Quick Guide
- Keywords: Thinking time, past tense, responding to questions
- Learner English level: Intermediate and above
- Learner maturity: High school and above
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Activity time: 20 minutes
- Materials: Playing cards (numbers 1-6), slides or handout with Memory Lane questions (see Appendix).
Students often struggle to make thinking time feel natural while answering more complex questions. This accessible activity can improve students’ ability to fill silences while indicating they will take their turn in a conversation. Students open a conversation by asking their partner a question about their past and then follow up with a series of randomized questions that require a little thinking time. This activity could be good practice for speaking tests, such as IELTS Parts 1 and 3, both of which are 4–5 minutes long and may benefit from natural thinking time language.
Preparation
Step 1: Choose a couple of topics about past experience that will be familiar and engaging to your student group. Themes could include schooldays, childhood toys/cartoons, recent trips.
Step 2: Create a few question sets for each theme in level-appropriate English. Each set should have an opening question with a broad theme followed by six numbered questions that will ask for more detailed responses. For example:
Opening question 1
Where did you go to elementary school?
Follow up questions
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What was your favorite school lunch? Why?
What did you usually do during lunch breaks?
What did your pencil case look like?
Do you have a good sports festival memory?
Where did your class go on a school trip?
Step 3: Make a list of ‘thinking time’ phrases. For example – ‘Let me see…’, ‘Let me think…’, ‘That’s a good question…’, ‘That’s a difficult question…’
Step 4: Prepare a slide, handout, or shareable online document with the question sets and ‘thinking time’ phrases (see Appendix).
Step 5: Set up a timer of some form so the students will know when their five minutes is up.
Procedure
Step 1: Explain that students will interview each other and practice phrases that will help them create thinking time to answer questions.
Step 2: Practice / Review the ‘thinking time’ phrases. Brainstorm any alternative phrases.
Step 3: Hand out (or share) the prepared questions (see Appendix), and have students review the topic and questions in pairs.
Step 4: Divide the class into pairs and hand each pair playing cards numbered 1-6 shuffled into random order.
Step 5: Explain that after the opening question, the order follow-up questions are asked is determined by the random order playing cards are turned over. Explain that one ‘interview’ should last 5 minutes and contain as much detail as possible. Reassure them that it is OK if they cannot ask and answer all the questions in that time.
Step 6: Demonstrate the activity with a volunteer by telling them to ask you a question and then flip a card to select a follow-up question for you to answer. For example, for the topic of schooldays, the student asks, ‘Where did you go to elementary school?’ You might answer, ‘I went to Chester Elementary School.’ The student then flips a 2 card, and asks ‘What was your favorite school lunch, and why?’. You then indicate thinking time by saying ‘Let me see…’, before answering ‘My favorite school lunch was spaghetti bolognese. It was more interesting than chips or pizza.’
Step 7: Start the timer and ask the students to ask the opening question to their partner. Monitor and assist, as necessary.
Step 8: Give a one-minute warning when appropriate. When the time is up, reset the timer while the pair shuffle and turn over their deck of cards. The pair swaps roles and the activity begins again with a fresh opening question.
Extension
As the class proceeds, provide new ‘topics’ in the form of opening questions and have students create their own original follow-up questions.
Conclusion
This Memory Lane activity provides a practical way for students to improve their thinking time skills while practicing giving specific details in the past tense. It allows students to share information with their classmates, allowing them to talk about common experiences in their past, helping with class engagement and peer bonding.
Appendix
The appendix is available below:
