ESL Speaking Lesson Level: Pre-intermediate + (Can be adapted for Elementary) Topic: Memory games, activities which challenge students to remember words and lists

1. Memory Games
Do you have a good memory?
When you meet new people, do you remember
their names easily?
What techniques can help you to remember a
person's name?

2. The Name Game
Example:
I'm CHeap and I like CHeese.
I'm + adjective +
and I like + noun.
Now write down your own introduction.
REMEMBER your adjective and noun must start
with the same letter as .
eg. I'm Little Lucy and I like Lollipops.

3. The Name Game
Example:
“She's Little Lucy and she likes Lollipops!
He's Silly Simon and he likes Snakes!
AND
I'm CHeap and I like CHeese.”

4. Food vocabulary
Can you think of an item of food for each letter of the
alphabet?
Work in pairs. 3 minutes.
Example: A = an Apple, B = a Banana, C = a Carrot
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

5. Shopping List Game
Do you ever forget to buy something when you're at the
supermarket? That's why you should write a list!!
Student 1: “I'm going to the supermarket and I need to buy... an
Apple.”
Student 2: “I'm going to the supermarket and I need to buy.. an
Apple AND a Banana.”
Student 3: “I'm going to the supermarket and I need to buy.. an
Apple, a Banana AND a Carrot.”

6. Numbers!
Without looking at your phone:
What's your mother's phone number? Your best friend's?
Do you remember long numbers easily?
You will see a number on the next slide, you have 10
seconds to remember it.
READY? 3...2...1...

8. What was the number?
How did you remember?
Would you like to see it again?

9. It is better to break up long information into smaller
chunks. Instead of trying to remember one long
number, try to remember 3 three digit numbers.

10. Let' try again...
3.. 2..1..

12. Now for a longer number...
3.. 2..1..

14. Mnemonics
A mnemonic - A Memorable
phrase to break down and
help remember information.
eg. North/East/South/West
Naughty
Elephants
Squirt
Water

15. Mnemonics
eg.2 The order of the planets from the sun:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
My Very Easy Monday, Just Slept Until Noon!
The first letter of each word gives you the first letter of the planets in
order. Now write your own Mnemonic for the planets.

16. The Memory Walk
Imagine walking through a
place you know well, like
your home, local area or this
Web centre. Along your way,
imagine finding the
things/words you want to
remember. Create a picture
in your mind of each stop on
your memory walk.

17. When memorising groups of words, you can combine
them into more memorable pictures along your
memory walk.
eg Dog + Car = dog driving a car
+ =

18. You will have 1 minute to memorise 12 words.
Ready?
3.. 2.. 1..

19. Good luck
1- dog
2- car
3- girl
4- pizza
5- doctor
6- phone
7- Bruce Lee
8- pen
9- boat
10- fish
11- football
12- happy

20. Ok now write them down!

21. Which 2 nouns are new to the list?

23. What's missing?

24. What's missing?

25. What's missing?

26. What's missing?

27. Pair Picture Description
Student A has 2 minutes to memorise a picture.
They describe the picture to student B (who hasn't seen it).
Student B identifies which is the correct picture.
SWAP

28. Useful vocab:
American football
Baseball bat
Window
Poster

29. Student A describes

30. 1 2
3 4

31. Useful vocab:
Dolphin
Starfish
Umbrella
Beach ball

32. Student B describes

33. 1 2
3 4

34. Memory Lane
The expression “ Go for a walk down memory
lane” means to revisit the experiences from
your past that you have enjoyed.
Who was your first best friend?
What did you enjoy most about your childhood?
Where was your favourite holiday?