Speaking topic pre intermediate
One key goal almost every adult ESL student shares isgaining the ability to speak English with others. Show Luckily, they come to the classroom with a unique advantage. They have life experience. And, unlike younger students, theyve typically already achieved a high level ofproficiency in their native language. They want to speak English as well as they speak their own native languageso what better way to speak English like their native language than to speak about the very same things that they speak about on a daily basis? ESL speaking activities work even better when they speak about their own personal recollections, thoughts and ideas on these topics too! Sure, games and interactive exercises definitely workso, you can always do some fun activitieswith them. But when it comes to improving confidence and fluency, sometimesyou just cant beat a fine discussion. You know, a discussion like the ones they regularly have in their own language! Breaking out discussion questions like the ones below, questions about everyday things, works well because these types of questions really get thebrain thinking, relate directly to the students on a familiar level and can even incite some fascinating discussions between students, all while you sit back and listen! These topics can allbe used for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners! Just choose the questions that are the right level of simplicity or complexity for your students based on your knowledge of their skills.You could even mix up the example questions any way youd like. Ask the students these questions yourselves to get conversations started, or pass them out on worksheets for students to ask each other. Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download) 28 ESL Discussion Topics for Adults That Everyone Has Opinions On1. HobbiesEverybody has hobbies, and everybody loves talking about them. Hobbies could be passions too, you know. Some simple questions to ask include:
2. TimeAs people get older, their perceived value of time increases, so its a practical topic that everyone has something to say about. You could ask questions like:
3. SleepAs people get older, they start toappreciate a good nights sleep more and more. This topic is often a favorite for all. Some example questions are:
4. MusicEverybody loves music and most people feel very strong emotions towards itespecially when it comes to the music that they love (or hate) most. Some simple questions to ask could be:
5. First DatesUnless youre teaching in a place where arranged marriages are the thing to do, talking about first dates gets everybody interested. Weve all been there. You could ask questions like:
6. WorkLots of people work and have lots to say about it. I mean, if youre spending about a third of your waking hours at work, you may have lots to say. Some good questions are:
7. RiskEveryone feels a certain way about risk. Some are risk-oriented, others are risk-averse. Talking about risks seems to generate some good conversation. You could ask questions like:
8. FoodFood is possibly the most universal topic of them all and everyone loves to discuss what they eat. This is also an ideal topic for beginners because the vocabulary is usually pretty simple. You could use questions like:
9. MotivationWhether or not the students are a motivated bunch, motivation is a good topic to discuss in order to inspire your students. Some example questions are:
10. BeautyBeauty is one of those topics thats conventionally more geared toward women than it is tomen. However, anyone can appreciate beauty in all its forms, and anyone can recognize the importance of the concept of beauty in our cultures, societies and behaviors. Plus, men might surprise you by caring to chime in on beauty, looks and grooming. This makes ita good topic to discuss to get some opinions and various views within a group of students. You could ask questions like:
11. CrimeCrime may not be on the top of peoples lists of favorite topics but its something thats talked about. Depending on your adult students life experiences, it may be something that has affected their lives. Learning to discuss it could help your students out in the long run. Good discussion questions are:
12. LoveEverybody loves love and most people have had some firsthand experience theyd like to talk about. Its another one of those universal topics that gets the conversation going. Even if its not about romantic love and heartbreak, students can talk about familial love with their parents and children, as well as love between friends. Questions like these are good:
13. GoalsWe all have goals and talking about them actually gets us more encouraged to do something about them. Sharing goals is also a good thing to help get themdone. A good set of questions is:
14. DreamsWe all have dreams, sometimes on a nightly basis, and talking about them is a great discussion topic for classes asthey inspire students to be creative and even whimsical. Great questions for this topic include:
15. RestaurantsAlong with eating, everybody loves talking about their favorite eateries and restaurants. Some students could even relate to each other with their choices and views. Good questions include:
16. CookingCooking is another topic that may allow forsome good conversation. Most people in most countries do a good amount of cooking. A few good questions could be:
17. MoneyIf there is a topic that everyone loves deep down, it has to be money. People love talking about money. Well, may not if theyre brokebut even if they are, its a good, relatable topic that gets conversations going. Great questions include:
18. ShoppingThis one is a personal favorite for many. Shopping is becoming more and more prevalent and brings out some zest in some people. They just love shopping! Others feel strongly the other wayvery few people are completely neutral on this topic. A few good questions are:
19. PlansEverybody makes plans and discussing them could even influence the class to start making plans of their own! A few example questions include:
20. BooksBooks make for a good discussion topic because most people enjoy a good book. When you read, your mind is filled with new images, feelings, ideas and thoughts. Books also empower and educate people, so your adult students may believe in the value of books. It can be immensely satisfying for adult students to share how they feel about reading. Some questions to ask are:
21. SportsNow comes a topic that more men may favor, but its still good for classes since female spectators are on the rise. Some students may also have children that enjoy sports! A few good examples are:
22. LifeLife discussions go on in all languages and English is no exception. Practicing discussions on life is a good topic to cover since everyone has their own views and thoughts on the ubiquitous subject. You could bring up questions like:
23. TelevisionTelevision is one of those topics that everyone has an opinion about. The irony of it is that even though more and more programming is viewed on computers and tablets, television is still a hot topic classes love to discuss.If youre after a resource that uses TV and other native content, check outFluentU. FluentU takes authentic videoslike music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksand turns them into personalized language learning lessons. You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Click here to check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app. Try FluentU for FREE!
24. LearningLearning is like natureits all around us, even on a subconscious level. Our brains are built to absorb, filter and store information. Discussion about learning could actually stimulate some English learning amongst the students! A few questions that are suitable are:
25. MoviesLike television, talking about movies is a topic that has something to be said by everybody. I mean, who doesnt watch movies? A few good questions to be asked could be:
26. GamesGames are fun and everybody enjoys fun, no? But in all seriousness, talking about games gets discussion more geared towards past tense, which gives the students a fond sense of nostalgia. Some simple questions could be:
27. ComputersThe year is 2019 and you cant go a day without talking about computers. A greatly universal topic that could have students discussing quite a few things, which could all relate to real life too! Great questions on this could be:
28. ProblemsEven though nobody likes to talk about problems, per se, everybody still talks about their problems to other people! Problems are actually a good topic for discussion since they could help others relate to each other and even present solutions too. A few fine examples of questions are:
So thats thelist of discussion topics you could use with your ESL classes. Depending on their skill levels, you can feel free to make the questions a bit easier or more challenging. The best topics are those that are talked about in the students own native language (everyday things) and the best questions are usually open-ended as opposed to something that could be answered in a word or two. Its also best to avoid topics that could offend students like death, sex, politics and religionbut thats certainly something that varies from classroom to classroom. These topics may even inspire you to come up with some of your own, as youll begin to understand your students on a deeper level and knows what works and what doesnt. Happy discussing! Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download) |