III. Role Play

Next up, we’ve got role-play. This is a fantastic way to practise real-life conversations right at home.

Let me give you a quick example. Right now, we'll focus on basic greetings and ordering food as if you're in a shop or a restaurant. The idea is to act out both sides of the conversation by yourself.

Imagine you're entering a café. As the customer, you might start with 

A: Hello, I’d like a coffee, please.

B: Sure, would you like anything else?

Practise different responses and how you might react. Get creative and have some fun!

This kind of role-play helps you anticipate and practise the flow of real-life conversations. It’s great for building confidence and preparing for these situations in the real world, as prediction is a massive part of understanding while listening. Do a 'dress rehearsal' of likely questions and responses.

Try different scenarios - ordering food, asking for directions, making a purchase or any aspect of your daily life in which you could use a little confidence boost.

IV. Explain It Like I’m 5

This exercise is all about clear communication using simple vocabulary.

Pick a complex topic, maybe something related to one of your hobbies or work. Now, you have to explain it to a five-year-old. The goal is to make your explanation as simple and clear as possible.

This exercise is a fantastic way to practise using straightforward language and breaking down complex ideas. It also helps in mastering the art of clear and effective communication.

Let's say you're interested in Earth science. Try explaining a concept like ‘Why is the sky blue?’ in the simplest terms. You might say:

The sky looks blue because of how sunlight reflects off the air.

 

Give it a try with a topic you're passionate about. If you talk about something you're passionate about, this will help increase your motivation and engagement. And the more engaged you are, the more likely you are to retain the information. Remember, the key is to be clear and concise and use plain English! It’s harder than it seems. Give it a go!

V. Storytelling with Prompts

Moving on! This next exercise is great for all you creatives out there: Storytelling with Prompts.

In this activity, you'll use random images, objects or online story prompt generators to spark your imagination. Your challenge? To create and narrate a short story aloud using these prompts.

You should focus on adding rich details, vivid descriptions and lively dialogue to build a complete narrative. This exercise enhances your creative thinking and helps you focus on creating sentences in narrative tenses. You also get a wonderful vocab boost!

Here is a great website that generates random story prompts: t.ly/EHoZY

Let me give you a quick example. Let’s say the prompt is: A mysterious letter in the mail

 

Imagine who sent it, why and what happens next. Narrate your story, incorporating descriptions of characters, their feelings and some settings.

Something like this:

Athena found a strange letter in her postbox one day. It had a very old seal on it and was written in beautiful handwriting she didn’t recognise. The letter told her to go to an old house. Feeling curious, Emily went to the house. The house looked mysterious in the evening light. Inside, she found a secret room that told her about her family’s history. They were important people who protected the area. The letter was inviting her to be part of this big story, and it changed her life.