I love using pictures in my classes. They can be interesting, engaging, and also give students a starting place for talking. One great way to use pictures in your classroom is to use a picture collage. This activity gets students up out of their chairs and talking with different classmates. This activity is also great because it can be adapted and used for a variety of purposes. Below are the basic instructions and some examples.

1. Put together a slide of pictures.
2. Ask students to select a picture that represents themselves in a specific aspect or a picture that represents something you’re talking about or reading about. Some example questions are below.
3. Ask students to stand up and walk around and tell different classmates which picture they chose and why.

Choose a picture that represents how you usually study English.

Choose a picture that represents how you feel as a new person to this country.

Choose a picture that represents how you feel after the first week of class.

Other example questions could be:

1. Choose a picture that you think best represents the character ____ we read about in _____.
2. Choose a picture that best represents your personality.
3. Choose a picture that best represents your morning routine.