Speaking Activities for the Classroom

What Talents Do We Have in Our Group?  

 

Sit in a circle and ask each student tell one talent that he/he has, for example : 

 

Pon can sing very well. 

 

Lek has studied Thai dancing. 

 

Porn is an actor. 

 

Da is good at Microsoft Excel. 

 

Aye can play the guitar. 

 

Kwan learned to play the piano. 

 

Ann is a very fast typist. 

 

Lynn can translate from Chinese into Thai. 

 

Som can write songs. 

 

Dang can cook Italian food. 

 

Pen can sing Italian opera. 

 

Stang can program computers. 

 

Tan is good at creating web sites. 

 

Pel can read French. 

 

Tong knows how to cook Japanese food. 

 

Ad can teach the violin to children. 

 

Muay is able to prepare flower designs. 

 

Tim can dance the Tango all night.  

 

Tai is good at setting-up Power Point presentations. 

 

57

Guessing Your Friends’ Thoughts 

 

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a mind-reader and be able to read other people’s 

thoughts? Wouldn’t it be curious, for example, if you knew in advance what 

your friend was going to answer before he she was even asked a question? You 

can test yourself by putting one of your friends at the front of the classroom 

and guessing how he/she would answer questions like the ones below : 

 

Here’s an example of how to proceed: first, you ask your friend a question, 

such as, “What is your favorite food?” and the he/she must write the answer on a 

piece of paper so no one else can see it: for example, “fried rice.” Then all the 

people in the class begin to guess: “Is it fried fish?” “Is it chicken with 

noodles?” At the end of the questions, he/she shows what is written on the 

paper. With any luck, one of her close friends will already know the answer. 

 

 

Question Answer 

Where would you like to go on your honeymoon? 

 

What Hollywood star would you like to date? 

 

Who is your role model? 

 

Who is your favorite female vocalist? 

 

What kind of person do you want to marry? 

 

What would your dream job be? 

 

What is your deepest secret wish? 

 

What words would you like to hear your lover say? 

 

Where would you like to live? 

 

What would you do if you couldn’t get a job? 

 

With whom would you like to be lost on a desert island? 

 

Is there any kind of animal that you do not like? 

 

What is your favorite song? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the empty spaces, write a few more questions that you can ask your friend. 

 

58

Alone on a Desert Island 

 

Imagine that you have to stay alone on a desert island for a whole year, and 

that you can only take twenty items with you. What items would they be? Get 

everyone in the class to use the form below and fill in the things they would 

most miss or need if they were in a situation like that. Then, after everyone is 

finished writing, get one student to read his/her list, while the others listen. 

Then, go around to the other students and ask each on to tell the two items 

that they would need or wish to have the most. Write down all the things they 

say in the blank spaces that are provided : 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you are finished, for conversation’s sake, you can ask certain people why 

they think that certain items would be so important to them. 

 

59

Word Games 

 

The teacher tells each participant an adjective, one-by-one, going around in a 

circle. Within one second, the student must say a noun to go with the adjective. 

Then, the student must think up and say a full sentence using both the 

adjective and noun together. This is an oral exercise and should go fast. See the 

following example : 

 

Expensive   /expensive present / I bought my wife an expensive present. 

Easy 

test 

We are hoping for an easy test. 

Difficult 

questions 

We don’t want to have any difficult questions. 

Interesting  

 

Boring  

 

Sweet  

 

Sour  

 

Bitter  

 

Angry  

 

Awful  

 

Wonderful  

 

Happy  

 

Lovely  

 

Slow  

 

Fast  

 

High  

 

Low  

 

Short  

 

Tall  

 

Hard  

 

Soft  

 

Yellow  

 

Bright  

 

Dull  

 

Painful  

 

Relaxing  

 

Stressful  

 

Heavy  

 

light  

 

 

If the students enjoy this activity, get them to make up their own list of new 

adjectives and do the whole thing together on their own. 

 

60

Thinking of Related-Words  

 

Divide the class into four groups and give each group a word, for which they 

must write out a list of related-words. The group that can write-down and read-

out the most words wins. An example might be : 

 

Write a list below of things you can do with your hands, for example : 

 

Hold 

Grasp 

Stir 

Stroke 

Clap, etc 

 

Write a list below of things that you can do with your head, for example : 

 

Butt 

Shake 

Nod 

Think 

Imagine, etc 

 

Write a list below of things you can do with your eyes, for example : 

 

Flutter 

Squint 

Wink 

Cross 

See, etc 

 

Write a list below of things you can do with your feet, for example : 

 

Shuffle 

Stamp 

Dance 

Hike 

Pirouette, etc 

 

There are lots of ways you can vary such word games, depending upon the 

linguistic purpose. You could as well, for example, get the students to choose 

common nouns and see how many adjectives they can find as modifiers. 

 

61

Find Someone Who... 

 

This game is so popular with the students that you can keep coming back to it, 

periodically, because you know it’s going to succeed. You can also vary the 

formula in many ways. In the following, for example, students can interview 

classmates regarding their preferences and asking why they prefer one thing to 

another : 

 

Going to the movies/watching videos at home 

Jane prefers watching videos at home because it is more relaxing. 

 

Driving a car/ going by taxi. 

Tan prefers going by taxi because it not quite so stressful. 

 

The Bangkok Post/The Nation 

Lat prefers The Bangkok Post to The Nation because she finds the language easier. 

 

It would be best if the students to made up their own survey questions, based 

on the interests of the group, but here are some examples to use as models: 

 

Pizza Hut/The pizza 

 

Noodles /Rice 

 

Coke/Pepsi 

 

Thai pops/English hits 

 

Action/romantic films 

 

Taking a bus/motorcycle  

 

Burger King/McDonalds 

 

Japanese/Chinese food 

 

KFC/Chester’s Chicken 

 

Mangoes/papaya 

 

French Fries/baked potatoes 

 

62

Chapter Two : Words, Phrases and Sentences 

 

In the tasks in this chapter, which are a little more difficult than the first 

chapter, students will be asked to search to find or remember and express or 

look up vocabulary and formulate concepts and ideas in words, phrases and 

sentences on their own or in groups, in a student-centered, non-teacher-

controlled learning environment.  

 

To avoid running the class in a totally-dictatorial-teacher-centered-manner, the 

teacher may give the students sheets and let them work independently on the 

assigned task, and only report to the teacher later, when they have finished or 

their time has run out. 

 

The teacher should work as a helper rather than be the dictator of everything 

that happens in the classroom. It is better for the students to learn by doing 

rather than to learn by simply listening while the teacher drones on a and on, 

while  the class has trouble concentrating/paying attention.  

 

If they are asked to do their own thinking and looking-up and researching and 

discussing and exchanging of ideas and helping of one another, they will be 

better-able to pay attention, because they will feel themselves to be at the 

center of the action.  

 

While the students are working on their task, the teacher can get up from 

his/her desk leaving his/her position of authority at the front of the room and 

mingle within the class, approaching closer, moving from student-to-student or 

from group-to-group, whilst looking helpful and friendly, and giving assistance 

as required. After students, become accustomed to the teacher being nearby, 

they will feel less-afraid to ask questions and to request help and assistance. 

 

Oftentimes, a student is too shy or too timid to ask a question in a totally 

teacher-centered situation, because, then everyone’s attention would, then, be 

focused on that one student. Especially in a case where the student does not 

know something and finds it necessary to ask a question, it will be a lot more 

comfortable for the class participant, if the teacher is standing nearby. For this 

reason, the teacher should continually cultivate individual contact and rapport. 

The teacher should become more-and-more accustomed to mixing in with the 

class and actually sitting-down with the students, and interacting in a way that 

will gradually make the students less-afraid to speak up, because they are talking 

one-on-one or asking within a group of friends where they do not feel so 

threatened.  

 

63

Naming the Tasks  

 

Get the group to sit in four groups of five and try to think of as many 

handyman jobs that a person can do around the house and see who can think 

of  the most. For example, look at the first five and add another ten tasks. 

 

Changing a light bulb 

Painting the wall 

Drilling a hole in the wall 

Hanging a picture 

Fixing a water faucet, etc. 

 

Think of all the tasks that can be performed when cooking dinner.  

For example, 

 

Washing the vegetables 

Chopping the onions 

Boiling the rice 

Crushing the garlic 

Slicing meat, etc. 

 

Think of all the tasks that must be done in the garden.  

For example, 

Cutting the grass  

Weeding the lawn 

Watering the flowers 

Cutting the bushes 

Spraying to prevent pests, etc. 

 

Think of all the tasks that need to be done when building.   

For example, 

Digging a hole 

Laying the bricks  

Sawing the boards 

Pouring cement 

Hammering a nail 

 

This is the kind of game that can go on forever. For example, 

Give a list of jobs a secretary can do. 

What do soldiers do in the army?  

Just keep changing the types or categories of tasks. 

 

64

Obeying the Law 

 

Get the students to tell you a list of laws that everyone should follow in order 

to good citizens for the good of society and for the good of the nation. Put 

them standing-up in a circle, and anyone who fails to think of a new law must 

sit down and be disqualified. The last one standing wins. 

 

Stop at red lights. 

Don’t jay-walk. 

Use the footbridge. 

Don’t drive too fast on the highway. 

Don’t drive the wrong way on a one way street. 

Keep your car in safe running order. 

Make sure your brake lights are working. 

Get you car inspected every year. 

Don’t drive without a license. 

File your income tax form. 

Pay your taxes. 

Don’t tell lies that can hurt another person’s reputation. 

Do not take things that are not yours. 

Don’t break into your neighbor’s house. 

Don’t light your neighbor’s house on fire. 

Don’t try to steal your neighbor’s wife. 

Don’t try to seduce his underage daughter. 

Do not abuse children in any way. 

Don’t beat your wife. 

Don’t start fights. 

Do not pollute the water or the air. 

Don’t run a business without a VAT card. 

Don’t forget to submit the VAT to the revenue department on time. 

Do not breach the terms of a contract. 

Notify the government of your change of address. 

Renew you ID card on time. 

Don’t deceive the customer about the quality of your goods. 

Don’t make false promises that you don’t intend to fulfill. 

Do not take or pay bribes and avoid being involved in corruption. 

Don’t sell your vote. 

Don’t litter or spit on the street. 

Don’t cause noise pollution. 

Be sure your buildings follow safety and fire regulations, etc. 

Give to others less-fortunate than yourself. 

 

65

Noises 

 

Write some words to describe or modify the words in the boxes. 

traffic Animals 

construction 

machines nature 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Write some words used to describe 

nurses teachers 

mothers 

politicians 

monks 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lawyers accountants 

policemen 

doctors soldiers 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thailand Europe  Africa  America  Asia 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

66

More Noises 

 

What noises do you associate with the following animals or insects? In certain 

cases, there are two or three ways that we can describe the noise made by an 

insect or animal. Add some other insect/ animal sounds to the list. 

 

bird tweet chirp sing 

dog bark 

 howl growl 

cat meow 

hiss purr 

donkey hee-haw  

 

horse whiney 

 

 

snake hiss   

 

wolf howl  

 

chicken clucks   

 

turkey gobbles 

 

 

ducks quack  

 

roster/cock crow 

Cock-a-doodle-do  

lion roar  

 

tiger growl snarl  

cow moo  

 

bull bellow 

 

 

buffalo bellow   

 

pig oink  

 

lamb bleat  

 

sheep Bah-bah 

 

 

crow caw   

 

elephant trumpets  

 

fly buzz 

   

bee buzz  

 

crickets chirp   

 

locusts hum   

 

cicadas sing 

 

 

mosquito buzz 

hum 

 

mouse squeaks  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this task, the students will probably have to use a dictionary in order to look up words 

when necessary and insert them into the appropriate boxes. 

 

67

More and More Noises 

 

Fold the paper in two, and then try to think up words to describe the nouns 

that you see in the left hand margin. 

Water trickles 

Water fall 

roars 

Water tap 

drips 

Window rattles 

Door 

bangs, squeaks, creaks 

Motor hums 

Brakes squeak 

Tires squeal 

Ice cubes 

tinkle, 

Leaves rustle 

Tree branches 

groan 

Beams groan 

Computer mouse 

clicks 

Mobile phone 

Rings, beeps, hums 

Pager beeps 

Microphone screeches 

Chalk  

squeaks 

Fingers scratch 

Feet  

tap 

Ears ring 

Lips smack 

Teeth click, 

grind 

Knees knock 

Nose  

sniffs 

Paper 

Shuffles, rustles, rips, tears 

Satin rustles 

Axe hacks 

Small scissors 

snip 

Nail Clippers 

clip 

Hair clippers 

clip 

Pen scratches 

Finger and thumb 

snap 

Fire crackles 

Clock ticks 

Stomach grumbles 

There are lots of noises that relate to things. Try to think of a few more. 

 

68

Similar and Related Words 

 

Get four groups to write lists of words that are small, big or loud, etc. And see 

which group can read out the most related words to the class for each category. 

The group with the most words wins. If it’s too difficult, let them use their 

dictionaries. Use vocabulary appropriate to class needs. For example, the 

teacher may use the following examples as a key or guideline : 

 

Small Big  Loud  Kind  Unkind 

Minute Large  Bang  Warm  Violent 

Ant  

Huge 

Boom 

Loving 

Vicious 

Speck Gigantic 

Crash Generous 

Cruelty 

Germ  

Vast 

Bash 

Giving 

Heartless 

Sperm Infinite clang  Helpful Voracious 

Atom Cosmic 

Blare  Thoughtful 

Unfeeling 

Molecule Giant 

Reverberation Considerate 

Thoughtless 

Tiny Colossal 

Bellow 

Sympathetic 

Inconsiderate

Bit Titanic 

Bash 

Empathetic 

Hateful 

Fleck Humongous 

Resound 

Gracious 

Aggressive 

Microscopic Massive 

Echo 

Tender 

Dangerous 

Little  

Sweeping 

Din 

Understand 

Selfish 

Point Looming 

Drone Goodness 

Cold 

Dot Endless 

Dun Compassion 

Cool 

Spot Boundless 

Explosion 

Feeling 

Distant 

Electron Grand  Scream  Supportive 

Destructive 

Mite Innumerable 

Shatter 

Charitable 

Evil 

 

Fill in the missing words above. 

 

Now, write some words that have the same or a similar meaning: 

Boss Helper 

Opponent 

Ambition 

Fault 

Chief Assistant 

Adversary 

Goal  Weakness 

Chairman Aide 

Foe 

Aim 

Mistake 

Head Supporter 

Opponent 

Wish Error 

Leader Follower 

Competitor 

Dream Typo 

Supervisor Co-worker Contestant Hope 

Oversight 

Foreman Subordinate 

Rival 

Achievement 

Lack 

 

The teacher can keep using this game by choosing new and different words 

that are appropriate to the students’ level or to the field of study or endeavor. 

 

69