Author: Philasande Jonathan (South Africa) | Published on 18 April 2025

 

Here are three activities you can use to keep your classroom alive.

Activity 1: ordering food

Say: 'Let’s practice real-life conversations with Roleplaying ordering at a restaurant.'

Here’s what you’ll do.

Step 1

Hand out menus to students. You can print simple menus or make your own. One student is the customer, and the other is the waiter or waitress.

Step 2

Write the phrases the students will be using to order food on the board and pre teach these key phrases before starting.

  • 'Can I have a pizza, please?’
  • ‘Yes, of course! Anything else?’
  • ‘No, thank you. Just the pizza.’
  • ‘That will be $10.’

Step 3

Students take turns ordering and serving. After a few rounds, switch roles.

Activity 2: mystery bag

Bring a mystery bag to class and shake it dramatically. Ask:

'What do you think is inside this bag? Take a guess!'

Encourage them to say things like: 'Is it a pen? Is it a toy?'

Say: 'Next, we have Mystery Bag! This is a fun guessing game that’s perfect for vocabulary practice.' Write these useful sentence starters on the board:

  • ‘It’s made of…
  • ‘It’s used for…’
  • ‘It looks like…’

Step 1

Put a few objects in a bag. They can be simple things like a pen, a spoon, or a toy.

Step 2

Students work in pairs. One student pulls out an object secretly and describes it without showing it.

For example:

‘It’s small, it’s made of plastic, and you use it to write.’  The partner guesses: ‘Is it a pen?’ If they’re right, they switch roles.

Activity 3: Debate

Debating is great for expressing opinions and learning to give reasons.

Step 1

Choose a fun topic. For example, 'Which is better: cats or dogs?' or 'Should students wear school uniforms?' Write the topic on the board.

Step 2

Teach these words:

  • 'For' means you agree with the idea.
  • 'Against' means you disagree with the idea.

In English, we can agree or disagree politely. For example: ‘I think dogs are better because they’re loyal.’ or ‘I disagree. Cats are easier to take care of.’"

Step 3

Divide the class into two groups. One group is 'For,' and the other group is 'Against.' Teach these phrases to help them:

  • 'I think… because…'
  • 'In my opinion, …'
  • 'I disagree because…'

Step 4

Give them 2 minutes to write down their ideas. Then, each group shares their opinions.

For example:

Group 1: 'I think cats are better because they’re independent.'

Group 2: 'I disagree. I think dogs are better because they’re loyal.'

These activities – roleplaying, mystery bag, and debates – are simple, fun and very effective. Which activity will you use first to build your students confidence?