Speaking Test Preparation EAP Activities

This intriguing speaking test preparation activity helps students build their confidence in expressing and justifying opinions on various common speaking test topics. In groups, students take turns picking up a card, laying it on the table and reading the statement to the group. Each group member then decides whether they agree or disagree with the statement and why. Students then debate the topic for three minutes, starting with the reader, who shares and justifies their opinion. The other group members respond one at a time, either agreeing and adding additional reasons or disagreeing and providing counterarguments. When the time is up, the next student picks up a card, and so on. When the groups have finished, they discuss follow-up questions about their debates and then give feedback to the class on their answers.

Here is a useful speaking test preparation activity in which students learn and practice answering typical speaking test questions following certain criteria. First, in pairs, students read responses to a typical speaking test question and then use three criteria (topic development, organisation, and grammar and vocabulary) to discuss the respective strengths and weaknesses of the responses. Next, students take part in a mock speaking test where one student is the examiner and the other is the candidate. The examiner's task is to ask the questions and complete a feedback form as they go to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The candidate's task is to provide full answers following the three criteria and speak clearly without pausing or hesitating. When the test is over, the examiner uses the feedback form to give their partner constructive feedback on how they did in the test. Afterwards, students swap roles and repeat the process.

In this productive speaking test preparation worksheet, students learn about speaking test question types and practice their related linking phrases. First, students read a text giving general tips for success in speaking tests. In pairs, students then discuss which tip they think is the most useful to them and why. Next, students match speaking test question types to questions. After that, students put each linking phrase in the correct category according to its question-type function. Students then read speaking test questions that cover the various question types and complete answers with the linking phrases. Following that, students take turns asking the test questions to a partner, who replies using the linking phrases. While students listen to their partner's answers, they complete a checklist and use it to give constructive feedback at the end. Finally, students discuss reflection questions in pairs.