Question Line-Up

Purpose: This structured speaking activity gives learners the chance to practice asking and answering questions. The repetition that the activity provides builds comfort with the language, as well as confidence and fluency.  

Preparation Time: None

Materials Needed: 1-6 prepared questions

Procedure:

1. Write a question on the board. Read it out loud as a group (e.g. Where are you from, what is your favorite color, what is your dream job). Ideally, the questions will relate to the topic being studied in class, or be ones that learners can use when making small talk.
2. Have the learners answer the question. Write a sentence frame for the answer on the board (e.g. I am from _____, my favorite color is _____, My dream job is _____), and have the learners practice it several times.
3. Add more questions and answers to the board (for low level groups, use 1-3 questions; for higher level groups, use 4-6 questions).
4. Have the learners stand up and get into two lines, facing one another. One line will ask the questions, the other line will answer the questions.
5. When you say go, the learners in the question line ask their partner the questions. After everyone has finished talking, have the learners in one line shift over so that they have a new partner. The learner at the end of the line moves down to the opposite end.
6. Once everyone has a new partner, have the learners repeat step five. After repeating step five 2-3 times, have the lines switch roles. Repeat several more times.

Modification 1: For higher level learners, don’t write sentence frames for the answers on the board.

Modification 2: For higher level learners, give the group a topic and have the learners in the question line generate the questions themselves. Give them a set amount of time (30 seconds to 1 minute) to ask their partner as many questions as they can about the topic.