Strategies for Developing Oral Language
This page offers activity ideas and strategies that can be used to develop oral language. Some activities are accompanied by videos and other resources to aid in their implementation.
Download the Oral Production Activity document (PDF) for full descriptions of activities.
Picture CuesPicture cues are a visual strategy that help learners to develop the skills necesary to produce spontaneous, creative and personally meaningful speech, while still being supported in their learning. |
Roll The DieStudents work in groups on a specified topic, taking turns rolling the die. One student rolls the die; the number that is rolled is the number of things he or she has to say, whether it be words, or sentences. Play moves to the next student. |
Witness/TemoinStudents work in pairs to describe hidden images as ‘witnesses’. |
Spin a YarnVideo: Spinning Yarn 1 (Spanish) Video: Spinning Yarn 2 (Spanish) Video: Spinning Yarn 2 (Ukrainian) Video: Spinning Yarn 3 (Ukrainian) Video: Spinning Yarn 4 (Ukrainian) Video: Spinning Yarn 1 (French) Video: Spinning Yarn 2 (French) |
Choo Choo TrainVideo: Choo Choo Introduction (Ukrainian) Video: Choo Choo Introduction (Spanish) Video: Choo Choo Introduction (German) |
Counting Concentration GameVideo: Concentration (Ukrainian) |
Days of the WeekVideo: Months of the Year (German) Video: Months of the Year (English) Video: Days of the Week (Ukrainian) Video: Days of the Week (Spanish) Video: Days of the Week (German) |
Dominoes |
Information Gap: “I lost my...”Video: Info Gap (German)
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Information Gap: Same DifferentStudents work in pairs. Each has a different picture that should not be shown to their partner. The students take turns asking each other yes or no questions to find out how the pictures are different. |
Touch & Feel BagStudents work in pairs or small groups to practice using adjectives. They are given a bag filled with a variety of objects, choose one without looking, and must describe it and then guess what the object is before pulling it out of the bag.
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Question-Answer Ball Throw
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Draw That Picture
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Teaching a Self IntroductionUse a scaffolded approach to teach students how to make a self introduction. |
Scaffolded Materials for Teaching a Weather ReportUse a scaffolded approach to teach students how to make a weather report. |
Scaffolded Materials for Teaching a Discussion About a MovieUse a scaffolded approach to teach students how to discuss and review movies. |