A classic Course books and published materials are full of discussion questions. They’re a chance for learners to react to a listening/reading task, practise new vocabulary or practise speaking fluently. Here’s a typical example from TeachingEnglish (scroll to ‘Discussion’, page 3). I’ve known teachers to… Read More
Not quite as ubiquitous as the past two classic activities (brainstorming and warmer questions), rank-ordering is nonetheless a TESOL mainstay. Here’s a nifty adaptation… A classic Rank-ordering activities generate lots of discussion. Presented on the board, on paper, as little cards, or even on screen,… Read More
This week’s twist on a classic is all about reversing the roles of teacher and learner… A classic Warmer questions are surely the most common warmer/lead-in to any lesson (along with brainstorming from last week). You just write some questions on the board and learners… Read More
This is one of the most versatile activities I’ve ever found… A classic Brainstorming hardly needs any introduction. In class, we brainstorm vocabulary as a lead-in to a new topic. We brainstorm ideas before setting writing tasks. And we brainstorm language to ‘activate schemata’ and… Read More
If you’re looking for something novel to catch learners’ attention at the start of a reading lesson, this is it… A classic Jigsaw reading is truly deserving of its place as a classic TESOL activity. It’s an uber-communicative activity, involving reading, speaking and listening with… Read More
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