7 Fun and Effective ESL Speaking Activities for the Classroom
Supporting English learners (ELs or ELLs) starts with understanding where they are in their language development journey.
When considering how to improve English speaking skills, it’s important to remember that receptive language develops before expressive language. Newcomers are in what’s known as the silent period—they may not speak right away, but they are actively listening and taking in the rhythm, vocabulary, and structure of English.
One important factor that affects English learners at every stage is the affective filter—a term coined by linguist Stephen Krashen. When students feel anxious or afraid to make mistakes, this emotional filter goes up and can inhibit language acquisition.
The ESL speaking activities in this article are designed with this in mind, lowering the affective filter through scaffolds that support learners.
Regardless of your students’ proficiency level, these activities for non-English speaking students will help develop their oral language skills.
The Stages of Second Language Acquisition
Many factors influence second language acquisition. First language skills, age, exposure, and previous school experiences all contribute to how easily a student will learn a new language. While the progression through the stages is predictable, the pace of progression varies for each learner.
As they move through the stages of second language acquisition, it’s essential to provide regular, low-pressure opportunities to speak.
Understanding where your students are in these stages can help you choose the right scaffolds and activities. Below are four commonly recognized stages of second language acquisition:
- Pre-production (Silent Period): Students may not speak but are actively listening. Use visuals, gestures, and focus on repetition.
- Early Production: Students speak in one- or two-word phrases. Support with sentence frames and visuals.
- Speech Emergence: Students speak in longer phrases and simple sentences. Encourage group discussions and sentence expansion.
- Intermediate Fluency: Students use more complex sentences. Offer opportunities for extended conversations.
Strong first language skills support second language development, but every EL’s path is unique. A growth mindset combined with consistent, supportive practice helps students build language skills and confidence.
Why Speaking Games Work in the ESL Classroom
For many students (especially those who are shy), speaking in a group setting can be intimidating. ESL conversation games are a fun, structured way to develop oral language. Games reduce that pressure by incorporating practice in fun, low-risk experiences. Furthermore, games can support the following:
- Vocabulary development
- Listening comprehension
- Grammar practice in context
- Turn-taking and conversational norms
With appropriate scaffolding and expectations, speaking games can be used to promote both language and social skills.
7 Easy ESL Speaking Activities for the Classroom
Try these low-prep speaking activities to make a powerful impact in supporting language growth.
1. Would You Rather?
Give students fun choices (“Would you rather eat pizza or tacos?”). Students can answer alone, with a partner, or in small groups. This activity allows for short responses from beginners and more extended responses from advanced learners.
Why it works:
- Offers differentiation for responses.
- Builds confidence in expressing preferences.
Scaffolds to use:
- Sentence frames: “I would rather ___ because ___.”
- Visual support or gesture cues.
2. Find Someone Who…
Provide students with a grid filled with prompts and questions (“Find someone who has a pet”). They walk around asking classmates until they complete the grid.
Why it works:
- Encourages speaking with peers.
- Supports question formation and listening.
- Builds classroom community.
Scaffolds to use:
- Provide model questions and answers.
- Practice common question structures as a class before beginning.
- Allow students to use checklists or visuals for support.
3. Picture Prompts
Show an interesting picture and ask students to describe what they see. Use the image to prompt conversations, predictions, or storytelling.
Why it works:
- Visuals make it easier for students at all levels to participate.
- Supports creativity and inference.
- Allows for differentiated levels of response.
Scaffolds to use:
- Sentence frames: “I see ___,” “They are ___,” “Maybe they are ___ because ___”
- Model a few responses before students begin.
4. Four Corners
Label the corners of your classroom with answers to a question, such as favorite seasons, foods, or hobbies. Students move to the corner that matches their answer, then discuss in small groups or partners.
Why it works:
- Incorporates movement and speaking in a low-pressure setting.
- Encourages peer discussion.
- Includes opportunities for follow-up writing extensions.
Scaffolds to use:
- Provide sentence starters for small group discussion.
- Allow think time before moving.
- Model how to explain choices.
5. Speaking Dice or Spinners
Create dice with question prompts (“What do you like to do after school?”) or use online spinners. Students roll and answer the question in pairs or small groups.
Why it works:
- Encourages natural conversations.
- Easy to differentiate by prompt difficulty.
Scaffolds to use:
- Use visuals or word banks.
- Offer prompts like everyday routines, favorites, or describing a picture.
6. Turn and Talk
Turn and Talk is a quick and easy way to support speaking skills throughout the day. Ask a question and have students turn to a partner to share a response.
Why it works:
- Flexible and easy to use across grade levels and content areas.
- Low-stakes way to practice speaking.
- Encourages active listening and speaking.
Scaffolds to use:
- Provide sentence starters.
- Allow think time before talking.
7. Verbal Exit Tickets
Before students leave, ask them to answer a question aloud—either to you or a peer.
Why it works:
- Reinforces learning.
- Builds a habit of using academic language.
- Provides quick formative assessment.
Scaffolds to use:
- Offer question stems like: “One thing I learned today is ___”, “A new word I used is ___”
- Model responses before students answer.
Oral Language Development Strategies for ELLs
Strong oral language strategies will help make your ESL speaking practice more effective. To boost language development, consider the following strategies:
- Model complete sentences.
Consistently modeling complete sentences helps students internalize proper syntax and vocabulary. - Use visual supports.
Visual aids like real objects (realia), flashcards, and anchor charts provide contextual clues that aid oral comprehension and vocabulary retention. - Build in wait time.
Allowing students extended wait time after posing a question gives them the opportunity to process information. - Use sentence stems and frames.
Sentence stems and frames help students build skills that facilitate more complex language use. - Celebrate risk-taking.
Creating a supportive environment where all speaking attempts are valued encourages risk-taking and a growth mindset for ELLs.
Teacher’s Corner
We asked members of our Teacher Advisors Group (TAG) to share their best tips and go-to ESL speaking activities. Here’s what they had to say:
Sheri Swearengin
“I start out every year speaking with my students about speaking in my class. Everyone will speak and we try to speak every time we are together. It may be as simple as ‘What is your favorite food?’ or ‘Tell me about something you learned today.’
We model and hold our hand up and count words—speak in complete sentences. For example: ‘What is your favorite animal?’ Hold up your hand and have them repeat and count words—‘My favorite animal is ___.’ If they don’t answer, I give them an animal and they repeat after me word for word. We wait for everyone to answer. Some of the older students think if they wait, they won’t have to speak—but we all do.”
“I have found several game boards online that are already filled in or editable with things like ‘Name three things—weather, animals, school supplies.’ I also use programs like Vocaroo.com so students can record themselves.”
“I gamify everything I can. For example, today in kindergarten we were studying animals. Before they could leave, everyone had to tell me one animal from the video—without saying one someone else said. I gave everyone a Skittle or piece of candy, but if someone named my favorite animal, they got two pieces!”
Benita Afonso
“There are so many strategies I currently use in my teaching. These are tried-and-true SIOP strategies (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol):
- Picture prompts: Show an image and have students describe what is happening. You can even create a class story!
- Role-playing: I’ve used pretend phone calls to order food or make dinner reservations when I taught adults—great real-life communication practice!
- Think-Pair-Share: Students think about a prompt, discuss with a partner, and share with the class.”
“My favorite classroom speaking game is Would You Rather? It works for all levels. Beginners can answer with a few words, while more proficient students can explain their reasoning.”
“To help reluctant speakers, I use ‘Find Someone Who…’ or give them dialogue cards with questions and prompts. I even share these cards with families to support language development at home.”
“Tips for confidence? Pair mixed levels together, provide visuals and sentence starters, keep activities fun and low-pressure, and always allow room for mistakes.”
Speaking a new language can be intimidating, but practice makes progress. English classroom speaking games offer fun, low-pressure ways to get students talking. With the right support, they’ll become more comfortable and more confident—one conversation at a time.
Help your English learners and all students develop letter and word knowledge with our Vocabulary Picture Cards. Sets are available in English and English-Spanish.
View Product →Thank you to our blog contributors: Benita Afonso, ENL/Building Point Person for grades 1 and 2 in Sleepy Hollow, New York; and Sheri Swearengin, an EL teacher in Marshall County Schools.