Problem-Solving and Giving Advice in English

Creative Teaching Activity to Help Students Learn Problem-Solving and Giving Advice in English. Enhance your ESL students’ communication skills with this interactive activity focused on expressing problems and offering solutions

Problem-Solving and Giving Advice in English

Problem-Solving and Giving Advice in English

As language advisors, we are always searching for effective and engaging activities to enhance the learning experience for our students. One such activity that provides a fun, dynamic way to improve both problem-solving and advice-giving skills is a creative classroom exercise that encourages students to practice talking about problems and offering advice in English.

A Structured Approach to Teaching Problem-Solving and Giving Advice

In this teaching activity, students will practice stating their problems and ailments, as well as offering helpful advice using common phrases and structures. The activity provides an interactive setting where students can develop essential communication skills while actively participating with their peers.

Materials Needed:

• A worksheet with incomplete sentences (one copy per pair of students).
• Pen or pencil for writing.

Activity Overview:

1. Introduction to Problem Expressions:
   Start by writing the following incomplete sentences on the board:
   • I am…
   • I feel…
   • I’ve got…

Ask students to brainstorm various ways to complete these sentences and talk about different problems, such as “I am tired,” “I feel sick,” or “I’ve got a headache.”

2. Worksheet Activity (Problem Completion):
   Once students have contributed ideas, divide them into pairs and give each pair a copy of the worksheet. Instruct the students to complete the problems listed on their worksheet by writing in the spaces provided. Encourage them to come up with a variety of issues (e.g., physical ailments, emotional concerns, etc.). However, tell them not to fill in the “advice” section yet.
3. Advice-Giving Structure:
   Once the problem part of the worksheet is completed, write phrases for giving advice on the board, such as:
   • If I were you, I would…
   • I think you should / ought to…
   • You might try (verb + ing)…

These phrases will help students to construct helpful, appropriate advice based on the problems they have written down.

4. Exchange and Collaborate:
   Next, ask students to join another pair to form a group of four. They should exchange worksheets with another pair. Now, each student will read the problems on the new worksheet and write a piece of advice for each, using the structures provided on the board.
5. Card Game to Practice Advice:
   After completing the worksheet, ask each pair to cut the worksheet into individual cards, keeping the problem cards separate from the advice cards. Once the cards are cut, have them shuffle the problem and advice cards and place them in two separate piles on the table.

Each player in the group takes four problem cards and two advice cards. The rules of the game are as follows:

• Player one places a problem card face-up on the table.
• Player two must complete the problem using one of their advice cards.
• Player three then provides an appropriate piece of advice for the problem.
• If the advice matches the problem, the cards are collected, and the next player places a problem card on the table.

Players who cannot match a problem and advice card must pick up a new card from the appropriate pile. The player who collects the most cards by the end of the game wins.

Why This Activity Works for ESL Students:

This engaging game-based learning approach helps students actively engage with the language in a fun, collaborative environment. Not only do students practice writing and speaking in a variety of sentence structures, but they also learn to listen carefully to their peers and respond with appropriate advice.

In addition, by incorporating a competitive element, students stay motivated throughout the activity, and it also fosters a positive classroom atmosphere where they can confidently practice real-life English scenarios.

Free PDF Download for ESL Teachers:

This innovative activity is available for download as a free PDF, so you can easily incorporate it into your own ESL lessons. Whether you’re teaching beginner or intermediate-level students, this exercise will help improve their language fluency while providing them with practical tools for problem-solving and advice-giving.

Conclusion:

By using this activity, you can help your students build confidence in both problem expression and advice-giving in English. It also fosters a collaborative learning environment that encourages peer interaction and language practice in a fun and structured way.

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Download your free worksheet now and start practicing with your students today!

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More ESL Classroom Games & Activities

Looking for more fun grammar activities for your English class? Check out these ideas:
✅ ESL Speaking Games to improve fluency
✅ Grammar Board Games for practicing sentence structures
✅ Interactive Writing Activities for ESL learners