12 Speaking games for the first lesson.

1. Tic-Tac-Toe

Draw a grid, and put 9 numbers in squares. On the left write a meaning for each number, like

Now play a usual tic-tac-toe game with X and O. When your student puts a sign, he needs to answer questions about the topic, when you do it — he/she asks and you answer the questions. This way you can notice how confident and correct your student’s speech, what topics he/she avoids, what vocabulary he/she needs.

You can develop the game if you wish. Students are usually very interested in this game of getting acquainted and curious about what’s going to happen.

2. Describe yourself using letters from your name.

Fun game, which can show vocabulary of your student and sense of humor.

Prepare adjectives or any other words connected to your life, personality starting with the letters from your name. Ex.: Kate — kind, ambitious, trekking lover, delicious food. You can propose student describe yourself using these words.

There is also an option to write more than one word for each letter and let your student guess which words are about you and which not.

Also prepare words for letters from your student’s name. Maybe use a dictionary if it’s difficult. Have several options for each letter.

3. Pictures of you

Find some pictures which can give a hint to your student, what kind of person you are. You can even take real photos of you or something that connected with you and ask your student to make a story or guess what they can tell about you. Maybe you have something in common.

There is another way how you can use pictures. Take a set of pictures about hobbies, lifestyle, places around the world and let students guess which have connections with your life or pick from there those ones which are close to them. All ages like to look at colourful paintings and such preparation will be 100% appreciated.

4. True/false

Make 5 sentences about yourself 3 of them should be true and 2 false. Let students guess which are false. Then give them time to make such sentences about themselves and you will guess the answers.

5. Continue the sentence.

Prepare beginnings of sentences such as

Ask your students continue them the way they want.

6. Setting priorities.

Write a list of life spheres like

• Family,
• Work,
• Studying,
• Hobbies,
• Art,
• Books,
• Travelling,
• Friends etc.

Ask student to rank them in order from the most important to the least important. Let them explain their choice.

Choose any pictures and create a description or words that are connected to pictures or can be associated with them. First show students words and ask student to match words and pictures. They can even create a little story about it. Pictures can be about people, places, films, books. Think what topics can be close to your student.

7. Things will tell

Show students some objects like phone, notebook, souvenir. Ask them questions to help create a story about the object. Like:

• How did I get it?
• How often do I use it?
• What is the purpose of it?
• Where is it from/where did I buy it?
• What would I do without it?

You can change the task and speak about objects of your student and he/she will ask you questions.

8. 5 second rule

I really like the game. There are lots of cards where you have a task like: Name 2 countries, Name 3 personal qualities (of yours), Name 3 hobbies of yours. Student needs to name them during 5 seconds. If answers are too long, give more time.

9. Brainstorming

Ask student to write as many words as they can on a certain categories, like: hobbies, jobs, books, films, lesson activities, personal qualities. Give them 7 minutes (a minute per category or less). Afterwards discuss which of these words are connected/or not connected to them.

10. associations

Ask students to write as many associations and build a mind map. For example:

• School
  • children
    • family
  • lessons  
    • boring, difficult

• Sea
  • holidays,
  • swimming
  • sun
    • warm

11. Trailer about student’s life

Ask your student to make a story about his/her life. They need to highlight the most interesting parts of it, maybe some catchy phrases they said or their friends or family said about them. All those things should lead to the final (trigger) ‘episode’ — coming to an English lesson. It can also be like an advertisement ‘A way to English’, ‘How could I live without English’ (or any other language or subject).

12. Alias

Student guess some words describing them or connected to their life. Write them down. Then they need to describe the words without saying it. You try to guess it. When you name a word you can have a short discussion about it and then you continue. Notice: if your student’s level is low, this exercise can be inappropriate and they can struggle with the words they need or description. Maybe ask to use gestures instead of words and translate your ideas to his/her native language.

I hope these games will come in handy and you will have fun at the first the further lessons with your students!