Sometimes it’s hard to get younger students to start talking. I have often struggled to think of things to say that might interest them and motivate them to speak online or in class. Most of these questions are just fun or interesting topics. Very light-hearted. Feel free to add more if you think of any! Here are 10 topics which have worked for me in the past. Use these conversation topics to get children and teenagers talking in your online class or face-to-face.

1. Video games

1. Do you like to play video games? What video games do you like to play?
2. Do you prefer to play on PC or on a console? Why?
3. Do you play single-player or multiplayer games? Which do you prefer? Why?
4. What is your favorite game of all time? What is it about? Is it hard to play?
5. Some people think video games are a waste of time. What do you think about that?
6. What do you think video games will be like in the future?
7. Do you think VR (virtual reality) will be more popular in the future? Why?
8. If you could make your own game, what would it be about? How would you play it?
9. Are there any games your friends like but you don’t? Why?
10. What are some popular games recently? Why do you think they are so popular now?
11. Do you ever play video games on your phone? What about your tablet? What games do you play?
12. What are the best phone/tablet games? Why?
13. Can you play multiplayer games on your phone? How?
14. Is it easier to play on a computer, console, or a phone? Why?
15. Would you like to be a video game designer? Why?
16. Do you think video game designers make a lot of money?
17. Do you like to watch people playing games on the internet? What website do you use to watch them?
18. Have you ever watched a video game tournament? Which game was it?
19. Do you have a favorite video game player? Who is it?
20. Would you like to play video games on the internet (Let’s play)? Why?

2. School

1. Do you like going to school? Why?
2. Do you prefer classes online or face-to-face?
3. What are some pros and cons of online classes?
4. What about the pros and cons of face-to-face classes?
5. If you were the president, what would you change about schools?
6. What are your classmates like? Are they talkative or quiet?
7. What do you do after school? Do you do any extracurricular activities? Why?
8. How long are your classes? Do you think they should be longer or shorter?
9. What time do you start and finish school? Do you think that is too short or too long? Why?
10. If you could go to school in another country, which country would you go to? Why?
11. Do you think schools should use more technology? Why?
12. Are you allowed to use your phone or computer in school?
13. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using technology at school?
14. Do you think cellphones help or distract you from studying? Why?
15. Do you think there should be a technology class in school? Why?
16. How often do you study? Do you think you should be studying more?
17. Do you always do your homework?
18. Do you think you get too much or too little homework? Why?

3. Future

1. Do you want to have the same job as your mom or dad? Why?
2. What do you want to be in the future? Why?
3. Where do you want to live in the future? Why?
4. When you’re an adult, do you want pets? Why or why not?
5. What do your friends want to do in the future?
6. What age do you think is the best age to move out of your parent’s house?
7. What age do you think you will be an adult? Why?
8. What do you think the cars of the future will look like? What about phones? And video games?
9. What are you most excited for about the future? Why?
10. Do you think it is important to think about the future or do you think it is better to think about the present? Why?

4. Aliens

1. Do you think aliens exist?
2. What would you do if you saw an alien?
3. What do you think aliens would look like? Why?
4. Do you think that aliens would be friendly or aggressive? Why?
5. If an alien asked you to come to space in its spaceship, what would you say? Why?
6. Do you think it’s better to be alone in the universe or for aliens to exist? Why?
7. If aliens could grant wishes, what would you wish for?
8. What kind of technology do you think advanced aliens might have?
9. If you could fly a spaceship, would you? Why?
10. Why do you think no aliens have ever contacted Earth?

5. Movies

1. Do you like watching movies?
2. Do you like going to the movie theatre or do you prefer to watch movies at home?
3. Do you ever get DVDs, or do you prefer to use streaming services? What streaming services do you use?
4. What’s your favorite movie of all time? What is it about? Who stars in it?
5. What type of movie do you like? (Action, animated, comedy, etc.)
6. Do you have a favorite actor or actress? Who is it and why do you like them?
7. What was the last movie you watched? What did you think about it?
8. Do you like horror movies? Why? What’s the scariest movie you have ever watched?
9. What do you think is usually better, the movie or the book? Why?
10. If you could make a movie, what movie would you make?

6. Websites and Apps

1. How much time do you usually spend online per day?
2. How do you usually get online? Phone, tablet, computer, or laptop?
3. What are your favorite websites? What are those websites for?
4. Do you often use the apps on your phone? What apps do you use?
5. What social media apps are popular nowadays? Why do you think they are popular?
6. Would you like to be a web designer or computer programmer? Why?
7. What are some safety rules that you know about using the internet?
8. What age do you think children should get their first cellphone? Why?
9. Are you good at using programs like photoshop and video editing software? How did you learn? What is the best way to learn?
10. Do you think YouTube is a good place to learn something new?
11. If you could make an app, what would it do?
12. If you could make a website, what would it do?
13. If you could make a YouTube channel, what would it be about?

7. TV Series

1. Do you like watching TV series?
2. Which cartoons do you like? Why?
3. What TV shows did you like when you were very little? Do you still like them?
4. Do you prefer watching series on your phone, tablet, computer, or TV?
5. What streaming services do you use? Which is your favorite? Why?
6. What series are you watching at the moment? What are they about?
7. Do you like watching anime? What anime do you like to watch?
8. Do you like to watch sports on TV? Why or why not?
9. Do you like to watch the news on TV? Why or why not?
10. Do your parents/grandparents/etc. have any rules about watching TV? What are they?
11. Do you prefer watching series by yourself or with other people? Why?
12. What is better, TV or YouTube? Why?
13. Who likes TV the most in your family? Why?

8. Fashion and Shopping

1. Is fashion important for you? Why?
2. What’s the coolest look? Skater, surfer, rocker, punk etc…? What do you think?
3. Who is the most fashionable person you know? Why do you think so?
4. If your friend were asking you for fashion advice so they could look cooler, what would you tell them?
5. What’s your favorite item of clothing you own? Why?
6. Do you like shopping?
7. How often do you go shopping?
8. Who do you go shopping with?
9. What do you think people will be wearing in the future?
10. What do you think about jewelry? Do you like wearing it? Why?
11. What do you think about hats? Do you like wearing hats? Why?

9. Chores and Responsibilities

1. Do you have to help your parents around the house? What do you usually help with?
2. How clean is your room? Do your parents make you clean it?
3. Do you have to help your parents cook? Do you know how to cook?
4. What about the dishes, do you have to wash the dishes?
5. Do you have to take care of any pets? If yes, what do you do for your pets?
6. Do you help take care of younger siblings? If yes, how do you help?
7. What’s your least favorite chore? Why?
8. What’s your favorite chore? Why?
9. Who does the most chores in your family? What does that person do?
10. Do you think in the future that we will have robots who do our chores for us? Why or why not?

10. Pets

1. Do you have any pets? Would you like to have any pets?
2. Do you think pets are hard to take care of? Why?
3. What’s better, cats or dogs?
4. How many pets would you like to have? Why?
5. Do you think having pets is expensive? What do you like to buy for your pets?
6. What do you think about small pets like fish and birds?
7. Have you ever met someone with an “exotic” pet, like a lizard, peacock, or something strange? If yes, what was it? If not, what’s your opinion of strange pets?
8. Do you think people who live in apartments should have pets? Is there enough space for the pets?
9. When your dog goes to the bathroom, what do you do with the poo? Do you pick it up or leave it?
10. What is your favorite dog breed? What about cats, what is your favorite cat breed?

I wrote these discussion topics aimed at young learners and I hope they helped your students talk. If you have any more suggestions write them down in the comments and I’ll add them.

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