This activity is good for practising questions and listening to the answers - which students don't do all the time!

Procedure

  • Tell the students that they can ask their teacher any questions they like (even personal ones if you wish). Set this as homework and explain that in the next class they will get answers.
  • Next lesson, ask them if they are ready with their questions and choose several (e.g. seven).
  • One at a time, tell the students to sit behind you and that you will remain silent while the rest of the class asks THEM the questions. They answer for you so they have to be accurate. Meanwhile, the teacher responds by nodding or making faces when they suggest an age.
  • This activity needs organisation but once it's started, it's a lot of fun, especially when the students ask the group a personal question (for example, 'At what age did you have you first kiss?'). It works well because it focuses on fluency and students don't worry about the grammar and ask questions. The trick is to make activities which drive them away from the normal, (often quite boring) exercises.

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