speech topics for esl students

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Discussion Topics for Agreeing & Disagreeing (ESL)

These are conversation topics I have used to create discussion in my ESL class. They could also be used as speaking topics for speeches . These speaking topics go well with activities to practice giving opinions (agreeing, disagreeing, interrupting, and changing the topic). For a few activities for agreeing and disagreeing, visit here .

If you are looking for discussion questions, I have created a   longer list   (containing similar ideas) on the conversation questions page .

General Topics for Discussion or Speeches

• English is easy to learn.
• Money is more important than love.
• Students should be required to study English in elementary school.
• Violence is sometimes necessary.
• Personality is more important than beauty.
• People who live in apartments shouldn't own pets.
• No job is perfect.
• Everyone is good at something.
• We are not alone in the universe.
• Life was better 20 years ago.
• The most important thing about a job is the salary.
• You can know a lot about a person from the clothes he or she wears.
• Teachers should be able to use physical punishment.
• Global warming isn't real.
• There are actions we can take to stop global warming.
• There are no such things as ghosts.
• Everyone has the right to have an opinion even if the opinion is false according to well-known facts.
• People get offended too easily nowadays.
• What goes around comes around. (If you do good, good will come to you / If you do bad, bad things will happen to you.)
• Parents should never hit their children.
• Table manners and etiquette have become less important in the 21st century.

Crime Discussion/Speech Topics

• Smoking marijuana should be legal.
• Police officers should not carry guns.
• Criminals who take a life (kill someone) should spend their entire life behind bars.
• Graffiti is art, not crime.
• Prisoners are sent to jail to be reeducated.

Gender Issues Discussion/Speech Topics

• Men should open doors for women.
• Men and women can never really be equal.
• Women are better at teaching children than men are.
• Men are smarter than women.
• Companies should have quotas on their executive boards to make them 50% female.
• At a bar, men should initiate conversation with women (and not the other way around).

Health Discussion/Speech Topics

• People who get plastic surgery usually look worse later in life.
• Nowadays, people are too dependent on medicine.
• This country's healthcare system needs a lot of improvement.
• If you feel unwell, you should go to the doctor.
• Western medicine is more effective than Eastern medicine.
• People who use acupuncture are crazy.
• People should be more concerned about their health.
• Beauty products, vitamins, and mineral supplements generally provide the benefits they promise.
• Home remedies can be just as useful as medicine from a pharmacy.
• Obesity is a disease.
• Humans shouldn't drink the milk of other animals such as cows.
• There should be an extra tax on unhealthy food.
• Worrying about cancer can give you cancer.

Politics Discussion/Speech Topics

• Life would be better without government or rules.
• People should be able to criticize the government.
• The government has the right to monitor phone calls and e-mails.
• The government should increase environmental regulations on businesses.
• Women should be allowed to wear a niqab (or face veil) to civic ceremonies.
• We should tax the rich to help the poor.
• New Canadians who become terrorists should lose their citizenship and be sent back to where they came from.
• The government should be stricter on immigration.
• Canada should not participate in the war against ISIS.
• Voting for a political party that is unlikely to win the election is wasting your vote.

Enjoy your discussion.

- Conversation topics created by Matthew Barton of Englishcurrent.com (Copyright)

Related Pages

• Conversation Questions
• Argumentative Essay Topics (Business-Related)

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13 comments on “ Discussion Topics for Agreeing & Disagreeing (ESL) ”

Little water was left in the pot,….?(question tag)

…, wasn’t it? (but it seems very strange to use a question tag here)

You’re missing “there”; (there was) little water left in the pot, wasn’t there?

This sentence has a negative meaning so it should be:

(There was) Little (not much) water was left in the pot, was there?

As the word”Home” has to function as “Adverb of place and Noun”, and you explained that when it works as adverb of place, the preposition ” To” is not used and when it is used as “noun” , preposition is possible,so school is also adverb of place now if we say that school has only form “Noun” and it does not have adverb form, Is it correct

Hello. ‘school’ does not have an adverb form. It is only a noun. Therefore, verbs that require a preposition use a preposition when school is the object (“I went to school / I arrived at school.”). You cannot omit the prepositions. If that’s what you meant, then you are correct.

Unless you are using the word school for the services it offers. Then you say I go to school. No prep

And what is “to”?

Put thing abt covid

Actually, there is an adverb form of school, “schoolishly.” It is, however, quite rare and pretty nearly archaic. It seems mainly to have been used to characterize the manners and thoughts of the so-called “schoolmen” (a.k.a., scholastic philosophers.) Wordhippo features the term as do older dictionaries.

The English subject is a bit complicated since it requires time and a lot of practice. Money is more important than health but it is necessary for life since many people depend on it. For teachers to teach English in elementary school, this great help for students is necessary to continue learning. Violence is not good but many times anger takes advantage of ourselves by taking revenge for which the act turns into violence. Personality is important Since we must have values ​​in our life And try to be a better person, beauty is natural. Not every job can be perfect as it can also be dangerous and very expensive. We are not alone in the world because there are many people around us but our personality is unique. We can all be good at something, it’s just that for some things we won’t have the ability to do everything perfectly. Money is one of the most necessary elements since if we work it is because we need the salary and trying to do things with love and commitment is the best. The happiness of another person does not have to offend me since we can all be happy as we want. Regarding the phrase that says what you sow, what you reap is very true, the world is turning around and what we do today, right or wrong, will have our reward sooner or later.

English is easy to learn: The english subject its such a beautifu world, you can learn a lot of things about it and you learn to aprecciate it with the pass of the day, It is easy at the way you want to learn it and study. No job is perfect: Because sometimes your body get tired of to many things and at this point you just want to through away those works issues, but also we have other days when we realize that we are blessing of have this job, its a constant feelings of high and lows. Women are better at teaching childrens than men are: No, because God gave to each one of us, the intelligence and the habbility for do all the things and ideal that we have in life, we just need the strengh and good vibes to do it. What goes around comes around: I have always used to think that those things that you sow, you harvest too, thats why we always have to do the good things to our behaviors.

This country’s healthcare system needs a lot of improvement. I totally agree because currently the health system is totally deplorable. Public health is really slow and does not have the instruments or medicine necessary for the entire population and if you want to go to a private doctor they are very expensive and not the entire population has access to this, the government should implement measures to improve public health and its system in order to ensure well-being for the entire population .

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180 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (from Beginner to Pro)

Do you want your students to be excited to speak with you in English?

You need engaging content, interesting conversation starters, and questions that really reel them in.

Why Every Teacher Needs a List of Starters

If you want to improve your student’s speaking ability, you need to master the art of conversation. You have to know how to get your students speaking , move the conversation forward, provide feedback and make it all feel natural. You also need engaging topics, and that is where this guide comes in.

One of the problems that can face a teacher is knowing what to talk about. What do you do when you’ve finished talking about work, the weather and then realize that only 5 minutes have passed!

This guide has everything you need to make sure you never run out of topics and most importantly, you always have something interesting to say.

Conversation Topics for Adults and Teens

Adults and teens usually know more about advanced topics than children (politics, religion, etc.) That being said, knowing more on these topics doesn’t necessarily translate to being able to speak about these things easily so don’t assume they can do everything. Be aware of your student’s level and be prepared to reframe a question if they are struggling to understand. 

In this post, you’ll get 20 topics and activities for Business English lessons.

Conversation Topics for Kids

Conversation topics for beginners.

Keeping the topics simple for beginners is a must at the start. Talking about their hobbies and family can help, as these are areas they may have already experience in talking about. If a student is really struggling, then giving them phrases to use such as “I like …” can help get the ball rolling.

Use information gap activities to help your students practice speaking: read our guide.

Weird and Funny Conversation Starters

Zombie apocalypse plan, superpowers, controversial conversations topics.

These are topics that you need to be careful with and use your judgement based on the student’s background. You need to wait until you know a student to find out what material is appropriate for them. That being said, If used correctly, then these can be really interesting and get the student thinking about “real issues”. 

Technology and Society

Death penalty.

Get a list of 110 “Would you rather” questions for your conversation lessons.

Additional Tips for Your Conversation Lessons

Here are some additional tips to make sure your students are getting the most out of their conversation lessons and will be excited about coming back for more. Some of these will take time to internalize and get right but be aware of them and experiment to get them just right.

As well as the frequency of correction, consider the amount being corrected. Don’t feel like you have to correct EVERYTHING. Especially if a student is starting out and is a bit nervous. Pick a few problems areas and focus on that, if you mention too many things at once it can be overwhelming and can really lower a student’s confidence.

Some students will struggle with certain subjects as they just don’t know enough about the topic. If it’s a bit of a challenge then push through but if they can’t even talk about a topic in their native language then it may be an idea to move on to another subject.

Allowing a student to pick a topic can be a great way of engaging them more. This also has the added benefit of helping a younger student (such as a teenager) feel more empowered as they can make their own decisions.

Final Thoughts

All you need to make sure you never run out of things to say. Get these printed out as your go-to cheat sheets and bookmark this page so you can easily come back to them for future classes.

Remember, match the topics to the student’s level, keep it fun and once they start talking don’t get in the way!

Jonathan is a native English teacher with 4+ years of teaching experience. As well as teaching online, he also runs the website English +XP , an online resource for English learners and teachers.

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101 ESL Conversation Topics to Break the Silence

ESL Conversation Starters

Looking for that missing element that will help your ESL conversation classes sparkle, shine and speak English?

Leading an engaging ESL conversation class isn’t something you can just pull off at the drop of a hat. But these tricks can help you go from zero to ESL hero. As a matter of fact, the one big secret is having…

Ready? Drumroll, please.

101 ESL conversation topics from a hat.

101 ESL Conversation Topics From a Hat

How many times have you been in an ESL conversation class and just couldn’t get your students to speak?

In the classroom and in everyday life, we need conversation starters or ice breakers to end the silence. Arguably, there’s nothing stranger than silence in a conversation class!

Here’s how you do it:

Before you start the school year, dedicate some time to preparing a list of free talking topics (see below).

First, print the conversation topics below. Second, cut each topic and put them in a hat. Finally, have them attached to your hip whenever you’re in need.

You can either open the whole classroom for discussion or have them speak in pairs. Furthermore, these ESL conversation topics are great for filling in any extra time at the end of the class or ice breakers at the start of a lesson.

And if you’d like more free ESL activities for your classroom, don’t forget to check out our other lists to engage your students in English. All are free and can be used for any purpose.

• 43 Free ESL Worksheets that Enable English Language Learners
• 13 Free ESL Lesson Plans to Master Your ESL Classes
• 67 Free ESL Games to Teach English Like an All-Star

Either way, the goal is to get them practicing in English.

Culture Differences for Kids

• High schools (Do students wear special school attire like uniforms? Can students drive to their high school? Can students drink water in class?)
• Country work ethic (How long are typical work hours? Do students work after graduating?)
• School clubs (What unique school clubs are there? Which club are you in? Why did you choose that club?)
• Holidays (What is your favorite holiday? What type of food do you eat on specific holidays?)
• Jobs (What jobs exist? Is it easy to get a job after graduation? Is it easy to find a job now?)
• Pop culture (Who are pop culture icons in your home country?)
• Video games (Do you play video games? What types of video games are popular?)
• Parenting and punishment (What kind of punishment have you received at school or home? Do you believe in physical punishment?)

Culture Differences for Adults

• Restaurant tips (Are tips at restaurants common? How much is a reasonable tip?)
• Work dinner parties (Do wives and husbands attend work parties?)
• Gestures (What are some unique gestures (thumbs up, middle finger, etc) in your country?)
• Gift exchange (When you travel, is it common to exchange gifts? How about Christmas or any other holidays?)
• Living with parents (How old do kids live with their parents?)
• Greetings (How do you greet in your country? Do you bow or do handshakes?)
• Safety and crime (Do you think your neighborhood is safe? What kind of crimes happen in your area?)
• Punctuality (How often are friends late? How about buses and trains? Is it rude being late?)
• Food and health (What is a typical meal? How healthy is it? Are gyms becoming more popular?)
• Sports (How do sports players show respect after a game? Are there any unique sports in your country?)
• Multiculturalism (Is your country multicultural? Is multiculturalism a good thing?)
• Gender discrimination (Do women and men make the same amount of money for doing the same job? Is there much gender discrimination in your home country?)

If you…

• If you had one wish, what would it be?
• If you were rich, what would you do?
• If you could be a celebrity for a day, which celebrity would you be?
• If you were the principal at school, what would you change?
• If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
• If you were on a deserted island, what would you bring and why?
• If you could be any animal for a day, what would it be and why?
• If you could have any superpower, what would you pick and why?
• If you could pack only 3 items for your next trip, what would they be?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
• If you could travel to the moon, would you like to go?
• If you win the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
• If you owned an island to yourself, what rules would you implement?
• If they could pick a Halloween costume to dress up as on Halloween, what would it be?
• If you could be born at a different time period, when would it be?
• If you could change the past, would you do it?
• If you could make a movie, which celebrity would you pick as yourself?
• If you found a large amount of money, what would you do?
• If you could change anything about your country, what would you change?
• If you could be born in another country, which one would you pick?
• If you could do your dream job 10 years from now, which job would you choose?

Have you ever…

• Have you ever traveled out of your home country?
• Have you ever cried when watching a movie? If yes, which one?
• Have you ever experienced culture shock?
• Have you ever wanted to get a tattoo or piercing?
• Have you ever laughed so much that it made you cry?
• Have you ever been lost and couldn’t find directions?
• Have you ever fallen in love? If no, do you want to find love?
• Have you ever won a trophy? If yes, which competition did you win?
• Have you ever read a book that changed your life?
• Have you ever been to Disneyland or an amazing theme park?
• Have you ever had a dream that felt like it was real?
• Have you ever seen something supernatural or paranormal?
• Have you ever ridden a horse?
• Have you ever had imaginary friends when you were young?
• Have you ever had to go to the hospital?
• Have you ever been outside your home country?
• Have you ever experienced a natural disaster?
• Have you ever owned a pet?
• Have you ever donated anything to the poor?
• Have you ever seen a car accident?

Would you rather…

• Would rather be very intelligent or very good-looking?
• Would you rather have a pet dog or cat?
• Would you rather grow up going to school in your home country or another one?
• Would you rather be a professional athlete or a celebrity actor?
• Would you rather live forever or until 100 years old?
• Would you rather live in the mountains or on the beach?
• Would you rather bungee jump or skydive?
• Would you rather be rich or find true love?
• Would you rather walk backward or talk backward for the rest of your life?
• Would you rather explore the oceans or outer space?
• Would you rather live in an apartment or a house?
• Would you rather be invisible or super fast?
• Would you rather live in a country that is always cold or hot?
• Would you rather live in the city or a small town?
• Would you rather be a jack-of-all-trades or master one?
• Would you rather ride an elephant or swim with dolphins?
• Would you rather be rich and depressed or broke and happy?
• In the past or future, when would you rather travel?
• Would you rather eat rice or bread with every meal?
• Would you rather use the internet or books as your main source of information?

Controversial

• How do you deal with stress?
• What is the best advice you have ever received?
• Do you think aliens exist?
• Is climate change real?
• What age is best to start dating?
• What personality traits do you want in your boyfriend or girlfriend?
• Have you ever had a problem with bullying?
• Are girls smarter than boys?
• In the future, how many children do you want to have?
• What makes a good teacher?
• Who was your hero when you were a child?
• What is the worst purchase you have made?
• Would you rather know how you die or when you die?
• What was the best holiday you’ve been on?
• Is there any strange food in your country?
• What are some inventions you hope to see in the future?
• What is the most embarrassing moment of your life?
• Would you ever try online dating?
• What is on your bucket list?
• Do you believe in any religions?
• When was the last time you cried?

With 5 Minutes Left, What Do You Do?

All things considered, 101 ESL conversation topics from a hat is a fantastic end of the class time filler.

When you run out of things to do, pull out the hat and pick a topic. Otherwise, your class would just be sitting there twiddling their thumbs.

Strangely enough, a lot of teachers don’t equip themselves with back-up activities.

Now, you don’t have to sweat it out and watch the clock tick until the bell rings.

Asking Questions

Free Talking Topics

Group Charades

Have You Ever?

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Talking Time Bomb

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What’s in the Box ?

30 Comments

That sounds interesting

Amazing and inspiring on how to have extra activities for backup.

Thank you so much for sharing the topics.

I am a senior citizen trying to revive my teaching skills. You did it for me.

I’m glad I found this. Thank you so much!

Very useful.

There are many valuable questions here, and some which are inappropriate for some students. I think it is part of the teachers job to know their students and choose topics appropriate to their age, gender, culture etc. On the whole there are many inspirational topics to choose from here as a springboard to develop your own, perhaps more relevant, questions while still appreciating the efforts and work of the original source.

On the whole, very useful. I have taught in Asia for 20+ years. On the whole, STFU about love and dating. You come across as a lech. Plus countries like China and Japan do not need any more Western cultural poison.

thank you… thank you… so much… it’s really very helpful…

Very hepful! Thank you!

Sorry but “Is climate change real” is NOT a topic for conversation! It’s like saying ‘Is COVID real’ !!!! I’d suggest instead, ‘How do we deal with climate change’

Very helpful thanks for taking the time.

Great material! Thanks a million!

Thanks for the ideas of the topics and questions. All of them can help me a lot in my conversation class.

Thank you very much, this is very useful for my classes 🙂

Great questions.

As for potentially inappropriate questions, I would hope that every teacher has enough sense to decide what is appropriate or not for their students depending on age, maturity level, cultural norms/taboos, class dynamic, etc.

I’ve had classes where I would never think of asking some of these questions, and I’ve had classes where we’ve probably discussed all of these topics along with issues that are way more controversial. And those were some of my best classes.

Consider your class and use your best judgement.

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for your work, splendid to liven up conversation in class. Thanks for the kindness of your generosity to share this. I believe it is crucial to be thankful and to contribute, and not just criticize. Thanks again

While there are some useful questions here, I’d be wary about asking questions regarding love and dating, as well as outdated gender ideology that reflects one’s own personal biases. For example, the gender wage gap has been debunked by all credible economists. 5 minutes googling will reveal to you why some men and women earn more than other men and women, and it’s nothing to do with gender. So with that and similar questions you’re bound to come into conflict with students with traditional conservative feminist views on wage differences, or ruin the group dynamic of a class of mixed gender students.

Wow……Mind blowing questions…..My ESL classes are gonna be fun-filled hereafter

These are wonderful and diverse topics to break the ice in a ESL class. Thank you for great selection of topics.

This is so amazing thank you so much!

These questions were so helpful, I would love to read more topics if any. Thank you

I loved it! thank you so much, I’ve been learning English for 9 months and my skill at talking has been improving every day more thanks to these topics

I find most of these questions helpful and interesting, so I thank you for that, but there are questions that I think are inappropriate to ask your students, particularly the questions about love, dating, and crying. I also found multiple grammar errors in this article. For example:

“Have you ever had imaginary friends when you were young?” “In the past or future, when would you rather travel to the ?”

Depending on your class, age and level of maturity, I agree the questions about love and dating could be inappropriate. But of course, every situation is different.

I was talking with a 12 year old in KSA whose younger 8 year old brother had gone to a farm earlier in the day. It turns out he goes to this farm every day.

Kids Love animals.

ask if You had a farm,

what kind of animals would You have? describe the animals. describe their behavior. what color is each animal? size? what would You feed each animal?

This is a good place to start. just my idea.

Nice organized and interesting ideas. Thank you

I found these tips very useful and interesting. I will be using some of your suggestions. Thanks.

They are very useful questions. Thank you and I hope there are more

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100+ ESL discussion topics for every English level

• Posted by by Cameron Smith
• 2 years ago
• Updated 1 year ago

Struggling to come up with the right ESL discussion topics for your lesson plans? In this guide, we’ve included a list of 100+ ESL discussion topics along with our best tips and tricks for choosing the right topic for every English level.

You’ll also find links to printable lists of ESL conversation questions for each of the conversation topics below. If you use these lists to save time and choose the right conversation starter for each class, you’ll find that the conversation possibilities are endless.

List of ESL discussion topics

• AI and Artificial Intelligence
• Daily Routine
• Environment
• Football & Soccer
• Friends & Friendship
• Intelligence
• Games & Gaming
• Gender & Gender Roles
• Small Business
• Social Media
• The Olympic Games

What are ESL discussion topics?

ESL discussion topics are teaching tools that help English learners practice their speaking skills. It’s important to select suitable-but-interesting discussion topic for your students if you’d like to facilitate engaging conversation in your classroom.

ESL discussion topics vs ESL conversation questions: what’s the difference?

ESL discussion topics are discussion categories whereas ESL conversation questions are lists of questions that focus on a particular discussion topic. Discussion topics and conversation questions go hand in hand ; you will need to choose a discussion topic and to formulate conversation questions based on that topic for your students.

How to choose the right ESL discussion topics for your classroom

Choosing the right ESL discussion topics for your lessons is an art unto itself. You’ll need to consider consider the following criteria before creating your speaking lesson plans.

• English Level. Basic discussion topics for beginners. Advanced discussion topics for experienced English students.
• Age. Some topics are better suited to younger English students, while other topics are better suited to Adult learners.
• Culture. Cultural norms may rule out . For example, if it is culturally unacceptable to discuss relationships or money in public, then these discussion topics should be avoided.
• Conflict and Controversy. Some discussion topics may . For example, politics and religion. Of course, healthy debate is possible! But if you wish to avoid conflict and controversy in the classroom, then it may be better to avoid these discussion topics altogether.

What is a good topic for ESL students to discuss?

The best topic for ESL students to discuss will depend on each student’s English level and other factors that we listed above. Here are some discussion topic suggestions with links to printable conversation questions for each topic.

ESL discussion topics for beginner students

• Countries  

ESL discussion topics for intermediate students

• Fashion and Clothes
• The Olympics

ESL discussion topics for advanced students

• Dating, Relationships, and Marriage
• AI & Artificial Intelligence

ESL discussion topics for children and teenage students

Esl discussion topics for adult learners, what are some controversial esl discussion topics.

• Football and Soccer
• Gender and Gender Roles

List of ESL discussion topics books

Want to save yourself some time? ESL discussion topics books can reduce the amount of planning you need to do before class. These books contain lists of printable ESL discussion topics and conversation questions that can be used to facilitate English speaking practice with your students.

The best ESL discussion topics books are:

• 500 Grammar Based Conversation Questions
• 67 ESL Conversation Topics with Questions, Vocabulary, Writing Prompts & More
• 1005 ESL Conversation Questions: For English Teachers of Teenagers and Adults Who Want to Have Better TEFL Speaking and Conversation Classes

What are your students’ favorite ESL discussion topics?

Every English learning group is different. And some classes tend to prefer certain English discussion topics over others.

Whether you’re asking students to practice English with another conversation partner or engaging entire classrooms in speaking practice exercises, yow are you choosing ESL conversation topics for each of the groups that you teach? And what topics are they responding to the most?

Share your experiences in the comments below. And tell us how you’re using ESL discussion topics in the classroom.

Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith is an English Communication Coach based in Vancouver, Canada. He's the founder of Learn English Every Day, and he's on a mission to help millions of people speak English with confidence. If you want longer video content, please follow me on YouTube for fun English lessons and helpful learning resources!

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30+ ESL English Conversation Topics for Students & Young Learners

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30+ ESL English Conversation Topics for Students & Young Learners

Looking to get your kids or English students talking? Here you can find a long list of English conversation topics for students learning English as a second language, (ESL).

With plenty of discussion ideas to choose from, these ESL conversation topics are great in class or everyday use at home with young English learners.

Why use English Conversation Topics to start Discussions with ESL students?

While you can learn through textbooks , games or online websites , conversation is one of the most important aspects of leaning English as a second language, (ESL).

Speaking in conversational form is helpful for students because they have to think about topics and words in their head before they say them.

Conversation and discussions are also great for helping students to learn about certain topics.

The more they use these topics in conversation the better practice they will gain when speaking in full conversations as they progress in their English language abilities.

Language is how we think and process information.

When students use different speaking topics, they are putting information into their memory and accessing old memories to validate their conversations. 

Example English Conversation Topics for Students

Here is a list of 30+ English Conversation topics and discussion topics for students who are learning English as a second language.

• Do you have any pets, if so, what are they?
• What is your favourite animal and why?
• What does this animal look like and what does it like to eat?
• Are animals well looked after where you are from? Why?

2. Routines

• Do you have certain routines that you follow, if so, what are they?
• Do you have friends or family that follow similar routines?
• What do you like about your routine?
• How would you feel if something in your daily routine was changed?
• What is your favourite book and why?
• What is your least favourite book and why?
• Is there a library in your hometown?
• What information can you learn from reading books?

Recommended : Importance of reading

4. Cleanliness

• Why is cleanliness important?
• How often do you think one should clean?
• What types of things should be cleaned?
• How clean do you think this room is?

5. Clothing

• What do you like to wear?
• Where do you buy your clothing and what colors do you choose?
• What type of clothes do you not like wearing?
• What type of clothing do your friends wear?
• Which culture do you belong too?
• How do people greet each other?
• What type of customs and traditions do you practice?
• Are you interested in learning about other cultures? Why?

7. Exercise

• Do you usually exercise, if so, how often?
• What activities do you do while exercising?
• Do people in your country do a lot of exercising?
• What can happen if people do not exercise?
• How many siblings do you have?
• What are their names and how old are they?
• Where are your parents originally from?
• Who are your extended family members? (cousins, aunts, uncles etc.)
• What is your biggest fear and why?
• How does having this fear make you feel?
• Do you know people that share the same fear?
• How can you work through your fears?

10. Feelings

• How are you feeling right now?
• How do you feel when someone hurts your feelings? Why?
• How do you feel when someone makes you happy? Why?
• Why is it important to think about other people’s feelings?
• What is your favourite food and why?
• What is your least favourite food and why?
• What is a typical food from your home country?
• What is a food you would love to try?
• What is a goal that you have?
• How do you plan to reach this goal?
• Do you need help achieving your goal?
• Do you think it’s important to set goals? Why?

13. Hobbies

• What hobbies do you like to do?
• What do you like about the hobbies you do?
• Is there anybody in your family you share a hobby with?
• When did you start practicing your hobby and how long do you spend practicing?

14. Holidays

• What is your favourite holiday and why?
• What is your least favoruite holiday and why?
• How do you spend most of your holidays?
• Do you do anything special with your family on holidays, if so what?

15. Hometown

• Where is your hometown?
• Do you live in a city or rural area?
• Do you like living in your hometown? Why?
• How do people get around in your hometown?

16. Household Items

• What household item do you use the most and why?
• How does it work?
• How often do you use your household items?
• Why are household items useful?
• What do you want to be when you grow up and why?
• Do a lot of people do this job in your country?
• What type of jobs do people in your country have?
• Do you think everyone should work? Why?

More ESL Conversation Topics for Students

You are half way, but we have more!

18. Manners

• Who taught you about manners?
• How often do you use them and why?
• Why are using manners important?
• How do you feel when someone isn’t using manners?
• What is your favourite type of movie and why?
• What is your least favourite type of movie and why?
• Do you go to the cinema to watch a movie?
• Do you watch movies in different languages? Why?
• What is your favourite song and who sings it?
• How much time a day do you spend listening to music?
• What genre of music do you like best? Why?
• What kind of music is preferred where you are from?
• What do you do in a typical day at school?
• What is your favourite subject and why?
• What is your least favourite subject and why?
• What do you like about your teachers?

22. Seasons

• Can you name the four seasons?
• What clothes do you need to wear in each season?
• What season do you like best and why?
• What season do you like least and why?
• How time do you go to sleep and what time do you wake up?
• How many hours of sleep do you usually get a night?
• Do you think you get enough sleep? Why?
• If you don’t get enough sleep, how do you feel?

24. Shopping

• Do you like shopping and why?
• What do you usually shop for and where do you go shopping?
• Who do you go shopping with?
• Are their many shops in your hometown?
• What sports do you like and dislike? Why?
• What sport is popular where you live?
• Why are sports important?
• Who do you play sports with?

26. Television

• What is your favourite T.V program and why?
• Is it an international T.V program?
• What is the T.V program about?
• How often do you watch this T.V program and who watches it with you?
• How important is time to you?
• How much free time do you usually have?
• Who do you spend your free time with?
• If you had more free time, what would you do with it?

28. Transportation

• How do you travel to get to school?
• How long does it take you to get to school?
• What other types of transportation have you used?
• How often do you use public transport?
• Where have you traveled too?
• Who do you usually go traveling with?
• What languages do you use when traveling?
• What is your favourite tourist attraction?

30. Weather

• What is the weather outside today?
• What is the weather normally like where you live?
• How can the weather effect your feelings?
• What kind of weather is your favourite and why?

Which English conversation topics NOT to talk about?

Some conversation topics can be sensitive for students and when talking about these topics can impact them negatively.

There are some topics that also are not appropriate for students because they may cause hurtful feelings unless they are brought up in certain circumstances.

Topics that tend to cause students to become uncomfortable include things such as politics and religious beliefs.

Some people tend to have strong opinions on these topics which they entitled too, however it can sometimes be uncomfortable to talk about with students in certain situations.

English conversation / discussion topics for young learners

When using conversational English be aware of the topics you are using and make sure they will impact students in a positive way.

All topics have room for discussion but be sure to discuss these at appropriate times, age level and with parent’s approval.

Do you have other English conversation topics that you use with your kids or students? Let us know!

Make sure you also check out our Phonics Games that can help students who are struggling with certain sounds. And this post on encouraging words for kids is filled with ideas on how to praise students when they have done well.

Teaching English? Take a look at our Learn English for Kids post with tones of other ESL English learning resources for children!

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Creative Resources for ESL/EFL Teachers

ESL Presentation Topics: 12 Mini Presentations

ESL presentation topics for intermediate and upper intermediate students. Great as a warm-up or a speaking lesson.

You can use the slideshow and share your screen on Zoom or other app when teaching online. Just click on the full screen option in the top right corner of the slideshow.

I used it with my students during our online lesson and we didn’t even have time to discuss all the topics, because they couldn’t stop talking. I was quite impressed how much they knew and also how well they could express their opinions.

One of the reasons why I love conversation activities is that I learn so much about my students. I think that we often underestimate our students and see them as the stereotypical lazy teenagers. Activities like these can show us that they are much more than that.

You can also download the PDF for easy printing below.

Other picture-based resources:

ESL Exam Speaking Picture Description and Questions

No-Prep ESL Picture Description Speaking Activity

Picture Based Speaking Activity For ESL/EFL Classes

Picture Prompts for Speaking and Writing: An ESL Activity

ESL Picture Description: Exam Skills Practice

Food and Travel ESL Lesson: Interactive Online Lesson

Conversation resources:

Popular Conversation Topics for (not only) Adults and Teenagers: 50 Questions

Conversation Starters: 30 Interesting Conversation Questions Not Only For ESL Students

Conversation Questions Gerunds and Infinitives: ESL Speaking Activity

30 Hypothetical Conversation Questions for ESL Students

ESL Conversation Topics

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ESL Taboo Cards: Printable Vocabulary Activity

Are you looking for a stimulating and entertaining method to increase your vocabulary and communication abilities in English? Take a look our ESL taboo card games below! ESL Taboo is a frequently played game that’s designed for teams of two or more players. The goal is to get your teammates…

Food ESL Conversation Questions and Video Activity

This speaking and listening activity consists of a video warm-up activity and food conversation questions. As a warm-up activity watch this video on the 15 best foods around the world. Have students take notes on each food as they watch. What is it made of? How was it prepared? Where…

These interesting and deep conversation starters are not only intended for ESL students but also for everyone who would like to start chatting with a stranger, neighbor, colleague, someone they fancy, partner, friend. No matter how well you know somebody, these deep conversation starters will help you connect with them…

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Amazing! Thanks a lot

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50+ Easy English Speech Topics for Students: 2 & 5 Minute Speech

• March 16, 2024

Table of Contents

Best english speech topics for students.

Speech topics are definitely going to be essential for students to learn about what they can speak when they are presented with an opportunity to speak on a particular topic which is common. There are lots of topics which may be common but students may not be well versed in those topics and hence they may find it difficult to speak clearly and in detail.

In this particular article, we will be mentioning more than 50 easy English speech topics for students and these topics will definitely make them feel better and explore all these to make sure that they become better in terms of public speaking and giving speeches. They can also try to write some content on these topics which can make them feel comfortable with these topics and they can write and speak anywhere confidently and fluently. If you want to practice speaking on these topics, you should try out the Rooms feature on the AceFluency App . You get 9 days of FREE participation access on AceFluency App .

Also Check : Popular Proverbs in English

Easy English Speech Topics For Students 

There are lots of easy topics on which students can speak and they can definitely find their content available on various sources on the Internet and these topics have been mentioned as follows:

• What is success in life?
• How can we save ourselves from fake news?
• What is self-confidence?
• Is love more powerful than hate?
• What is the social impact of COVID-19?
• Can online learning be fun?
• How can violent video games be restricted?
• Speech on online games?
• Benefits of Music
• What are the benefits of learning a second language?
• Importance of education in our life

2-Minute Speech Topics For Students

There are lots of topics on which 2-minute speeches can easily be delivered by the students and they need to make sure that these topics are handled very well with enough content to be spoken. Below is a list of these topics about which students can easily feel confident once they start speaking at least for 2 minutes:

• Importance of homework in school
• Learnings from lockdown of COVID-19
• Is it possible to recycle food?
• Why should schools teach sign language?
• Are women better to become Presidents and Prime Ministers than men?
• How are books better than movies for students?
• Impact of technology on our life
• Should children’s reality shows be completely banned?
• Smart work versus hard work: which one is better?
• What is nuclear energy?
• Importance of kindness in our life

5-Minute Speech Topics For Students 

There are topics that students can choose to speak at least for 5 minutes and they can prepare for their speeches for schools and colleges. Below is a list of these topics on which students can try and speak confidently and that will help them feel better in terms of their English:

• What are the benefits of music?
• How can we get rid of fake news?
• Is making public transport free a good step?
• What should the government do regarding violent video games?
• Speech on honesty
• Speech on humanitarian work
• Speech on the importance of learning computer
• Speech on learning foreign languages
• How can self-confidence decide our career?
• Is it possible to learn English fast?
• How can good politics change a country’s future?

English Speech Topics On Environment

If you speak on topics related to the environment, it will definitely help you speak all the related topics comfortably. Let us know some of the topics from the environment that you can give speeches on:

• Speech on ozone layer depletion
• Speech on deforestation
• Global warming
• Water saving methods
• Speech on waste management
• Speech on climate change
• How do natural disasters influence the environment? 
• Extinction of rare species
• Benefits of recycling

English Speech Topics On Technology

Technology plays a very important role in our life and there are many topics that can be helpful for you as a student as you can try to explore them and know more about them to deliver speeches in an effective manner. Let’s look at some technology-related topics:

• The Impact of technology on our society
• The rise of artificial intelligence
• E-commerce and its benefits
• Gaming technology
• Entertainment industry

English Speech Topics On Festivals

Festivals play a very important role in everyone’s life and they are great especially for brotherhood and there are lots of festivals on which speeches can be delivered. Let us get to know some of the important topics that you can deliver speeches on:

• Speech on Diwali
• Importance of celebrating festivals together
• Speech on Holi
• Speech on Eid
• Speech on Christmas
• Speech on religious festivals and rituals

English Speech Topics On Corruption

It is crucial to spread awareness about corruption and this can be done through speeches as well. There are lots of corruption-related topics that need to be explored.

• What is corruption?
• Impact of corruption
• Media and corruption
• How is politics affected by corruption?
• How can corruption spoil a company’s environment?

English Speech Topics On Social Issues 4

Social issues are the most important issues that everyone needs to talk about. Having a good grasp on social issues can really make anyone give speeches comfortably. If you are aware of social issues, there are a number of topics you can select and prepare speeches on:

• Importance of equality
• Education for females
• Reservation
• Woman empowerment 
• Child labour
• Unemployment in society
• Globalization

Also Read : Common English-Speaking Sentences for Beginners

Tips To Prepare And Present A Good Speech

Giving a great speech is an art and you have to do with lots of things that are important for you to keep in mind. Understanding the topic that you are going to speak on is one of the most important things that you as a student of public speaking can think about. If you know that you have a topic, then it is important to go through other things that have been mentioned as follows:

1. Know your audience and engage with them

Since you already know that this is the topic that you are going to speak on, it is imperative for you to understand the type of audience that you are going to speak before. Once you know the audience, you have to start engaging with them during speech which can really enhance the speech in a better way.

2. Keep it simple

You don’t have to complicate your speech by using complicated vocabulary but you have to make sure that your speech is simple and you are able to connect with your audience in a better way. Your main focus should be to convey the message that you want to in as better way as possible.

3. Use your body language

The importance of body language is such that once you understand it and start using it, it will be able to give you more and more confidence in terms of giving your speech in a better. You have to use your body language to make sure that your audience is able to connect with you very clearly. The importance of body language while delivering any speech plays a very essential role in terms of conveying the message effectively.

4. Do as much practice as possible beforehand

Practice is what becomes the key when it comes to delivering a great speech on any topic. Beforehand, you need to practice the written content as much as possible and then you will be able to feel more confident before you step on to deliver your speech.

5. Structure your speech

Having a fixed structure of the topic that you are going to speak on is something which can make you feel more confident. Know what are the things that you are going to speak about next. The structuring of the speech will make sure that there are a few points that are going to be in your mind and you have to speak those points in a very clear manner.

Topics related to the environment, corruption, social issues and technology are so common topics that you as students studying in schools and colleges can make yourself ready with in order to deliver speeches. Once you are able to deliver speeches in English on these topics, it will certainly help in boosting your confidence level and you will be able to feel the difference in your language and in the manner of delivering speech yourself.

This is something which if done on a regular basis can certainly make you a better speaker of the English language. All of this is achievable only when you practice English every day which you can now do for FREE on the AceFluency App because you get 20 minutes of FREE calling talk time to connect 1:1 with co-learners.

Here's how AceFluency can help you improve your English

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29 Easy TED Talks for ESL Students

Every ESL teacher has seen TED talks for English language learners at this point.

They’re not only some of the best videos on the internet, but some of the best video resources for ESL classrooms , too.

Both ESL students and teachers will find things to love about TED Talks.

That’s why you should be using them in your ESL classroom. And, as it turns out, it’s not too hard at all to show these to your students in a meaningful, productive way.

Here are 29 interesting TED Talks for ESL students that you can use as classroom resources!

TED Talks with Activities for the ESL Classroom

1. “4 reasons to learn a new language” by john mcwhorter, 2. “there’s more to life than being happy” by emily esfahani smith, 3. “why do we sleep” by russell foster, 4. “a tribute to nurses” by carolyn jones, 5. “before i die i want to…” by candy chang, 6. “10 ways to have a better conversation” by celeste headlee, 7. “how to talk so people want to listen” by julian treasure , 8. “how languages shape the way we think” by lera boroditsky , 9. “what makes a good life” by robert waldinger , 10. “how to find work you love” by scott dinsmore , 11. “want to be more creative go for a walk” by marily oppezzo , 12. “where did english come from” by claire bowern , 13. “where do new words come from” by marcel danesi , 14. “the myth of prometheus” by iseult gillespie , more easy ted talks for esl learners, 15. “why i keep speaking up, even when people mock my accent” by safwat saleem, 16. “ted’s secret to great public speaking” by chris anderson, 17. “let’s teach for mastery — not test scores” by sal khan, 18. “the nit-picking glory of the new yorker’s comma queen” by mary norris, 19. “go ahead, make up new words” by erin mckean, 20. “metaphorically speaking” by james geary, 21. “how to write descriptively” by nalo hopkinson, 22. “how to get better at the things you care about” by eduardo briceño, 23. “why you should define your fears instead of your goals” by tim ferriss, 24. “what’s a snollygoster a short lesson in political speak” by mark forsyth, 25. “the first 20 hours — how to learn anything” by josh kaufman, 26. “5 techniques to speak any language” by sid efromovich, 27. “making sense of spelling” by gina cooke, 28. “how to gain control of your free time” by laura vanderkam, 29. “rapid language hacking” by benny lewis, how to use ted talks for esl lessons, practice listening, use subtitles wisely, encourage understanding of the gist, not every word, fuel discussion, watch ted talks with full immersion.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

English is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. Why bother learning another language if most people can communicate using just this one?

Plus, instant translation technology could soon render language learning obsolete!

To dispute these ideas, McWorter talks about how languages not only give us insights into their respective cultures, but also shape the way we think.

Activities:

Discuss — Why are you learning English?

A short, five-minute discussion of the question gives a simple introduction to this topic, which all ESL students will be able to relate to.

List — The benefits of learning English

This can be done after watching the video. In small groups or pairs, have your students list the benefits they have gotten, or expect to get, from learning English. How do they think English will change their lives?

Compare — English and other languages

Ask your students how English differs from their first language or any other language they have learned. Then, you can introduce the grammar needed to form comparative sentences, such as:

• English is more difficult than French
• Chinese is spoken by more people than English

Superlatives – What’s the most difficult language in the world?

You can then move on to superlatives. After teaching the grammar, you can turn it into a pop quiz. Have students create superlative questions in groups, then ask the rest of the class. You could branch out from language and make world knowledge questions, like these:

• What’s the biggest country in the world?
• What’s the fastest animal on land?

A lot of people say that happiness is the meaning of life, but is that really true? In this video, the speaker argues that we should build more meaningful lives, instead of just happy ones.

Discuss – What’s the meaning of life?

Introduce the topic by presenting this question and asking your students to give a one-word answer.

Rank – What’s important to you in life?

Whether it’s money, family, happiness, travel or food, your students will have different ideas about what’s important. Give them a list, and ask them to rank them by number to show what their priorities are. Then, they can compare with a partner.

Write – SMART Goals

After watching the video, revisit students’ priorities from the previous activity. Ask them if the amount of time they spend on each item matches its ranking. Chances are, it doesn’t. You can turn this into a writing activity by asking them to write out some life goals.

Teach them about the SMART model to structure their goals—this is an invaluable lesson to learn for goal-setting and life in general.

This video uses excellent visual aids to turn what seems like an arbitrary question into a fascinating subject. This also makes it much easier to understand, giving students something to support their listening.

Brainstorm – The purpose of sleep

Start your lesson off by asking your students what they think the purpose of sleep is. After watching the video, they can see if this matches up with what they’ve learned.

Grammar – How long? / How many? / How far?

This is a good opportunity to teach how to make “how” questions, which ESL students often mix up with other types of questions. Your students can then use this grammar to make questions, such as:

• How many hours do you sleep per night?
• How long have you studied here?
• How far is it from here to your house?

This TED Talk is more personal. It’s one woman’s story of how a nurse changed her life and why nurses are so important to her. She speaks relatively slowly, pausing between sentences to make it easy to listen to.

Discuss – Difficult jobs

Before introducing the video, ask your students to have group discussions about which jobs they think are the most difficult and why.

List – Duties and responsibilities

After the video, have students write what they think the responsibilities of a nurse are.

This will test their understanding of the basic verb-noun agreement. Ideally, they should come up with something like the following:

• A nurse takes care of patients.
• Nurses give injections.

From there, they can do the same for the other jobs they spoke about in the first activity.

If you’re looking for a short video activity , this is perfect. In only six minutes, your students will hear about the creative way in which one woman got her neighbors to open up about their life goals.

It’s clear, concise and easy to understand.

Read – Inspirational stories

Give your students a story about an inspirational figure to read. It could be a biography or someone famous, a story you’ve plucked from the news or anyone you think your class might relate to.

After reading, ask your students to discuss who inspires them and why with a partner.

Write – Bucket lists

Introduce the concept of a bucket list and have students write their own. If there’s time, they can present them at the end of the class.

This talk is about 12 minutes long, which makes it a good option for a short class period. The speaker explores the importance of face-to-face communication and teaches the audience how to excel at speaking.

Every ESL student can benefit from this video.

Write – Video review

After watching the video, ask them to write their answers to these questions:

• What does a conversation require?
• How many texts do teenagers send a day?
• What do you think “interpersonal skills” means?
• Should you nod and repeat back what someone says to show you’re listening?
• What are the 10 ways to have a better conversation?

Discuss – Free conversation

After watching the video, ask your students to pick a partner and have a conversation using the tips mentioned by the speaker. They can take turns practicing their listening skills and communication skills. 

This is another presentation that’s centered on communication. Here, the speaker focuses on making sure people listen. This speech is just under 10 minutes, making it ideal for a short lesson. It also includes some vocal exercises that could be quite fun for your ESL students!

Rank – What not to do when speaking?

After the video, list the “seven deadly” sins of speaking and discuss them as a class. You can then ask to rank each of them and ask for their reasoning. 

Discuss – Review and reflect

You can also follow up the video with these questions:

• What are the four “cornerstones” of powerful speaking and what does “HAIL” stand for?
• Do you think it’s possible to wish someone well and judge them at the same time?
• What do you want to improve about your speaking?

List – Why is it important to speak clearly?

Ask your students to do a quick writing exercise listing the reasons why it’s important to be good at speaking. If there’s time, a few students can present them at the end of the class.

The video is about 14 minutes long and is a little more scientific. It explores how we speak and communicate and the role language plays in the way we think. This talk is more suitable for higher-level language classes, where you can dive into fun topics like perceptions and stereotypes.

Compare – Differences between English and your native language

Put your students into groups, then ask them to share their thoughts on the video, then compare how English differs from their native language.

Here are some questions to guide the discussion:

• Do you agree or disagree that language shapes the way we think? Why?
• What was the most interesting thing you learned from this speech?
• Does everyone in the world count the same way or think of color in the same way?
• Does English have gendered words?

Write – Kuuk Thaayore language 

Find a few research papers or articles on the Internet about the Kuuk Thaayorre language and hand them out to your students. As a homework assignment, ask them to find examples in the text showing how their language shaped their way of living and thinking. 

Get your students thinking about living and how to live a healthy and happy life. This video is about 12 minutes and offers advice on how to live your best life. It covers a decade-long study that looked at what makes people happy. Your students are sure to be interested in this topic and the ensuing conversation.

Write – What makes you happy?

Start your lesson off with a writing exercise. Have them answer the following questions in their journal entry:

• Do you have a good life?
• What makes you happy?
• What would you change about your life?
• Do you feel like you have a good balance between screen time and people time?

After watching the video, they can see if this matches up with what was mentioned in the talk.

List and Share – Life goals

Have students list their life goals, then ask them to find someone in the classroom who has at least one life goal in common. Let them share their life goals with each other, then have them discuss the two major life goals young adults have, based on the video.

This 18-minute talk is especially useful for ESL learners who are in high school and university. The speaker tells the audience that it’s okay to do work you love and in fact, it leads to a more fulfilling life.

Discuss – What do you like to do?

Start off by asking your students to discuss in a group what they like to do and identify why they enjoy certain activities.

Write – Dream job

Using the framework discussed in the video, ask your students to write a short essay on what their dream job would be. Make sure they list their unique strengths and values that will help them be successful in this dream job.

This is a short five-minute talk that explores the idea of creativity and how to brainstorm more effectively. It may appeal specifically to business English language learners or any students who need to keep their minds sharp and fresh.

Brainstorm – What do you do to be more creative?

Start out with a quick discussion asking your students if they are creative and if so, in what way.

From there, you can move on to asking them how they get their creative juices flowing. Write their ideas on the board. After watching the video, compare the findings with the brainstorming session at the beginning of class. 

Discuss – Review and reflect 

Have the students get into small groups and discuss the following questions: 

• How many more creative ideas did the “treadmill group” come up with than the “sitting groups?”
• What are the five tips the speaker recommends for brainstorming?
• Do you think this method of brainstorming would work for you? Would you try it?

This is a fascinating video on the origin of English. It’s about five minutes and offers a brief history of the language, which is interesting for ESL learners perpetually confused by English’s inconsistent rules and exceptions.

Brainstorm – English words in other languages

Before watching the video, ask the students if their native language uses any English words. Have each student write their words down on the board.

Discuss – Video review 

Have a class discussion on the video to test their comprehension. Some questions you can ask are:

• Where did English come from?
• What language family did “Old English” belong to?
• Did the Vikings add any words to English?

Research – What’s your favorite word in English?

Have a quick 5-minute discussion asking your students what is their favorite word in English and why. As a homework assignment, you can ask them to look up the origins of their favorite words and share their findings with the class the next day.

This six-minute, animated talk shows how new words are created and how English has adopted words from other languages. It’s a great video to go along with any lessons where you’re trying to relate English to your students’ first languages.

Ask a few questions with straightforward answers to test your students’ listening skills. 

• How many new words are added to the dictionary every year?
• How many words are currently in use in the English language?
• Approximately how much of the English language has been borrowed from other languages?
• What does the word “obsolete” mean?

Grammar – Create a new word

Have students create a new word and write the definition. Along with the definition, ask them to create at least three different example sentences using different tenses.

This can be an in-class activity or a homework assignment.

This presentation is under five minutes and tells the story of Prometheus. It’s filled with short illustrated clips which are ideal for any  ESL students interested in English literature.

Brainstorm – Myths

Before the video, briefly describe what a myth is with the class. Ask them if they know any myths and write them on the board. These myths can also be potential research projects or homework assignments.

Ask your students these questions to test their listening comprehension:

• What does the name “Prometheus” mean?
• What did Prometheus do to help humans?
• How did Zeus punish Prometheus?

Write – Do you think Prometheus was a trickster or a hero?

As an in-class activity or homework assignment, ask your students to write a short essay to answer this question. The length of the answer can be adjusted according to the students’ learning level.

If you want to speak a language well, you need to practice speaking it. But very often, English learners have an accent which is very different from the native speakers. This can be embarrassing for the learners and possibly lead to a decline in practice. Stuck in a circle of perceived shame, a large number of learners are never able to become fluent English speakers.

But why is it shameful if someone speaks with a different accent? Safwat Saleem, a Pakistani-American, asks this precise question in his TED Talk. He shares his own personal journey, and tells us how he realized that being different is not the same as being wrong. If you have ever felt embarrassed about your own accent, this talk will surely inspire you and perhaps give you the confidence to speak up again and again.

People generally think that to be a good public speaker, you need a good voice, theatrical gestures, emotional stories about childhood and perhaps attractive looks.

Chris Anderson, a curator of TED Talks for 15 years, thinks otherwise. According to him, the main component of a public speech is the idea you want to share with the audience you are speaking to. An impressive speech builds one main idea in your head, piece by piece, through words and images. And most importantly, your ideas should be useful to the people who are listening to you.

Very often language learners focus too much on the technical details of their speech and not so much on the content. This talk helps you make connections between the words you use and the ideas you want to convey.

Everyone who has attended school agrees on one thing—that it needs to change. In the name of education, students are put through a process which is not only unpleasant, but perhaps even harmful for learning.

Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, locates the problem in the basic structure of schooling. He asks us to imagine a house. If the foundation of that building is not perfect but only satisfactory, then that building will surely break down some day. Similarly, if the basic skills of some subjects like math or English are only half understood, then the students’ learning will also break down.

Sal thinks that what should be fixed is the need for mastery and not the time to learn a subject. This mindset is not only useful for school students, but also for every language learner in the world.

Whenever we read an article in a magazine or a newspaper, we are not just reading the hard work of one writer, but also a team of editors who helped the author create his best work. But these editors work in the background, and their work is never recognized.

Marry Noris is a copy editor in one of the world’s best literary magazines— The New Yorker . In this talk, she shares her experience of being “the comma queen” and how she edits the work of the best writers of our age. She takes real examples and talks about the grammatical and stylistic rules she uses to edit the articles she is assigned.

This talk is a very good and also funny way to help advanced English learners understand the art of editing and get to know the standards of grammar followed in literary magazines. Many learners will be surprised when they realize that much of the common English we use in day-to-day conversation is considered incorrect by editors. That is why the title has the word “Nit-picking” in it, since it means finding faults in the little details of someone’s work.

If you read the history of English, you will realize that it changes very quickly. Many people regularly wonder about how new words enter the language. Very few English speakers actually know that most of the words in English today did not exist hundreds of years ago.

Erin McKean studies words and creates dictionaries. She is one of those people who decides what words mean and how they should be used. Surprisingly, she wants you to come up with new words.

Often English learners think that words are like scientific facts—they do not change. But words are just an agreement between the people who use the language. If many people agree that a word means something in a language, then that becomes a part of the vocabulary.

English learners often feel like outsiders who have to obey the rules of the language or they are committing an embarrassing crime. Obviously, rules are important. But McKean makes us realize that language requires active participation and making up new words should be seen as a fun way to expand a language rather than making it “wrong.”

A metaphor is when we give an object the name of something else in order to make a comparison. For instance, Shakespeare called the world a “stage” and compared the people in the world to actors.

As you can see, a metaphor is not only a way to compare things but also to change how we see them. If Shakespeare said that all the world was a jail, our idea about the world would definitely be more negative than the metaphor of the stage.

James Geary talks about this ability of metaphors to change thinking. He uses simple examples and even psychology to show how we can use them in our daily conversations. English learners will definitely learn how to use words to make an impact on the listeners and improve their speaking skills .

People love stories because they like living in different realities. Think about a book you love to read and chances are it makes you feel like you are living in the world it describes.

This TED Talk is about the strategies you can use in your writing to attract readers to your work. It gives examples from real books and practical tips which you can use to make the reader feel what the characters feel.

Keeping these tips in mind can help learners use their words in a more purposeful way. This video also helps us understand why we like certain pieces of writing and what makes them special. We do not realize these things while we read a book since we do not focus on the exact ways in which the words have been used.

For more writing tips, we have this invaluable guide for beginners .

Eduardo Briceño talks about two zones in his talk—the zone of learning and the zone of performance. According to him, we often confuse the two and get no results even after working very hard. The important point here is not how much we work but simply how we work.

The zone of performance is where we do our best. We have mastered most of the skills, so we should not expect a lot of mistakes. The zone of learning is when we work on areas that need improvement. We focus on improving things we are not good at.

So if you are a lawyer, your zone of performance is when you are doing a specific part of your job that you are already really good at (preparing the case). However, perhaps there are components of your job that you still find difficult. Spending some time working on those components would mean you are in the learning zone.

Briceño explains how we should practice differently while we learn and how we should not confuse hard work with learning. Many times we focus too much on performance and that ironically decreases our performance over time since we ignore those things which make us improve.

How many times have you heard the advice that setting goals is the key to success? Most people hear that at least a hundred times in their life.

Tim Ferriss has a very unusual view on success. In this talk, he points out that the things which we fear the most are often the actions we need to take in order to succeed.

He explains a simple but uncomfortable strategy used by him, which he calls as “fear-setting.” Rather than ignoring the things which make us afraid, he asks us to confront them and simply do the things that need to be done. This strategy not only improves a skill but also the person as a whole.

Mark Forsyth’s talk is a wonderful guide to understanding how politicians use language and how you can understand them. According to him, they mainly use language to shape how we see reality.

Almost all of us are familiar with the lies of our politicians, but Forsyth says that it is much more complex than that. He talks about lots of words and their origins like “president” and how they were used to change the way people looked at politicians.

For English learners, this is a feast of words where they can considerably increase their vocabulary in just six minutes.

Have you ever thought about learning something, but simply dropped the idea because you thought that you did not have time? Or did you start learning something by reading about it and realized that even after weeks you still can not do anything?

Josh Kaufman went through similar experiences, but luckily he found a solution. Through his research, he discovered that you can learn to do anything in 20 hours if you simply start by practicing it. He wanted to learn a musical instrument and he simply started playing the instrument, while learning about it at the same time.

His advice is a gem for beginners who are just starting out.

Efromovich is what is known as a “hyperpolyglot,” which means that he can speak a lot of languages. By the time he became an adult, he could speak four languages and then in the next three years he was able to learn three extra ones.

Based on his experience, he talks about five methods he has picked up to learn any language in the world. The first one is, surprisingly, making mistakes, which he thinks is a very important part of pushing you beyond your native tongue and start speaking the new language.

He has many insightful tips about pronunciation, action and reading that he explains through examples from many languages, including Spanish, Portuguese and of course English.

English spelling is confusing to almost every learner. Many people are not able to understand why similar sounding words are spelled so differently and why different sounding words are spelled similarly.

This TED Talk tries to explain some of the rules of English spelling. Using the metaphor of an onion, Gina Cooke tries to explain how it works. Like the many layers of the vegetable, spelling too is the result of many things such as history, meaning and structure of the word.

In the talk she beautifully explains the various ways spelling functions in the English language by taking the word “one.” Every English learner, no matter the level, should watch it so they know why things are spelled the way they are.

How many times have we thought that we can do a task in one hour while in reality it took us five?

This mistake is made by almost everyone in their daily lives. Laura Vanderkam studies the people who do not make such mistakes and make full use of their time.

According to her, our minds almost always think that we have too many tasks in a week while dramatically underestimating (judging something to be smaller or lower than it really is) the time we need to complete them. Her solution is not to “save” time as many of us do, but to organize our lives in such a way that time “saves itself.”

This mindset will be extremely helpful for English learners, since many of them skip practicing certain skills like reading or speaking in a week. The feeling that there is simply not enough time to practice everything regularly is perhaps the top reason why many language learners fail or give up their training.

Language is about communication. We forget this when we start learning it. We start studying it like mathematics, not knowing that it is really hard to learn a language that way.

The best way to learn English or any other language is through direct use and practice. We learn our first, native language by directly listening to it and communicating through it.

Benny Lewis shares his own journey and how he found out the best way to learn a new language fast. The best advice he gives in his talk is using the common words which are recognized throughout the world, like “Coca-Cola.” In this way, a learner can quickly memorize the word and also start using the language almost immediately.

A TED Talk can be a great ESL listening tool for young students and adult students alike . You have thousands of diverse videos to choose from, so you can find videos that work for all age levels, English skill levels, interests and classroom themes.

You can play them with or without subtitles—since TED Talks most often have precise subtitles to accompany them—or even print-outs of their full transcripts from the official TED website.

Every video on the TED Talk website comes with subtitles in several languages. While it’s okay to use these subtitles—especially when they’re in English!—they shouldn’t be relied upon.

A good tip is to play the video once without subtitles and check how much they understood, then allow them to watch it again with subtitles to see what else they can pick up.

It’s best to preface any listening activity by telling your students not to worry about understanding every single word they hear. Instead, encourage them to understand the gist by combining what they can understand with context.

The best thing about TED Talks is their interesting subject matter. That means that when you use them in your lessons, you can turn them into debate classes by having students share their thoughts about what they saw and heard.

Either allow organic conversations to take place amongst the whole class, or split students into teams and assign them “sides” of the issue to discuss and defend.

TED talks can get difficult, depending on the topic. If you want to provide your students with some additional support, you can use a program like FluentU where they can watch native videos like TED talks, vlogs, movie clips and other authentic content with interactive subtitles. 

Students can click on these subtitles at any time they get stuck on a word or phrase. You can also print out complete transcripts for your students or access them online for similar interactive features.

Your students can learn with FluentU videos and complete the accompanying exercises and quizzes. Their progress is recorded and their scores go straight to your dashboard, so you can see how everyone is doing.

It can be hard to get your students energized and excited at times, but with these TED Talks for ESL students, you can inject some motivation into your classes and get your students more motivated to learn English .

Maybe you’ll even end up hosting your very own TED Talk about teaching English someday!

Related posts:

The Totally Chill ESL Lesson Guide to Teaching About Stress

20 Information Gap Activities for the ESL Classroom

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