Round Tables: An EFL activity


Once your students have reached at least an intermediate level, if not advanced, it is indispensable to have them participate in activities that help them sharpen their skills.
One of those activities is a Round Table. Well, if you see the picture we did not exactly have round tables in our classroom but we just put together our desks and that was enough. 
This activity works out better in small groups (the teacher and three or four students). Obviously that means the rest of the class will be somewhat unattended for a while so it is advisable to assign an activity to keep them busy in the meantime.
Each round table session should last 15 to 20 minutes tops so then you can continue with another group. Also each session should begin with a question brought by the teacher which will serve to introduce the theme of the discussion. Something like this could work: "What are the benefits and the problems that Internet has brought to our lives?" Students must be instructed that the main purpose of this activity is to assess their capacity to interact with people other than the teacher who is in this exercise only a moderator. Of course one student must begin for the others to follow. They should ask, agree, disagree, support, refute one another to show they are interacting. If the flow of the discussion falls down the teacher may intervene to keep the discussion enticing and enriching.  
It is an activity that must provide real opportunities to establish genuine and stimulating communication so each of the participants enjoy the activity.        

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