Talk about news: 130 questions for English learners with key vocabulary!

Stimulate discussion in English with these conversation prompt cards designed to elicit critical discussion about all things related to the news and news media. With this set of 130 conversation prompts, help your students encounter, notice, and practise language patterns and collocations commonly used to form and answer questions in English.

Each card has key collocations highlighted, with repetition of question forms designed to encourage language uptake as students share their answers.

This set uses colour-coded guides to separate questions into common topics, though there are multiple variations of how the cards can be used. Target language repeats across topics, encouraging noticing and learner uptake.

Example language:

What kinds of news are you interested in?
Has your** news consumption** changed over time?
Do you approach the news with a critical eye?
Do you fact-check news that you see on social media?
Do you think science is over-reported or under-reported?
What reasons are there for censorship?

Example topics:

Forms of news media
News and social media
Categories of news (Science/Sports/Politics/Tech/Business/Economic etc)
The purpose of journalism

These cards are designed for above intermediate level to advanced learners of English, but are suitable for lower-ability learners depending on language goals and careful selection of language by patterns/sets. They are appropriate for mature learners developing critical thinking skills, from mid-teens onwards to adults.

These cards ensure your students learn naturally, increasing the fluency, accuracy, and vocabulary while discussing their own understanding of and feelings about the news.

These conversation prompts allow you students to identify and learn common English patterns in a natural, communicative way, while making the class personal to them and their lives.

Check out more of our products on Foreign Language Teachers to find materials for all levels and ages of learner.

Enliven your language classroom with engaging discussions!