Question Card Conversation Ladder

Worked classroom example

Science

Worked example

Question: “Should a school pond be shaded?” A learner states a view, explains how shade may affect water temperature, and answers a partner’s question about other factors such as depth or season.

Format inspiration: Twinkl ESL Resources lists Conversation question cards. This classroom routine, wording and example are original and adapted for EAL teaching.

Teaching sequence

1. Write six open, age-appropriate questions about the current topic. Include at least two that invite different defensible answers; avoid personal questions learners may not wish to answer.
2. Give learners 30 seconds to plan with keywords, a sketch or a familiar-language note. Offer optional stems such as “I think … because …” and “Could you explain …?”
3. Partners take turns answering one question. The listener asks a genuine follow-up or paraphrases one point before responding; then partners switch roles.
4. Ask each learner to answer a new question individually, using one reason or piece of subject evidence.

Try it in your next lesson

Prepare

Prepare six teacher-written questions linked to the current subject topic. Adjust the content to the class’s age, curriculum and language needs.

Classroom task

Choose one open question, plan a response with a claim and reason, then answer a partner’s follow-up question. Swap roles and repeat with a new prompt.

Check independent transfer

Give each learner an unseen question. Collect a short individual answer and check whether it includes a relevant reason and responds to the question.

Collect a response on fresh content and note what the learner can do without the model, partner or prompt.

Teacher language

Which part of your partner’s answer are you responding to? What reason supports your view?

Respond to the learner

Name one part of the response that meets the task, ask one focused question, then give time to revise. Check again on fresh content.

Adjust support and challenge

More support

Preview essential words with an image, brief definition or bilingual note. Offer a model or sentence opening and allow rehearsal before independent work.

Greater independence

Remove one prompt, change the subject example or audience, and ask learners to justify their language choices.

Choose the next step

If the subject idea is secure but the English is unclear, model one useful language relationship. If the idea is uncertain, revisit the subject concept before increasing the language demand.

Format inspiration: Twinkl ESL Resources lists Conversation question cards. This classroom routine, wording and example are original and adapted for EAL teaching.