problem solving activities for speaking

Speaking , Skills

35 ESL Speaking Activities: Engage with Fun for Better Fluency

September 1, 2023

A H M Ohidujjaman

Have you ever found yourself, as an English teacher, scratching your head, trying to come up with new and engaging ESL speaking activities to get your students talking? You’re not alone. Speaking can be a tough skill to master for ESL learners, but if you can choose the right activities , you can turn this challenge into a fun and interactive learning experience for them.

In this article, you’ll discover 35 popular ESL speaking activities that really work. These activities are designed to get your students talking, whether they’re young learners or adults. They cover a range of scenarios, from casual chit-chat to formal presentations and everything in between. You can customize these activities based on your teaching methods to engage your specific learners.

So, if you’re on the hunt for fresh ideas to liven up your speaking class and help your students gain confidence in their spoken English, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in and explore these activities together. Your next great class activity could be just a scroll away!

Table of Contents

Show and tell: engaging young minds.

Show and Tell is a classic activity that’s always a hit with young learners. It provides a platform for students to talk about something they’re passionate about, helping them practice their spoken English in a fun, personal way.

Materials Needed: The only materials required for this activity are the items that students choose to bring from home. These could be anything from a favorite toy to a cherished book or a family photo. The key is that the item should hold some significance to the student, giving them plenty to talk about.

Conducting the Activity:

• Let students know about the upcoming Show and Tell session well in advance so they have time to select their item and prepare what they want to say.
• On the day of the activity, each student takes turns presenting their item to the class.
• Students should describe their item, explaining what it is and why it’s important to them. They can also share any interesting stories or facts related to the item.
• To help students structure their presentations, you can provide sentence starters such as “This is my…”, “It’s special because…”, or “I feel… when I…”.
• After each presentation, encourage the rest of the class to ask questions. This promotes active listening and interaction.

Benefits of the Activity: Show and Tell offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice their descriptive language skills.
• Builds confidence in public speaking.
• Fosters a sense of community as students learn more about each other.
• Develops active listening skills as students engage with their peers’ presentations.
• Encourages curiosity and deeper understanding as students learn to ask relevant questions.

Incorporating Show and Tell into your ESL classroom can provide a fun, low-pressure way for students to practice their speaking skills while sharing a bit of their world with their classmates.

Role Play: The Power of Pretend in ESL

Role Play is a dynamic and versatile activity that can be tailored to suit any age group or proficiency level. It involves students acting out different scenarios, which can range from everyday situations like ordering food at a restaurant, to more complex interactions such as job interviews or debates.

Materials Needed: Materials for this activity can vary depending on the scenario you choose. You might need props to set the scene or role cards with character descriptions and objectives. For more complex role plays you might also provide scripts or dialogue prompts.

• Choose a scenario that is relevant to your students’ learning objectives and level of proficiency.
• Explain the scenario to the students and assign roles. If necessary, provide props, role cards, or scripts.
• Give students time to prepare for their roles. They might need to practice certain phrases, plan their dialogue, or think about their character’s motivations.
• Have the students act out the scenario in front of the class. Encourage them to stay in character and use English to the best of their ability.
• After the role play, facilitate a class discussion. Ask students about the outcome of the scenario, the language used, and how they could apply what they’ve learned in real-life situations.

Benefits of the Activity: Role Play is a powerful tool in the ESL classroom. It:

• Provides a practical context for language use, helping students understand how to use English in real-life situations.
• Encourages creativity and improvisation, which can make speaking practice more engaging and fun.
• Helps students develop their problem-solving skills as they navigate through the scenario.
• Builds confidence as students get comfortable with speaking English in front of others.
• Allows for the practice of specific language functions, such as making requests, giving advice, or expressing disagreement, in a controlled environment.

By incorporating Role Play into your lessons, you can provide your students with a safe and supportive space to practice their English speaking skills, while also preparing them for real-world interactions.

Storytelling: Creating Narratives for Language Development

Storytelling is a universal form of communication that can captivate learners of all ages. In the ESL classroom, storytelling activities can help students practice narrative tenses, descriptive language, and sequencing, all while sparking their creativity.

Materials Needed: Materials can vary based on how you choose to conduct the activity. You might need story prompts, picture cards for visual aid, or even digital tools if you’re incorporating multimedia elements.

• Depending on your students’ proficiency level, you can provide a story prompt or let them come up with their own ideas.
• Give students time to plan their stories. They should think about the characters, setting, and plot. For lower-level students, you can provide a story structure to guide them.
• Students then tell their stories to the class. Encourage them to use descriptive language and narrative tenses where appropriate.
• After each story, facilitate a brief discussion. Ask the class about the story’s sequence of events, the characters, and the overall narrative. This can reinforce comprehension and narrative skills.

Benefits of the Activity: Storytelling offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Encourages creativity and imagination, making the learning process more engaging.
• Helps students practice narrative tenses and descriptive language in a meaningful context.
• Enhances students’ ability to sequence ideas logically.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their unique stories.
• Fosters listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s stories.

Incorporating storytelling into your ESL lessons can provide a creative outlet for students while offering ample opportunities for language practice. Whether they’re telling tales of far-off adventures or recounting personal experiences, students will be developing their English skills every step of the way.

Picture Descriptions: Painting with Words

Picture Descriptions is an activity that can be adapted for learners of all ages and proficiency levels. It involves students describing a picture in detail, which can help them practice their descriptive language skills and expand their vocabulary.

Materials Needed: For this activity, you’ll need a variety of pictures. These could be photographs, illustrations, or even comic strips. The pictures should be rich in detail to give students plenty to talk about.

• Distribute a picture to each student or pair of students. You can also project a picture on the board for the whole class to describe.
• Give students time to look at their picture and think about how they will describe it.
• Students then take turns describing their picture to the class. Encourage them to be as detailed as possible, describing not only the main elements but also the colors, shapes, and any actions or emotions they perceive.
• After each description, you can facilitate a brief discussion. Ask the class about the details they remember, or have them guess what’s happening in the picture based on the description.

Benefits of the Activity: Picture Descriptions offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice their descriptive language skills in a focused context.
• Expands students’ vocabulary as they learn to describe various elements and scenes.
• Enhances students’ observational skills as they learn to notice and describe details.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their descriptions with the class.
• Fosters listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s descriptions.

By incorporating Picture Descriptions into your ESL lessons, you can provide a visual context for language practice, making the learning process more engaging and memorable for your students.

Interviews: Peer-to-Peer Learning

Interviews are a great way to get students to talk and listen to each other. This activity can be adapted to any topic, making it versatile for different lessons and proficiency levels. It’s an excellent way for students to practice question formation, active listening, and conversational skills.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a list of interview questions for this activity. These can be prepared in advance by the teacher, or you can have students come up with their own questions. The questions should be open-ended to encourage more than just yes/no answers.

• Pair up the students and give each pair a list of interview questions. If students are creating their own questions, give them time to prepare.
• One student in each pair takes on the role of the interviewer, while the other is the interviewee.
• The interviewer asks the questions, and the interviewee responds. Encourage students to expand on their answers and provide as much detail as possible.
• After a set amount of time, have the students switch roles.
• Once all interviews are complete, facilitate a class discussion. Students can share interesting things they learned about their partner or discuss any challenges they faced during the activity.

Benefits of the Activity: Conducting interviews in the ESL classroom offers several benefits. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice question formation and response.
• Enhances active listening skills as students engage in one-on-one conversations.
• Encourages students to express their thoughts and opinions in English.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students interact directly with their peers.

Incorporating interviews into your ESL lessons can provide a real-world context for language practice, helping students improve their conversational skills and build stronger connections with their peers.

Debates: The Art of Argument for Adult ESL Learners

Debates are a powerful tool for advanced language learning, particularly suited to adult learners. They provide a platform for students to practice persuasive language, critical thinking, and active listening, all within the context of a structured argument.

Materials Needed: For a debate, you’ll need a list of debatable topics that are appropriate and engaging for your students. You may also want to prepare some resources or reading materials for students to research their arguments.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign a debate topic to each. Make sure each group is clear on which side of the argument they are on.
• Give students time to research their topic and prepare their arguments. They should consider both their points and potential counterarguments.
• When it’s time for the debate, each group presents their arguments, alternating between the ‘for’ and ‘against’ sides. Encourage students to rebut and respond to each other’s points.
• After the debate, facilitate a class discussion. Ask students to reflect on the arguments presented and the language used.

Benefits of the Activity: Debates offer numerous benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice persuasive language and argumentation.
• Enhance critical thinking skills as students have to construct and deconstruct arguments.
• Develop active listening skills as students need to respond to each other’s points.
• Build confidence in speaking as students present and defend their arguments.
• Encourage students to explore different perspectives on a topic, promoting empathy and understanding.

Incorporating debates into your ESL lessons can provide a dynamic and engaging way for students to practice their English speaking skills. Not only will they be learning to express their ideas more effectively, but they’ll also be developing valuable skills in critical thinking and active listening.

Information Gap Activities: Bridging the Gap

Information Gap activities are a staple in the communicative approach to language teaching. These activities involve students having different pieces of information that they need to share with each other to complete a task. It’s a great way for students to practice asking and answering questions, giving and following directions, and explaining ideas.

Materials Needed: The materials for this activity depend on the specific task. You might need task sheets with different information, maps with missing details, or incomplete diagrams. The key is that each student or pair of students has a piece of the puzzle, and they need to communicate effectively to put it all together.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give each a different set of information.
• The task is for students to fill in the gaps in their information by communicating with their peers. They should ask questions, give answers, and clarify information as needed.
• Once students believe they have completed the task, check their work. If there are any mistakes or missing information, they should go back and continue the activity.
• After the activity, facilitate a class discussion. Reflect on the communication strategies used and the language practiced during the activity.

Benefits of the Activity: Information Gap activities offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice specific language functions, such as asking and answering questions.
• Encourage cooperative learning as students work together to complete the task.
• Enhance problem-solving and critical thinking skills as students figure out how to obtain the information they need.
• Build confidence in speaking as students interact directly with their peers.
• Foster active listening skills as students need to understand their peers’ information.

Incorporating Information Gap activities into your ESL lessons can provide a fun and interactive way for students to practice their English speaking skills. They’ll be learning to communicate more effectively while also developing valuable skills in problem-solving and cooperation.

Presentations: Public Speaking in ESL

Presentations are an excellent way for students to practice their public speaking skills in English. They can present on a topic of their choice or one assigned by the teacher, providing an opportunity to practice organizing and expressing their thoughts in a structured format.

Materials Needed: Students will need time to prepare their presentations. They may also need access to resources for research, and materials or technology for visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides or posters.

• Assign a topic or let students choose their own. The topic should be appropriate for their proficiency level and relevant to their interests or course content.
• Give students time to prepare their presentations. They should think about how to structure their talk, what information to include, and how to make their points clear and engaging.
• Students then deliver their presentations to the class. Encourage them to speak clearly, maintain eye contact with the audience, and use their visual aids effectively.
• After each presentation, allow time for questions and feedback from the class.

Benefits of the Activity: Presentations offer numerous benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Help students practice organizing and expressing their thoughts in English.
• Build confidence in public speaking.
• Enhance research and planning skills.
• Provide an opportunity for students to delve deeper into a topic of interest.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s presentations.

Guessing Games: Fun with Descriptions for Young Learners

Guessing Games are a fun and interactive way for young learners to practice their descriptive language skills. In this activity, students describe a person, place, or thing without naming it, and the rest of the class tries to guess what it is.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of cards or pictures with different people, places, or things for the students to describe.

• Give a card or picture to a student, making sure the rest of the class can’t see it.
• The student describes the person, place, or thing on the card without saying its name.
• The rest of the class tries to guess what the student is describing.
• The game continues with different students taking turns to describe and guess.

Benefits of the Activity: Guessing Games offer several benefits for young ESL learners. They:

• Provide a fun and interactive way for students to practice their descriptive language skills.
• Encourage creativity as students think of different ways to describe the same thing.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to the descriptions and try to guess the answers.
• Build confidence in speaking as students take turns describing and guessing.

News Report: Current Affairs in ESL

Creating a News Report is a dynamic activity that can help students practice formal language and reporting skills. It involves students researching a current event and presenting it as a news report, either individually or in groups.

Materials Needed: Students will need access to news resources for research. They may also need materials to create their news report, such as paper and pens for a written report, or a camera and microphone for a video report.

• Assign a current event or let students choose their own. The event should be appropriate for their proficiency level and relevant to their interests.
• Give students time to research the event and prepare their news report. They should think about the key facts of the event, the different perspectives involved, and how to present the information clearly and objectively.
• Students then present their news reports to the class. Encourage them to speak clearly, use formal language, and present the information in a balanced way.
• After each report, facilitate a class discussion about the event and the language used in the report.

Benefits of the Activity: Creating a News Report offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice formal language and reporting skills.
• Enhance research and critical thinking skills as students delve into a current event.
• Foster media literacy as students learn to analyze and present news information.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s reports.

Problem-Solving : Collaborative Learning in ESL

Problem-Solving activities are a great way to get students working together and communicating in English. These activities involve presenting students with a problem or challenge that they need to solve collaboratively.

Materials Needed: The materials for this activity will depend on the problem you set. You might need puzzle pieces, task cards with the problem scenario, or physical materials for a building challenge.

• Divide the class into small groups and present each group with the same problem or challenge. This could be a riddle to solve, a mystery to unravel, or a structure to build.
• Students work together to solve the problem, discussing their ideas and strategies in English.
• Once the groups have completed the task, have them present their solutions to the class. Encourage them to explain their thought process and the steps they took to solve the problem.
• Facilitate a class discussion about the different solutions and the language used during the activity.

Benefits of the Activity: Problem-Solving activities offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Encourage collaborative learning as students work together to solve a problem.
• Provide a practical context for students to practice their English speaking skills.
• Enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Build confidence in speaking as students interact with their peers and present their solutions.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s solutions.

The Mystery Bag: Sensory Language Practice

The Mystery Bag is a fun and interactive activity for practicing sensory language and descriptive skills. It involves students feeling an object in a bag and describing it to the rest of the class, who then try to guess what it is.

Materials Needed: For this activity, you’ll need a bag and a variety of objects with different shapes, sizes, and textures.

• Place an object in the bag without showing it to the class.
• Have a student feel the object in the bag without looking. The student then describes the object to the class, focusing on its size, shape, texture, weight, and any other sensory details.
• The rest of the class listens to the description and tries to guess what the object is.
• The game continues with different students and objects.

Benefits of the Activity: The Mystery Bag offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their descriptive language skills.
• Encourages creativity as students think of different ways to describe the same object.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the descriptions and try to guess the answers.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students take turns describing and guessing.

Playing 20 Questions: Inquisitive Minds at Play

Playing 20 Questions is a classic game that’s perfect for practicing question formation and critical thinking skills. In this game, one student thinks of a person, place, or thing, and the rest of the class asks up to 20 yes/no questions to figure out what it is.

Materials Needed: No specific materials are needed for this activity, although you might choose to use picture cards or word cards to provide ideas for the students.

• One student thinks of a person, place, or thing, or chooses one from a card if you’re using them.
• The rest of the class takes turns asking yes/no questions to figure out what the student is thinking of. They can ask up to 20 questions.
• The game continues until the class guesses correctly or they run out of questions.

Benefits of the Activity: Playing 20 Questions offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice question formation.
• Enhances critical thinking skills as students have to think strategically about their questions.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the answers and adjust their guesses accordingly.

Speeches: Formal Language Practice

Giving speeches is a valuable activity for more advanced ESL students. It provides an opportunity to practice formal language, public speaking, and the organization of ideas. Speech topics can range from personal experiences to persuasive arguments on current issues.

Materials Needed: Students will need time and resources to prepare their speeches. Depending on the topic, they may need to conduct research. They may also need notecards for their speaking notes or technology for any visual aids they want to use.

• Give students time to prepare their speeches. They should think about how to structure their speech, what points they want to make, and how to support their ideas.
• Students then deliver their speeches to the class. Encourage them to speak clearly, maintain eye contact with the audience, and use their visual aids effectively.
• After each speech, allow time for questions and feedback from the class.

Benefits of the Activity: Giving speeches offers numerous benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice formal language and public speaking.
• Enhances research and planning skills.
• Builds confidence in speaking in front of others.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s speeches.

Dialogue Journals: Interactive Learning

Dialogue Journals are written conversations between the teacher and student. While not a speaking activity per se, they can help students develop their conversational skills, grammar, and vocabulary in a low-pressure environment.

Materials Needed: Each student will need a journal for this activity. This could be a physical notebook or a digital document, depending on your preference.

• Each student starts by writing an entry in their journal. They can write about their day, ask questions, or respond to a prompt that you give them.
• You then read each student’s entry and write a response. Your response should model correct language use and may include comments, answers to questions, or further questions to keep the conversation going.
• The activity continues back and forth like this over time, creating an ongoing written dialogue.

Benefits of the Activity: Dialogue Journals offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a low-pressure environment for students to practice their English.
• Allow for individualized instruction as you can tailor your responses to each student’s needs.
• Enhance writing and reading skills alongside conversational skills.
• Foster a sense of connection between you and the student.

Charades: Non-Verbal Communication for Young Learners

Charades is a fun and interactive game that can help young learners practice their English vocabulary and sentence structure. In this game, students act out a word or phrase without speaking, and the rest of the class tries to guess what it is.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of cards with words or phrases for the students to act out. These could be verbs (like “jump” or “eat”), animals (like “cat” or “elephant”), or even simple sentences (like “I brush my teeth”).

• One student chooses a card and acts out the word or phrase without speaking or making any sound.
• The rest of the class watches and tries to guess the word or phrase. They should guess by making full sentences (like “Are you jumping?” or “Is it a cat?”).
• The game continues with different students taking turns to act and guess.

Benefits of the Activity: Charades offers several benefits for young ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their English vocabulary and sentence structure.
• Encourages creativity and physical movement, which can help keep young learners engaged.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the guesses and adjust their acting accordingly.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students take turns guessing in full sentences.

Listening and Drawing: Visualizing Language

Listening and Drawing is an engaging activity that helps students practice their listening comprehension and following instructions in English. In this activity, students listen to a description or a set of instructions and draw what they hear.

Materials Needed: Students will need paper and drawing materials for this activity. You’ll need a script or a set of instructions to read out.

• Students start with a blank piece of paper. You read out a description or a set of instructions for something to draw.
• Students listen carefully and draw what they hear. They should not ask questions or confirm their understanding during the activity.
• Once the drawing is complete, students can compare their drawings and discuss any differences. You can also reveal the original image or intended result for comparison.

Benefits of the Activity: Listening and Drawing offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their listening comprehension.
• Helps students practice following instructions in English.
• Encourages creativity and visual thinking.
• Fosters active listening skills as students need to pay close attention to the details.
• Builds confidence as students see the results of their listening skills.

Story Retelling: Reinforcing Narrative Skills

Story Retelling is a powerful activity to reinforce narrative skills, comprehension, and memory. In this activity, students listen to a story and then retell it in their own words.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a story for this activity. This could be a short story, a chapter from a book, or a story that you tell orally. The story should be appropriate for the students’ proficiency level.

• Read the story to the class or have them read it individually.
• Once they’ve heard or read the story, students take turns retelling it in their own words. They should try to include the main events and characters, but they can also add their own interpretations or details.
• After each retelling, facilitate a class discussion about the story and the different ways it was retold.

Benefits of the Activity: Story Retelling offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice narrative skills and comprehension.
• Enhances memory and recall as students have to remember and retell the story.
• Encourages creativity as students add their own interpretations or details.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s retellings.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their retellings with the class.

Find Someone Who: Interactive Icebreaker

Find Someone Who is a popular icebreaker activity that gets students up and moving. It involves students finding classmates who match certain criteria, providing a fun and interactive way for students to practice their question-asking and answering skills.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a worksheet with a list of criteria for this activity. The criteria could be things like “Find someone who has a pet” or “Find someone who has been to another country”.

• Give each student a worksheet and explain the activity. Students will walk around the room and ask their classmates questions to find someone who matches each criterion.
• Students interact with each other, asking questions and responding in English. They should try to find a different person for each criterion.
• Once students have found someone who matches each criterion, they can sit down. You can then facilitate a class discussion about what they learned about their classmates.

Benefits of the Activity: Find Someone Who offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their question-asking and answering skills.
• Helps students get to know each other, fostering a sense of community in the class.
• Encourages movement and active learning.
• Fosters active listening skills as students need to listen to and understand their classmates’ responses.

Discussion Circles: Group Conversations in ESL

Discussion Circles are a great way to get students talking about a topic in depth. In this activity, students sit in a circle and discuss a topic, question, or text, providing a structured yet flexible way to practice conversational English.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a discussion topic or question for this activity. This could be a controversial statement, a thought-provoking question, or a text that students have read.

• Arrange the students in a circle and present the discussion topic or question.
• Students take turns speaking, giving their opinions, responding to each other, and asking follow-up questions. Encourage them to use appropriate discussion language and to listen actively when they’re not speaking.
• As the teacher, you can participate in the discussion, but try to let the students do most of the talking. You can also guide the discussion by asking probing questions or bringing up new points.
• After the discussion, facilitate a class reflection. Reflect on the content of the discussion as well as the language used.

Benefits of the Activity: Discussion Circles offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a structured yet flexible context for students to practice conversational English.
• Enhance critical thinking skills as students discuss a topic in depth.
• Foster active listening skills as students respond to each other’s points.
• Build confidence in speaking as students express their opinions and ideas.
• Encourage respect for different perspectives as students hear a variety of viewpoints.

Book Club: Literature in ESL

A Book Club can be a wonderful way for students to engage with English literature and practice their speaking skills. Students read a book (or a chapter of a book) and then discuss it in class, providing an opportunity to explore themes, characters, plot, and language in depth.

Materials Needed: You’ll need copies of the book for each student. Choose a book that is appropriate for your students’ proficiency level and interests.

• Assign a book or a chapter for students to read before the class.
• In class, facilitate a discussion about the book. Ask open-ended questions about the plot, characters, themes, and language. Encourage students to share their opinions and respond to each other’s comments.
• After the discussion, you can focus on specific language points from the book, such as vocabulary, grammar structures, or literary devices.

Benefits of the Activity: A Book Club offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a context for students to explore English literature and culture.
• Enhances reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to each other’s comments.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students express their opinions and ideas.
• Encourages a love of reading in English.

Dictation: Listening and Repeating

Dictation is a classic language learning activity that can help students practice their listening comprehension, spelling, and grammar. In this activity, you read a sentence or a short paragraph aloud, and students write down exactly what they hear.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a script for this activity. This could be a sentence, a paragraph, or a short text, depending on your students’ proficiency level.

• Choose a script that is appropriate for your students’ proficiency level and relevant to your lesson content.
• Read the script aloud at a normal pace. Students listen and write down what they hear.
• Repeat the script a few times, allowing students to fill in any gaps or correct any mistakes.
• Once the dictation is complete, reveal the written script. Students can then check their work and discuss any difficulties or challenges they faced.

Benefits of the Activity: Dictation offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Helps students practice their listening comprehension in a focused way.
• Enhances spelling and grammar skills as students have to write down exactly what they hear.
• Provides a quiet, focused activity that can balance out more interactive or noisy activities.

Travel Agency Activity: Planning and Persuasion

The Travel Agency activity is a fun and interactive way for students to practice their persuasive language skills. In this activity, students work in pairs or small groups to plan a trip and then try to persuade the rest of the class to join their tour.

Materials Needed: You’ll need resources for students to research their trip, such as travel brochures, internet access, or travel books. You might also want to provide poster paper and markers for students to create their travel advertisements.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign each a destination. The destination could be a city, a country, or a type of trip (like a beach vacation or a cultural tour).
• Students research their destination and plan a trip, including the itinerary, accommodations, and attractions.
• Students then create a travel advertisement for their trip and present it to the class, trying to persuade their classmates to join their tour.
• After all the presentations, the class votes on which trip they would most like to join.

Benefits of the Activity: The Travel Agency activity offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice persuasive language.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students present their trip to the class.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and evaluate each other’s presentations.
• Encourages creativity and teamwork as students work together to plan their trip and create their advertisement.

Job Interview Role-Plays: Preparing for the Real World

Job Interview Role-Plays are a valuable activity for more advanced ESL students. They provide an opportunity to practice formal language, answer common interview questions, and discuss career-related topics.

Materials Needed: You’ll need role-play cards for this activity. These should include a job description and a list of common interview questions.

• Divide the class into pairs and give each a role-play card. One student will be the interviewer and the other will be the job applicant.
• Students prepare for their roles, with the applicant thinking about how to answer the interview questions and the interviewer thinking about what they’re looking for in a candidate.
• Students then act out their role-play. After each role-play, facilitate a class discussion about the interview, the language used, and how to prepare for a job interview in English.

Benefits of the Activity: Job Interview Role-Plays offer several benefits for ESL learners. They:

• Provide a practical context for students to practice formal language and job interview skills.
• Enhance students’ understanding of job interviews and career-related topics.
• Build confidence in speaking as students act out different roles.
• Foster active listening skills as students respond to each other in the role-play.
• Prepare students for real-world situations, such as job interviews in English.

Story Cubes: Narrative Skills for Young Learners

Story Cubes are a fun and creative way for young learners to practice their narrative skills. In this activity, students roll dice with pictures on each face and then create a story based on the pictures that come up.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of story cubes for this activity. These are dice with different pictures on each face. If you don’t have story cubes, you can make your own with regular dice and a list of pictures corresponding to each number.

• One student rolls the story cubes and looks at the pictures that come up.
• The student then creates a story that includes all of the pictures. They can make the story as imaginative and creative as they like.
• The game continues with different students rolling the cubes and telling their stories.

Benefits of the Activity: Story Cubes offer several benefits for young ESL learners. They:

• Provide a fun and creative way for students to practice their narrative skills.
• Enhance creativity and imagination as students create their own stories.
• Build confidence in speaking as students tell their stories to the class.
• Foster active listening skills as students listen to and respond to each other’s stories.

Discussion Circles: The Power of Group Discussion

Podcast creation: modern learning for adult learners.

Creating a podcast is a modern and engaging way for adult learners to practice their English skills. In this activity, students work in pairs or small groups to create a podcast episode on a topic of their choice.

Materials Needed: Students will need a recording device for this activity. This could be a smartphone, a computer with a microphone, or a dedicated audio recorder. They’ll also need a topic for their podcast episode.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign each a topic for their podcast episode. The topic should be something they’re interested in and can research.
• Students research their topic and plan their podcast episode. They should think about what points they want to make, who will say what, and how to engage their listeners.
• Students then record their podcast episode. They can do this in one take or edit together multiple takes for a more polished result.
• Once the podcasts are complete, have a listening party where you play each podcast and discuss them as a class.

Benefits of the Activity: Creating a podcast offers several benefits for adult ESL learners. It:

• Provides a modern and engaging context for students to practice their English skills.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students record their podcast episodes.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s podcasts.
• Encourages digital literacy skills as students record and edit their podcasts.

Picture Story Activity: Sequential Storytelling

The Picture Story activity is a fun and creative way for students to practice their narrative skills and sequential language. In this activity, students arrange pictures to create a story and then tell the story to the class.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a set of pictures for this activity. The pictures should be able to be arranged in different ways to create different stories.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give each a set of pictures.
• Students arrange the pictures to create a story. They should think about the sequence of events, the characters, and the plot.
• Students then tell their story to the class, using the pictures as a guide.
• After each story, facilitate a class discussion about the story and the language used.

Benefits of the Activity: The Picture Story activity offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and creative way for students to practice their narrative skills and sequential language.
• Enhances creativity and imagination as students create their own stories.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students tell their stories to the class.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and respond to each other’s stories.

Surveys: Data Collection and Discussion

Conducting surveys is a practical way for students to practice their question-asking and data-interpretation skills. In this activity, students create a survey, collect data from their classmates, and then discuss the results.

Materials Needed: Students will need paper and pens for this activity. They might also need resources to research their survey topic.

• Divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign each a survey topic. The topic should be something they can collect data on from their classmates.
• Students create a survey with a variety of question types, such as yes/no questions, multiple-choice questions, and open-ended questions.
• Students then conduct their survey, asking their classmates the questions and recording their answers.
• Once the surveys are complete, students analyze the data and present their findings to the class.

Benefits of the Activity: Conducting surveys offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice their question-asking and data-interpretation skills.
• Enhances research and analytical skills.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students conduct their surveys and present their findings.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to the survey questions and listen to the presentations.

Movie Reviews: Critical Thinking in Action

Writing and discussing movie reviews is a fun way for students to practice their critical thinking and persuasive language skills. In this activity, students watch a movie, write a review, and then discuss their reviews in class.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a movie for this activity. Choose a movie that is appropriate for your students’ proficiency level and interests. Students will also need paper and pens to write their reviews.

• Assign a movie for students to watch before the class. This could be for homework or you could watch the movie together in class if time allows.
• After watching the movie, students write a review. They should include a summary of the movie, their opinion of it, and reasons to support their opinion.
• In class, students share their reviews and discuss the movie. Facilitate a discussion about the different opinions and the language used in the reviews.

Benefits of the Activity: Writing and discussing movie reviews offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun context for students to practice their critical thinking and persuasive language skills.
• Enhances writing skills as students write their reviews.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students share their reviews and discuss the movie.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and respond to each other’s reviews.

I Spy: Observation and Description

I Spy is a classic game that can be adapted for the ESL classroom to practice observation and descriptive language. In this activity, one student describes something they can see, and the other students guess what it is.

Materials Needed: This activity doesn’t require any specific materials. You can play it in the classroom using the objects and people that are present.

• One student chooses something in the room and says “I spy with my little eye something that…” and then gives a description. The description could be about the color, size, shape, or function of the object.
• The other students take turns guessing what the object is. The student who guesses correctly gets to describe the next object.

Benefits of the Activity: I Spy offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice their observation and descriptive language skills.
• Enhances vocabulary as students describe and guess different objects.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students describe objects and guess what others are describing.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to the descriptions and guesses.

Mock Trial Activity: Legal Language in Practice

A Mock Trial is a dynamic activity for more advanced ESL students to practice legal language and persuasive speaking. In this activity, students take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, and jurors in a simulated trial.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a case for the trial. This could be a real case, a fictional case, or a simplified version of a complex case. You’ll also need role cards with character descriptions and information about the case.

• Divide the class into roles and give each student a role card. The roles could include lawyers, witnesses, jurors, and a judge.
• Students prepare for the trial, with the lawyers preparing their arguments and questions, the witnesses preparing their testimonies, and the jurors preparing to listen and make a decision.
• Conduct the trial, with the lawyers presenting their cases, the witnesses giving their testimonies, and the jurors listening and making a decision.
• After the trial, facilitate a class discussion about the trial, the language used, and the legal concepts involved.

Benefits of the Activity: A Mock Trial offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice legal language and persuasive speaking.
• Enhances students’ understanding of legal concepts and courtroom procedures.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students take on different roles.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to each other in the trial.
• Encourages critical thinking as students prepare their roles and make decisions during the trial.

Describing a Process: Sequential Language Practice

Describing a Process is a useful activity for students to practice sequential language and technical vocabulary. In this activity, students describe a process, such as cooking a recipe, assembling a piece of furniture, or conducting a science experiment.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a process for students to describe. This could be a recipe, assembly instructions, a science experiment procedure, or any other process that involves a sequence of steps.

• Assign a process for students to describe. This could be for homework or you could describe the process together in class.
• Students describe the process, using sequential language and the appropriate technical vocabulary. They should try to make their description as clear and detailed as possible.
• After the descriptions are complete, facilitate a class discussion about the process, the language used, and any difficulties or challenges in describing the process.

Benefits of the Activity: Describing a Process offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a practical context for students to practice sequential language and technical vocabulary.
• Enhances students’ understanding of process and procedure.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students describe a process in detail.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss the process descriptions.

Board Games: Learning through Play in ESL

Board Games are a fun and interactive way for students to practice English in a relaxed setting. In this activity, students play a board game, using English to discuss the game, make decisions, and interact with each other.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a board game for this activity. Choose a game that involves some level of language use, such as Scrabble, Pictionary, or a trivia game.

• Divide the class into small groups and give each a board game.
• Students play the game, using English to discuss the game, make decisions, and interact with each other.
• After the game, facilitate a class discussion about the game, the language used, and any new vocabulary or phrases that were learned.

Benefits of the Activity: Playing Board Games offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a fun and relaxed context for students to practice English.
• Enhances a variety of language skills, depending on the game.
• Encourages cooperative learning as students play together.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students interact in a low-pressure setting.
• Fosters active listening skills as students respond to each other during the game.

Cultural Exchange: Broadening Horizons in ESL

Activity Description: The Cultural Exchange activity is a fantastic way for students to learn about different cultures and practice their speaking skills. In this activity, students research a specific culture and present their findings to the class. This could be their own culture, the culture of an English-speaking country, or any other culture that interests them.

Materials Needed: Students will need resources to research their chosen culture. This could be books, internet access, or even interviews with people from that culture.

• Assign each student (or pair/group of students) a culture to research. This could be assigned by you, or students could choose their own.
• Students research their chosen culture, focusing on aspects such as traditions, customs, food, language, history, and more.
• Students prepare a presentation about their chosen culture. This could be a spoken presentation, a poster, a slideshow, or even a demonstration of a cultural activity.
• Students present their findings to the class. Encourage the class to ask questions and engage in a discussion about each culture.

Benefits of the Activity: The Cultural Exchange activity offers several benefits for ESL learners. It:

• Provides a meaningful context for students to practice their research and speaking skills.
• Enhances students’ global awareness and understanding of different cultures.
• Builds confidence in speaking as students present their findings to the class.
• Fosters active listening skills as students listen to and discuss each other’s presentations.
• Encourages respect for diversity and an appreciation for different cultures.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right ESL Speaking Activities for Your ESL Class

Choosing the right ESL speaking activities for your ESL class can make a big difference in your students’ engagement and progress. Consider your students’ proficiency level, interests, and learning goals when choosing activities. Remember that variety is key – a mix of quiet and noisy activities, individual and group work, and different types of language practice will keep your classes interesting and effective. Happy teaching!

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Speaking skills: Speaking matters

• 1 Speaking skills: Speaking matters
• 2 Speaking matters: Developing fluency
• 3 Speaking matters: Developing and dealing with accuracy
• 4 Speaking matters: Assessing speaking
• 5 Speaking matters: Personalization
• 6 Speaking matters: Problem-solving
• 7 Speaking matters: Role-play
• 8 Speaking matters: Pairwork

Speaking matters: Problem-solving

By Adrian Tennant

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This article looks at problem-solving activities and what they are like. It covers how to set them up, why it's good to use them, the disadvantages and what you should do after the activity.

Introduction

Students need a reason to speak in the classroom. Many speaking activities seem to have no aim other than to get students to talk to each other, but for what reason? By doing the activity what will they achieve? Some activities, like pairwork activities, try to create a purpose by creating an information gap - i.e. where one student has some of the information and another student the rest and, only by speaking to each other can they complete the task. However, this simple transference of information only replicates a small part of what speaking in real life is used for.

Role-plays are another favourite classroom activity designed to get students speaking, but these often focus on creating scenarios or situations where students practise functional language such as giving directions, asking for information, etc. Although this is realistic, it is still often on a level of one student having information that another student doesn't. In real life, we often speak about something when we both, or all, share a lot of the same information. This can take the form of a discussion or a debate where we have opinions, but it can also take the shape of a discussion based on having to solve a problem. In this article, we'll take a closer look at problem-solving speaking activities.

What are problem-solving activities like?

There are a number of types of problem solving activities. For the sake of simplicity I'll split them into three types:

1. The opinion problem-solving activity.

In this type of activity students are given information to discuss where there is not necessarily one right or wrong answer. This type of activity differs from a normal discussion in that there is a built-in problem within the information.

You and three friends rowed out to a small island in the middle of a lake. When you landed you forgot to tie the boat up properly and it has drifted away. Night is now approaching. It is 3km back to the shore, but one of your friends can't swim. You do not have any food with you and you don't know if anyone knows where you are. What do you do?

Students are then expected to discuss the problem and come up with a solution. To help students you can provide a set of ideas/options for them to choose from. You can also make the activity more complicated by giving each student a 'role card' with an extra piece of information on it (that might be a problem) i.e.

There is no wood on the island so you can't build a fire. At night the temperature drops to freezing .

2. The logical thinking problem-solving activity.

In this type of problem-solving activity there is usually one correct solution. To arrive at the solution the students need to discuss information they are given and logically work out what the solution is. There are two ways in which the information can be given, either split between a number of students so that they don't have the same information and they must share it, or where they all have the same information and simply have to discuss things together. In the later version a set of questions can often help students work out the answer. (See activity 2 in the 'Practical ideas' section below for a logical thinking activity).

3.The information gap problem-solving activity.

How does this differ from a normal information gap (i.e. a pairwork information gap where one student has information that the other student doesn't)? Well, the main difference is that in a normal information gap activity it is simply a matter of transferring the information, i.e. two students have a profile of a person. Student A knows the person's age and nationality, etc. Student B then asks 'How old is he?' and fills in the missing information they obtain in the correct space, etc. In a problem-solving information gap, getting the missing information is not the ultimate aim, but merely a stepping stone on the way to solving a problem.

Why use problem-solving activities?

Apart from the fact that these kinds of activities can be a lot of fun they are also very stimulating. They usually require students to communicate information to each other where the focus is on expressing ideas and opinions and not simply repeating phrases. In many ways, problem-solving activities replicate 'real' speaking in that people have a need to speak. Problem-solving activities can also be an effective way of practising language items that have been taught, i.e. both grammar and vocabulary. They are also a great way of developing students' cognitive abilities helping them to process language in a meaningful way.

Are there any disadvantages to problem-solving activities?

Yes, there are. One of the major problems is that stronger students often dominate the discussions, taking over and giving the less able students little opportunity to contribute. Often, this is due to the need for one person to organize and collate information and ideas. One way around this is to give certain students specific tasks, i.e. someone to 'chair' the discussion, someone to make sure everyone has a turn, etc.

Another disadvantage of this type of activity is that students may become frustrated when trying to solve the problem and, especially if they don't have the language skills in English, will switch to their L1. To avoid this it is important that you, the teacher, consider what language they are likely to need in order to complete the task and to pre-teach any necessary phrases, expressions or vocabulary you think they do not possess. Remember, using a problem-solving activity is not the main focus of your lesson/teaching but simply a way in providing students with a forum for using the language they have learnt.

How do you set up a problem-solving activity?

As with other speaking activities, how you set up the activity will often be the difference between a successful activity and one that doesn't work. The first thing to consider is whether the activity uses the language you want the students to practise. If not, then ask yourself why exactly you are using it. Then, it is important to look at the language that is needed and make sure that you pre-teach any new language before they start the activity. This will help the activity run smoothly with the focus being on solving the problem rather than working out the meaning of any new language. Finally, think about whether you want students to work alone to begin with and then discuss the problem with other students or whether you will start with pair or groupwork. Whenever you decide to use pair or groupwork think about who you get to work together so that there is a balance in each group.

What should I do after the activity?

Just as with roleplays, don't just move onto a different activity. If you move on immediately after the activity and don't at least discuss what happened, then students will often lose interest in problem-solving activities, or at least won't benefit to the full. There needs to be an obvious outcome and a rounding-up of the activity. Opening up the activity to a class discussion where you compare solutions is an obvious follow-up. It is also important that during the activity you note down any mistakes students made with the language and think about how you will tackle these either after the activity or in a subsequent lesson.

Some practical ideas

An opinion problem-solving activity

Here I am going to use the idea I mentioned earlier but give a few variations to show how it can be run in a number of different ways.

Variation 1

Put students in groups of 3-5 and give each group a copy (or copies) of the following handout:

Ask students to talk to each other and make a list of possible solutions. Ask them to also think about what problems they might face/encounter with each solution. i.e. If they stay on the island, where will they sleep and what will they eat? What if there is no food on the island? etc.

Variation 2

Give the students the same handout, but also give them the following options (either as part of the handout or written on the board).

• One of you swims to the shore to get help.
• Try and make a fire on the island to attract attention.
• Find somewhere to sleep for the night and then try and get off in the morning.
• Look for the boat and get one person to try and swim to it and bring it back.
• All swim back to the shore taking it in turns to help the person who can't swim.

Variation 3

Give the students the same handout, but also give each one a role card with extra information. i.e.

  A logical thinking problem-solving activity

A new teacher starts working at school. In her class there are a set of triplets, Ana, Bryan and Carl. Unfortunately, the teacher can't remember which one is which, but she has some notes about the three kids.

She knows that two of the triplets are boys and one is a girl.

Carl, one of the boys, is always calm and patient.

• One of the triplets likes playing football and he has a tattoo on his arm.

One of the triplets has red hair, one brown and one blonde.

• The triplet who doesn't get angry easily has short blonde hair.

The triplet with red hair has an earring and she likes to sing.

The triplet who has a tattoo gets angry easily.

Can she work out who is who?

Students should be able to work out the answer simply with the information provided, but, if you want to help them you could also give them a set of questions to answer. e.g.

• Should the teacher have known which triplet was Ana? Why?
• Which triplet likes to sing? How do you know?
• What colour is Ana's hair?
• What else do you know about Ana?
• What kind of person is Carl?
• Does he have a tattoo?
• How do you know?
• What colour is Carl's hair?
• Does Carl like football?
• Which triplet likes football?

These questions guide students through step-by-step, enabling them to work out the answer.

An information gap problem-solving activity

A simple example of this would be to use the same worksheet as above but cut the information about the triplets into strips, put students in small groups and give each student one or two strips. Tell students they have the information between them but that they must not show their information to the other students in their group.

A new teacher starts working at school. In her class there are a set of triplets, Ana, Bryan and Carl. Unfortunately, the teacher can’t remember which one is which, but she has some notes about the three kids. Can she work out who is who?

One of the triplets likes playing football and he has a tattoo on his arm

The triplet who doesn’t get angry easily has short blonde hair.

• British English

Speaking matters: Developing fluency

Speaking matters: developing and dealing with accuracy, speaking matters: assessing speaking, speaking matters: personalization, speaking matters: role-play.

Speaking matters: Pairwork

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Pronunciation skills with Adrian Underhill: Overcoming common pronunciation challenges

By Adrian Underhill

In the last article in this series, ELT pronunciation expert Adrian Underhill looks at how to overcome common pronunciation problems.

Pronunciation skills: Consonants – consciously rediscovering the ON and OFF voice buttons

In his latest article, ELT pronunciation expert Adrian Underhill looks at consonants and how consciously rediscoving the ON and OFF voice buttons can benefit both your teaching and your students’ learning.

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• B2 speaking

Dealing with a problem

In this video, Vanya goes to Yuna with a problem. Listen to the language they use for dealing with a problem and practise saying the useful phrases.

Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and do the exercises to check your understanding and practise the language.

Preparation

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – preparation

Ana : Hi! I'm Ana. Welcome to What to Say ! 

Do you know what to say when you need to deal with a problem? Listen out for useful language for dealing with a problem. Then, we'll practise saying the new phrases – after this.

Vanya : Yuna!

Yuna : Oh, morning!

Vanya : I've got a bit of a problem. 

Yuna : What's wrong?

Vanya : Can we talk in private?

Yuna : Of course.

Yuna : Right, so, what's the matter? 

Vanya : Well, I've made a mistake. A big mistake.

Yuna : OK. I'm sure we can work it out.

Vanya : It was such a silly thing to do! 

Yuna : I'm getting worried now. What's going on here? 

Vanya : OK. It was late last night and I was tired. I wasn't concentrating and I accidentally used my company credit card instead of my own to buy something! 

Yuna : Don't worry, these things happen. There's a procedure to deal with this. How much did you spend? 

Vanya : It was quite expensive.

Yuna : How expensive?

Vanya : It was very expensive.

Yuna : Vanya, how expensive?

Vanya : £3,782 … and 56 pence.

Yuna : What? You spent £3,782?! 

Vanya : … and 56 pence. 

Yuna : What was it? Vanya?

Vanya : Just a weekend break! I just like a really nice hotel!

Yuna : OK, I see. Thanks for letting me know.

Vanya : Ah! I feel so much better now I've told you. Please don't tell Noelia.

Yuna : Oh, I'm definitely going to tell her!

Noelia : Hi!

Vanya : Hi!

Ana : Hello again! Wow, that's a lot of money for a weekend break. So, did you notice the useful phrases used for dealing with a problem? Listen to me and then repeat. 

What's wrong?

I've got a bit of a problem.

Could we talk in private?

What's the matter?

I've made a mistake.

I'm sure we can work it out.

Don't worry, these things happen.

Thanks for letting me know.

I feel so much better now I've told you.

Ana : Try and use some of these phrases the next time you need to deal with a problem in English. Bye for now!

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – 1

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – 2

Speaking B2: Dealing with a problem – 3

When was the last time you helped someone with a problem at work?

Language level

Well, at work usually we deal with issues all the time. Since our job is to help others to understand a product features and functionalities, we are solving problems all the time. One of the things I like the most of my job is that we all are always available to lend a hand when it is needed.

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The last time I helped someone was yesterday. It was something related to my parents and I'm still working on that issue wish me luck!

Good luck, I hope everything is getting better.

Currently, I don't have a job, but sometimes I also help my classmates at university when they are absent. For example, I will send them the curriculum of the lesson that the teacher is teaching that day.

I used to help my coworkers, colleagues, sisters and friends dealing with their problems by giving them some tips form my experience, and reciprocally I receive help from them and i don't hesitate a second to ask for help when I'am in a tough situation. I remember once my sister have deleted all data on her phone and she didn't have a clue how to get them back, so I suggested to install a recovery application but it didn't work, i took her to a friend who has a remarkable backgound in this field and thanks to him he fixed the problem and recovered all her important data.

The last time I helped someone with a problem was at school. One of my colleagues had a hard time planning for his studies effectively, so I told him about my studying routine, hoping that it will help him know what he was doing wrong.

Today I helped my colleague and explained her how the calculation should be done.

actually i don't work yet but i used to help my classmates at the university. I sent them what the teacher mentioned in the previous lesson. Thank to that, they could complete the assignment on time.

i don´t work yet but i help my colleagues at school with their homeworks or with classes that they missed

Well the day before yesterday when there was no network in the office available. Connecting with internet provider and our IT helpdesk helped to solve the issue.

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Role-play Scenarios for ESL: Discussing Different Topics and Situations, Even Vaccination!

What is a role-play scenario.

Role-play is any speaking activity when you either put yourself into somebody else’s shoes, or when you stay in your own shoes but put yourself into an imaginary situation, also called a scenario!

I put together my favorite role-play scenarios and speaking activities which I used in the classroom and can be easily used on Zoom. Some of them are suitable for more advanced students, for example the science, and environment role-play scenarios . Other can be used with all levels, so they are also great for lower level, or younger students, for example the traveling and negotiation role-play scenarios.

When we use the activity on Zoom I always send the role-play activity to them in advance and when we have our online lesson I also share my screen with the role-play activity, so they can take a screenshot if they haven’t downloaded it. Then I put the students in the breakout rooms and they usually have 5-10 minutes for the pair work activity.

During that time, I always pop in to different breakout rooms to listen in. I correct, help and answer any questions if needed. What activities do you use on Zoom ?

Role-play: Traveling

A1: You are a receptionist of a 5* hotel. You are very polite and you can deal with annoyed guests. Try to calm down the guest and solve any issues they have. Try to avoid calling the manager.

B1: You are a wealthy businessman staying at a 5* hotel. You are used to quality service and luxury, but this hotel doesn’t offer it. The room is too small, staff is rude, AC is noisy. You want to talk to the manager.

For more traveling role-plays click here.

Role-play: Negotiation

A1: You have too much on your plate right now and you need help with your English essay assignment which is due on Friday. Ask your classmate for help. What would you be willing to do for them if they helped you? Think of the things you are willing to offer: • • •

B1: Your classmate needs your help with the English essay assignment which is due on Friday. You might consider helping them if they can provide the right incentives. Think of four things you want for helping them(can’t be money): • • • • If they agree with three of the four, you might consider helping them.

For more negotiation role-plays click here.

Role-play: Science

A1: You decided not to vaccinate your children. You read articles about vaccination and you learned how dangerous it is. It causes autism and contains lead and other toxic elements. You know what is best for your child and herbal teas and some meditation will work just fine. You are angry that your friend doesn’t support you.

B1: You are a person of science. A rational being. You believe in data, facts, and verifiable experiments. Your friend decided not to vaccinate their children. They believe that vaccination causes autism and that it is dangerous. Try to explain the benefits of vaccination and to disprove those absurd theories.

For more science role-plays click here.

Role-play: Environment

A1: Many of your friends use cars to commute to work even though it is more expensive than public transport. You are concerned about the impact this irresponsible behavior has on our planet. Try to persuade your friend to switch to more eco-friendly transportation.

B1: You drive to work every day. You live in a free country and you don’t feel the need to explain yourself to anyone. Why shouldn’t you drive? Your friend’s been nagging you about it for a while. Talk to them.

For more environment role-plays click here.

Role-play: Work problems

A1: You are a project manager who has been assigned to a new project. One of the members of your new team is not co-operating with the other team members. He opposes every idea, causes conflict, and is generally difficult to work with. Talk to him and solve the problem.

B1: You have worked for this company for 10 years and you feel unappreciated. You started to work on a new project with co-workers who are not so experienced as you are and you think your manager is incompetent. You complain a lot because things do not work as they should. Your manager wants to talk to you.

For more office problems role-plays click here.

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Comments (9)

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As someone who has close loved ones both sides of the vaccination debate, I find your roleplaying prompt to be very aggressive and inconsiderate. I find it to be very biased towards being pro-vaccination and language like “You are a person of science. A rational being” and “disprove those absurd theories” makes it seem like if you disagree with vaccinations, that you are not intelligent, smart or rational and are in fact, absurd. You can be completely rational and not believe vaccinations are good for your health, and you can research and find different side effects that could be negative for ones health. I understand that this is roleplay and that they are taking on a persona, but is the persona you want the roleplayers to take on one that is already fixed in their viewpoint? Negotiation is about listening to both sides of the story and argument. I want to be clear that I am not trying to argue one way or another, but I do think you should reexamine the roleplaying prompt and fix the language that is used there.

“You can be completely rational and not believe vaccinations are good for your health (…)”

Good point, Laura… Although, no, not at all. If you are completely rational, there is no room for “belief”. You would understand that the body of evidence supporting vaccination use, accumulated over decades and decades by thousands and thousands of different people of all kinds and ilk, does not really allow for a variety of beliefs on the use of vaccination. On the other hand, being exposed to people who doubt the benefit of vaccination after watching two YT videos and reading one book from one M.D. can be a maddening experience. Especially if these people start having an impact on the re-emergence of certain long-gone diseases. So I believe it is that emotion of frustration the teacher who prepared these roleplays tried to communicate in his/her use of aggressive language.

Thank you Esteban, you practically said it for me. Also, thank you for pointing out that the language was agressive, I didn’t think about that before. I am from Eastern Europe and we can be quite direct.

>>>>>You would understand that the body of evidence supporting vaccination use, accumulated over decades and decades by thousands and thousands of different people of all kinds and ilk, does not really allow for a variety of beliefs on the use of vaccination.

You don’t provide any evidence, and demand belief. The evidence you cite is invariably produced by those who benefit from the sales of this product, and therefore biased and not credible. These products are a generational hoax, and you sir are mind controlled.

Some days, I stumble across something on the internet that sets a new bar for stupidity. After so many years on the internet, it is rare that a new bar is set, but, today, you have in fact managed to set a new bar for stupidity. Congratulations.

Laura, what Esteban said. Pseudoscience and hoaxes are not research. And yes, they take on a persona for the role-play and the point is(among other things) to show them how difficult it is to deal with some people.

Do you own roleplays if you don’t like them Laurita

Laura was right in the first place, in that the roleplay suggestion uses bias and aggressive language. If you aren’t capable of designing a suitable roleplay on that topic, don’t post it. Vent your frustrations elsewhere – some people just want to learn English, not dogma. It’s interesting how despite stating she wasn’t for or against either side, the replies following were attacking her and labelling her stupid, irresponsible etc, which is what she’d been complaining about in the first place. Seems you’re all fanatics without the facility to read a short post.

As for whether there is any argument at all, no vaccine is completely safe, and all carry statistically significant risks which are published by the vaccine manufacturers as per medical and legal requirements. Just the same with any medicine such as asprin, paracetemol or cough syrup. For further information, open a box of paracetemols and read the piece of paper inside – it’s the white thing with words printed on it.

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Problem solving speaking activity

Students work in pairs or small groups trying to find solutions to 5 different problems. It is a good opportunity to practice the second conditional ( I would…, If I were in this situation …), modal verbs    ( should, might, mustn’t etc.) and negotiating (agreeing/disagreeing/expressing your opinion/asking about your partner’s opinion).

To practice agreeing and disagreeing please see Problem Solving Part 2 ,  School Problems ,  Moral Dilemmas , Workplace Dilemmas  and Parental Decisions activities.

Personal Experience

I have used this activity both with adult and teenage students, levels intermediate – advanced. It works well as a warm-up (giving the students just one problem) to a regular class, and may also be used during conversation classes (takes around 20 mins.) Make sure to allow some time for the groups to present and compare their ideas at the end of class.

Problem Solving

I am teaching a fifth semester, Modern Languages Program, course at the university level and I found these activities are excellent to have my students speak more and more fluently. Thanks so much for posting them.

Wonderful news, Jhon! I’m so glad to hear my ideas worked out with your students as well.

I would like to take the time and THANK YOU for the ideas and for sharing this material. I am going to use it for sure. I work with teenagers who need to practice the language a lot and when given the proper topic, get engaged in a good discussion. I find your material very useful. Thanks!

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I just discovered your website, it’s amazing. Thanks so much for sharing !

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Speaking Activity: Giving Advice (Guess the Problem)

Simple speaking activity for giving advice / making suggestions (esl).

ESL Level : lower-intermediate & intermediate

Target skill : Giving advice

Class Time : 25 minutes

Summary : Students give advice to a classmate. The classmate then tries to guess what problem s/he has.

First, teach some expressions for giving advice. This activity could be done first to achieve this.

In this activity, students give advice to a classmate. The classmate, however, does not know what problem they have. After getting advice, they can try to guess what their problem was. For example:

• Student1 : You shouldn't eat late at night.
• Student2 : You ought to sleep with all the lights off.
• Student3 : You had better talk to a doctor.
• Student4 : If I were you , I would take some sleeping pills.
• Student5 : Oh! Do I have insomnia? I can't sleep, right?
• ( All): Correct!

That's the gist of the activity.

Activity Execution Possibilities

To get the list of problems that you'll use in the class, you can either make it yourself or give blank cards to your students and have them write a problem on each.

Possible problems (could also be elicited from class):

• you have insomnia
• your partner is cheating on you
• you can't find your dog
• you're addicted to computer games
• you're gaining weight
• your feet stink (smell bad)
• you're failing all your classes
• your neighbour's dog barks all night
• your parents don't like your boyfriend/girlfriend
• you are depressed
• you are homeless

You could do the activity in the following ways:

• Have one student in front of the class, with his/her back to the board. You can then write the problem on the board and the other classmates can give the advice.
• Tape a problem to the back of each students. They then walk around and try to guess their problem. When they have succeeded, then can switch their problem card with someone else's.

That's it. This is a simple activity for giving advice that is both fun and requires little preparation. You ought to give it a try.

- Matthew Barton / Creator of Englishcurrent.com

Related Pages

• Giving Advice Lesson Plan (Upper-Intermediate)
• Simple Giving Advice Speaking Activity

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4 comments on “ Speaking Activity: Giving Advice (Guess the Problem) ”

thank you! great activity!!

Nice! I’ll use them in my class! Tnx!

Thanks for the ideas!

this is the best information that I get from this site

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Problem solving.

Level: Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

Type of English: Business English

Tags: problems at work problems and solutions declaring and diagnosing a problem making suggestions Situation based

Publication date: 09/09/2011

In this lesson, students learn useful language for handling and solving problems at work. Vocabulary for describing different types of problems and solutions is studied. Students then listen to several dialogues and study the expressions used by the speakers to declare and diagnose a problem as well as make suggestions and take action. At the end of the lesson, there is a role play activity in which the language from the lesson is put into practice. There are two animated videos which can be played instead of the dialogue or given to the student(s) as material to take away.

Problem-solving-Ex3

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• captions off

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In this lesson, students learn useful language for handling and solving problems at work. Vocabulary for describing different types of problems and solutions is studied. Students then listen to several dialogues and study the expressions used by the speakers to declare and diagnose a problem as well as make suggestions and take action. At the end of the lesson, there is a role-play activity in which the language from the lesson is put into practice.

ProblemSolvingAE-Ex3.mp3

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Type of English: Business English Level: Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

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Tag: problem solving

Another desert island task.

Saw this shared on facebook and just had to repost it, should cause some interesting debates.

Desert Island Problem Solving Speaking Activity

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Before you use these materials… We’ve created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. We have released 5 episodes so far and you can download teacher’s notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉

https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/

Task handout:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!503&authkey=!ABjaGRY8sNM-iRU

Language handout:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!504&authkey=!AICWqGyfQ2DTrCE

It’s an old classic but as they say, the old ones are the best!

Warm up questions

What’s the most remote place you’ve ever visited?

Did you spend the night there?

Do you like camping?

Have you ever slept under the stars?

Would you consider it?

What’s the most dangerous natural environment you’ve been in? Jungle? Desert?

What things do you always take with you on holiday?

Give out desert island and language handouts and explain the situation.

You have been selected to take part in a social experiment. You and your group will be taken to a desert island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You will have to survive there for a year without contact with the outside world. The island has:

• Fresh water
• Banana trees
• Coconut palms

The climate is mild (not too hot, not too cold) first individually make a list of 8-10 things you think you will need to survive. Then, as a group you will have to decide on 8 things, list them in order of importance.

Students think of their own personal lists first.

In groups they first list all the possible problems they will encounter, then decide on a list of items that will help with these problems.

Students present their lists to class explaining their decisions.

Students must go into more depth about how their island will work.

Students must decide on:

• Roles and responsibilities
• Division of labour
• Justice / punishment / laws /rules
• Decision making

Students present their system to the class, other groups can ask questions.

We’re definitely going to need ________________

__________________ will be vital / essential / extremely useful / completely useless / a waste of space

I can’t live without ____________________

Making Suggestions

I think we should……………….

I reckon we ought to…………………

Why don’t we………………………..

How about / what about + gerund………………………….

Agreeing / Disagreeing

The €100,000 question, conversation topic

Put your students in groups of 3 and ask them the following question:

What would you do with €100,000?

Give them 2 minutes to share their ideas, then have them report each other’s answers to the class. (each person reports someone else from their group’s answer)

Did anyone give it to charity?

Give out the following handout:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!452&authkey=!AB2H6x3IinOC6wE

In their groups students discuss the problem and then present their ideas to the class.

As a wrap up ask the students which suggestions they thought were the best, see if they can come to an agreement as a class on how to give the money away.

A long lost aunt that you didn’t know you had has recently passed away. In her will she left your group €100,000 with a note saying it should be given away to “make the world a better place.” Decide in your groups who you are going to give it to.

I think we should……………….

I reckon we ought to…………………

Why don’t we………………………..

How about / what about + gerund………………………….

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30 Problem Solving Scenarios for Speech Therapy Practice

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SEE ALSO: Houston We Have a Problem! Activities for Problem Solving

Problem solving scenarios.

• Your friends came over to your house for a movie night. One of your friends brought another friend so there are more people than you planned for. You want to pass out the drinks but you only have five cans of soda and you need 6 for everyone to have one. What could you do?
• After basketball practice you go back to the locker room with your team to shower and change. When you are done dressing, you can't find your shoes. What could you do?
• You have been waiting all day for lunch to come because you are starving. Finally class gets over and you get to go to lunch. Except when you go to get to your lunch, it's not there. You probably left it at home. What could you do?
• There is a guy in your class who is always mean to you. He always bumps you when he walks by and he calls you names. He knocks stuff out of your hands and makes you feel stupid. You don't think you can take it anymore. What could you do?
• You really want to invite this new girl/guy to come to your birthday party, but you have never talked to them before. You are worried they will say no. What could you do?
• You rode the bus to school today and on the way in people are pointing and laughing at you. You go in the bathroom and see that you have pink gum all over the back of your pants. What could you do?
• You wake up and see that your alarm never went off. So you are starting your morning 15 minutes later than you planned. It is a really important day at school and you cannot be late. What could you do?
• You are giving a group presentation in front of class and it's your turn to talk. All of the sudden you sneeze. You cover it with your hand, but now your hand is full of stuff you sneezed out. What could you do?
• You are eating dinner at a fancy restaurant with your parents and their friends. You have a really messy dinner and accidentally flip a noodle into the lady's lap. They are busy talking and don't notice it. What could you do?
• You are taking a test and there is no talking allowed. You are writing your answers on the paper and your pencil breaks. What could you do?
• You are taking a test and the guy behind you asks you for help. He wants to know what you put for question number two. What could you do?
• You are at a birthday party and you have waited in line for a long time for your turn to hit the pinata. It is finally going to be your turn and it looks like the next hit will break the pinata. But you suddenly have to go to the bathroom. What could you do?
• You are hanging outside with your friend and she decides to pick your neighbor's flowers. She gives you the pretty handful of flowers and right then your neighbor opens the door. She asks you why you picked her flowers. What could you do?
• You borrowed your sister's skates one day without asking and they broke while you were using them. What could you do?
• You are eating at a friend's house and the mom piles your plate full of food. It looks really good and you want to eat it all but you can't because you just ate a snack. What could you do so you don't hurt her feelings?

SEE ALSO:   The Best Free App for Speech Therapy

• Your teacher was working at her desk.  You wanted to ask her a question, but she didn't see your hand raised. What should you do?
• You started to do your work, but you weren't sure if you were doing it right. What should you do?
• You were playing tether-ball and were the champion so far.  In the next game, you slightly touched the rope.  Only one student saw you touch the rope. What will you do?
• The teacher is giving directions, but your friend sitting next to you keeps talking.  You can't hear the directions. What should you do?
• You didn't do your homework.  Your teacher was upset with you. What should you do?
• You finished eating and felt a burp coming. What are you going to do?
• You were waiting to swing.  When it was your turn, another boy jumped in front of you and took the swing. What would you do?
• You waited a long time, but your mom didn't come to pick you up after school. What should you do?
• A bully threatened to beat you up after school. What should you do?
• A boy on the playground keeps pushing you and making you mad. What would you do?
• You were sitting in class doing your work and you hear the fire alarm. What should you do?
• An adult you didn't know came on to the playground and asked if you would help look for his lost dog. What would you do?
• You forgot your lunch at home. What would you do?
• The person sitting behind you keeps tapping your chair with his foot. What should you do?
• You finished your work early. What should you do?

This list of functional words was professionally selected to be the most useful for a child or adult who has difficulty with problem solving scenarios.

We encourage you to use this list when practicing at home.

Home practice will make progress toward meeting individual language goals much faster.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are only able to see students/clients 30-60 mins (or less) per week. This is not enough time or practice for someone to handle Problem solving scenarios.

Every day that your loved one goes without practice it becomes more difficult to help them. 

SEE ALSO:   The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

We know life is busy , but if you're reading this you're probably someone who cares about helping their loved one as much as you can.

Practice 5-10 minutes whenever you can, but try to do it on a consistent basis (daily).

Please, please, please use this list to practice.

It will be a great benefit to you and your loved one's progress.

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Home » Blog » General » Speech Therapy Strategies for Effective Problem Solving

Speech Therapy Strategies for Effective Problem Solving

Welcome to my blog! In today’s post, we will be discussing the importance of problem-solving skills in social-emotional development and how speech therapy can enhance these abilities. Problem-solving is a crucial skill that allows individuals to navigate challenges and find effective solutions. By addressing speech and language difficulties, we can empower individuals to become confident problem solvers. Let’s dive in!

I. Introduction

A. importance of problem-solving skills in social-emotional development.

Problem-solving skills play a vital role in social-emotional development. They enable individuals to navigate interpersonal conflicts, make informed decisions, and manage emotions effectively. By developing these skills, individuals can build resilience and adaptability, leading to improved overall well-being.

B. Role of speech therapy in enhancing problem-solving abilities

Speech therapy is an invaluable resource for individuals who struggle with communication and language skills. Through targeted interventions, speech therapists can help individuals develop the necessary skills to become effective problem solvers. By addressing language and social communication difficulties, speech therapy equips individuals with the tools they need to navigate complex social situations and solve problems effectively.

II. Understanding the Basics of Problem Solving

A. definition of problem solving.

Problem solving is the process of identifying, analyzing, and finding solutions to challenges or obstacles. It involves a series of steps that enable individuals to approach problems systematically and make informed decisions.

B. Components of effective problem solving

Effective problem solving consists of several key components:

• Identifying the problem: Recognizing and defining the issue at hand.
• Generating possible solutions: Brainstorming and considering different options.
• Evaluating and selecting the best solution: Assessing the pros and cons of each option and choosing the most appropriate one.
• Implementing the chosen solution: Putting the selected solution into action.
• Reflecting on the outcome: Assessing the effectiveness of the chosen solution and making adjustments if necessary.

III. Speech Therapy Strategies for Enhancing Problem Solving Skills

Speech therapy offers a range of strategies to enhance problem-solving skills. Let’s explore some of these strategies:

A. Developing Language and Communication Skills

• Building vocabulary and expressive language abilities: Expanding an individual’s vocabulary and helping them express their thoughts and ideas clearly.
• Improving receptive language skills for better understanding: Enhancing an individual’s ability to comprehend and interpret verbal and non-verbal cues.
• Enhancing verbal reasoning and critical thinking abilities: Promoting logical thinking and the ability to analyze information effectively.

B. Promoting Social Skills and Perspective-Taking

• Teaching active listening and empathy: Helping individuals develop active listening skills and understand others’ perspectives.
• Encouraging perspective-taking and understanding different viewpoints: Fostering the ability to consider multiple perspectives when problem solving.
• Facilitating effective communication and negotiation skills: Equipping individuals with the tools to communicate their needs and collaborate with others to find solutions.

C. Fostering Executive Functioning Skills

• Enhancing planning and organization abilities: Teaching individuals how to break down problems into manageable steps and create action plans.
• Developing flexible thinking and problem-solving strategies: Encouraging individuals to think outside the box and explore alternative solutions.
• Improving self-regulation and impulse control: Helping individuals manage their emotions and make thoughtful decisions.

D. Utilizing Visual Supports and Tools

• Implementing visual schedules and task organizers: Providing visual aids to help individuals understand and follow a sequence of steps.
• Using visual cues and prompts for problem-solving steps: Offering visual reminders of the problem-solving process.
• Incorporating visual aids for understanding and expressing emotions: Using visual tools to help individuals recognize and communicate their emotions effectively.

IV. Collaborating with Parents and Caregivers

Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in supporting the development of problem-solving skills. Here are some ways speech therapists can collaborate with them:

A. Providing education and resources on problem-solving strategies

Speech therapists can educate parents and caregivers about effective problem-solving strategies and provide resources to reinforce these skills at home.

B. Encouraging consistent practice and reinforcement at home

Consistent practice is key to developing problem-solving skills. Speech therapists can encourage parents and caregivers to incorporate problem-solving activities into daily routines.

C. Establishing open communication channels for progress updates

Open communication between speech therapists, parents, and caregivers allows for progress updates and ensures that everyone is working together to support the individual’s problem-solving development.

V. Conclusion

In conclusion, problem-solving skills are essential for social-emotional development, and speech therapy plays a crucial role in enhancing these abilities. By addressing language and communication difficulties, speech therapists empower individuals to become confident problem solvers. If you or someone you know is struggling with problem-solving skills, I encourage you to seek professional help and support. Start your EverydaySpeech Free trial today and embark on a journey towards effective problem solving!

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Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults

Here is our list of the best problem solving games, activities and exercises for adults.

Problem solving games are activities that require players to use critical thinking skills to solve puzzles. Example activities include escape rooms, Sudoku, and murder mysteries. The purpose of these exercises is to sharpen reasoning and decision-making skills in group settings and to do team building with employees.

These activities are a subset of remote team games , found in problem solving books , and are similar to team puzzles , team building brain teasers and team riddles .

This article contains:

• team building problem solving activities for employees
• free problem solving games for adults
• virtual problem solving activities for students
• group problem solving activities
• problem solving team builders

Here we go!

List of problem solving games & activities

From word and number puzzles to role-playing games, here is a list of inexpensive and free problem solving team builders that help groups practice the art of critical thinking and compromise.

1. Espionage! (Team Favorite)

For an exciting game of social deduction, check out Espionage! This thrilling experience will put your team’s wits and instincts to the test.

Espionage! offers the following:

• a 90-minute session led by an experienced host
• undercover teams of agents and spies
• challenging puzzles, tasks, and maneuvers
• team conversations to help uncover secret identities

The best part is we will bring all the necessary game materials to your preferred location. If you are interested in boosting communication and critical-thinking skills within your team, then consider Espionage!

Learn more about Espionage!

2. Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh (Hosted)

You can turn your team into skilled detectives with Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh! In this captivating mystery, participants will locate the stolen artwork, The Bedroom .

Key features of this experience include:

• a 90-minute adventure led by a world-class host
• detailed puzzles, clues, and mysteries to unravel
• trails of evidence and hidden secrets
• group discussions to find the art

Additionally, you can include a cocktail kit to spice up your event. Through Art Heist, you will enhance your team’s ingenuity and problem-solving skills!

Learn more about Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh .

Get our free team building toolbox

• icebreaker games
• bingo cards

3. War of the Wizards (Popular)

With War of the Wizards, teams roleplay as minions of powerful wizards to vanquish forces of evil. Participants will play thrilling games and go on a quest to restore harmony to the realm!

War of the Wizards offers the following:

• a 90-minute journey guided by a distinguished host
• immersive storytelling that transports players into a magical realm
• engaging activities like world-building, role-playing games, and storytelling
• opportunities for forming alliances, facing challenges, and going on quests

Through the power of imagination and teamwork, your team can overcome tasks and participate in an epic fantasy battle. To improve communication and bonds, include War of the Wizards in your agenda!

Learn more about War of the Wizards .

Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge. To play Sudoku on Zoom, screen share the game board. Then, turn on the annotation features. Using the add text functions, participants can fill in the numbers on the grid.

We made a starter puzzle you can use in your next meeting or virtual team bonding session:

Here are more online Sudoku puzzles .

5. Crossword puzzles

Crossword puzzles are word games that ask players to fill in words based on clues. Words interconnect, and players must think critically about the surrounding words to select the right phrase for the space.

You can use an online crossword puzzle maker to create a custom puzzle. Here are a few themes you may want to consider:

• teammates’ tastes and interests
• company knowledge and history
• industry terms and trends

Or, create a miscellaneous puzzle just for fun.

We made a sample puzzle you can use for your game:

To complete puzzles during online meetings, you can use the share screen function and add text through annotations.

Or, subscribers can play the New York Times’ daily crossword puzzle virtually . Dictionary.com also offers a free daily online crossword puzzle .

Check out more vocabulary games .

6. Online Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are timed games that get groups working together to solve puzzles. Traditionally, players enter a locked room and must complete all puzzles in an hour or two to unlock the door. However, groups can also play escape rooms online.

Digital escape rooms typically come in one of two forms: in a Zoom room and led by a host, or in a choose-your-own adventure format via Google Forms or websites. To play escape rooms virtually, enter a video meeting and follow the prompts, or screen share the Google Form and work out the puzzles together.

Check out our full list of online escape rooms .

7. Murder Mysteries

Murder Mysteries are story-based games that ask players to take on the roles of suspects or detectives while trying to identify a killer. These games often involve reading lines from a script, searching for clues, and occasionally solving puzzles to get hints.

These games make participants pay attention to conversations, analyze other characters’ behavior, and search for hidden meaning in the script. Players must use their powers of observation and logic to unravel the mystery.

Check out our list of Zoom murder mystery games .

8. Treasure Hunts

Treasure hunts are scavenger hunts with intention. While virtual scavenger hunts often ask players to collect random items, treasure hunts require participants to locate clues that lead to other prompts and hints. The game typically ends with players finding a treasure or solving a mystery, sometimes both.

The treasure hunt can have a specific theme such as secret agent missions or a hunt for pirate treasure, or you can run a more general hunt. Teammates can either compete simultaneously via Zoom call, or can play the hunt on an app individually and compete to beat each other’s scores.

Check out our list of treasure hunt apps .

9. Poem or story challenge

Most team building problem solving activities for employees revolve around science, math, and logic. Poem/story challenges rely on writing skills and are sure to appeal to the language lovers on your team.

Each player receives a limited word bank to use to create a story or poem. Then, players have a few minutes to craft their pieces. Afterward, everyone reads out or screen shares their creations.

Here are a few word challenge activities you can do remotely:

• Found poems or stories : Participants make poems or stories out of words they find by visiting websites, searching emails, glancing out the window, or taking a walk or drive around the neighborhood.
• Random word generators : Teammates use a random word generator to populate a word bank, and must use each word in the poem or story.
• Poetry magnets : Group members make poems using poetry magnets. You can send poetry magnet sets to employees and assemble the verses on a cookie pan during a Zoom call. Or, teammates can play with poetry magnets online .
• Page poems: Participants receive one page of a book or magazine, and must make a poem or story by blocking out other words so only the chosen text remains visible. This activity is part storytelling, part art, since story crafters can illustrate the pages as part of the design.
• Ransom note stories or poems : Players cut out letters from magazines and must form new words to make poems and stories. Or, players can receive a mix of random letters, form words, and run the text through a ransom note generator .

These activities are suitable for teams and individual players.

10. Moral challenge

Some problems are ethical rather than factual. Moral judgment plays just as important a role in the decision-making process as technical prowess. Players can flex their moral problem-solving skills by tackling ethical dilemmas or social puzzles.

Here are some social problem solving games online:

• Moral machine
• Scruples – the game of moral dilemmas
• Morality play

To play these games, either download the apps, or pull up the website and then screen share the prompts. These games are best played when discussed as a group, because the more belief systems and opinions, the harder an issue is to resolve. These exercises provide practice for real-life conflict resolution.

You can find similar challenges on our list of online personality tests .

11. Frostbite

Frostbite is a group game that hones team leaders’ communication skills while sharpening teammates’ listening and cooperation skills. The premise behind the game is that a group of explorers gets caught in a snowstorm and must build a shelter. Frostbite has paralyzed the leaders’ hands and snow-blinded the rest of the team. The leader must give the team instructions to build a tent that can resist arctic winds.

To play Frostbite, each teammate wears a blindfold. Then, the leader gives directions. Once the structures are complete, players turn on a fan to test whether tents can withstand the wind.

Frostbite is usually an in-person game, however you can also play virtually. In the remote version of the game, teammates construct tents out of cards and tape, while the leader surveys the scene on screen.

This exercise demonstrates the challenges of leading remotely, as teams need to operate with minimal oversight or supervisor observation. Therefore, instructions need to be clear and direct to be effective.

Check out more team building games .

12. Virtual Hackathons

Hackathons are events where participants have a set amount of time to design and pitch a new product or solution. This type of event originated in the programming world and is often used to create new apps, however you can apply the game to any industry or school subject.

Virtual hackathons are online versions of the event. Teams enter the competition, then work with each other via virtual meeting software or remote work communication platforms to design the solution. At the end of the competition, teams pitch ideas to a panel of judges and a winner is decided.

To run a virtual hackathon, first announce the theme of the event and collect sign-ups. So that no teams work ahead, hint at the general idea of the issue, and only explain the precise problem when the event begins. Then, give teams anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete the project.

Discover more virtual hackathon ideas .

13. Improv games

Improv games are excellent problem solving activities. These exercises force participants to think and respond quickly to keep scenes moving in a logical and entertaining way.

Here are some good problem solving improv games:

Banned words : Performers cannot say certain words. Scene partners will conceive of situations that encourage the actors to use those words, and the actors must find alternatives, such as using synonyms or taking the scene in a new direction.

Scenes from a chat : Audience gives a suggestion for a scene, and players act the scene out. Though it’s a fictional and often ridiculous scenario, actors must react to the situation and solve the problem in order for the scene to end.

Miracle cure : Miracle cure is a quick-moving exercise that follows a simple format. One player declares, “I have a problem.” Another player responds, “I have a….[random object.]” The first player then replies, “great! I can use the [random object] to….” and describes how they will solve the problem.

Check out more problem-solving improv games .

14. Spaghetti Tower

The spaghetti tower is a classic team building game. Participants gather uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows, and must construct the tallest freestanding tower.

During the in-person version, players must construct one tall freestanding tower. However, for the virtual version of the game, players construct individual towers. You can send groups to breakout rooms for the build, then reconvene in the main room for judging. Teams are judged on three main factors: number of towers, height, and uniformity.

This version of the game not only tests the structural integrity of the tower, but also consistency and quality control. This exercise teaches teams to align and collaborate remotely, and produce a consistent product even when far apart.

15. What Would You Do?

What Would You Do? is a simple situational game that challenges participants to react to different circumstances. To play this game, read prompts one by one, and then ask participants to respond with gameplans. You can use the polling or raise hand feature to vote for the best option.

Here are some problem solving scenarios for adults or kids to use in the game:

• Zombies attack and you have to find a place to hide.
• You are at the zoo and the animals escape. Which one do you try to corral back into the pen first?
• After waiting in line for hours, someone cuts in front of you last minute. The person appears to be visually and hearing impaired, and doesn’t notice your protests. An official announces that due to diminishing supply, this individual will be the last in line to be served.
• You are eating a meal with important clients and/or your partner’s parents, and you want to impress. The individuals make you a dish that does not fit within your dietary restrictions, but you do not speak the same language and cannot explain why you do not want to eat.
• An imposter has infiltrated the organization, who looks, speaks, and behaves exactly like you. How do you convince your peers that you are the original?

For similar dilemmas, check out this list of Would You Rather? questions.

16. Desert Island Survival

Desert Island Survival is a game that challenges players to prioritize. The premise is that players have been stranded on an island, and must decide what order to perform survival steps.

Here are the possible actions:

• Set up shelter
• Explore the island
• Try to signal for help
• Make weapons for self-defense
• Build a raft to escape the island
• Start a fire
• Choose a group leader
• Search for other survivors

All group members must agree on the order of the steps. Players should explain the reasoning for the order of each step while ranking the actions.

Another version of the game involves players receiving a list of 15 to 20 items, and selecting five or so to bring to the island. You can also vary the location of the game, substituting remote islands for destinations like outer space or the distant past.

17. Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure stories enable readers to determine the outcome of the story by making decisions. Each action has a consequence that takes the tale in a different direction. Participants can try to guess how the story may unfold by talking through the different choices. When completing the activity in a group setting, the majority of the team must agree on an action before moving forward in the story.

There are a few ways to facilitate these activities online:

• Play an online role playing video game
• Watch an interactive movie like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
• Read from a Choose Your Own Adventure book on Zoom
• Click through a Choose Your Own Adventure platform
• Create your own story using a Google Form

Whichever way you choose to do the exercise, you can use the screen share feature in your virtual meeting software so that listeners can more easily follow along.

18. MacGyver

MacGyver is a show where the hero escapes sticky situations by improvising tools out of unlikely materials. For example, in one episode the hero makes a telescope out of a newspaper, magnifying lens, and a watch crystal.

To play MacGyver, you can either list three to five objects participants can use, or challenge players to use items that are within arms reach.

Simply state a desired end result, such as “a way to open a locked door,” or “a getaway vehicle,” and then ask teams to explain what they will build and how they will build it. To make the activity more collaborative, you can give teams five or ten minutes in breakout rooms to strategize and design a prototype.

19. Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a roleplaying game where players pretend to be magical figures and creatures. One player serves as the dungeon master, who guides the game, while the other players pick characters and make decisions to move the story forward. Upon choosing a course of action, players roll a twenty-sided die to determine whether or not the plan succeeds. The game is story-based, the possibilities are nearly limitless, and truly creative problem solving options arise. Also, since gameplay is mostly verbal, Dungeons & Dragons is an easy activity to do over Zoom.

Here are the basic rules for Dungeons & Dragons .

20. Pandemic

Pandemic is a game that pits players against the forces of nature in a race to contain and control disease outbreaks. At the beginning of the game, each player receives a role such as containment specialist or operations expert. Participants must carry out the duties of their roles by choosing appropriate actions. Pandemic is a great game for groups because each team member has a clear part to play, and players must collaborate and work together instead of competing against each other.

To play the game online, you can use a Pandemic game app , or talk through the exercise while one attendee moves and displays pieces on the board.

Note: The subject of this game might hit too close to home for some players, considering recent history. You can find games with similar mechanics that deal with different subject matter, such as Forbidden Island.

Check out more team building board games .

21. Model UN

Model UN is one of the best virtual problem solving activities for students. This exercise casts participants in the role of international diplomats who must negotiate to solve realistic problems. Each player assumes the role of a country ambassador and must form alliances and propose solutions to solve crises.

Here are some sample Model UN scenarios:

• Human rights violation by powerful country
• Food shortage
• Disease epidemic
• Technology privacy violations
• Civil war branching into surrounding countries
• Natural disasters

Depending on the size of the group, participants either take on the part of an entire government of a country, or play a certain role within the government. To carry out the activity on Zoom, players can take turns giving speeches, message other countries privately via the chat, meet in breakout rooms to form alliances or have more intimate discussions, and use the polling feature to vote on propositions.

If politics does not resonate with your group, then you can alter the exercise by applying the same activity structure to a different theme, such as the Justice League, movie characters, business board members, or reality TV stars.

The main purpose of the exercise is to research, talk through problems, and compromise. As long as these elements are present, then the specifics of the setup do not matter.

There are many types of problem solving activities for adults. You can do online problem solving games, which require a different skill set than in-person problem solving. For instance, communication must be much clearer and more abundant when group members are far apart and unable to demonstrate or pick up physical cues.

Though many problem solving games include props and in-person elements, there are many games you can play together online. These exercises work well as educational tools as well as team bonding accelerators. Upon completion, participants are likely to feel a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence. These games are also great practice for real life conflict resolution, creative thinking and team building.

Next check out this list of connection games , this collection of crime-solving games , and this post with conflict resolution games .

We also have a list of the best decision making books and a list of team building problems for work .

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FAQ: Problem solving activities

Here are common answers to questions about group problem solving activities.

What are problem solving games?

Problem solving games are challenges that ask players to think critically and use logic to overcome issues or answer riddles. Examples include sudoku, murder mysteries, and spaghetti towers. These games are also known as “problem solving exercises”, “problem and solution games” and “group problem solving activities.”

What are the best problem solving games for groups?

The best problem solving games for groups include online escape rooms, moral challenges, and improv games.

What are some good problem solving team building activities for students?

Some good problem solving activities for students include crossword puzzles, choose your own adventure stories, and model UN.

How do you play problem solving games online?

The best way to play problem solving games online is to join a video call meeting to talk through the issue. Using the screen sharing and digital whiteboard features helps participants visualize the problem more clearly. Breakout rooms give teams the chance to discuss the issue more intimately.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Team building content expert. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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13+ Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

Our children and students are constantly having to navigate a different social situation all day long. That’s why teaching our students problem solving skills can be very beneficial. To help make your job as a Speech-Language Pathologist a little bit easier I’ve gone ahead and gathered over 13 problem solving goals for speech therapy.

Currently, with my 4-year-old twin boys, I am constantly working on how they can use their problem solving skills to come up with creative ways to solve their own problems.

Luckily as a speech therapist, I had training in teaching problem solving skills and love teaching them new strategies to try.

Right now my boys’ favorite way to problem solve is to say, “3 more minutes. You set a timer mommy.” The funny part is they don’t realize they could ask me for even more time (at least not yet!).

IEP Goals – Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

If you’re on the hunt for a long-term goal for problem solving here is our list of goals to add to your goal bank.

1. Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will identify 3 solutions, and the 3 consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution and explain why that is the best solution with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

2. Given a problem, STUDENT will appropriately identify the size of the problem with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

3. Given problems at differing sizes, STUDENT will identify the appropriate reaction size to the problem with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

4. Given a real-life or role-play scenario, STUDENT will demonstrate how to accept teacher help to make an appropriate decision during a conflict situation with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

5. Given a real-life or role-play conflict scenario, STUDENT will demonstrate appropriate peer mediation skills to resolve the conflict with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

6. Given a real-life or role-play conflict scenario, STUDENT will remain calm and relaxed, listen to the other person, and determine what they can agree on with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

7. Given criticism or feedback, STUDENT will look at the person, say “okay”, and not argue with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

8. Given a problem, STUDENT will define exactly what the problem is, brainstorm possible options, consider the disadvantages and advantages of options, and choose the best option with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

9. Given a defeat or loss in a game, STUDENT will look at the person who won , remain calm, and congratulate the other person with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

10. Given an upsetting situation, STUDENT will express HIS/HER anger with non-aggressive words to describe how HE/SHE feels with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

11. Given a time when the student is angry, STUDENT will use a calming strategy (e.g., breathe slowly, take a break, count to 10, listen to music, etc.) with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

12. Given a warning and a change in routine, STUDENT will identify exactly what is changing, ask questions, remain calm, and explain HIS/HER feelings of concern with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

13. Given a warning and a change in routine, STUDENT will accept the change without becoming upset with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

14. Given a social interaction, STUDENT will identify HIS/HER emotion and why HE/SHE is feeling that way with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

Social Communication Skills – IEP Goals

Do you have students working on other social skills goals or language skills? If so, you might want to check out my other goal banks. Here are a few of the goals you would find in my massive 432 iep goal bank :

• Facial expressions
• Conversational exchange or conversational turns
• Body language
• Follow-up questions
• Expressive Language
• Wh questions or Answer questions
• Word Level, Phrase Level, and Sentence Level
• Social pragmatic goals
• Communication Device – Nonverbal communication

Short-Term Goals – Speech Therapy Goals

I know every district and even school setting has different ways it requires the goal writing of their objectives to be written, but typically my district wanted us to reduce either the number required or the percentage of achievement. 

Here are a few examples to help get you started.

If we take a sample goal:  

“Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will identify 3 solutions, the 3 consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution, and explain why that is the best solution with 80% accuracy over 3 out of 4 consecutive sessions.”

• Reduced Number or Trials Required: The objective might be, “Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will identify 2 solutions, the 2 consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution, and explain why that is the best solution with 80% accuracy over 3 out of 4 consecutive sessions.” 
• Reduce Percentage of Accuracy: The objective might be, “Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will identify 3 solutions, the 3 consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution, and explain why that is the best solution with 70% accuracy over 3 out of 4 consecutive sessions.” 
• Reduce Difficulty of Task: The objective might be, “Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will pick from a selection of choices 2 possible solutions, the 2 possible consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution, and explain why that is the best solution with 80% accuracy over 3 out of 4 consecutive sessions.”
• Reduce Number of Sessions of Accuracy: The objective might be, “Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will identify 3 solutions, the 3 consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution, and explain why that is the best solution with 80% accuracy over 2 out of 4 consecutive sessions.”

(Meaning out of 4 therapy sessions in a row. They identified 3 possible solutions, the 3 consequences of those solutions and then determined the best solution in 2 out of 4 or 50% of the time in order to mark that goal mastered.) 

As the speech pathologist, you are the specialist and you know your students’ communication disorders and child’s ability best though, so just take the functional goals from above and simplify them into achievable steps for your specific student.

SEE ALSO: 31 Best Wordless Videos to Teach Problem Solving

Data collections – problem solving goals speech therapy.

If you’re a speech therapist or have classroom teachers in need of data tracking forms while working on your student’s social interaction skills for speech therapy then be sure to check out my IEP goal data tracking for progress monitoring forms .

Or if you simply want a list of data sheets to choose from then be sure to check out my list of 35 free speech therapy data sheets roundup .

Visual Cue – Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

I always love using visual cues with my students. It can really help teach a concept that can be overwhelming. 

Here is my problem solving graphic organizer that helps teach problem solving. As your child or student fills out the form you can start by providing helpful verbal prompts and hopefully, the more they work on their problem solving skills and will need less prompts.

Here are all my blog posts about problem solving that you might also find helpful!

31 Best Wordless Videos to Teach Problem Solving – Watch the fun short youtube videos and then help solve the hypothetical problems.

71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios – Read the scenarios and practice solving the problems using the helpful graphic organizer pages.

Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems – Use our problem solving wheel or make your own individualized problem solving wheel for your specific student.

High School Students

The most important thing we can teach our high school aged students is how to advocate for themselves during their school day within a social setting.  

Inside my tpt store I have a self-advocacy lesson to practice solving their school life problems in a functional way. Have your students grab a communication partner and get started!

In addition to the self-advocacy lesson plan I also have a phone call lesson plan in my tpt store for making phone calls in the workplace or everyday life, such as calling the pharmacy or dentist’s office.

SEE ALSO: 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

Younger children.

Currently inside of my tpt store I have a problem size and reaction size lesson plan to help our younger children understand that problems are of different sizes and therefore different reaction sizes.

Another great problem solving resource in my tpt store is my problem solving restorative justice graphic visual to help children review their own feeling along with how the other person might have felt and then solve their problem.

Picture Scene

• Social Scene Set 1 , Set 2 , Set 3 , Set 4 , Set 5 , & Set 6 by Contrary Chrissy – are different social scenes along with questions for problem solving. 
• Back to School Social Language and Problem Solving Printable by Aimee Walton – includes different scenarios along with questions to help guide the student in solving the problem.

SEE ALSO: Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems

Social Conversation

If you’re looking for conversational skills to keep your middle school and high school aged students engaged, asking follow-up questions, or working on generalizing their skills across multiple settings you’ll want to check out the following blog posts. 

These ideas are perfect for working in a small group setting on your student’s functional communication skills. 

• Ideas to Help Keep Your Middle/High School Students Engaged – This post reviews 5 different strategies you can use to help keep your students engaged, such as using real life photos instead of little kid graphics and using materials at different levels allowing everyone to access the resources at their individual level.
• Ideas to Maintain a Conversation with Follow-Up Questions – Read how I help middle/high school students work on their social pragmatics of maintaining a conversation by using fun and interesting materials appropriate for their age.
• Ideas to Help Students Generalize Their Conversational Skills – Learn how I use self-rating forms to work on my student’s pragmatic language goals of generalizing their conversational skills across multiple settings and with multiple different people.

Short Story

• Inferencing and Problem-Solving FREEBIE by SLP to go – This resource is perfect for older students who are working on any of the following skills: inferencing, problem-solving, predicting, role-playing, or maintaining a conversation. 
• Social Skills Problem Solving: Fighting with Friends by Let’s Build Language- Jaclyn Watson – Grab this freebie to help your students problem solve social challenges around fighting with friends.

In Conclusion: Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

I hope you found this list of problem solving goals to be helpful along with the resources.

Wishing you a wonderful year ahead! 

Want Even More Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy?

• 31 Best Wordless Videos to Teach Problem Solving
• 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios
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• 432+ Free Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives Bank

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Be sure to check out our most popular posts below!

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Ages: 4 and up

Grades: PreK and up

Author: Jean Gilliam DeGaetano

This 120-page workbook is full of unique problem solving activities and goes one important step beyond choosing a solution to a problem. The activities concentrate on the possible long-range outcome that could happen when a certain solution is chosen. While students frequently choose the easiest solution to a problem, they will learn to think about and predict what could happen if they choose that method to resolve the problem. This workbook encourages responsible thinking.

Includes: 120 pages, reproducible

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Urgent Care

Problem Solving Activities For Adults Speech Therapy: Improve Communication

Skills and Cognitive Function

Are you an adult struggling with communication difficulties or cognitive impairments? Speech therapy can be a valuable tool in improving your quality of life. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of problem solving activities in speech therapy and how they can help you enhance your communication skills and cognitive function.

Why are problem solving activities important in speech therapy?

Problem solving activities are an essential component of speech therapy for adults. These activities help individuals develop and improve their communication skills by challenging their cognitive abilities. By engaging in problem solving tasks, adults can enhance their problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities.

Benefits of problem solving activities in speech therapy

• Improved communication skills: Problem solving activities require individuals to think critically and communicate their thoughts effectively. By engaging in these activities, adults can enhance their ability to express themselves clearly and confidently.
• Enhanced cognitive function: Problem solving activities stimulate the brain and promote cognitive function. These activities can improve memory, attention, and concentration, leading to better overall cognitive abilities.
• Increased confidence: Successfully solving problems can boost self-confidence and self-esteem. By participating in problem solving activities, adults can gain a sense of accomplishment and feel more confident in their communication abilities.
• Real-life application: Problem solving activities in speech therapy often simulate real-life situations. By practicing problem solving in a controlled environment, adults can transfer these skills to their daily lives and improve their ability to navigate various communication challenges.

Examples of problem solving activities for adults in speech therapy

• Storytelling: Encourage adults to create and tell stories using specific vocabulary or themes. This activity promotes problem solving skills, as individuals need to organize their thoughts, structure their narratives, and communicate effectively.
• Role-playing: Engage adults in role-playing scenarios that require problem solving and effective communication. For example, simulate a job interview or a social gathering where individuals need to navigate conversations and express themselves clearly.
• Puzzle solving: Provide adults with puzzles or brain teasers that require problem solving skills. This activity challenges cognitive abilities and promotes critical thinking and communication.
• Group discussions: Facilitate group discussions on various topics, encouraging adults to express their opinions, listen actively, and engage in problem solving as a team.

How can Statcare help?

At Statcare, we understand the importance of problem solving activities in speech therapy for adults. Our digital health platform offers comprehensive healthcare solutions that cater to the unique needs of each individual. Through our innovative technology and expert therapists, we provide cost-effective and superior quality multispecialty services to enhance communication skills and cognitive function.

Problem solving activities are a valuable tool in speech therapy for adults. By engaging in these activities, individuals can improve their communication skills, enhance cognitive function, and gain confidence in their abilities. If you're looking to enhance your quality of life and unlock your full potential, start incorporating problem solving activities into your speech therapy routine. Contact Statcare today to embark on your journey to improved communication and cognitive abilities.

1. How often should I engage in problem solving activities in speech

The frequency of problem solving activities in speech therapy may vary depending on individual needs and goals. It is best to consult with a speech therapist who can assess your specific requirements and recommend an appropriate schedule.

2. Can problem solving activities benefit adults with cognitive

impairments?

Yes, problem solving activities can be beneficial for adults with cognitive impairments. These activities can help stimulate the brain, improve cognitive function, and enhance overall communication abilities.

3. Are problem solving activities only for adults in speech therapy?

While problem solving activities are commonly used in speech therapy for adults, they can also be beneficial for individuals of all ages and in various therapeutic settings. These activities promote critical thinking, communication skills, and cognitive function.

4. How can I incorporate problem solving activities into my daily life?

You can incorporate problem solving activities into your daily life by practicing problem solving in various contexts. For example, you can solve puzzles, engage in critical thinking exercises, or participate in group discussions that require problem solving and effective communication.

5. What other services does Statcare offer?

Statcare offers a wide range of comprehensive healthcare solutions, including telehealth consultations, remote monitoring, and personalized treatment plans. Our platform combines cutting-edge technology with expert care to deliver superior quality multispecialty services.

6. Is Statcare's digital health platform cost-effective?

Yes, Statcare's digital health platform is designed to be cost-effective while providing superior quality healthcare services. We prioritize affordability without compromising on the quality of care and support we offer.

7. How can I get started with Statcare?

To get started with Statcare, simply visit our website and explore our range of services. You can schedule a telehealth consultation or contact our team for more information on how we can help you improve your communication skills and cognitive function.

8. Does Statcare offer personalized treatment plans?

Yes, at Statcare, we believe in personalized care. Our expert therapists assess each individual's unique needs and goals to create personalized treatment plans that address their specific requirements. We tailor our services to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients.

9. Can Statcare help with other healthcare needs?

Yes, Statcare offers comprehensive healthcare solutions to address a wide range of needs. From speech therapy to remote monitoring and personalized treatment plans, our platform caters to various healthcare requirements.

10. Is Statcare covered by insurance?

Statcare works with various insurance providers to ensure our services are accessible to as many individuals as possible. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to determine your coverage and eligibility for our services.

Please note that the information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. It is always best to consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance and recommendations.

• https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/urgent-care/
• https://urgentcareassociation.org/

Discover the power of problem solving activities in speech therapy and unlock your full potential. Start your journey to improved communication skills and cognitive function today!

Let us help you today.

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