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ESL school speaking activity

Talk for a Minute: School & Study

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Get your students talking with this ESL school speaking activity. In this engaging Talk for a Minute lesson, B1–C1 students use one-minute speaking prompts to discuss a variety of topics related to school, studying and education. This fluency-focused speaking activity encourages learners to organise their ideas, speak more confidently and develop their communication skills.

Level: B1–C1
Time: 30 minutes+

This lesson comes with:

Fillable Fields – This digital worksheet can be completed online or printed.

Teacher’s Copy – Includes detailed teacher’s notes and an answer key.

Student Version – Ideal for sharing via email for online lessons.

Overview of this ESL School Speaking Activity

1. Prepare students

Students review the speaking prompts, discuss any unfamiliar vocabulary and prepare ideas related to school, studying and education before beginning the activity.

2. One-minute speaking challenge

Students take turns selecting a prompt and speaking for one minute without stopping while their partner or group listens and keeps time. The activity encourages spontaneous speaking, fluency and confidence.

3. Error correction and feedback

Monitor students throughout the activity before reviewing common language errors, useful vocabulary and speaking strategies as a class.

Skills Developed

  • Speaking fluency
  • Communication skills
  • Vocabulary development
  • Critical thinking
  • Listening skills

Lesson Objectives

  • Talk confidently about school, studying and education.
  • Develop fluency through timed speaking practice.
  • Express and justify opinions using a range of vocabulary.
  • Build confidence when speaking for an extended period.

Try this ESL school speaking activity in class today!

Note: This lesson includes printable and fillable field worksheets. For best results, we recommend using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader for digital completion or printing.

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