Education Conversation Questions for Adult ESL Classes

EXPERIENCE

What kind of student were you at school? Which class did you look forward to, and which did you dread?

DESCRIBE

Describe a teacher you will never forget. What exactly did they do differently?

COMPARE

Compare how you learned at school with how you learn now as an adult. What has replaced the classroom?

REFLECT

Which school subject turned out to be surprisingly useful in adult life — and which one have you never used?

EVALUATE

Is learning English easier or harder than people expect? What do beginners misunderstand about it?

PREFERENCE

Do you learn better in the morning or at night, alone or in a group, by reading or by doing? How do you know?

PLAN

If you could study anything for one year with no money worries, what would it be? Sketch the year.

PROBLEM-SOLVE

An adult wants to learn a new skill but gives up after two weeks, every time. What is going wrong, and what would help?

ANALYZE

Why do some people love exams while others freeze? Is testing a fair way to measure learning?

ADVISE

What advice would you give a teenager in your country choosing between university, vocational training, and working?

ANALYZE

Does your country have an institution like the American community college — cheaper, local, open to everyone? Who does it serve?

DISCUSS

Is there social pressure in your country to attend a prestigious university? Where does the pressure come from?

BALANCE

Would you prefer a cheaper local college or a more expensive university with a stronger reputation? What tips the scale?

EVALUATE

Should governments provide more support for vocational education? Why do practical paths often carry less prestige?

DEFINE

Is entering university more important than successfully completing a qualification? What should "success" mean in education?

CULTURE

How are talented young athletes or musicians educated in your country? Should special talent change a child’s schooling?

REFLECT

Newcomers to a country often study the language while working and raising children. What support do adult learners deserve?

IMPROVE

If you could change one thing about schools in your country, what would it be? What stands in the way?

CONNECT

Who taught you the most important thing you know — and was it inside or outside a classroom?

CREATE

Design a school subject that does not exist yet but should. What is taught, and how is it graded — if at all?