TEACHING STRATEGIES

Discussion Questions for ESL Students: How to Get Them Talking and Thinking

17 March 2025/ By Zineb DJOUB

Are you seeking the best discussion questions for ESL students to ignite meaningful conversations in your classroom? You’ve come to the right place! Discussions are a powerful means to enhance language skills, build confidence, and encourage critical thinking among students. However, with the endless demands of teaching, devising engaging and relevant questions can be challenging.

That’s why we’ve compiled this guide! In this post, you will discover how to create thought-provoking discussion questions that accommodate different proficiency levels, along with ready-to-use examples to maintain the flow of conversations. We are also sharing essential techniques to assist you in making discussions more interactive, inclusive, and effective. Let’s dive in!

The importance of discussion in ESL classrooms

Discussion plays a pivotal role in the ESL learning process.

• It provides students the opportunity to practise their language skills in a real-world context, applying vocabulary and grammar structures they have acquired in a meaningful way.
• Incorporating discussions in ESL classrooms is not just about language practice; it also encourages students to think critically, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information.
• Discussions foster a collaborative learning environment where students can learn from one another, connect students from various backgrounds, and enhance their social interactions.
• Engaging in discussion allows students to express their thoughts and emotions, which makes the learning experience more personal and relatable. This, in turn, increases motivation and confidence in communicating in English.
• It also helps teachers assess students’ language proficiency and comprehension levels, providing insights into their understanding of the material, as well as their confidence in using the language.

 

How to create effective discussion questions for ESL students

Well-crafted discussion questions are essential for unlocking learning and supporting students in becoming confident communicators in English. To this end, here are some important tips:

Consider the students’ language proficiency levels and interests

Adapt discussion questions for various levels of English proficiency. For beginner-level students, questions should be more straightforward, while intermediate and advanced students can handle more thought-provoking inquiries.

Ensure that the questions are open-ended

Questions that allow for multiple responses encourage deeper thinking. Thus, avoid yes-or-no questions, as they tend to limit conversation and do not promote elaboration.

Vary question types

Incorporate different kinds of questions—such as opinion-based, hypothetical, and reflective questions—to encourage diverse language use and greater engagement.

Align the discussion questions with classroom topics

Questions should connect to the lesson’s themes and vocabulary, assisting students in using newly acquired language in context.

Consider including culturally relevant and relatable questions that reflect your students’ lives

Discussions become more engaging when students can share their unique perspectives.

Utilise online resources

Websites such as “Question Stem Generator” or “Kahoot!” can help you create thought-provoking questions in various formats, from multiple-choice to open-ended, and customise them based on specific topics or vocabulary.

Examples of engaging discussion questions for ESL students

Here are four types of questions along with some illustrative examples.

# General icebreaker questions

These questions not only capture students’ attention; they also foster a welcoming learning atmosphere where they are encouraged to share personal experiences and get to know one another.

• How do you like to spend your free time?
• What sport do you enjoy the most, and why?
• How did you spend the last weekend?
• What is the last movie/book you’ve watched/read that left a strong impression on you?
• What information have you learned recently and want to share with us?
• How do you prefer to relax after a long day?
• What are your plans for the upcoming holiday?
• How much time do you spend on social media each day, and in what ways?
• What are your favourite video games?
• What are your expectations for today’s lesson?

 

# Opinion-based questions

These are questions that encourage students to express their opinions, develop critical thinking and reasoning.

• What do you think about the impact of social media on our lives?
• What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your generation today?
• Do you think a university degree is necessary for a good living?
• How do you think technology can improve people’s lives?
• What makes life meaningful?
• What qualities make a true friendship last?
• How would you describe a happy person?
• How can schools better support students’ learning and well-being?
• What’s the key to students’ learning success?
• Do you think learning English is easier or harder than other languages?
• What are some ways we can protect our environment?

 

#Hypothetical questions

Questions that pose a theoretical situation in the future can encourage creativity and imaginative thinking.

• What would you do if you discovered that your closest friend, whom you have always trusted, had deceived you?
• If you had to live in a country completely unfamiliar to you, with no knowledge of its language or culture, how would you adapt?
• If you were provided with money to donate, how would you utilise it?
• If you could travel back in time, to when and where would you go?
• If you could swap lives with any famous person for a day, who would it be and why?
• What would you choose to eat if you were limited to one food for the rest of your life?
• What subject would you teach if you had no choice but to take on teaching duties?
• If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
• If you could master any skill, what would it be and why?
• If you could change school, how would you go about it?
• If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be and why?
• What might life be like without the internet?
• What if robots were to replace humans at work?
• If you had a superpower, which character would you select (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc.)? Why?
• How do you envision life in 2050?

 

#Reflective questions

These questions encourage deeper thinking, self-expression, and personal growth, assisting ESL students in developing fluency and confidence in articulating complex ideas.

Moreover, these questions can be used with students at an intermediate or advanced level who are capable of engaging in more profound discussions.

• What is one challenge you have overcome, and what have you learned from it?
• What are you most proud of?
• How do you cope with stress or challenging situations?
• What is one mistake you have made that taught you a valuable lesson?
• What does success mean to you?
• How has learning English impacted your life or future goals?
• If you could offer advice to your younger self, what would it be?
• What is the best decision you have ever made?
• How do you think you have changed over the past five years?
• What customs or traditions from your culture interest you?
• How would you summarise today’s learning?
• In what ways does your culture influence your perspective on education?
• How would you improve the way you learn?

 

8 Techniques for facilitating discussion questions for ESL students

Fostering meaningful discussions in an ESL classroom necessitates careful planning. Here are some key techniques to promote engaging and inclusive discussions in ESL classes.

1. Establish clear guidelines for discussions

Establish ground rules for respectful conversations, such as active listening, refraining from interrupting, and being open to differing perspectives. This ensures that all students feel valued and comfortable expressing their thoughts.

2. Encourage a growth mindset

Encourage students to see mistakes as opportunities for learning. Remind them that language development arises from effort rather than perfection.

3. Incorporate discussion questions into lesson plans

Incorporate discussions into the learning process by integrating them into various lessons:

• Reading comprehension: Explore themes, characters, or key ideas from the text.
• Vocabulary building: Utilise new words in open-ended discussions.
• Grammar practice: Create discussion questions that require eliciting responses to practise specific grammar structures.

 

4. Enhance discussions with real-world contexts

Utilise engaging materials such as pictures, short videos, podcasts, current events, or newspaper articles to inspire meaningful conversations and connect language learning to real-life situations.

5. Allow students time to reflect

Allow them a few moments to collect their thoughts before sharing. This aids in reducing anxiety and encourages more thoughtful responses.

6. Employ a variety of discussion formats

Vary your methods to cater to different learning styles and preferences, ensuring active participation from all students in the discussion.

• Small-group discussions: Ideal for introverted students who prefer speaking in smaller settings.
• Whole-class discussions: Encourage confident speakers to express their ideas.
• Role plays: Assist students in practising conversations in real-world scenarios.
• Rotating partners: Enables students to engage with different classmates and build social connections and confidence.

 

7. Encourage deeper thinking with follow-up questions

Keep the conversation flowing by using prompts like:

• What makes you say that?
• Can you explain more?
• How does that compare to your experience?

 

8. Provide scaffolding

Help students formulate their ideas by providing:

• Visual aids (gestures, drawings, pictures)
• Sentence starters (I believe that… / In my opinion…)
• Word banks for new vocabulary

Final thoughts

Utilising well-crafted discussion questions for ESL students can transform your classroom into a dynamic learning environment where students think critically, express themselves confidently, and enhance their language skills.

Therefore, develop engaging discussion questions and employ these techniques to keep students motivated and engaged.

Are you ready to elevate your classroom discussions? Implement these ideas in your next lesson and observe your students thrive!