Tips for TEFL discussion classes

Three Top Tips for TEFL Discussion Classes

Years ago I made the error of walking into a class of teens learning English and asking:

"Are circuses cruel? Discuss."

Eyes glazed over and silence ensued. Despite frantic prompts from me to try and get a discussion going, nothing could bring this lesson back from the dead. I had made the big mistake of thinking that I could introduce a topic and they would just get on with it. 

I only made this mistake once.

Discussion-based classes need to be structured as carefully as any other EFL lesson.  So, I learned two things from my mistake:

1) That you need to break discussion lessons down into manageable chunks.

Why? So that your language learners have the time to formulate their thoughts and opinions in English.

2) That I should start the discussions within pairs or small groups first.

In this way my students have some time and space to formulate their thoughts and ideas, before it opens up to the whole class.

These two things have probably been key to many successful discussions classes since on a wide range of topics!

So, if you think that the above ideas might be helpful for your lessons, then read on for three additional tips on getting the most out of your discussion classes.

Tip 1 - make an impact from the beginning

Look at the following ways to start the same lesson:

Teacher: "Today we’re going to talk about circuses...."

or

Teacher: Starts juggling with fruit in front of the class - learners guess the theme of the discussion lesson. 

Option B is bound to be more stimulating and fun. Alternatively, you can use video, a short reading, a song, almost anything to launch the discussion topic and help stimulate ideas and enthusiasm.

Tip 2 - Structure your discussion material

Start out simply. Get the most out of your material by making sure that:

• your class has the language and vocabulary they need for the discussion
• you give them questions to answer rather than saying "Let’s talk about..."
• let students think about the answers to your questions on their own or in pairs first to help them formulate their responses in English. Then put them in larger groups to compare answers.

These are all ways to build into your lesson and I promise they will work for you successfully.

Tip 3 - Use open and closed questions

Try to make sure you have a good mix of closed and open questions, and think about how you use them.

Closed questions are usually answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and so do not easily lend themselves to further discussion.

If you do ask a closed question, try to follow up with an open question immediately afterwards, which will allow the learner to express themselves and their ideas in more detail. 

Open questions will get students to express their own opinions and will help to stimulate your discussion.

More examples of communication and discussion lessons

Discussion lessons are great for taking some of the pressure off the teacher and for allowing learners to develop their confidence, speaking in a group.

For a simple lesson plan on the theme of meetings and greetings, click on the DOWNLOAD FILE PDF link at the bottom of this article so you can see how a discussion lesson can easily be structured. We’ve used a template plan from our internationally accredited ACTDEC Level 3 TESOL training course.

If you want some excellent ideas for material for discussion groups, look no further than the Internet TESOL Journal. This is a great TEFL resource with fantastic topics and questions for your classes. I suggest you try it out here. 

Finally, why not watch this communication game (below) that we recorded in one of our own lessons? It is designed for Intermediate levels (B1) and above.  

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Blog updated April 2023