challenge for adult ESL students, leading to feelings of isolation and frustration. Remember middle school? Well, people don’t always grow up and magically shed any unkind tendencies. Instead of keeping an eye out for any bullying in your classroom, prevent it from ever starting. Here’s how you can help your adult ESL students feel supported.

Individualize the attention and guidance you give.

Go beyond calling on them by name. It’s a necessary start, and when you stop there, your adult ESL students will quickly feel like you don’t know or understand who they are. It helps when you provide your students with the support they need by offering individualized attention and guidance. By that, I mean giving personalized feedback on their progress that addresses their unique needs and concerns.

Don’t stick to blanket comments that cover the entire class. If you are using a rubric to grade a writing assignment or presentation, make sure to write a few sentences specific to them. Say something when they’ve made improvements in any area. When you provide your students with individualized attention and guidance, you can help them feel supported and motivated.

Create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment.

If you have a supportive and inclusive classroom environment, your adult ESL students will feel welcome and included. This includes cultivating a positive and collaborative learning atmosphere, encouraging open communication, and creating opportunities for students to work together and support each other. A supportive and inclusive classroom environment will help adult ESL students feel more connected and motivated. 

Yes, a close-knit family atmosphere might bring out a competitive drive where some students try to sabotage others in completely over-the-top ridiculous ways that inspire prank wars.  It might also spark nurturing acts of caring where students band together to help a classmate who is hospitalized and unable to care for their family.  (Surely I’m not the only one who has had students who are both deliciously devious and compassionate caregivers.)

You’ll also find that attendance will be higher and your stress level lower. That supportive and inclusive classroom environment is for YOU as well!

Encourage study groups and partner work.

Nudge your adult ESL students to form study groups or pair up with classmates for practice and support. Study groups and partner work allow students to practice their English skills with their peers and get feedback and guidance from each other. Sometimes they need this push from you. Don’t wait too long for them to do it themselves because working together can help them feel more supported and motivated.  

My favorite example of this has to be a grammar class I taught that was 50% Saudi students and 50% Chinese students.  They were almost comically stereotypical in that the Saudis loved talking and weren’t really on speaking terms with studying outside the classroom, while the Chinese students were super shy about talking but powerhouses when it came to studying. The more outgoing Saudis took it upon themselves to adopt their Chinese classmates and get them talking, while the Chinese students covertly got the Saudis to study, even on the weekends.  Both groups improved more rapidly than I thought possible, and ever after, I played culture/nationality matchmaker whenever I could.

Strategy #4.  Making the Most of What You Have:  Helping Adult ESL Students Access Resources

Having access to resources and materials can be challenging for adult ESL students, making it difficult to improve their English skills and succeed in their language-learning journey. Knowing where to look and what to choose can be overwhelming. Imagine trying to find and then select appropriate learning material for yourself in a language you know little of or are not comfortable with!

Share online resources for language learning.

You can help your adult ESL students by providing them with a list of online resources, such as websites and apps, to help them improve their English skills. These resources can offer a variety of language learning materials, such as interactive exercises, grammar lessons, and vocabulary lists, that are tailored to different learning styles and levels.

Check out your TpT purchases to see if they include an Easel component.  These digital activities can include audio and interactive elements such as drag-and-drop and clickable buttons, AND they might be self-checking!  Not all sellers offer this, but Easel activities are included with many of my resources. You can “assign” these to your students as optional supplemental work or an assignment for a grade.

Point them to library resources for language learning.

Encourage your adult ESL students to take advantage of library resources to improve their English skills. Remember that not everyone comes from a background where libraries are available and utilized. Your adult ESL students might be astounded at the wide selection of language learning materials appropriate for different levels and interests, such as books, movies, and audiobooks. Librarians can also almost always be counted on to be patient with non-native speakers, making them a great choice for students to approach and try out a newly-learned phrase or question.

Strategy #5.  Staying Focused:  Helping Adult ESL Students Stay Motivated

Lack of motivation is a common challenge for adult ESL students, who may feel discouraged by a lack of confidence in their abilities or lack clear goals or incentives to learn English. Perhaps they studied English for years in their own country only to arrive here and discover what an English-only environment is really like. Or maybe they’ve been taking classes here for months, but they feel like they haven’t made the progress they expected to. Here’s how you can help.

Deliver regular feedback and encouragement.

Provide them with regular feedback and encouragement. As mentioned in the section earlier in this article, Bridging the Support Gap , this means giving personalized feedback on their progress and highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement. Regular feedback and encouragement can help them feel supported and motivated. Remember “report cards” from when you were a kid?  If feasible, give your students report cards. They don’t have to be long or go into great detail.  Telling them one improvement you’ve noticed they’ve made and one improvement you think they might like to tackle shows you see them and you care.

Create and celebrate achievable goals and milestones.

Help your adult ESL students stay motivated by setting achievable goals and milestones. Setting clear and attainable goals can help students stay focused and motivated. I wasn’t surprised when my level one student felt demoralized after failing the TOEFL. Her goal of passing with a high enough score to enter university was NOT attainable at her then level of proficiency. Once she reworked her goals to be more achievable, she regained her spirit.

Find out one or two of their English goals. If they are achievable, provide regular progress updates related to those goals. If not, help them create some that are within reach. And, of course, celebrate their accomplishments as they reach their goals.

Discover their personal reasons for learning English to connect to larger goals and aspirations.

One thing I always loved about teaching adult ESL was that, for the most part, my students WANTED to learn English.  They weren’t taking classes because their parents forced them to.  That’s not to say that they were always super motivated.  Oh, no–some of the ones most insistent on learning English were the least motivated, often because they weren’t clear on why they wanted to learn. 

So, help them identify their personal reasons for learning English and connect them to their larger goals and aspirations.  It’ll make a massive difference in how and what they learn because once they understand why they are learning English and how it relates to their bigger picture, they will be more motivated to stay engaged and committed.

Give incentives or rewards for progress.

To further motivate your adult ESL students, you can also offer incentives or rewards for progress. These can be simple rewards, such as stickers or certificates, or if you have a fun-loving group, silly special privileges such as sitting in an elaborately decorated chair, choosing which review game to play next, or being gifted with the knowledge of your middle name, which you hate.

Some of my classes loved earning points toward a party (as soon as the class had acquired a certain number of points, we’d have a mini-party or a class pot-luck).  Others preferred a grab-bag prize that varied according to the season (flower seeds for spring, cocoa packet for winter, etc.).

Strategy #6.  Expanding Horizons:  How to help learners with limited exposure to authentic English 

Limited exposure to authentic English can be a tough challenge for adult ESL students. Without enough real-life practice, it can be hard for them to develop their listening and speaking skills and feel confident communicating in English.

But why do some adult ESL students have limited exposure to authentic English while living in an English-speaking country? Well, it could be because they’re living in a community where English isn’t the primary language spoken or because they don’t have many opportunities for social interaction in English. It’s not always easy, but you can help your students in these situations.  Here’s how:

Present authentic materials for language practice.

Give them authentic materials for language practice. These can be anything from news articles or podcasts for language learners to movies or TV shows created for native speakers. Exposing students to authentic materials can help them develop their listening and speaking skills and become more confident and comfortable communicating in English. Plus, authentic materials just have a different feel to them that is immensely appealing to adult ESL students.

Encourage interaction with native speakers and participation in language exchange programs.

Interacting with native speakers and participating in language exchange programs can be a great way to help adult ESL students overcome the challenge of limited exposure to authentic English. These opportunities allow students to practice their English skills in real-life situations and receive feedback and guidance from native speakers. Check if anyone in your area is hosting a “conversation cafe.”  Invite university students who major in education to come to your class for conversation and snacks.  Find out what your students love to do in their free time and look for like-minded native speakers to join or invite them to join. The possibilities are endless!

Try role plays and simulation activities.

Finally, try role plays!  As mentioned above, students can participate in role plays to improve their pronunciation and intonation, but don’t stop there.  Even everyday role plays can help adult ESL students practice using English in realistic situations. Whether they’re using scripts like a reader’s theater or creating their own role plays based on given scenarios, these activities allow students to practice their English skills in a controlled environment. It’s all about taking baby steps.  Once they’re comfortable speaking in the classroom, they’ll feel more confident speaking outside the classroom.  

Strategy #7.  Moving Up: Difficulty in Transitioning to Higher Levels of English Proficiency

One common challenge that adult ESL students may face is difficulty transitioning to higher levels of English proficiency. This can happen for several reasons, such as gaps in knowledge or a need for clearer progression from one level to the next. Or, perhaps there is a gap in content between levels.  If only beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes are offered, you can count on a struggle as students move from beginner to intermediate or intermediate to advanced.  That said, there are ways to help students make a smoother transition.

Draw a line.

One strategy is to use a structured and well-organized curriculum that makes the various levels of proficiency (as defined by where you work) clear. If a line isn’t drawn, the boundary is blurry. Your adult ESL students want to know when they’ve progressed to another level, not guess. I realize this is not always possible, especially if you teach as a volunteer in a community program.  You might have to make up an arbitrary line, but give them something to work towards and to look back on with pride.

Provide additional support.

Another strategy is providing additional support and resources for students who need extra help. Don’t assume they will all need it (or that none of them will need it).  Now, this can include one-on-one tutoring, review sessions, or extra practice materials. By giving targeted support aimed at specific gaps in individual students’ knowledge, you can help students overcome those gaps and build confidence in their abilities.

Lastly, encourage students to seek additional learning opportunities such as workshops or courses.  These don’t have to be centered on learning English.  Taking a cooking class alongside native speakers, for example, provides lots of rich speaking and listening opportunities without a need for students to first build common ground. This can provide a more immersive environment for students to practice their language skills.

In conclusion, adult ESL students can face a variety of challenges in their language-learning journeys, such as limited time to study, difficulty understanding native speakers, lack of support, limited access to resources, lack of motivation, limited exposure to authentic English, and difficulty transitioning to higher proficiency levels. To break down these barriers, offer flexible and convenient learning options, provide explicit instruction and authentic materials, create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment, set achievable goals, give regular feedback and encouragement, and help students connect language learning to their larger goals and aspirations.

For ready-made adult ESL teaching materials, drop by my teacherspayteachers shop .

Read more about teaching adult ESL!

• All About Me Worksheets for ESL Adults: Here’s Why You Should Use Them
• Two Priceless Adult ESL Teaching Tips to Always Remember
• Getting into the Nitty Gritty of Practical English for Adult ESL (this won’t be on the test)

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298 Advice English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

​9 Boring Phrases and Their Creative Alternatives for Students

Sep 9, 2024

​"I have a lot of exams coming up."​

Creative Alternative: "I’m gearing up for a series of exams that will test my knowledge and skills."

​​"I have a lot of activities to do."

Creative Alternative: "My schedule is packed with exciting opportunities to learn and grow."

​"I want to do well in school."​

Creative Alternative: "I'm on a quest to turn every school challenge into an opportunity for success."

​"I read a lot of books."​

Creative Alternative: "I dive into a myriad of worlds through the pages of countless books."

​"I have a lot of homework."

Creative Alternative: "My desk is piled high with tasks that keep me engaged and learning."

​"My teacher is very nice."​

Creative Alternative: "My teacher's kindness makes every class a welcoming and inspiring space."

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​"the project was challenging."​.

Creative Alternative: "The project pushed my limits and turned obstacles into stepping stones."

​"I'm good at math."​

Creative Alternative: "Numbers and equations are my playground.

​"I want to improve my writing skills."​

Creative Alternative: "I'm eager to transform my writing into a captivating storytelling tool."

Thanks For Reading!

Next: 10 Reasons for College Dropouts to Return to Campus