Use these 10 fun conversation topics in your next TEFL/ESL class to get your teens talking about topics that aren’t too childish or mature.

Jump to the topics by clicking the links below.

Media

1. Does your family subscribe to streaming services? If yes, which ones?
2. What are your opinions on streaming services in general and specific streaming services? Why?
3. Are you watching any TV shows right now?
4. Are you an anime or manga fan? Why or why not?
5. Is anime or manga popular at your school? With whom is it popular?
6. Are your or any of your friends comic book fans? What’s your opinion on comics? If you like them, which comics do you like?
7. What’s your favorite type of music? If you don’t have a favorite type, do you have any singers or bands that you like?
8. Are you a K-pop fan? Why or why not?
9. Other popular music around the world is mandopop, J-pop, reggaeton, and band. Do you like any of those styles? Which ones have you heard of it? Which have you never heard of?
10. Are you a book reader? If yes, what genre, authors, or recent books have you liked?
11. What’s your opinion of “stans” or “super fans?” Why? 
12. What are some positives and negatives to being a “super fan”?

Independence

1. Should teenagers have jobs? Why or why not?
2. At what age should teenagers begin thinking about where they are going to college or what type of job they will have after high school? Why that age?
3. Would you consider your parents more permissive or more strict? Why? 
4. What type of parents are best? Why?
5. Do you think parents should track where their teenage children are via an app on their phone? Why or why not?
6. Is it fair for parents to ask for passwords to their teenagers’ phones, social media accounts, laptops, etc? Why or why not?
7. Should teens have responsibilities in the house, such as chores? Why or why not?
8. Do you have any household responsibilities?
9. At what age should teenagers or children be allowed to stay home alone? Why?
10. Do you agree with your country’s age limits on things like driving, voting, joining the military, and drinking? Why or why not?
11. Do you feel independent? Why or why not?
12. Would you like to have more independence? Why or why not?

Classroom

1. What type of teachers are your favorite? Why?
2. What type of teachers are your least favorite? Why?
3. Do you think your classes have good classroom dynamics? Does everyone get along and is everyone comfortable in the classroom? Why or why not?
4. Does your school have policies against bullying? If yes, what are they? If not, what should your school do instead?
5. Do you think your teachers ever “play favorites?” If yes, why? If not, do you think your teachers are good at treating students equally? Why?
6. What’s your opinion of school lunches? Why?
7. Does your school have enough break time? Why or why not?
8. Are there any school rules that you wish you could change? If yes, what are they?
9. How do you feel about your school building? Why?
10. What types of school events does your school have?
11. Which of these school events do you like? Why?
12. Which school events do you dislike? Why?
13. If you could add more school events to your school year, what would they be and why?
14. Have you ever been on a school trip? If yes, where did you go?
15. Do you have any upcoming school trips? Where will you be going? Are you looking forward to the trip?

Influencers and Social Media

1. Do you have Tiktok account? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever or would you like to upload Tiktoks? Why or why not?
3. Do you upload regularly to any other social media? If yes, which apps? If not, why not?
4. Are you into watching Youtube? Why or why not?
5. If you like Youtube, what do you subscribe to?
6. Do you have any favorite influencers? Why or why not?
7. Do social media personalities have any affect on you? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever been influenced to purchase something? If yes, what is it? If not, how do you decide what things you need/want to buy?
9. Do you think too much screen time can be dangerous? Why or why not?
10. Would you or would you not like to cut down on your screen time? Why or why not?
11. Do you know what algorithms are? What do you think your algorithms “feed” you? (For example, maybe your Tiktok “For You” page is full of animal and sports videos.)
12. Are algorithms a positive or negative thing? Why? 
13. There are concerns that teens have too much access to dangerous content on the internet nowadays. Do you think those concerns are valid? Why or why not?
14. If you had to give up your phone for 24 hours, would you find it easy or difficult? Why? What about a week?

Sports

1. Do you follow sports? If yes, which ones? Who are your favorite teams/players? Why?
2. Do you play any sports? If yes, what do you play? If not, do your friends and family play any sports? What do they play?
3. Does your school have any sports teams? If yes, what are they? How good are your school’s teams?
4. What sports are most popular in your town or country? Why?
5. Are there any famous rivalries where you live? If yes, what are they? If not, have you heard of any famous sports rivalries?
6. Do you know any huge sports fans? Who are they? What sports are they into?
7. What are the pros and cons of being into sports?
8. Are there any traditions around sports in your town or country? For example, do people have parties to watch “the big game?” Or is it popular for people to dress up on the way to a sporting event? What traditions have you heard of or noticed?
9. Some sports fans take their enthusiasm too far and they can become rowdy or aggressive. Do you think this is a common problem where you live? If yes, can you give an example? If not, how would you describe the behavior of most sports fans where you live?
10. If you could be a super star in any sport, what sport would you choose and why?
11. If you could meet any athlete, who would you meet and why?

Childhood

1. Do you think there’s a big difference between being a child and a teen? Why or why not?
2. What are some things that you do now that are different from when you were in elementary school? Do you like these changes? Why or why not?
3. What were your hobbies as a child? And what are your hobbies now?
4. If you could go back to a younger age, would you? Why or why not?
5. If you could send your younger self a message, what would you say? Why?
6. What were some popular games at your school when you were younger? 
7. What were some popular toys when you were in elementary school, kindergarten, or preschool? Do you think kids still like those toys now?
8. What was the best gift you received as a child? Why was it the best?
9. Now that you’re older, do you still get along with children, such as little siblings or younger students at school? Why or why not?
10. Did you have any unusual interests as a kid? If yes, what were they? If not, do you know any friends or family who had unusual hobbies or interests as a kid?
11. What TV shows or movies were you into as a kid? Do these make you feel nostalgic now? 
12. Did your family go on any vacations when you were a child? Where did you go? What did you think of the vacation? If not, was there anywhere you wanted to go? Why?

Friendship

1. How did you meet your best friend?
2. Describe your best friend. 
3. Do you and your friends have the same hobbies or interests? Why or why not?
4. What do you and your friends like to do together when you hang out?
5. Is it easy to hang out with your friends as a teen? Why or why not?
6. What’s the best way to meet friends? Why?
7. Do you think it’s important to have friends in class? Why or why not?
8. Are you friends with your siblings or cousins? Why or why not?
9. Is it important to you to have a lot of friends on social media? Why or why not?
10. How do you like to communicate with your friends? Why?
11. Do you see your friends during summer or winter vacation? If yes, where do you see them? What do you do? If not, do you keep in touch some other way?
12. Has your friend group changed a lot from childhood to now? If yes, how so? If not, when did you meet most of your friends?
13. Who are your parents best friends? How did your parents meet those friends?
14. Do you have any long-distance friends? If yes, who are they? When do you see or communicate with that friend? If not, would you like to have a long-distance friend? Why or why not?

Aesthetics

1. Is fashion important to you? Why or why not?
2. Do you think teenagers tend to wear similar fashion? Why or why not?
3. Do you think adults tend to wear similar fashion? Why or why not?
4. Are there any big fashion no-nos right now? (Is there any type of clothing that if you wore it, people would be surprised or laugh?) Why or why not?
5. Are there any “must-haves” to be trendy right now? (For example, any water bottles that everyone uses, any special shoes or socks that everyone wears, any keychains that most people have, etc.)
6. Do you think Tiktok and social media have a big influence over peoples’ fashion choices? Why or why not?
7. Describe your bedroom. Do you like how it is decorated? Why or why not?
8. What would your ideal bedroom look like? Why?
9. Is there any particular aesthetic that you gravitate towards? (For example, are most things you own girly, minimalistic, purely functional, neutral, brightly colored, etc.)
10. Would you say that you have a particular hair style? If yes, what is it?
11. Is your hair important to you? Why or why not? 
12. Are you into makeup? Why or why not? If yes, what type of makeup are you into?

Spending

1. Do you get an allowance or make your own money? If yes, do you think it’s enough? If not, do you feel that you need or deserve an allowance? Why?
2. What are the most popular ways for people your age to make money?
3. What do you think most teenagers spend their money on? Why?
4. What’s the last thing you bought? (Or that someone bought for you?)
5. Have you ever bought things online? If yes, what have you bought?
6. What do you think about online fast fashion brands like Shein or Temu? Why?
7. Are there any popular drinks or foods that you or your peers like to buy? If yes, what are they? If not, what kind of food and drink do you usually have?
8. If you had a spare $20 USD that you could spend how you wanted right now, what would you spend it on? Why?
9. Who is the big spender in your family? Why?
10. Do you think you’re responsible with money? Why or why not?
11. Are your hobbies expensive or cheap? Why?
12. Have you ever found money before? If yes, what did you do when you found the money?

Justice

1. Do you think students should be punished for not doing their homework? Why or why not?
2. How about falling asleep in class? Why or why not?
3. Have you ever gotten in trouble at school? If yes, did you think the consequences were fair? Why or why not?
4. Do you think your parents’ punishments are usually fair? Why or why not?
5. Do you agree with the phrase “an eye for an eye?” Why or why not?
6. Celebrities who do something unpleasant are often “canceled.” Do you think this is fair punishment? Why or why not?
7. 18 years old is usually the cut-off age for jail-time in a lot of countries, meaning that younger teenagers won’t go to jail for commiting a crime, but older ones will. Do you think 18 is a fair cut-off age? Why or why not?
8. Some people say that rich people can “get off scot-free.” Do you think that’s true? Why or why not?
9. Is there anything that you think the government needs to crack down on? If yes, what would you like the government to do?
10. If people your age were in charge of the world, do you think the world would be better or worse? Why?