Many modern language/ foreign language teachers use a form of the common Find Someone Who activity to get students speaking. For example, the teachers may ask, in the target language, for the students to find someone who has five pens, has two books, has a blue notebook or find someone who sings, bikes, swims, etc. Students enjoy asking each other questions and hearing the answers. Usually, the answering student simply repeats the question as a sentence.
However, with just a slight modification, this modern language activity can turn into more spontaneous speaking.
1) Usually, if the answering student answers in the negative, Do you swim? No, I do not swim, then the asking student moves on to another student. In a variation, if the student answers No, he changes his/her answer to be a positive. Do you swim? No, I do not swim. I do bike or No, I do not swim. My father swims.
2) When a student answers in the positive, he /she adds at least one more piece of information. Do you swim? Yes, I swim when it is hot, Yes, I do swim in Lake Ontario, Yes, I swim with my friend, Bob.
3) When a student answers in the positive, the asking student asks a follow-up question such as Where do you swim? When do you swim? The answering student answers the additional question.
4) After the answering student answers, the asking student agrees, “Me too” or Me neither” or disagrees, “I do not like to swim.”
How do your get your modern language students to speak spontaneously?
I have nine + Spanish spontaneous speaking activities at Teacherspayteachers: http://bit.ly/tpthtuttle
My formative assessment books: http://is.gd/tbook
