This can be used as a speaking activity with lower level classes. With any class it can be a quick filler or warm-up activity. I cut photos from the newspaper, the human interest ones, not political, because newspaper photos are often striking, clever, funny etc. Within a couple of weeks I have enough for a class to use, and if I keep the photos in plastic sleeves they can be used again and again.
It is simple, cheap, but effective. I’ve had some lively discussion sessions from this activity. It can be followed up with writing.
Choose a picture and consider the following questions. Discuss them with your group or classmate.
- Setting
- Where was the picture taken? Is it outside, at a beach or at a park? Is it in a city or near some houses?
- Is it inside a building? Can you tell what kind of building? What time of day is it? What is the weather like?
- People
- How many people or animals are in the picture? What do they look like? Are they happy, sad, excited or angry?
- What are they wearing? How old are they? What are they doing?
- Speculation! Prediction
- What has happened? What will happen next?
- Why do the people look like that?
Use words like I think that…………………………………………………. .
Perhaps ………………………………………………………………………………. .
It’s possible that.. ……………………………………………………………….. .
They might………………………………………………………………………….. .
Leith Wallace