ESL Group Activity - The Dating Game

Looking for a fun speaking activity to practice introductions, asking and answering questions, and discussing hobbies? I have used this spin off of "The Dating Game" in a number of different settings and it is always a hit with students.

Preparation:

1) At home print out the four different sets of characters included in this article. There are four sets of characters, Female Contestants A &B, and Male Contestants A & B. 

2) Cut each set along the dotted lines and put each in a separate envelope.

3) Label the envelopes Female A, Female B, Male A and Male B and put each set in it designated envelope.

4) You will need at least one set for every four students. If you have a large class, you may want to make two sets per each group of four so the game can move faster.

Playing the Game:

1) Explain the concept of "The Dating Game" to students. Draw a diagram on the board showing one female interviewing three male contestants. Explain that in the US there was a TV show called "The Dating Game." Explain that the female is looking to find the best date of the three men she is interviewing. If you are in a more conservative setting, you can change this to "The Marriage Game" and explain that the woman is interviewing potential husbands to find a match.

2) Tell students that they will pretend to be contestants on "The Dating Game." Split students into groups of four. A group of three or five is okay if the numbers don't add up. If male and female students are comfortable mixing and acting out "The Dating Game," you can put one male in a group with three females and one female in a group with three males. If you are in a more conservative settings, keep groups same-sex and ask one member of each group to pretend to be looking for a wife/husband for his/her brother or sister.

3) Pass out the envelopes you have labeled, one to each group. Hand the envelope to the most competent speaker in each group. Tell that student that he/she is the one looking for a date. Ask him/her to take out the biggest paper in the envelope and give the other three members the papers for contestant #1, contestant #2 and contestant #3.