FREE SPEECH ZONE

This is a very simple, but interactive, activity. As you know, students often ask the same questions over and over again: “Where are you from? What do you do? Do you like pizza?” This will get students to ask interesting questions, which should result in more lively discussion.

Here are the rules:

1. Make a lot of small cards with interesting topics written on them, such as: LOVE, JEALOUSY, MONEY, SEX, DRUGS, CLONING, FRIENDSHIP, GAMBLING, etc. Look for topics that make students want to speak – even controversial ones.

2. In groups of 4-5, students will take turns selecting a card. Each student will talk a little about the topic on the card selected. For example:

MONEY: “For me money is very important, but it is not the most important thing. It is only a way to reach a goal. Success should not be measured by the money you can make.”

3. The other students should ask questions of the speaker and also express their own feelings on the topic. There is no limit on the length of discussion.

4. When a group feels that it has exhausted the topic, they should alert the teacher, who will then let another member of the group choose a new topic.