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in Games and Activities· Life in the Classroom

Talk Show ESL Speaking & Listening Activity: Try it Out!

If you’re looking for a fun, engaging, and interactive speaking and listening activity, then consider Talk Show ESL. Keep on reading to find out more about this fun ESL activity to try it out with your students. It’s ideal for children, adults or anyone in between!

talk-show-esl-activity

Talk Show ESL Speaking Activity

Skills: Speaking/listening
Time: 15 minutes (small class) to the entire class period (larger classes)
Level: Low-intermediate to Advanced, age 8+
Materials Required: Nothing (optional: toy microphones, a video clip with monitor)

This is a pair work variation of self-introductions. My higher-level students tend to find this more fun than the same old self-introductions they do all the time. I set up the front of the class as a talk show set with a desk and chair (for the host) and a chair for the person being interviewed and divide the students into pairs.

Before beginning, I introduce the activity by asking students about talk shows. Most students will be very familiar with the concept. We then discuss what kinds of questions a host might ask.

One pair at a time comes to the front and the two students take turns being the host and the guest. The host is given either a set number of questions to ask or a time limit. After each host’s time is up, the teacher can open the floor to “audience” questions. It makes an ideal TEFL speaking activity to use at the beginning of the semester to help students get to know each other.

It’s also ideal for holiday lessons. For example, top get opinions about Thanksgiving food.

esl-talk-show-activity

Teaching Tips for Talk Show

While introducing the topic, it may be helpful for the students if you write some of the questions they (or you) suggest on the whiteboard for them to refer to as needed. However, you will need to remind them that talk show hosts look at the person as they ask questions.

The larger the class, the less time each pair will have to speak in front of the class. So, if your class is very large, limit each pair to 2-3 questions each before switching roles. If you have a large class and a short period, this may not be a feasible activity for even an entire class period.

For lower-level students, it’s still possible to do this activity. However, you may have to do a bit of a review on how to ask and answer WH questions and yes/no questions.

Procedure:

  1. Before class begins set up a desk and chair and another chair, talk show-style.
  2. To demonstrate, find a short clip of a popular celebrity being interviewed on a talk show to show the class, or simply talk about talk shows: what kinds of questions are asked, etc.
  3. Divide students into pairs: interviewer/host and guest. (They will switch roles.)
  4. Have one pair at a time come to the front of the class (the audience) and hold their interviews. The guests are playing themselves—this is a self-introduction.
  5. After a set number of questions (about 5) or your time limit, open the floor to questions from the audience. Then, have students switch roles.

Did you like this ESL Speaking Activity?

101 ESL Activities: Games, Activities, Practical ideas, & Teaching Tips For English Teachers of...
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Yes? Then you’re going to love this book on Amazon: 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults. The key to better TEFL classes with teenagers, university students or adults is a wide variety of interactive and engaging activities. This book will help you get through the entire semester in style!

You can find the book in a variety of formats. Pick up a copy to keep on the bookshelf in your office for a serious lesson planning session. Or, take the digital version with you on any device to your favourite coffee shop for lesson plans on the go. Or, listen to the audio version on your way to school for some serious inspiration.

Whatever the case, get ready for some ESL teaching awesome in your life! Find out more about the book here:

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Have your Say About Talk Show ESL

What do you think about this talk show ESL activity? Have you tried it out with your students? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Also, be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other busy English teachers, like yourself find it.

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Last update on 2022-06-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 30 books for English teachers and English learners, including Advanced English Conversation Dialogues and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults. She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at:
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Jackie Bolen has been talking ESL South Korea since 2014. The goal is to bring you the best tips, ideas, and news for everything teaching English in Korea, including university jobs.

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