poniedziałek, 28 lipca 2025

Back-to-School Speaking Fun

 As the new school year soon begins, it's the perfect time to ease students back into speaking English confidently — and have some fun along the way! To do just that, I’ve created a set of 50 engaging speaking challenge cards designed for B2-level learners. These cards focus on summer holidays, travel, and free time, while revising key grammar and vocabulary in a playful, communicative context.

To make things even more interactive, I’ve also designed a board game that works perfectly with the cards, turning speaking practice into a lively classroom adventure.


What Are the Speaking Challenge Cards?

These are 50 task-based speaking prompts that encourage students to:

  • Share real or imagined travel stories

  • Use key grammar (past tenses, conditionals, modals, comparatives, etc.)

  • Recycle vocabulary around holidays, activities, and free time

  • Collaborate, debate, and role-play with their classmates

Each card poses a challenge — from “Tell us a story using three past tenses” to “Create a travel app” or “Describe your dream picnic.” Some are quick and fun, others require creativity and storytelling — perfect for building fluency and confidence.

    



Language Skills Covered

  • Speaking fluency and accuracy

  • Grammar in context: past tenses, conditionals, modals, etc.

  • Vocabulary: travel phrases, activity-related collocations, summer idioms, descriptive language

  • Functional language: giving advice, making suggestions, expressing preferences, persuading


 How to Use the Cards

Here are several classroom-friendly ways to make the most of the cards:

 1. Board Game Version (Highly Recommended!)

I created a printable game board where students move around by rolling dice and drawing a challenge card for each stop. You can:

  • Divide the class into small teams or pairs.

  • Use tokens or coins as markers.

  • Set a timer (e.g., 1–2 minutes per challenge).

  • Award points based on creativity, grammar accuracy, or effort.

I added bonus spaces with instructions like: freeze, pass the question, move forward.



2. Mystery Box Challenge

Put the cards in an envelope, box, or bag. Students draw randomly and complete the challenge solo, in pairs, or as a team. Great as a warmer or filler!

 3. Speed Rounds / Stations

Set up speaking stations around the classroom with different cards. Students rotate every few minutes, practicing a variety of skills with new partners.

 4. Digital Spin Wheel

For online or hybrid classes, upload the card prompts to a random spinner or digital tool. Have students spin, speak, and interact from their screens.


 Teacher Tips

  • Use as a diagnostic at the beginning of term to assess speaking fluency, vocabulary range, and grammar awareness.

  • Differentiate by assigning easier or more complex challenges based on group level or confidence.

  • Gamify with a point system or badges for specific goals (e.g., “Best Use of a Modal,” “Most Creative Story”).

  • Follow up with writing tasks: “Write a blog post based on your story,” or “Create a poster for your dream destination.”


 Why It Works

After a long break, students often need low-pressure, high-interest tasks to get back into the rhythm of English. These cards:

  • Encourage meaningful communication

  • Foster creativity and laughter

  • Provide opportunities for peer interaction

  • Build confidence through structured spontaneity


The set can be yours for 25zloty.

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Back-to-School Speaking Fun

 As the new school year soon begins, it's the perfect time to ease students back into speaking English confidently — and have some fun a...