ESL Conversation Questions and Speaking Activities

September 29, 2020

United States

The US is a country that is known throughout the world for its culture, history, innovation, and people. It is hard to find another nation that has managed to achieve so much in such a short span of time. That said, what do you think of this country? Language level: B1+ Aim: Talk about the life and culture in the...

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September 29, 2020

Voting

Voting for one’s future is often seen as a given in some countries. But in many places in the world, the future is often determined in other ways. How important is it to vote and why should people care about this? This conversation question sheet is to help stimulate a discussion with your students on the importance of voting. Language...

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December 13, 2018

TED Talks Lesson Plan: A Radical Experiment in Empathy

Can two countries at war dare to empathize with one another? Step by methodical step, sociologist Sam Richards gives his audience an extraordinary challenge: to allow a group of (mainly) Americans to understand — not approve of, but understand — the motivations of an Iraqi insurgent. A powerful talk. This lesson is aimed at developing listening comprehension and dialogue that...

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December 12, 2018

Slavery

When individuals are kept in a condition where they no longer control their basic freedom as a result of another, then that is slavery. While this is becoming less frequent in the world today, in ancient times it was very common. The ancient Aztecs, the Romans, the Greeks and many more all kept slaves to keep their economy moving. A...

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December 11, 2018

TED Talk Discussion: How We’ll Earn Money in a Future Without Jobs

Machines that can think, learn and adapt are coming — and that could mean that we humans will end up with significant unemployment. What should we do about it? In a straightforward talk about a controversial idea, futurist Martin Ford makes the case for separating income from traditional work and instituting a universal basic income. Useful Vocabulary Explosion of interestDisplace...

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December 11, 2018

TED Talk Discussion: How A Driverless Car Sees the Road

Statistically, the least reliable part of the car is … the driver. In 2015, Chris Urmson was head of Google’s driverless car program, one of several efforts to remove humans from the driver’s seat. He shares fascinating footage that shows how the car sees the road and makes autonomous decisions about what to do next. Useful Vocabulary UnbelievableSubstantiallyIncrementalAssistance systemsConvincedIntersectionAnticipateRespondCrosswalkSteeringTransformative Comprehension...

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December 11, 2018

TED Talk Discussion: Everyday Cybercrime — and What You Can Do About It

How do you pick up a malicious online virus, the kind of malware that snoops on your data and taps your bank account? Often, it’s through simple things you do each day without thinking twice. James Lyne reminds us that it’s not only the NSA that’s watching us, but ever-more-sophisticated cyber criminals, who exploit both weak code and trusting human...

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December 11, 2018

TED Talk Discussion: How Protest Is Redefining Democracy Around the World

The democratic process is messy, complicated and often inefficient — but across Africa, activists are redefining democracy by putting protest at its center. In an illuminating talk, political scientist Zachariah Mampilly gives us a primer on the current wave of protests reshaping countries like Tunisia, Malawi and Zimbabwe — and explains how this form of political dissension expands our political...

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December 11, 2018

TED Talk Discussion: Where is Home?

More and more people worldwide are living in countries not considered their own. Writer Pico Iyer — who himself has three or four “origins” — meditates on the meaning of home, the joy of traveling and the serenity of standing still. Useful Vocabulary Undergraduate educationI’m very much of the United StatesStraightforwardEncircledCoincidenceLiberationEnmityBlack and white divisionsIntriguedCritical decisions Comprehension Questions Where does Pico...

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December 10, 2018

TED Talk Discussion: New Insights on Poverty

Researcher Hans Rosling uses his cool data tools to show how countries are pulling themselves out of poverty. He demos Dollar Street, comparing households of varying income levels worldwide. Then he does something really amazing. Useful Vocabulary MindsetPer capitathe world is a messy placeProportionallyMotorMillMicro-creditIndustrialised countryDeveloping country Comprehension Questions What old mindset does he say is wrong? What do the bubbles...

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December 10, 2018

TED Talk Discussion: How to Use Data to Make a Hit TV Show

Does collecting more data lead to better decision-making? Competitive, data-savvy companies like Amazon, Google, and Netflix have learned that data analysis alone doesn’t always produce optimum results. In this talk, data scientist Sebastian Wernicke breaks down what goes wrong when we make decisions based purely on data — and suggests a brainier way to use it. Useful Vocabulary Ratings –...

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December 10, 2018

Ted Talk Discussion: Are We Over-medicalized?

Reuters health editor Ivan Oransky warns that we’re suffering from an epidemic of preposterous preconditions — pre-diabetes, pre-cancer, and many more. In this engaging talk from TEDMED he shows how health care can find a solution… by taking an important lesson from baseball. Useful Vocabulary AcnePreposterousConservative estimateto medicalize – to treat a medical problem without a real reason.PubertyMenopauseto get suedSwinging...

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June 11, 2018

Russia

Russia is the world’s largest country and home to hundreds of historic sites with great artistic riches. It also has one of the longest train rides in the world, the Trans Siberia Railway Line and a nightlife fuelled on vodka. Moscow is not only the capital city, but it’s also a great world treasure for art, culture, and scientific discoveries. It’s home...

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June 11, 2018

Religion

Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and many other religions are a key part of life on Earth. It guides the daily living of almost 3 billion people and is the central focus for life’s great milestones; deaths, births, and marriages. Whatever your personal view, it is accepted that most religions do create a fraternity of mankind that no other organization has been...

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June 11, 2018

School

This conversation discussion focussed on school and all the topics which surround it. Schooling is very important to our lives and personal development, but how does it change you and why? What other factors can influence the life of a student in a school? These are questions that are constantly being brought up and talked about. Language level: B1+ Aim:...

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June 11, 2018

TED IELTS: Young People and the World of Work, Includes IELTS Essay Plan

This Ted Talk is all about the world of work and how companies should better manage the education of their staff, recruitment, and training choices. Matt makes a passionate case for the use of apprenticeships to find and retain the right people for a company. In recent years it has been seen as a lost option for many young people...

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May 21, 2018

3 TEFL/ESL Presentation Scripts For Use In The Classroom

There are times when your students need a helping in hand in how to structure a presentation. Below are four example presentations which include signalling language and useful vocabulary related to the subject. These scripts are incredibly useful in creating a foundation for your students to use. Historical figure presentation script Historical figure presentation template Introduction – How do we define...

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May 16, 2018

Presentation signposting / linking words / signalling phrases cheat sheet.

Below is a quick list of phrases you can use to create a smooth presentation by indicating to the audience through signposting, using linking words, and signalling phrases. The list can be downloaded as a PDF, click the image below to download. This page is part of the main presentation how to which can be found here. Introducing the Subject I’d like...

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May 15, 2018

Combining Ted Talks with IELTS: A Guide

English study has become ever more critical for students over the last few decades. The stakes have never been higher and the costs hardly seem to be on a steady decline. The average students spend countless hours studying, so the need to create lessons that are not only functional but also engaging is becoming ever more important. Having taught IELTS...

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May 14, 2018

TED Talk with IELTS Vocab and Writing Task 2: Housing Crisis

Introduction This lesson incorporates a TED Talk (on housing) along with IELTS vocab and writing help. Sarah Murray’s 2018 Talk on the world’s housing crisis, where many are increasingly being priced out of the market, could not have come at a better moment. Homes have become too expensive and deposits are equally hard to save up for when renting in...

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May 12, 2018

10 PPT Country Jeopardy Games For The TEFL Classroom

Introduction Learning about the world is essential. Use our self-made Microsoft PowerPoint to make learning about countries fun and interactive. The file can be edited by you to include points you wish to teach (or even revise) with your students. Each slide is image rich and can be tailored to your class level. In this regard, consider this file as...

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May 7, 2018

Peoples Republic of Bozatta: Budget Decisions

Language level: B1+ Aim: Team discussion and decision making. Building leadership and critical thinking skills. Learner type: Young learners; Teens; Adults Time: 45 – 60 minutes Materials: PDF text and images, can be printed or used on an in-class projector. Welcome to Bozatta, a land-locked nation located deep in the jungle of South America. As one of the world’s newest...

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May 4, 2018

Selfies

We’ve all probably done it and perhaps even our parents. Taking selfies is the latest norm to settle in our lives, but how good is it for your health? Many say that it can cause anxiety and bullying amongst teens, and others suggest is a great way to make yourself known if you want to get into the media business....

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May 4, 2018

Sleep

Modern life is really hectic sometimes. It often feels like a neverending treadmill of; waking up, working, eating, sleeping, and then to have it all repeat the next day. That aside, how much sleep we get each day is an essential part of our health. Do you think we get enough or are we struggling to keep up? Did you...

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