Boost Critical Thinking & Fluency in Your ESL Class: 3 Classroom-Tested Activities That Work
If you want your ESL students to go beyond memorising phrases and start thinking in English, then it’s time to level up your classroom with critical thinking activities.
At Inspire Training & Development, we believe English isn’t just about grammar—it’s a powerful communication tool for problem-solving, decision-making, and creative thinking. These 3 activities do exactly that—develop critical thinking and speaking skills at the same time.
Whether you’re preparing students for real-world situations, academic writing, or international job interviews, these tasks will make your lessons more meaningful, memorable, and motivating.
Critical Thinking Activities - 1
🔍 1. What Would You Do?
This activity is perfect for exploring ethics, opinions, and empathy.
How it works:
Pose a real-life dilemma to your students:
“You find a wallet with $500 and no ID. What would you do?”
“Your best friend cheats on a test and asks you not to tell. What do you do?”
Students discuss their responses in pairs or groups and present their reasoning.
Why it works:
✅ Develops modal verbs, conditionals, and persuasive language
✅ Encourages empathy, logic, and cultural awareness
✅ Great for intermediate to advanced learners
Critical Thinking Activities - 2
🤔 2. True or Not?
This is your new go-to warm-up with a twist.
How it works:
Present a bizarre “fact” or strange image:
“A man once tried to rob a bank with a banana.”
Show a photo of a cat on a motorcycle.
Ask students to investigate—ask questions, debate, and then decide if it’s true or not.
Why it works:
✅ Promotes questioning and logical thinking
✅ Highly engaging and often hilarious
✅ Encourages curiosity and communication
Critical Thinking Activities - 3
🎭 3. Mystery Object Debate
Turn your classroom into a detective agency.
How it works:
Bring a strange item to class (a rusted key, a weird tool, a mystery gadget). Students work in teams to guess what it is, who uses it, and for what purpose. Then they must argue their case to the class.
Why it works:
✅ Builds creative thinking, teamwork, and persuasive speaking
✅ Expands vocabulary in a fun, memorable way
✅ Encourages backing up opinions with reasoning
Critical Thinking Activities - 4
Wrap-Up:
Want more activities like this?
We’ve got a free downloadable resource that includes instructions and templates for all three tasks!
And if you’re ready to become the kind of teacher who creates critical thinkers, not just passive learners, then explore our TESOL certification courses—designed to make you a confident, engaging, and effective educator.
