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12 ESL Speaking Activities

Blog Teaching & School Administration 12 ESL Speaking Activities

December 19, 2023 in [ Teaching & School Administration ]

There are a variety of activities for teachers to engage their K-8 classrooms with students who
have English as their second language. English Second Language (ESL) is also referred to as
English Language Learners (ELL) or English Learners (EL). Effective language learning involves
active engagement, especially in spoken communication. This blog presents a curated collection
of 12 engaging ESL speaking activities designed to foster fluency, confidence and interactive
skills in learners.

Whether you're an educator seeking innovative classroom exercises or a language enthusiast

looking for fun ways to practice speaking, this resource can offer a diverse range of activities
suitable for various proficiency levels. Dive into these interactive exercises that can help
transform language learning into an enjoyable and enriching experience.

In This Article:

1. Introduction Song
2. Interviewer
3. 20 Questions/Guess Who
4. Poll the Class
5. Short Speeches
6. Describe and Draw
7. Teach a Class
8. Group Storytelling
9. Choose Your Words
10. Guess the Word
11. Spot the Lie
12. Describe the Photo
Prepare for a Future in ESL Speaking Activities

1. Introduction Song
Singing can be an active way for English Language Learners (ELL) to practice their skills.
Introduction songs are great for almost any classroom with younger learners, as they can be
icebreakers that potentially help students get to know one another while also seeing how fun
learning can be in the classroom. Introduce yourself to your students by singing your name, then
instruct them to follow one-by-one until everyone has introduced themselves to the class.

2. Interviewer
When it comes to ESL activities for students, this can be a great option that may encourage
students to get to know one another while also becoming more comfortable speaking English in
the classroom. Set students up in pairs or small groups and instruct them to interview one
another. Their questions can be based on their current abilities or any topics you are covering in
class. Beginner students can ask one another about their families and interests, while more
advanced students can ask questions that let them practice using the past tense.

3. 20 Questions/Guess Who
Similar to the activity mentioned above, this activity can help students ask questions to find a
specific answer. One student will choose a person or object and keep it a secret from the rest of
the class. Then, other students can ask yes or no questions to determine what the selector has
chosen. The group only has 20 questions, so they need to choose their questions carefully to
win.

4. Poll the Class

Take a class poll by asking students which one they prefer out of two choices. Topics can relate
to colors, animals, pop culture or anything else that might interest your students. Give students a
chance to discuss why they prefer one choice over the other and see where the conversations
go. This may even lead to a debate and other activities for ESL students.

5. Short Speeches
Each student will have 30 seconds to one minute to give a short speech to the rest of the class.
These speeches can be prepared in advance, giving students an opportunity to plan exactly
what they want to say. You can make things more challenging by creating a random list of topics
and have each student select a topic then give a speech on the spot without preparation.

6. Describe and Draw

Break students up into pairs, then instruct one member of each pair to draw a picture that they
keep hidden from the other member. The drawer must then describe their drawing to their
partner, who must try to draw the same image themselves without looking at the original image.
This is a fun way to help students practice their abilities to describe various items in English.

7. Teach a Class
This is similar to the short speech activity but may require more preparation. In pairs or groups,
students must pick a topic that they will teach the rest of the class about for a designated period
of time. Students must prepare what they will say and how they will use the classroom space
during their time as the teacher. Encourage students to ask the presenting group questions
about their topic once their presentation/class is complete.

8. Group Storytelling
Have students sit in a circle and tell them that you will be creating a story as a group. You can
start the story with a few sentences, then choose a student to continue the story however they
want. You can set a specific amount of time or give each student a few sentences before moving
on to the next storyteller in the group.

9. Choose Your Words

Write vocabulary words down on strips of paper then fold them in half and place them in a bowl
or container. One at a time, students will come to the front of the class and pick a few strips of
paper out of the bowl. They must then tell a short story that incorporates the words they have
chosen. Students can choose all the words and look at them before starting their story, or you
can make the activity more challenging by telling students when to choose a new word as they
are telling their story, then have them incorporate that word into the story as they go.

10. Guess the Word

This is another activity that requires you to come up with vocabulary words and write them down
on strips of paper. It is similar to charades, except instead of silently acting out the word, the
student will have to use other words to describe the word they have chosen. The other students
must try to guess what the chosen word is. Whoever correctly guesses the word will be the next
person to choose a word.

11. Spot the Lie

With this activity, students are likely to have fun while also learning about one another. Instruct
each student to write down three facts about themselves — except only two of them should be
true. The third “fact” should be something that is not true. One at a time, students will read all
three of their statements randomly. The other students must then work together to figure out
which of the three statements is not true.

12. Describe the Photo

This activity is simple yet offers a great opportunity for students to practice their English skills,
both speaking in front of a group and taking part in conversation. You can put together a list of
photos or ask your students to bring in photos they have taken. Then have students stand in
front of the class and describe their photos. They can talk about different elements of the photos
themselves or describe what happened that day. Other students can ask questions, opening the
space for conversations.

Prepare for a Future in ESL Speaking Activities

The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with an Emphasis in English as a Second
Language is a degree program at Grand Canyon University that can help you prepare for a
future you may find rewarding. Earning this degree can be a great option if you are passionate
about helping young people master the English language and gain useful skills in all aspects of
their education.

This degree program covers a variety of topics, including adolescent development, cultural
differences and cross-cultural studies, student engagement, educational trends and more. This
program can help prepare students for teaching positions in preschools, kindergartens,
elementary schools, middle schools and secondary schools. Earning your degree can help
prepare you to teach students through ESL speaking activities, such as the activities for English
language learners as discussed above. To learn more about this program, fill out the form at the
top of the page to speak to a university counselor today.

If seeking licensure or certification, applicants to the program are responsible for contacting
their state department of education for licensure requirements and program approval. In
addition, fingerprint and background clearance is required.

Approved by the dean of the College of Education on Dec. 6, 2023.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not
necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited
were accurate as of the publish date.

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Teaching and Instruction Bachelor’s Degrees Education Today Communication

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