This school year marks the first time I have had the opportunity to work with younger students on a 1-2-1 basis. My kids are 11 and 12, hence the tween label. In this series of posts, I would like to describe several activities that have worked particularly well during our classes (90 mins once a week). Here, you can read about my favourite speaking activity.
free activities esl
Grammar revision with a music video: 4 ideas
The aim if this class is for your students to revise a number of grammar points: using narrative tenses, modal verbs, third conditional, and wish/if only to express wishes about the present and the past. The lesson is based on the music video to the song Shot at the Night by The Killers. It is suitable for levels upper-intermediate, advanced and students preparing for Cambridge exams.
Rhyming lyrics pronunciation activity
The aim of this activity is to use the rhyming structure of the song Everything at Once by Lenka in order to fill in the gaps in the song’s lyrics. It is as much a pronunciation activity as it is a form of vocabulary revision since the lyrics feature a series of similes that additionally enable students to figure out the missing words. Suitable for both adult and teenage learners, levels pre-intermediate and higher.
5 word formation games for FCE and CAE students
In this post, I am presenting 5 games that help students recognize and form different parts of speech. They are especially useful for students preparing for Cambridge exams (First and Advanced). I have been using these activities to revise and practice vocabulary and to offer some alternatives to typical Use of English exercises.
Grammar games: advice, obligation, prohibition
These 3 games provide some extra speaking practice when discussing functions of such verbs as: should, shouldn’t, must, have to, and not have to to express advice, obligation, and prohibition. It is a good idea for pre-intermediate and intermediate students, adults and teenagers alike.
TED Talk: Falling in love is the easy part
In this lesson, students watch a TED Talk by Mandy Len Catron, answer comprehension questions, practice asking and answering questions, and discuss the topic of falling in love, dating, and relationships. It is suitable for levels intermediate and higher. Before deciding to teach this lesson, take a look at this article and consider your students’ cultural sensitivity.
5 phrasal verbs revision games for advanced students
Making students even remotely enthusiastic about learning and using phrasal verbs has been one of my biggest challenges as a teacher. These 5 games have proved to be effective as far as consolidating and revising my students’ knowledge of phrasal verbs and encouraging their use. I have been using these games with upper-intermediate and advanced learners, especially those preparing for their FCE and CAE exams.
An interview with your future self: speaking / writing activity
The aim of this activity is to provide students with a context to revise present, past, and perfect tenses. I planned it with my teenage students in mind and the inspiration came from this article. It might be executed as a speaking or writing activity. Suitable for levels intermediate and higher.
6 quick games to play at the end of class
With a couple of minutes left until the end of the lesson, your class might descend into chaos: L1 flying, frantic packing, texting, or worse, students actually queuing in front of the door waiting for you to let them out. I am talking about both younger and older students here. In this post, I am presenting 6 quick games that will help you finish on a good note and keep your students engaged until the very end. Continue Reading …
FCE key word transformation
The aim of this activity is to take a little break from the routine of Cambridge English: First (formerly known as FCE) exam preparation. It focuses on Part 4 of Reading and Use of English exam paper where students are supposed to paraphrase sentences using the word given.
