A teacher friend asked me once 'What’s the best teaching resource?' Without hesitation, I replied 'My learners'.
Why are our learners the best teaching resource?
If you don't have or prefer not to use a coursebook, don't worry. Your learners are a rich source of lesson content and ideas. Here are three reasons why I think they are great sources of content.
- Relevant interests –Your learners' interests and experiences provide rich material that is immediately engaging and meaningful to them.
- Real-life language – Learners naturally produce language that is relevant to their own lives, which promotes practical language use, not 'bookish' English.
- Active participation -– Using learner-generated content encourages active involvement, which makes learning more motivating and engaging.
Interestingly, this approach aligns perfectly with the Dogme teaching method, which emphasises using the learners themselves as the core of the teaching process. Basically, Dogme is all about authentic, conversation-driven learning. Instead of relying on pre-planned materials, it uses learners' immediate interests and needs to shape lessons. This allows language to emerge naturally through dialogue, fostering a learner-centred classroom that thrives on genuine communication. So, give it a try and see the difference!
What are the key considerations for using learners as resources?
Well, when planning to use your learners as the primary resource in your classroom, it's important to keep a few key points in mind.
- Be adaptable – Be ready to take advantage of spontaneous teaching opportunities that arise from learner interactions.
- Stay alert – listen closely to your learners to keep lessons relevant and engaging.
- Be responsive – quickly adapt to new directions in the lesson without sticking rigidly to a plan.
- Be present – ensure that learners feel heard and valued by being fully present during interactions.
If you are wondering where to start, here's a practical way to structure a lesson using minimal resources and learner-generated content:
Start with a lead-in to introduce the topic and spark interest. This could be giving the learners some discussion questions or showing them an interesting image to talk about.
Then, move on to the task, where kearners engage in an activity that generates language and content. See below for examples of tasks that use learner-generated content.
Follow this with a response to the task. Getting learners to discuss and reflect on what was produced can help consolidate learning, especially for learners who might not be used to this type of class.
Finally, provide delayed feedback on content and meaning to address any language points and reinforce learning. Remember to give both positive feedback and comments on what to improve.
Tasks that generate genuine communication
Creating opportunities for authentic communication in the classroom is essential for developing learners' language skills in a meaningful and engaging way. Here are some tasks that promote genuine interaction and help learners practise real-life language use.
1. Storytelling
Storytelling involves narrating personal experiences or creating fictional stories, which helps learners practise narrative language and descriptive skills. Give learners the opportunity to prepare first and ask for any key vocabulary they need. Try to find a reason for each learner to tell their story more than once, for example to different partners or groups. You can also ask learners to retell each other's stories to test their listening skills and memory for new vocabulary.
Example: Ask learners to pick an object they love and create a short story about a memorable experience related to that object. They could talk about where they got the object or why it is important to them. Encourage them to share their stories with the class, focusing on expressive language and detailed descriptions. If they can bring the object into class, even better!
2. Evaluative questions
Evaluative questions help learners think more deeply by asking them to share their opinions or consider different ideas. These questions are a great way to get learners talking and thinking about what they've learned. Instead of just giving simple answers, learners need to explain their thoughts, which makes lessons more engaging and helps improve their language skills through real conversation.
Here are some examples of evaluative questions you can try:
- Why is learning English important for your future?
- What could change if everyone worked from home?
- How can having a hobby make your life better?
- Why do some people prefer living in the city over the countryside?
- Do you believe technology has improved how we communicate?
These questions encourage a variety of responses, making classroom discussions more interesting and dynamic.
3. Discourse completion tasks
Discourse completion tasks are another great way to encourage natural conversation and give learners a chance to practise responding appropriately in different situations. These tasks require learners to fill in the blanks in dialogues or complete conversations based on given scenarios. There are no right or wrong answers, by the way! These tasks also offer an opportunity to explore intercultural communication, helping learners understand how people from different cultures might respond in certain social situations. Here are three examples.
Scenario 1: Making plans to meet up
Pedro: Are you free this weekend?
Nina: Yes, I am! What do you have in mind?
Pedro: How about going to the new café in town?
Nina: ____________________
Scenario 2: Choosing a gift for a friend
Omar: We need to get a birthday present for Layla.
Fatima: Yes, but I'm not sure what she would like.
Omar: Should we get her a book or some jewellery?
Fatima: ____________________
Scenario 3: Asking for help with a task
Ali: Can you help me finish this project today?
Selin: ____________________
4. Problem solving
These tasks require learners to work together to find solutions to given problems. They encourage critical thinking and collaboration.
Example: Give learners a scenario where they're organising a business trip for their team. They should choose the most suitable travel arrangements, accommodation and activities within a set budget, considering different team members' preferences and travel restrictions. They should discuss and agree on a final plan that meets everyone's needs.
5. Ranking tasks
Ranking tasks involve learners prioritising or ordering items based on certain criteria, which encourages discussion and justification of their choices. You can use lists related to classroom activities or topics of interest and have students rank them while explaining their reasons. Here are two nice examples.
Example 1: Classroom activities
You can ask your learners to rank different classroom activities based on what they find most helpful for their learning. For example, provide a list with options like group discussions, grammar exercises, vocabulary games, listening tasks and role plays. Have learners rank them in order of preference, then justify their rankings to the group before discussing which activities the class should prioritise. Remember that the justification is more important than the order of preference.
Example 2: Films to watch in class
Present a list of films or genres that can be watched in class (e.g. documentaries, comedies, dramas, action films). Ask learners to rank them based on which they think would be the most enjoyable and educational for improving their English skills. Learners must explain their choices, and the class can discuss which film or genre to watch during the next session. How fun is that?
Activities using learners' own photos
Most learners always have their smartphones on them these days with a whole gallery of photos. These can be a great resource to use in engaging classroom activities. Here's how.
Activity 1: Recent photos sharing
In pairs, ask learners to show their partner five pictures from their phone that they have taken and explain why they took them. Give learners time to prepare which photos they are happy to share. The partner has to ask follow-up questions.
Activity 2: Breakfast photos
Ask learners to take a picture of their breakfast or favourite meal. The next day, they will show the picture to their partner and describe what is in the picture and how often they eat that meal. Encourage questions and get learners to vote for the tastiest-looking meal.
Activity 3: Favourite place in the neighbourhood
Ask learners to take a picture of their favourite place in their neighbourhood. On the following day, they explain to their classmates why they like that area.
Activity 4: Daily life photos
Ask learners to bring in a photo of something they did recently and share the story behind it with the class. It could be something very ordinary (e.g. part of their daily routine) or something more unusual (going on a trip etc.) Again, encourage other learners to ask questions.
Images/memes + caption writing
Using humour and creativity can make language learning fun.
Activity 1: Funny captions
Show learners a series of funny or interesting images and ask them to write a caption for each one.
Activity 2: Meme creation
A meme is a funny or relatable piece of content, like an image or phrase, that spreads quickly online. For example, a meme might show an image of a confused learner, with the caption 'When the teacher asks you to explain the past perfect tense'. So, with that in mind, you could have learners create their own memes using their own photo or image on the internet. They should write a caption that matches the image.
Activity 3: Caption contest
Display a single image and ask learners to submit their best caption. The class votes on the funniest or most creative caption.
After having fun with images and memes, let's move on to activities that use learners' own videos (one of my favourite resources!). Be sure to check your school policy on learners filming themselves on their own devices.
Activities using learners' own videos
Activity 1: Going-out report
Learners record a one-minute video of when they go out. In the video, they should show the place, mention where they are and who they are with, and express their opinion about the place.
Activity 2: 'A day in my life' vlog
Ask learners to create a vlog documenting a typical day in their life. They should include different activities they do throughout the day, narrate what they are doing, and explain why these activities are part of their routine.
Activity 3: 'How-to' tutorial video
Learners create a tutorial video on how to do something they are good at. For example, it could be a recipe, a craft project, a dance move or a game. They should explain the steps clearly and demonstrate each part.
I believe these activities boost learner engagement and create a more interactive and communicative classroom. Remember, your learners are your best resource, so make use of their interests, experiences and creativity. I'm sure your lessons will become more dynamic and enjoyable for everyone involved.
Happy teaching!
Cecilia Nobre is a teacher, teacher trainer, DipTESOL tutor and mentor with over 20 years of experience and is passionate about online teaching and teacher development. She has taught in Brazil, the UK and Turkey. She is currently doing her PhD in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick. She is a co-author of Using Video to Support Teacher Reflection and Development in ELT (Equinox Publishing, 2023).