Finding resources that strike a balance between engagement and practicality can be a challenge. Enter our No-Prep ESL Speaking Activity a resource designed to offer both stimulation and structure in the language learning process.
While role-play activities offer undeniable benefits, it’s essential to approach them with a balanced perspective:
1. Realistic Engagement
Role plays simulate real-life scenarios, providing students with an opportunity to apply language skills in practical contexts. However, it’s important to recognize that these scenarios are simplified representations and may not fully capture the complexities of everyday communication.
2. Fluency Development
Through spontaneous conversation and improvisation, students can enhance their fluency and communication skills. Yet, it’s crucial to acknowledge that fluency takes time to develop and may vary among learners.
3. Vocabulary Expansion
Role plays can facilitate vocabulary acquisition, particularly when centered around specific themes like fashion. However, it’s essential to supplement these activities with other vocabulary-building exercises to ensure a comprehensive learning experience.
4. Cultural Insight
Exploring cultural nuances through role plays can foster cross-cultural understanding. Still, it’s important to approach cultural discussions with sensitivity and awareness of diverse perspectives.
5. Critical Thinking Skills
Role plays encourage students to think critically and problem-solve within the context of the scenarios presented. Yet, it’s vital to recognize that critical thinking skills develop over time and may require additional support and guidance.
Get ready to embark on a journey through the ever-evolving world of fashion, where every role-play scenario is a window into new possibilities. From spirited debates on sustainable fashion to heart-to-heart conversations about personal style, the adventures await:
Discover the clash of opinions between a fashion student who celebrates individuality and a trend-setting influencer who swears by the latest fads.
Navigate the creative tensions between a magazine editor advocating for diversity and a photographer striving for aesthetic consistency.
Dive into discussions on environmental responsibility, school dress codes, budget-friendly fashion, and navigating familial disagreements over wardrobe choices.
At the heart of every role-play lies a simple yet profound truth: language is a living, breathing entity, meant to be experienced, embraced, and shared. With No-Prep ESL Speaking Activity, you’re not just teaching English – you’re igniting a passion for learning, fostering connections, and empowering your students to shine.
So why wait? Step into the world of fashion with us and watch as your ESL classroom transforms into a vibrant tapestry of language, laughter, and learning. The adventure begins now!
Student A1: You are a fashion student who values personal style and individuality in fashion. You are talking to a fashion influencer who often promotes the latest trends and encourages their followers to follow them blindly.
Student B1: You are a fashion influencer who often promotes the latest trends and encourages your followers to follow them blindly. You believe that following trends is a crucial part of being fashionable.
Student A2: You are a fashion magazine editor who values diversity and inclusivity in the fashion industry. You are talking to a fashion photographer who often uses the same types of models in their shoots.
Student B2: You are a fashion photographer who values aesthetics and consistency in your work. You often use the same types of models in your shoots because you feel that they fit the aesthetic of your portfolio.
Student A3: You’re concerned about the negative environmental and social impacts of fast fashion and believe in promoting sustainable clothing choices. Discuss your concerns with your friend.
Student B3: You love shopping for the latest trends from fast fashion brands and don’t think much about the consequences. Discuss your fashion choices with your friend and try to understand each other’s viewpoints.
Student A4: You’re environmentally conscious and shop exclusively at thrift stores to support sustainable fashion. Discuss your reasons for this with your friend.
Student B4: You enjoy buying new, trendy clothing items from fast fashion brands and don’t think about their environmental impact. Discuss your preferences with your friends and try to understand each other’s viewpoints.
Student A5: You believe that dress codes at school are too restrictive and should allow more self-expression through clothing. Discuss your opinions on dress codes with your friend.
Student B5: You think that dress codes are essential to maintain a focused and orderly learning environment. Discuss your reasons with your friend and try to understand each other’s perspectives.
Student A6: You have a tight budget and need a new wardrobe but can’t afford a shopping spree. You want to organize a clothing swap event with your friends to save money and promote sustainability. Discuss your idea with your friend and ask for their support and participation.
Student B6: You usually enjoy shopping sprees and are skeptical about the clothing swap idea. Discuss your reservations and try to find a compromise or solution that benefits both of you.
Student A7: You have a limited budget for clothing but long for designer items that are beyond your means. You’re torn between staying within your budget and splurging on a high-end item. Discuss your fashion dilemma with your friend and seek their input on making the right decision.
Student B7: You have a passion for designer fashion but understand the constraints of a tight budget. Discuss your friend’s fashion dilemma and help them explore options to satisfy their desire for designer items without breaking the bank.
Student A8: You’ve been arguing with your parents over your clothing choices, as they think your style is too revealing or inappropriate. You want to discuss the issue with your friend and seek advice on how to communicate with your parents about your fashion choices.
Student B8: You’re a friend who has faced similar disagreements with your parents about fashion. Discuss your experiences and provide suggestions on how to have a productive conversation with parents about clothing choices.
It’s June, the most wonderful month. For students, but mostly for teachers. We really need that break. Here are a couple of end of school activities that will help with that,
But before you start sipping that cocktail by the pool, have some fun with your students if you can. In some countries, students returned to school at the beginning of June to wrap things up. Use the last couple of days to connect with your students and enjoy your time together. Here are some quick and simple end of year activities and games for ESL classes.
No-prep end of school activities
Picture dictation
Students work in pairs. One has a picture (any picture from a textbook, their own photos on phone, whatever) and describes the picture to their partner who has to draw the picture as accurately as possible. Entertaining activity for future artists.
Picture description
A variation of the previous activity. Students choose a couple of photos(appropriate) from their phones and describe it to each other. Works great as a quick warm-up.
Write a survey
Tell the students to each write 10 questions for a class survey. Give them a topic (summer holidays, hobbies, habits, future, etc). When they have written the questions let them survey each other and report their results at the end of the lesson. They love to talk about themselves! Who doesn’t, right?
Dictionary game
Tell the students to use a dictionary(an app, online, or paper) and find a couple of words they don’t know. For each of the words they need to write down the original definition of the word and make up two more definitions that are false. Thy then work in groups of three or four and read their definitions to their classmates who have to guess the right definition. They get a point for every correct guess. This is a fun guessing game that is also great for learning new vocabulary.
Draw a giraffe
This is another activity for aspiring artists. Two students sit with their backs to each other. Each will have a paper and a pencil/pen. Their task is to draw a giraffe or any other animal or an object, but each of them has to draw only a half of the final image. They can’t see what the other one is drawing so they have to communicate, how to draw it. It’s a lot of fun and the students can have an exhibition of the finished drawings and comment on them.
So cute.
Plan a holiday trip
Put the students in pairs and tell them they have to plan a trip for the summer. They have to plan the whole itinerary and come with a budget for that trip. Hiking in the French Alps? A cruise in the Caribbean? Everything is possible!
Guess who I am
You’ll need a self-stick pad and a pen. Put the students in groups of four. They will write a name of a famous person or literary character(on anything else) on the self-stick note and stick it onto the forehead of a person sitting next to them so nobody know what is written there. They have to ask yes/no questions to guess the personality. A classic!
Prince William plays post-it note game on charity visit. Source: The Telegraph
Mini presentations
Give each student two slips of paper. Tell them to write down a topic they would like to discuss. When they are done, take ale the slips of paper, put them in a bin or a hat and have students each draw a slip. Tell them that they will have to give a short presentation on the topic. Give them 2 minutes to think about the topic, then put them in group of four. They will have each five minutes to present their topic. If there is time at the end of the lesson, have them ask follow up questions.
Print and play end of school activities
One minute talk
This is a very simple, no-prep activity. In pairs, students give each other a topic to talk about and they have to talk uninterrupted for a minute. It is more difficult than it sounds, especially with topics such as egg yolks, armpit hair o or shoe laces. If your students lack imagination, you can use these ideas: One Minute Talk Cards.
Role plays
Role-plays are fun, educational, great for shy students, creative, fun, and did I mention fun? You can create your own, look for some online or download these:
Balderdash is a word bluffing game in which you write definitions for weird words. The definitions may or may not be correct. You will find more about the game and a free PDF in this link.
Discussion questions
Another classic activity. If you don’t want to waste time googling, you can download this 120 Conversation Starters activity.
Picture description
I’ve mention no-prep picture description activities above, for this activity you can download my free PDF resources:
This activity is a cross of telling a story, inventing your own and acting. I use famous stories with three or more characters so the kids can work in small groups. Then I assign the story and let them draw a card with a specific genre. You can download the activity with my stories here or prepare your own, using stories well known in your culture.
Everybody knows Jeopardy. So far, I was able to find any grammar or vocabulary revision quiz I needed. Lots of quizzes on many topics, but beware as the quality varies. You can create your own Jeopardy quiz and you can also assign your students a topic and let them create their own quiz to test their classmates’ knowledge.
Baamboozle
I use this site mostly with my younger learners as it doesn’t have many higher level grammar or vocabulary quizzes. My tip: put your students in teams (max number of teams is 4), choose a quiz and let them play the Classic mode with the power up, it’s much more fun!
Quizizz
My favorite online quiz tool can be used to assign homework (this works great) or do solo practice. Very useful during lockdown, but also anytime. Assigning homework online in just a few clicks? The system checks it? The students see and track their progress? It gamiefies the learning process? What’s not to love!
If you don’t know Kahoot, you should definitely start using it. Right now! Kahoot is widely popular and it’s good to know that its creators made Premium available for free for the rest of the academic year. Try it out!
Here you can find plenty of simple, family-friendly games. I mostly use the Word Generator for charades, pictionary and other games. The great thing is I only need my laptop and I project the words on the whiteboard, so the students don’t need computers.
Want to make learning English more fun? Try role-playing! It’s a great way for ESL students to practice their conversation, grammar, listening, reading, and writing skills. We’ve got a ton of cool role-play activities, games, scripts, and ideas for you to use in the classroom. Whether you’re a teacher or a student, our resources will help you bring role-playing into your English language class and improve your language skills.
Role-playing in the ESL classroom is a game-changer! As an ESL teacher, I’ve found that these activities are a fun and effective way to help my students improve their language skills in a natural way. It also gets my students excited and engaged in their English studies.
By putting students in realistic scenarios, role-playing allows them to practice using the language in a communicative context. It helps them develop their communication and problem-solving abilities, and it builds confidence and fluency in using the language.
There are so many role-play activities ESL teachers can use in the classroom! And, the best part is that you can always customize them to fit the needs and interests of your students. This way, they can practice language specific to all sorts of topics and scenarios.
I highly recommend incorporating role-play English scenarios in your lessons. Travel is one of my favorite topics to use, it’s always a hit with the students. Also, a restaurant role-play is a great way to bring some fun to the classroom.
Yo, there are so many role-playing activities English teachers can use in the classroom! And, the best part is that you can always customize them to fit the needs and interests of your students. This way, they can practice language specific to all sorts of topics and scenarios.
You will find more new engaging roleplays on different topics below. Give them a shot, and let me know how they go. I’m always curious to hear how they worked out for you and your students.
Roleplay 1: Family
Student A: You and your sibling are arguing over your shared bedroom. You are the older sibling, and you are very interested in fashion and design. You have recently started following some interior design blogs and Instagram accounts, and you have been inspired to redecorate your bedroom. You want to add some bright colors, modern furniture, and trendy wall art to the room.
Student B: You and your sibling are arguing over your shared bedroom. You are the younger sibling, and you are more practical and comfortable in your tastes. You have always enjoyed the traditional and cozy feel of the shared bedroom, and you don’t want to change it too much. You like the current furniture and decor, and you don’t see the need for a major overhaul.
Student A: You are a first-year student, and you are very excited to be living in the dorms. You have made many new friends and you want to spend as much time as possible with them. You want to have people over every weekend to hang out, watch movies, and play games. Talk to your roommate.
Student B: You are a first-year student focused on your studies. You want to do well in college and you need a quiet and peaceful environment to study in. You are worried that having people over every weekend will be too distracting and disruptive. Talk to your roommate.
Roleplay 3: Education
Student A: You are a teenager who believes that the government should have a minimal role in education and that schools should be run independently. You believe that this would lead to more innovation and better outcomes for students.
Student B: You are a parent who believes that the government should have a strong role in education in order to ensure that all students have access to quality education. You also believe that government oversight is necessary to hold schools accountable for their performance.
Roleplay 4: Housing, Finances
Student A: You are the older sibling who is currently living in the family home. You have just graduated from college and are planning to move out soon. You believe that it is important to sell the family home so that the money can be split among all the siblings.
Student B: You are the younger sibling who is still living at home with your parents. You feel that the family home is an important part of your childhood and you would like to keep it in the family. You are feeling frustrated because Student A seems to only be thinking about their own financial gain, rather than the sentimental value of the family home.
Roleplay 5: Housing, Relationships
Student A: You are a resident of a suburban neighborhood. You are very proud of your lawn and garden and take great care to maintain them. You believe that the shared driveway should be maintained equally by all of the neighbors.
Student B: You are also a resident of a suburban neighborhood. You have just moved in and have not had time to work on your lawn and garden yet. You feel that Student A is putting too much pressure on you to keep the shared driveway looking perfect. You are feeling frustrated because you believe that Student A should be more understanding of your situation.
Roleplay 6: Health
Student A: You are a high school student who is an advocate for mental health awareness and de-stigmatization. You believe that mental health is just as important as physical health and should be treated with the same importance. You have personal experience with mental health issues and have seen the impact of a lack of access to resources and support.
Student B: You are a school counselor who works with high school students. You believe that mental health is important and support the use of therapy and medication in treatment. However, you believe that some students may be overdiagnosed and overmedicated and that other forms of support and intervention should also be considered.
Roleplay 7: Travel
Student A: You are a high school student who has always wanted to go on a trip to Europe. You have saved up enough money to finally make it happen, and you have planned out all of the destinations you want to visit. However, your best friend, Student B, has a different idea for where the two of you should go. Your role in this argument is to convince Student B that Europe is the perfect destination for your trip and to explain why you have been dreaming of going there for so long.
Student B: You are a high school student and the best friend of Student A. You have always wanted to go on a trip to Asia, and you think that it would be a more exciting and unique destination than Europe. Your role in this argument is to convince Student A that Asia is the better choice for your trip and to explain why you think it would be a more memorable experience.
Download the role-plays: Role plays Ideas for English Classroom
In this post, you will find role-plays on various topics connected to food. With these role-plays, your students will be discussing the best dishes in the world, ordering food they don’t know, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of delivery and cooking, and choosing the best diet.
There is another restaurant-themed role-play activity I created some time ago, called At the restaurant, where students create their own restaurant menus and than role-play ordering in different “restaurants”, rotating and speaking to more partners. This role-play can be also done online, I did it with my students on Zoom some time ago, but it’s much in a real classroom. And it’s more fun.
But, here we are (some of us) teaching online and in need of a simple, straightforward role-play activities.
Emotional eggs
ESL Role-play Worksheet: Food
A1: Your friend wants to eat healthier and think that they should eat low fat and low sugar foods and drinks and use artificial sweetener instead of sugar. You disagree and you want to recommend another, healthier diet. Think about your arguments. Talk to your friend.
B1: You want to eat healthier and you think that you should eat low fat and low sugar foods and drinks and use artificial sweetener instead of sugar. Think about arguments to support your decision. Your friend wants to talk to you.
A2: Choose five dishes which you think are the best in the world. What are they made of? How do they taste? Describe them to your partner. They will have their own list. Discuss your choices and try to persuade your partner that your list is better. Finally, agree on ONE dish, which will be The Best Dish in the World.
B2: Choose five dishes which you think are the best in the world. What are they made of? How do they taste? Describe them to your partner. They will have their own list. Discuss your choices and try to persuade your partner that your list is better. Finally, agree on ONE dish, which will be The Best Dish in the World.
A3: You love cooking and you don’t understand why your friend refuses to cook at home. Think of five arguments why cooking at home is better than eating in restaurants and ordering delivery. Try to persuade your friend to change their mind.
B3: You don’t cook and you prefer to eat out or order something online. Think about five reasons why eating in restaurants and ordering delivery is better than cooking. Your friend wants to talk to you.
A4: You are on an exotic holiday and would like to try some local food so you go to a local restaurant that doesn’t have an English menu. You don’t know any of the dishes on the menu, so you have a lot of questions about the ingredients, spices, texture. You also have a food allergy(choose one ingredient you’re allergic to). Decide if you like anything and if yes, order it.
B4: You work as a waiter in a small restaurant specializing in local, exotic cuisine. Your next customer is a tourist who has a lot of questions. Describe your most popular dishes in a very appetizing way. Try to sell him as many dishes as possible.
Role-play is any speaking activity when you either put yourself into somebody else’s shoes, or when you stay in your own shoes but put yourself into an imaginary situation, also called a scenario!
I put together my favorite role-play scenarios and speaking activities which I used in the classroom and can be easily used on Zoom. Some of them are suitable for more advanced students, for example the science, and environment role-playscenarios. Other can be used with all levels, so they are also great for lower level, or younger students, for example the traveling and negotiation role-play scenarios.
When we use the activity on Zoom I always send the role-play activity to them in advance and when we have our online lesson I also share my screen with the role-play activity, so they can take a screenshot if they haven’t downloaded it. Then I put the students in the breakout rooms and they usually have 5-10 minutes for the pair work activity.
During that time, I always pop in to different breakout rooms to listen in. I correct, help and answer any questions if needed. What activities do you use on Zoom?
Role-play: Traveling
A1: You are a receptionist of a 5* hotel. You are very polite and you can deal with annoyed guests. Try to calm down the guest and solve any issues they have. Try to avoid calling the manager.
B1: You are a wealthy businessman staying at a 5* hotel. You are used to quality service and luxury, but this hotel doesn’t offer it. The room is too small, staff is rude, AC is noisy. You want to talk to the manager.
“A negotiation, simply put, is a compromise. Two or more parties come together, have a discussion, and reach an outcome that addresses the needs of everyone involved.” – Forbes
A1: You have too much on your plate right now and you need help with your English essay assignment which is due on Friday. Ask your classmate for help. What would you be willing to do for them if they helped you? Think of the things you are willing to offer: • • •
B1: Your classmate needs your help with the English essay assignment which is due on Friday. You might consider helping them if they can provide the right incentives. Think of four things you want for helping them(can’t be money): • • • • If they agree with three of the four, you might consider helping them.
A1: You decided not to vaccinate your children. You read articles about vaccination and you learned how dangerous it is. It causes autism and contains lead and other toxic elements. You know what is best for your child and herbal teas and some meditation will work just fine. You are angry that your friend doesn’t support you.
B1: You are a person of science. A rational being. You believe in data, facts, and verifiable experiments. Your friend decided not to vaccinate their children. They believe that vaccination causes autism and that it is dangerous. Try to explain the benefits of vaccination and to disprove those absurd theories.
“The Earth is what we all have in common.” – Wendell Berry
A1: Many of your friends use cars to commute to work even though it is more expensive than public transport. You are concerned about the impact this irresponsible behavior has on our planet. Try to persuade your friend to switch to more eco-friendly transportation.
B1: You drive to work every day. You live in a free country and you don’t feel the need to explain yourself to anyone. Why shouldn’t you drive? Your friend’s been nagging you about it for a while. Talk to them.
A1: You are a project manager who has been assigned to a new project. One of the members of your new team is not co-operating with the other team members. He opposes every idea, causes conflict, and is generally difficult to work with. Talk to him and solve the problem.
B1: You have worked for this company for 10 years and you feel unappreciated. You started to work on a new project with co-workers who are not so experienced as you are and you think your manager is incompetent. You complain a lot because things do not work as they should. Your manager wants to talk to you.
There are certain types of annoying coworkers that can be found almost everywhere. You might be one of them. Do you know which one you are? Take this quiz.
The most frequent types are:
The Gossiper
The Wannabe Boss
The Talker
The Energy Vampire
The Kitchen Slob
These business English roles-plays can help your adult students practice dealing with annoying coworkers and office problems.
A1: You have an annoying co-worker who puts all her/his calls on speaker, spends a lot of time discussing personal problems, invades your personal space, peeks on your computer screen over your shoulder; and jumps into your conversations without invitation. You have tolerated this behavior long enough and now you will talk to your co-worker and make an end to it. B1: You work in an open space office and share a cubicle with an older co-worker. You have a feeling that your co-worker does not like you but you have no idea why. You are friendly, laid back, and chill. You spend a lot of time on your mobile phone, talking to your family, checking your Instagram because you usually finish your work fast and are bored soon afterward. Your co-worker wants to chat.
A2: You are a project manager who has been assigned to a new project. One of the members of your new team is not co-operating with the other team members. He opposes every idea, causes conflict, and is generally difficult to work with. Talk to him and solve the problem. B2: You have worked for this company for 10 years and you feel unappreciated. You started to work on a new project with co-workers who are not so experienced as you are and you think your manager is incompetent. You complain a lot because things do not work as they should. Your manager wants to talk to you.
A3: You are a good employee, you have great results and everybody likes you. The problem is that you think your boss is stealing your ideas and presenting them as his/her own and you do not get the deserved credit. Talk to your boss. B3: You are the department manager of a large company. You have great employees and your department has the best results. You know you could get promoted soon if you keep coming up with great ideas. Your employee wants to talk to you.
A4: You maintain a healthy diet and prepare a fresh lunch for work every day. There is no restaurant near your workplace and you have no time to drive somewhere for lunch during your break. Last week somebody stole your lunch every day. You suspect a certain co-worker. Talk to him/her. B4: You started to work in a new company. There is no canteen and you have no time to drive somewhere for lunch during your break but luckily there are free snacks in the staff kitchen and you helped yourself to a free lunch a couple of times. Your co-worker wants to talk to you.
A5: Your co-worker is rude and thinks that she does not value your opinion. You think that she is irresponsible and unreliable. Talk to her and express your concern. B5: Recently, you have been overworked, your diary is full, and you have no time for personal life. You are about to have a breakdown when your co-worker stops you to have a chat.
Can we teach communicative competence without critical thinking? Is the topic of vaccination or chemtrails too controversial? Try this ESL role-play on science and let me know what you think.
We want to teach our students real-life skills, don’t we? It sure is nice to read Shakespeare and discuss metaphors, but it is not what our ESL/EFL/EIL (or whatever you call it) students need. They need to practice their speaking skills in a way which resembles real-life situations as closely as possible.
Again, which situation is a 16-year-old teenager most likely to experience?
Imagine you are the CEO of a big company and you need to make an important decision.
You are a 16-year-old teenager and you want to talk to your friend about a problem you have.
You get my point.
What skill do we apply every day? The skill teenagers apply every day with their parents, teachers, friends? The skill that can be immensely beneficial at work and that can improve not only our working but also our private relationships?
We’ve put together 12 ESL negotiation role-plays based on real-life situations. Situations teenagers experience every day. When using these role-plays, students will learn how to:
prepare for everyday negotiations
look at real-life situations from a different perspective
know their goals
prepare to accept not to get everything
identify non-negotiables
adapt their strategy
ask questions
listen
Here is one of the negotiation role-plays you can find in the ebook.
A
You have too much on your plate right now and you need help with your English essay assignment which is due on Friday. Ask your classmate for help. What would you be willing to do for them if they helped you? Think of the things you are willing to offer: • • •
B
Your classmate needs your help with the English essay assignment which is due on Friday. You might consider helping them if they can provide the right incentives. Think of four things you want for helping them(can’t be money): • • • • If they agree with three of the four, you might consider helping them.
Download the PDF ebook 12 ESL Negotiation Role-plays here or click on the picture below.
This extensive list contains 47 interactive and online ELT resources that can help English teachers save a ton of time when preparing for lessons.
ELT Resources: SPEAKING
1. BBC Learning English
The site is sponsored by BBC and its divided into these topics: General & Business English Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation, Talking Sports, Quizzes, The Flatmates, Community, And For Teachers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/teachingenglish/talkingbusiness/
2. TalkEnglish
TalkEnglish.com offers speaking lessons on Regular, Business, Interviewing, Traveling Lessons, along with new Listening lessons, Pronunciation lessons, Basic Grammar, and Intonation and speed of speaking tips. http://www.talkenglish.com/
3. TESOL
This is the site for the TESOL International Association. It has many teacher resources such as activities, assessment, lesson plans, teaching tips, virtual seminars and more. You can search by picking the type of resource, audience, and language proficiency level. http://www.tesol.org/connect/tesol-resource-center/explore-the-resource-center http://www.tesol.org/docs/tesol-resource-center/73d51d33-0b1f-4b71-8065-
4. Usingenglish
This site includes activities and lesson plans. It also includes specific LP test sample items, so it is good if you are preparing students for these tests, or great for practicing these skills. http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/ http://www.usingenglish.com/files/pdf/bulats-speaking-part-1-topics.pdf
5. ESLgold
Materials, lesson plans, quizzes, online conversation partners, and links for teachers and students. http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/ss_giving_information.html
6. Digital Story Telling – University of Houston
Teachers can use digital storytelling as a teaching tool in the classroom. Using digital storytelling will assist both the visual and auditory learners. Students can tell their own stories or make up ones of their own and compose them along with pictures, audio, and more. http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/esl.html http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/movies/aleyda.wmv
7. Totalesl
An ESL EFL TEFL TESOL worldwide resource for ESL/EFL/TEFL/TESOL jobs, teachers resumes, schools, teacher training courses, private tutors, blogs, lesson plans, activities, and more. http://www.totalesl.com/ http://www.totalesl.com/video.php?id=19
8. Englishclub
Conversation worksheets, activities, teacher notes for lessons. http://www.englishclub.com/esl-worksheets/conversation/index.htm http://www.englishclub.com/esl-worksheets/conversation/TP_Adventure.pdf
9. Linguarama
Business English, offers mini-lessons and worksheets. Look under “Themes” for lessons categorized under very precise headings like management, banking, and marketing. It’s straightforward and best for ESL classes that are intermediate and higher. http://www.linguarama.com/ps/sales-themed-english/polite-speech.htm
10. Skype in the classroom
Skype is a free and easy way for teachers to open up their classroom. Meet new people, talk to experts, share ideas and create amazing learning experiences with teachers from around the world. You can have a language interchange and have real-world conversation opportunity for your students. https://education.skype.com/
11. EverythingESL
By a teacher for teachers. This site has content based and cultural lesson plans, teaching tips, resource picks and more. http://www.everythingesl.net/ http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/favorite_food.php
12. EFL Ideas
Creative resources for ESL/EFL teachers focused mainly on speaking and vocabulary and communicative lessons based on videos. Role-plays, group activities, communicative activities, video lessons, worksheets, teaching tips.
ELT Resources: LISTENING
13. British Council Learn English
This website is sponsored by the British Council and it is for adult learners. It is divided into the following sections: Listen & Watch, Grammar & Vocabulary, Fun & Games, Business & Work, and IELTS. http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/ http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/big-city-small-world/series-2-episode-11-date
14. Manythings
The website is divided into the following categories: vocabulary, reading, grammar, listening and speaking. There are songs, quizzes, word games, word puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, anagrams, a random-sentence generator and other computer assisted language learning activities. http://www.manythings.org/ http://www.manythings.org/mp/m08.html
15. ESLPod
ESLPod.com provides a great selection of podcasts that are written and read specifically to ESL learners. http://www.eslpod.com/website/index_new.html
16. OneStopEnglish
Onestopenglish is a teacher’s resource site for English teachers. All materials are written and edited by a team of teachers and authors and are organized into core subject areas. The link sample takes you to the listening skill section, which contains innovative lesson ideas for listening such as an audio soap opera, cinematic listening, live from …authentic interviews, mini-plays, jazz chants, listening lesson plans, and teaching tips. You do not have to be a registered user to have access to these resources. http://www.onestopenglish.com
17. Voice of America
This is a multimedia source of daily news and information for millions of English learners worldwide. Audio programs and captioned videos are written using vocabulary at the intermediate and upperbeginner level and are read one-third slower than regular VOA English. Online texts, MP3s and podcasts let people read, listen and learn American English and much more. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/ http://learningenglish.voanews.com/archive/learningenglish-programs-radio-people-inamerica/latest/978/1578.html
18. Eviews
eViews has been designed for ESL to hear authentic English speakers in “natural” conversations. Interviews are recorded at a natural speed, are not scripted, and are spoken by “real” people, not actors. Students are able to practice hearing and understanding native English speakers in a wide range of accents; English, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, etc. http://www.eviews.net/ http://www.eviews.net/1349/
19. Tefltunes
ESL and EFL teachers thinking about using songs and lyrics to teach English grammar. Includes worksheet and teacher notes for each song. http://www.tefltunes.com/search/searchall.aspx?name=public
20. Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
Bank of ESL listening activities. The sound clips have pre and post-listening exercises, and comprehension questions too. Most of the content would suit low-to-high intermediate students, but there are some resources for beginners and advanced learners too. http://esl-lab.com
21. Scholastic
Offers teacher resources including student activities, computer lab favorites, interactive whiteboard activities, new teacher support, daily starters, Everything you need for: lesson plans, planning calendar, printables, mini-books, and more. http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/animal_moves_activity/ http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bll/nina/home/
22. BrainPop
BrainPOP ESL uses lively, engaging content to teach English to ESL’s. Lessons are built around animated movies and supporting features that reinforce vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, reading comprehension, and writing skills. New concepts are couched in everyday situations, adding context for learners and helping them master idiomatic and cultural nuances. Versatile and easy to use, BrainPOP ESL assumes no prior knowledge of English, and effectively addresses diverse learning styles. http://www.brainpop.com/free_stuff/ http://www.brainpopesl.com/level1/unit1/lesson1/
23. Storyline
Online streaming video program featuring Screen Actors Guild members reading children’s books aloud. Each book includes accompanying activities and lesson ideas. http://www.storylineonline.net/
24. Abcfastphonics
This program presents the basics of phonics, including rules for vowels, consonants, and blends along with practice pages. Young children and other beginning readers of all ages can navigate the site just by using the hand buttons. Click and hear the sound of each alphabet letter, consonants, vowels long and short, rules, common words, and more. http://www.abcfastphonics.com/ http://www.abcfastphonics.com/letter-names.html
READING
25. GCFLearnFree
GCFLearnFree helps improve English vocabulary with their Reading program. Fun activities and videos will help you master 1,000 common English words. Reading and listening to texts will improve your ability to speak, read, and understand English. You can even choose your native language to learn English! http://www.gcflearnfree.org/learnenglish http://www.gcflearnfree.org/reading/play/2
26. American English
American English is a resource center for teaching and learning about American English language and culture. This website provides a variety of engaging materials and resources for teachers’ professional development and for students in the classroom. Both teachers and students will find new ways to practice English and learn more about the United States. http://americanenglish.state.gov/materials-learning-english http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/build-fire-and-other-stories#child-360
27. Scribd
This bank of “did they really happen?” stories has a good selection of offbeat reads about topics like animal heroism and dumb burglars. The content reminds me of Reader’s Digest; it’s nothing groundbreaking, but the mass appeal is great for structuring classroom activities. Some stories have a good deal of supplementary exercises for students. Reading articles with vocabulary and follow up questions. http://www.scribd.com/ http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/117748668?access_key=key-25kb6t3j5d1rroeh65nt
28. British Council Learn English Teen
This website is sponsored by the British council and it is for teenagers. The website is divided into English skills practices, grammar and vocabulary, exams, free time, and magazines. http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/ http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/english-skills-practice/read-your-level/la-skaters-interviewlevel-1
29. Starfall
You can teach children to read with phonics. Systematic phonics approach, in conjunction with phonemic awareness practice, is perfect for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, special education, homeschool, and English language development (ELD, ELL, ESL). http://www.starfall.com/ http://www.starfall.com/n/comics/lemonade-girl/load.htm?f
30. PBS Teachers
Free Resources for Teaching & Learning for preK-12. Here you’ll find classroom materials suitable for a wide range of subjects and grade levels, thousands of lesson plans, teaching activities, on-demand video assets, and interactive games and simulations. These resources are correlated to state and national educational standards. http://www.pbs.org/teachers/ http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect/resources/7873/preview/
31. Colorincolorado
Colorín Colorado is a free web-based service that provides information, activities and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners. http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/ http://www.colorincolorado.org/webcasts/reading/
32. Scholastic
Offers teacher resources including student activities, computer lab favorites, interactive whiteboard activities, new teacher support, daily starters, Everything You Need for, lesson plans, planning calendar, printables, mini-books and more. http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/adventure/spanish1.htm
33. Readinglesson
Lessons, stories to read, coloring sheets, and games. http://www.readinglesson.com/
34. Sesame Street Sesame workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street. Our projects bring critical lessons in literacy & numeracy, emotional well being, health & wellness, and respect and understanding to children in over 150+ countries. http://www.sesamestreet.org/home http://www.sesamestreet.org/games#media/game_955a4838-3ce1-4029-99f6-e983a3654419
35. Children’s Story Books Online
Illustrated children’s stories for kids of all ages http://www.magickeys.com/books/ http://www.magickeys.com/books/noblegnarble/index.html
36. Free Reading
Free Reading is a high-quality, open-source, free reading intervention program addressing literacy development. Includes a library of lessons in phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. The site is also filled with free, downloadable supplemental materials including flashcards, graphical organizers, illustrated readers, decodable texts, audio files, videos and more. http://www.free-reading.net/ http://www.free-reading.net/index.php?title=Introduce_th
37. Oxfordowl
With over 250 free e-books, Oxford Owl is a free website built to help you with your child’s learning, It is full of great support for reading and math. Extended to provide practical advice and top tips up to age 11 to help you support your child’s reading all the way through their primary school years. Special Kids’ barn area jam-packed with games and fun activities to make reading more fun. http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/Reading/ http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/EBooks/Big_Game_Adventure/
ELT Resources: WRITING
38. PaperRater
This website can be an aid for the students to develop their English writing. The site shows most of the grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes. Also, it evaluates the word choice and then gives the writer an estimated grade. http://www.paperrater.com/
39. Study Zone
The Study Zone is for students of the English Language. The English-language lessons and practice exercises are created by teachers. The site is designed to support our adult English-language learners. http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/ http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/2cond.htm
40. Academic English Café
Learn English online at your own pace in the Academic English Cafe! English language quizzes on grammar and writing topics, practice with real academic vocabulary, read model essays on many academic topics, listen to authentic English language programs. Quizzes, writing, essays, handouts, and lessons. http://www.academicenglishcafe.com/index.html http://www.academicenglishcafe.com/writing-quiz-1.html
41. John Fleming’s ESL Grammar help
College professor’s writing lab. http://faculty.deanza.edu/flemingjohn/stories/storyReader$22
42. Readwritethink
Provides educators, parents, and afterschool professionals with access to the highest quality practices in reading and language arts instruction by offering the very best in free materials. In this writing section you will find lesson plans, student interactive, calendar activities, and printouts. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/ http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/bear-poem-composing-performing835.html
43. TeacherTube
An online community for sharing instructional videos. Educationally focused, safe venue for teachers, schools, and home learners. Provides anytime, anywhere professional development with teachers teaching teachers. Teachers can also post videos designed for students to view in order to learn a concept or skill. http://teachertube.com/ http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=25156
44. Hubforteachers
The Hub, a new destination dedicated to bringing kids and families together, is partnering with Discovery Education to support teachers with comprehensive lesson plans, activities and a writing contest to inspire storytelling in the classroom. http://hubforteachers.discoveryeducation.com/storytelling-in-classroom/ http://hubforteachers.discoveryeducation.com/media/pdf/sensory-details.pdf
45. Discovery Education
Provides high quality, dynamic, digital content, interactive lessons, real time assessment, virtual experiences with some of Discovery’s greatest talent, classroom contest & challenges, professional development and more – Discovery is leading the way in transforming classrooms and inspiring learning. http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/index.cfm?campaign=flyout_teachers http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/WordSearchSetupForm.asp
46. British Council Learn English Kids
This website is sponsored by the British council and it is for kids. The website is divided into six main sections, kids games, listen and watch, read and write, make, speak and spell, and grammar. http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/ http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/word-games/make-the-sentences/letter-santa
47. Scholastic Offers teacher resources including student activities, computer lab favorites, interactive whiteboard activities, new teacher support, daily starters, Everything you need for: lesson plans, planning calendar, printables, mini-books and more. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/story-starters/
I came across a funny article about ridiculous complaints by spoiled holidaymakers. That inspired me to create this little worksheet/activity. I used it as a warm-up activity for my students the next lesson in which we covered writing complaints – holiday edition 🙂
Teacher tip: If they can’t come up with any own ideas in the second task, let them use some ideas from the list.
In pairs read the ridiculous complaints holidaymakers made to their travel agent.
Which is the craziest one? How would you have answered if you were in the place of the travel agent?
Why do you think people complain about these things?
Astonishing holiday complaints
1. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.”
2. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels.”
3. “The beach was too sandy.”
4. “On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food at all.”
5. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time – this should be banned.”
6. A woman threatened to call police after claiming that she’d been locked in by staff. When in fact, she had mistaken the “do not disturb” sign on the back of the door as a warning to remain in the room.
7. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white.”
8. A guest at a Novotel in Australia complained his soup was too thick and strong. He was inadvertently slurping the gravy at the time.
9. “We bought ‘Ray-Ban’ sunglasses for five Euros from a street trader, only to find out they were fake.”
10. “Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined, as my husband spent all day looking at other women.”
11. “No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled.”
12. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It only took the Americans three hours to get home.”
13. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends’ three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller.”
14. “I was bitten by a mosquito. No one said they could bite.”
15. “The brochure stated: ‘No hairdressers at the accommodation’. We’re trainee hairdressers – will we be OK staying there?”
16. “There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners now live abroad.”
17. “My fiancé and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked.”
18. “We had to queue outside with no air conditioning.”
These complaints are all taken from a survey from Thomas Cook and ABTA, revealing the most ridiculous complaints holidaymakers made to their travel agent.
Task 2
Think of two similar ridiculous complaints.
Role-play the dialogue with a classmate.
Student A You are an unsatisfied holiday maker and you are going to complain!
Student B You are a holiday representative and you try to be as polite as possible and explain the misunderstanding.
