ESL Icebreakers

Teachers often wonder how to conduct the first lessons in such a way as to immediately create an atmosphere of trust and friendliness in a new class.

I'm sure you've encountered student stiffness many times and have probably thought of a solution. 

And here it is: ESL icebreakers! These interactive activities help students relax, get to know each other and build a sense of connection. 

Let's take a closer look at the benefits of icebreakers and how they might be used in lessons.

The most important thing to remember when planning an ESL icebreaker is to avoid overwhelming your students with complicated rules. 

The activity should be simple to understand and easy to explain. 

While there are plenty of engaging games that involve lengthy instructions, these are not ideal for an ESL icebreaker. 

After all, spending half a lesson explaining rules only to have students struggle to learn them can be unproductive. 

Furthermore, these activities should align with your students' language level. 

Choose games that not only avoid overloading them but also create a comfortable and enjoyable learning experience. 

By doing so, you’ll foster a positive and engaging start to your ESL lesson.

It is a fun ESL icebreaker game that helps students remember each other's names and  practise their memory skills.

How to play?

Each student introduces themselves by saying their name and one fact about themselves. 

It could be a hobby, an interest, a favourite subject, or even a personality trait. 

For example: “I’m Anna, and I'm friendly.” 

The next participant repeats the previous student's information and adds a phrase about themselves. 

For example: “I'm Bob, I'm polite, and I like playing the piano.”

For beginners, you can prepare phrase templates to make the task easier for them.

This is a fantastic ESL icebreaker activity that encourages students to interact and discover shared interests.

How to play?

Give each student a list of statements such as:

Students walk around the room, asking their classmates questions to complete their lists, e.g., “Do you have a pet?” or “Did you wake up before 8 a.m. today?”

This activity is also a great opportunity to practise forming questions and using the past tense in conversation.

This ESL icebreaker always creates laughter and adds a fun challenge to the lesson.

How to play?

Write the names of famous people or fictional characters (e.g., Taylor Swift, Elon Musk) on sticky notes. 

Without looking at the name, each student has one stuck to their forehead or back. 

For example: “Am I a real person?” or “Am I known for my music?”

The goal is to guess the name based on the answers received.

This ESL icebreaker activity encourages creative thinking and helps expand students’ vocabulary.

How to play?

Start with a simple word, and ESL students take turns saying the first association that comes to mind. 

For example, the teacher says the word Winter and students say the word associations: cold, snow, frost.

This ESL activity is a brilliant way to help students learn more about each other in a low-pressure environment.

How to play?

Divide the students into pairs and ask them to interview each other. 

Provide a list of starter questions to guide them, such as: “What’s your favourite hobby?”, “Do you have any siblings?” 

 After the interviews, each student presents their partner to the class, sharing the most intriguing or surprising facts they learned.

In this ESL icebreaker activity, students share three statements about themselves: two that are true and one that is false. 

The other students must try to guess which statement is a lie.

How to play?

Each student thinks of three statements about themselves: true and false. 

Allow a few minutes for students to prepare their statements.

Students take turns reading their three statements aloud to the group.

After the discussion, the group votes on which statement they believe is a lie. 

The student then reveals the correct answer.

Play continues with the next student until everyone has had a turn.

Example:

• "I was part of my school’s football team."
• "I have a fear of heights."
• "I’ve met a famous actor."

Continue the Story is a fun ESL icebreaker that helps develop creativity, speaking skills, and active listening.

How to play?

The teacher starts the story with one or two sentences. 

For example: “The moment I stepped into this classroom, I immediately…”

Each student then adds a sentence to continue the story. 

By the end, the group will have created an engaging and often humorous story. 

To make it even more interesting, you can choose a specific theme for the story beforehand. 

To ensure no part of the story is forgotten, the sentences can be written down on paper as the game unfolds.

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In conclusion, you can always rely on ESL icebreakers, whether to ease the tension among ESL students during the first lessons or serve as a warm-up at the start of class, or boost engagement in the middle of a session. 

These effective and straightforward ESL icebreaker activities foster a cohesive and motivated learning environment, making lessons more dynamic and enjoyable.