7 First Day Activities for an ESL Class

1 Introductions conversation (with answers and audio)

This is model dialogue for practicing language useful for greetings and introductions. Students listen and complete the conversation with the vocabulary in the box.

Introductions conversation (PDF) 

(see the YouTube video)

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2 “Getting to know you” conversation/ listening exercise (with  audio and possible answers)

  This is another elementary and introductory speaking skills and listening exercise to encourage students to write their own “getting to know  you” questions and answers.

Getting to know you (PDF)

(see the YouTube video)

3 Greetings & introductions vocabulary exercise

This is an elementary ESL exercise for practicing language useful for greetings and introductions. Students try to match the greetings and introductions with appropriate pictures.

4 Greetings and introductions conversation 2

This is another elementary gap fill conversation exercise.

(Download PDF)

5 Home life and hobbies brainstorm

This is a nice and easy way to start a class and a good way to assess the abilities of new students.   Also, the brainstorm generates vocabulary and questions which can become the basis of a “getting to know you” speaking activity. Click on the image or the link to download the printable PDF file.

Brainstorm home life and hobbies (PDF)

6 Family/relationship survey speaking activity

  A fun and reliable elementary present simple tense speaking activity for a large class.  The great thing about it is that it works at really elementary levels. The teacher models the activity using the survey template drawn on the board.  Students then move around the classroom talking to at least five other students. During the survey part of the activity the teacher is free to monitor the students and also participate, having an opportunity to speak to students individually. As the students are finishing their surveys, the teacher can write a model report on the board.

Family relationship survey (PDF)

Related Resources:

Create-a-Conversation Exercises

Eslflow’s listening activities

8 Classroom Language and  Vocabulary Exercises

4  Picture-Based Present Continuous Tense Worksheets

9 Super Elementary Speaking Exercises

5 Elementary Conversational Expressions Exercises

10 Really! Elementary ESL classroom icebreakers

7 Essential Speaking Activities for ESL Classes

3 Great Icebreakers to Start a Class

8 Invitation and Request Dialogues for Everyday Scenarios

 7 Getting to know you survey speaking activity

  This another fun and reliable survey speaking activity for a large class. It’s a little bit more advanced than the activity above. The teacher models the activity using the example questions and a survey template drawn on the board. Students are then encouraged to write their own questions. During the survey part of the activity the teacher is free to monitor the students and also participate, having an opportunity to speak to students individually. As the students are finishing their surveys, the teacher can write a model report on the board.   

Getting to know you (PDF)