esl role plays Archives

No-prep ESL Speaking Activity: Fashion Role-Play

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.

Navigating the Benefits of Role Play Activities:

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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End of Year Activities and Games : No-prep, Easy to Print

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.

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:

Role-plays about nature and the environment

Negotiation role-plays based on real life situations

Balderdash

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:

Picture Prompts for Speaking

Creative Storytelling

Stories with a twist

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.

Stories with a Twist

Dominoes

A fun game of vocabulary dominoes. Students can work individually, in pairs or in teams. Great for vocabulary revision.

Travel Dominoes

Places Dominoes

Online end of school activities

Jeopardylabs

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!

Kahoot

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!

The Game Gal

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.

Role-play Scenarios for ESL: Discussing Different Topics and Situations, Even Vaccination!

What is a role-play scenario?

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-play scenarios. 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.

For more traveling role-plays click here.

Role-play: Negotiation

“*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.

For more negotiation role-plays click here.

Role-play: Science

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.

For more science role-plays click here.

Role-play: Environment

*“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.

For more environment role-plays click here.

Role-play: Work problems

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.

For more office problems role-plays click here.

12 ESL Negotiation Role-plays: Real-life situations

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?

Negotiation.

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. Sounds much less threatening when it’s put like that, doesn’t it?

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.