In Japanese school education, the importance of "active learning," where students actively use language, is increasing. However, many teachers are struggling to figure out what specific activities to incorporate into their lessons.

Active learning, especially in English, presents a challenge in determining the appropriate difficulty level for activities, as it requires considering factors such as the students' proficiency levels. 

This article presents 10 active learning ideas for developing practical English skills, categorized by level and situation, ranging from simple activities that can be easily incorporated into regular lessons without special preparation to full-fledged projects that go beyond the classroom.

 

[Beginner Level] 3 Activities Easy to Incorporate into Regular English Lessons 

① Explanation of how to solve grammar problems (pair work)

• MessageFirst, each student solves practice problems from textbooks or other materials on their own. Next, they work in pairs and explain to each other the reasoning behind their answers. Finally, the solutions are shared with the entire class to deepen their understanding. 
• Key PointsRather than each student solving problems and then listening to the teacher's explanations and grading their answers, knowledge is more likely to stick when students verbalize their reasoning and explain it to others.

 

② English reading comprehension exercises using the jigsaw method 

• MessageForm groups of 3-4 people and divide a long reading passage into portions equal to the number of people in the group. Each member reads their assigned portion and becomes an "expert" who fully understands the content. Afterwards, each member explains their portion to the others within the group, and together they complete a summary of the overall story and a reading comprehension exercise. 
• Key PointsLong reading comprehension exercises, which can often be tedious, become less daunting when approached through collaborative learning. This approach also offers several advantages, such as ensuring everyone has a role and preventing imbalances in participation. Furthermore, explaining concepts to others helps to eliminate the illusion of understanding and is effective in improving students' sense of responsibility and initiative. 

For specific jigsaw techniques, please see this article for a detailed explanation.We've included information on how this can be incorporated into English classes, so please take a look. ↓

Designing and implementing lessons to improve English proficiency using the jigsaw method (collaborative learning):

③ Retelling (summarizing and explaining in English) activity

• MessageFirst, each student reads the text and summarizes its content. Next, they write down keywords to present their summary to their classmates. Then, they close the textbook and, relying only on their keyword notes, tell the story to their classmates in their own words. 
• Key PointsThis method, which connects input (reading comprehension) to output (speaking), is extremely effective for memory retention.  

 

[Intermediate] Improve your expressive skills! 3 practical English active learning methods 

 

④ "What is this?" quiz in English

• MessageIn pairs or groups, participants describe the characteristics of a specific topic (such as an animal or stationery item) in English without revealing its name. Their partner or group members then try to guess what the topic is based on the description. 
• Key PointsEven simple explanations in one's native language can be surprisingly difficult in a foreign language, so this activity helps develop "communication skills" and "paraphrasing skills" by utilizing previously learned vocabulary and grammar. It's an activity that can be enjoyed in a game-like way. 

 

⑤ Creating "new school rules" in English

• MessageThe theme is "If you could create one new rule for your school?" Students will brainstorm a proposed new school rule, the reasons for its implementation, and its benefits, and present it in English. If time and English proficiency allow, it would be beneficial to add activities such as asking questions or suggesting improvements to each other's proposals in English. 
• Key PointsChoosing a familiar topic can also help increase motivation to express your opinions in English. Other suggested topics include "giving a school tour in English for international students" or "developing a unique invention to solve global warming." 

 

⑥ English discussion on a topic with no right answer

• MessageStudents will discuss open-ended questions in English, either in pairs or small groups, such as "Is it okay to lie?" or "Should summer homework be abolished?" They will deepen their understanding by progressing through the stages of "thinking (individually) → sharing (in pairs) → presenting (to the whole class)." 
• Key PointsIn addition to improving English speaking skills, this course will hone your ability to organize the evidence for your opinions and explain them logically. You'll likely achieve better results if you take this course in a class where you've already mastered basic vocabulary and grammar.

 

[Advanced] Go beyond the classroom! 4 authentic English activities 

 

⑦ Project to introduce and translate the region's attractions into multiple languages

• Message: We research the attractions of local shopping streets, traditional crafts, and tourist spots, and create original English introductory texts, signs, and brochures that can be actually used on-site for foreign tourists. . 
• Key PointsThis isn't an essay meant to be submitted to a teacher for grading; it's written with a real person in mind. Therefore, it helps you hone practical English skills, such as "how to write in a way that avoids misunderstandings" and "what expressions are polite."

 

⑧ Peer teaching (mutual learning) between Japan and Europe

• MessageActivities conducted in cooperation with partner schools overseas. Japanese and English-speaking students are paired online. In the first half, the Japanese student acts as the "Japanese teacher," and in the second half, the overseas student acts as the "English teacher," engaging in an interactive lesson where they teach each other. The roles of teacher and student are reversed, fostering interaction on a completely equal footing. 
• Key PointsLearning from peers allows you to learn casual expressions and interjections that you wouldn't learn from textbooks. Furthermore, not only does it improve your cross-cultural understanding and communication skills, but experiencing the role of "teacher" also deepens your understanding of the language, which is a significant advantage in language learning. 

 

⑨ Online international exchange simulating a "tour guide" scenario

• MessageActivities conducted in collaboration with partner schools overseas. First, students create and exchange videos introducing their respective cities in English. After watching the videos, they interact using an online conferencing system, directly exchanging questions and comments about the video content in English. 
• ポイント: While this may be challenging for beginner-level students, it's a practical activity that requires them to utilize all their existing knowledge to communicate in real time with the person in front of them. Rather than speaking perfect English, it cultivates the ability to "communicate" by creatively combining known expressions and gestures. Such activities also require facilitation skills from the instructor to prevent imbalances in participation.  

 

⑩ Overseas field research (study tour)

• MessagePrior to the lesson, research the textbook topic (environmental issues, poverty, etc.) and formulate your own hypothesis. Then, actually travel abroad, observe the local situation, and conduct interviews to verify whether your hypothesis is correct. 
• Key PointsThis allows students to engage in PBL (Problem-Based Learning), where they think about issues themselves, rather than just having fun on their school trip. Furthermore, by connecting events and problems from distant parts of the world with the people and lifestyles they encounter locally, students can develop a sense of ownership and find opportunities to increase their motivation to contribute to society.

*Furthermore, successful implementation requires collaboration with professional travel agencies, meticulous safety management, and the understanding of parents and guardians. 

 

Summary | Let's start with easy active English learning.  

Incorporating active learning into English lessons requires ingenuity and presents many challenges.

However, the activities I've introduced offer many benefits that cannot be gained simply by memorizing knowledge. They help develop the attitude of "trying to communicate using the expressions you already have" without striving for perfect English, and by looking at issues in your immediate society and the world, your ability to think for yourself and explore naturally grows.

You don't need to launch a big project right from the start. Why not begin with simple activities in your daily lessons, such as having students share their thoughts in pairs or quizzing each other on small topics? I hope this article will be helpful as a hint for gradually increasing opportunities for students to actively use English in the classroom.

 

There are time constraints that prevent professors from handling high-quality program design and negotiations with overseas partners on their own.

That's why collaboration with specialist companies is necessary.

By entrusting the complex arrangements and safety management to professionals, teachers can focus on their primary role of "facilitating students."

We will introduce implementation steps tailored to your school's educational philosophy, along with numerous practical examples.

If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

 

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