Are you looking for fun ways to jump start conversation and review recent concepts in your ESL classroom? Here are 3 quick ESL warm-up activities that you can do with a small bin, bag, or hat to get the conversation or review started!
1. Warm-up with Vocabulary Fun
If you want to review vocabulary, you need just picture cards plus a speaking frame to support your English learners, and a small bin, bag, or hat to add engagement. Have each student pull a card out and use the vocabulary word in a sentence.
2. Warm-up with a Phonics Review
If you need to review a phonics skill to build word level fluency, play a quick game like Rats! This works best when the students already know the meaning of the words, but are learning to read them fluently. In this example, students practice reading short vowel (CVC) words while trying not to get the Rats! card.
3. Warm-up with Would You Rather?
Here’s a quick conversation starter: would you rather? Add a sentence frame so students can explain their answers: I would rather ____ because ____. These cards shown work on reading short vowel words too, so students get both reading and speaking practice as they answer one another’s questions. Would you rather questions can be silly or serious; the main idea is to spark conversation. Remember to have pictures to support your ELLs’ understanding of the question.
All of the ESL warm-up activities shown above are in my TPT store. Just click on the picture to learn more about each product. If you have questions, come over to Instagram and send me a message @the_esl_teacher
