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Jacob has taught ESL in three Asian countries and has a master's degree in education.
Have you ever listened to multiple speeches on the same topic? It can be mind-numbing and might even put you to sleep! So, it's important for instructors to provide ESL students with varying topics for speeches. In this way, the audience can stay interested in every oral presentation.
Providing a range of topics to choose from also allows the speaker to talk about a subject they're passionate about. For instance, some students may want to talk about a personal experience or their jobs, while others may be interested in giving a speech on current events, movies, or books. Let's look at some potential topic ideas for ESL students.
Your students may enjoy presenting on personal topics, such as their hobbies or careers. They might present on music or art that they find particularly engaging. Students who are avid collectors of comics, figurines, bugs, and other items may enjoy giving a speech on their hobby or the items themselves. A presentation about a hobby is a time to show off something that a student loves to do. However, instructors should be wary of letting students present on certain hobbies. For instance, if a student sings opera for fun, advise them to keep sound levels and speech duration in mind.
Many students have jobs they may be interested in speaking about. They could describe what they do, how they impact society, and how fulfilling the work is. Pictures and graphs can aid in presentations. However, keep in mind that some jobs may not be suitable for classroom discussion. For example, you might ask that a student who works in an emergency room avoid pictures that contain gore. If your students are too young to have jobs, consider suggesting that they write about their dream jobs, whether it's a doctor, a lawyer, or a superhero like Batman.
Adults and older students, in particular, may want to talk about current events and newsworthy topics. Politics is a popular one, and you might suggest that students discuss different angles of the upcoming election in either the United States or their native country. Keep in mind that some current event topics could spark debate in class, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it gets students speaking in English! You may also need to screen students' topics and review the speech before the students give their presentations to avoid inflammatory or offensive statements.
If you're working with younger ESL students, you might have them talk about personal experience, such as where they went over vacation or what they plan to do for the next holiday. They could also give a speech on something that happened during school, such as a class celebration, or give a speech on a topic covered in another subject in school.
But students of all ages can talk about personal experiences. Important memories in one's life and major events such as marriage or childbirth can be intriguing topics that allow speakers to practice everyday vocabulary. Recommend that students bring in appropriate pictures or souvenirs to enhance their presentations.
It's more than likely that your students have a favorite movie, band, singer, or even game. Let them share this with the class. If it's a movie, tell them to bring clips - rather than the whole movie - as visual aids. If they have a favorite singer or a favorite band, let them play a song in class for their fellow students. Then they can review the piece or discuss its impact on society or the medium as a whole. If they have a favorite game, let them explain how to play it in class or about the culture of gaming.
When having students give speeches, allow them to choose from a variety of topics. Having a range of topics to choose from allows students to speak about something they're passionate about, and it can help the audience stay interested in the speeches. Make sure to screen topics and speeches for offensive material, and you may want to suggest visual and auditory aides to enhance speeches.
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Activities for Teaching English Language Learners6 chapters | 203 lessons | 13 flashcard sets
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