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Best Apps for Running ESL Speaking Activities in Class

Mar 5, 2026·5 min read

Here's what happens every time I say "turn to your partner and discuss": three pairs start talking, two students check their phones, and one kid stares at the wall like I asked him to solve quantum physics. ESL speaking activities need structure, and apps can provide it.

After trying dozens of tools over the past two years with my B1 classes in Nashville, these are the six that consistently get students talking.

Why Speaking Activities Are Hard to Manage

Speaking is the one skill where you can't monitor everyone simultaneously. While you're helping one pair, three others might be using their L1 or sitting in silence. Good apps solve this by giving students clear tasks, time pressure, and a reason to stay on topic.

The 6 Apps That Work

1. Flipgrid (now Flip) -- Students record short video responses to your prompts. Everyone speaks. You can review every response later. The shy students who'd never volunteer in class often produce their best work here. Great for homework speaking assignments too.

2. Padlet -- Create a discussion board where students post audio responses. Each student records a 30-60 second answer to a question, then listens to and comments on classmates' posts. It turns speaking into a visible, trackable activity.

3. Twee -- Not a speaking app exactly, but its dialogue generator creates ready-to-use role-play scripts at any CEFR level. Students practice the dialogue, then improvise variations. The scaffolding makes hesitant speakers more willing to try.

4. Kahoot (for debate prep) -- Use Kahoot not for quizzes but for opinion polls. Show a statement, have students vote agree/disagree, then debate their position. The visual results create natural discussion starters.

5. Wheel of Names -- A simple random name selector, but it transforms speaking activities. Students know anyone could be called on, so they actually prepare. Less "can someone volunteer?" and more "everyone think about your answer."

6. Speakly -- AI-powered conversation practice where students talk to a chatbot. It's not a replacement for real conversation, but it's great warm-up practice before pair work. Students feel less anxious after warming up with a non-judgmental AI partner.

The best speaking app is the one that makes silence uncomfortable and talking feel natural. If students have a clear task and a time limit, most of them will speak.

A Speaking Activity Template That Works

  • Generate a dialogue in Twee (2 min)
  • Students practice the dialogue with a partner (5 min)
  • Spin Wheel of Names -- selected pair performs for the class (3 min)
  • Class discusses variations -- "What would you say differently?" (5 min)
  • Record a Flip video response as homework

Total: 15 minutes of actual speaking practice. Every student participates. No dead air.

For more on planning speaking-focused ESL lessons, check out our AI lesson planning tools and tools for creating ESL activity sheets.