problem solving activity esl

Problem-Solving ESL Lesson

A structured approach to problem solving, student level.

Downloads: 1119

Video Length: 2:30

Updated on: 07/16/2024

Lesson Time: 1–2 hrs.

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Problem-Solving ESL Lesson Description

Objective & overview.

This problem-solving lesson plan provides activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for intermediate B1 students. In this lesson, students will:

Engage in discussions about problem-solving
Learn vocabulary terms and phrases related to problem-solving
Watch an educational video about a problem-solving method
Learn and use some phrases related to problem-solving methodology
Partake in a communicative problem-solving workshop

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

In the first part of this ESL lesson plan on problem solving, students view some images depicting people having a variety of problems. In the activity, they discuss how complex or simple the problems would be to solve.

Then, students discuss some topics about problem solving, and whether or not they agree or disagree with them.

In the final activity of the preview section, students imagine a mental health professional is giving tips on how to solve problems. They use some provided vocabulary terms to help them come up with some tips the expert may be suggesting.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

In the second part of this ESL lesson on problem solving, students watch a video about a method for solving problems.

In the first listening activity, students list the tips the mental health expert gives in order from 1 - 7.

The viewing activity concludes with an exercise for students to complete the problem-solving tips the woman gives using the correct adjective. In addition, there is an exercise featuring true or false statements based on the information in the video.

DISCUSSION & VOCABULARY

After students watch the video, there are a few discussion questions about the video.

The next part of the lesson is focused on useful phrases students could use in each problem solving step the woman recommended in the video. Students categorize the phrases based on which step these phrases apply to.

In the last part, students imagine they have a problem with work-life balance. They use the phrases in Part 2 to brainstorm solutions, evaluate the pros/cons, and choose the least worst solution.

PROBLEM-SOLVING WORKSHOP

In this communicative ESL activity, students will engage in a problem-solving workshop designed to enhance their critical thinking and collaborative skills. In Option A, students begin by identifying a problem they face, which can be real or imaginary, such as a conflict at work or school, low motivation, lack of social life, difficulty learning a skill, managing stress, or another issue of their choice. Working with a classmate or their teacher, they share the problems identified and use a problem-solving board to guide their discussion. The board includes steps to identify the problem, brainstorm solutions, evaluate the pros and cons of each solution, and choose the least worst solution.

In Option B, students select topics they find interesting and discuss them with a classmate or their teacher. They will talk about a current problem and possible solutions, a time they devised a creative solution, a problem solved through teamwork, a problem they handled in school or work, a problem they helped someone else solve, and a difficult problem that taught them an important lesson. This activity fosters practical language use, encourages sharing personal experiences, and promotes collaborative problem-solving, making it an engaging and beneficial exercise for advanced ESL learners.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS PROBLEM-SOLVING ESL LESSON

Enhanced Critical Thinking Skills:

Students engage in activities that require identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, and evaluating pros and cons, fostering critical thinking.

Improved Vocabulary and Phrases:

The lesson introduces specific vocabulary and phrases useful for problem-solving.

Real-World Application:

By discussing real or imaginary problems, students can relate the lesson to their own lives, making the learning experience more relevant and practical.

Collaborative Learning:

Working with classmates or teachers in the problem-solving workshop promotes teamwork and collaborative learning, essential skills in both academic and professional settings.

Active Listening Skills:

The viewing activity and subsequent discussions enhance students’ listening comprehension and ability to extract key information from spoken English.

Video Description

Lesson activities.

Images, Discussion Questions, Agree / Disagree Statements, Prediction

Sequencing Tips, Gap-fill Listening, True / False Statements

Images, Phrases for problem-solving methodology

Problem-Solving Worksop

Lesson Topics

Problem Solving

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Problem solving speaking activity

Students work in pairs or small groups trying to find solutions to 5 different problems. It is a good opportunity to practice the second conditional ( I would…, If I were in this situation …), modal verbs ( should, might, mustn’t etc.) and negotiating (agreeing/disagreeing/expressing your opinion/asking about your partner’s opinion).

To practice agreeing and disagreeing please see Problem Solving Part 2 , School Problems , Moral Dilemmas , Workplace Dilemmas and Parental Decisions activities.

Personal Experience

I have used this activity both with adult and teenage students, levels intermediate – advanced. It works well as a warm-up (giving the students just one problem) to a regular class, and may also be used during conversation classes (takes around 20 mins.) Make sure to allow some time for the groups to present and compare their ideas at the end of class.

Problem Solving

I am teaching a fifth semester, Modern Languages Program, course at the university level and I found these activities are excellent to have my students speak more and more fluently. Thanks so much for posting them.

Wonderful news, Jhon! I’m so glad to hear my ideas worked out with your students as well.

I would like to take the time and THANK YOU for the ideas and for sharing this material. I am going to use it for sure. I work with teenagers who need to practice the language a lot and when given the proper topic, get engaged in a good discussion. I find your material very useful. Thanks!

Pingback: Problem solving speaking activity: part 2

I just discovered your website, it’s amazing. Thanks so much for sharing !

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Problem solving.

Level: Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

Type of English: Business English

Tags: problems at work problems and solutions declaring and diagnosing a problem making suggestions Situation based

Publication date: 09/09/2011

In this lesson, students learn useful language for handling and solving problems at work. Vocabulary for describing different types of problems and solutions is studied. Students then listen to several dialogues and study the expressions used by the speakers to declare and diagnose a problem as well as make suggestions and take action. At the end of the lesson, there is a role play activity in which the language from the lesson is put into practice. There are two animated videos which can be played instead of the dialogue or given to the student(s) as material to take away.

Problem-solving-Ex3

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The Importance of Teaching Problem-Solving Skills to Students

Let’s talk about why problem-solving skills are the real MVP s in our students’ learning toolkit. Picture this: the world’s like a giant, ever-changing puzzle, right? Our students are going to be the puzzle masters of tomorrow! Whether they’re dreaming of being the next Einstein, a business mogul, or an inspiring educator, problem-solving is their golden ticket.

Now, here’s the cool part – as they flex their problem-solving muscles, they’re also giving their critical thinking skills a major workout. It’s like a brain gym where they learn to make smarter life choices. It’s a huge confidence booster! The Institute of Competition Sciences even says it not only helps students build confidence but also improves their achievement across all subjects.

So, let’s sprinkle our K-12 classrooms with some problem-solving magic and watch our students thrive!”

2. Working on Chemical Equations

Chemistry is all about problem-solving, and you can use it to inculcate these skills in students. Chemistry equations show how atoms and molecules combine to form compounds and mixtures.

A chemical equation shows how to make a product from reactants. However, it doesn’t tell your students what the products are or how much you should use. That’s where their knowledge comes in, as they have to figure out the amounts of each reactant needed for a reaction to take place. This can make them think and try different ways to solve the problem at hand.

Chemical equations can also be used to determine unknowns, like the concentration of a solution. In fact, the subject itself can be complicated enough to make the students start thinking differently. According to a study in the De Gruyter Journal, chemistry students can develop problem-solving skills through chemical kinetics and equations.

For instance, chemical equations need to be written correctly. According to Proprep, symbols of elements in chemistry should be written appropriately. For instance, the symbol of nitrogen is a capital “N,” and cannot be written as a small “n.”

Hence, students will have to pay close attention when learning equations. These attentive skills are vital to help them develop problem-solving behavior. That’s because to solve any problem, students first need to pay close attention to the problem. Only after understanding the problem clearly, can they find a solution for it.

Additionally, you can also make students find Lewis structures for different chemical equations. Similar to the symbols of elements, creating Lewis dot structures for equations can help flow the creative juices of students’ minds. The reason is that there can be many possible ways to create a dot structure for an equation. However, only one of them can be correct.

Suppose you ask them to write HCN Lewis structure. In that case, all three elements – H, C, and N – have different numbers of electrons. The students will first have to calculate the number of electrons and create a bond accordingly to get the HCN Lewis structure .

You can ask them to try by themselves, and then even allow them to use online resources to find an answer. This will again teach them how they can find solutions to different problems they face.

3. Scavenger Hunts: Learning through Exploration

A scavenger hunt is a fun way to engage students in problem-solving. It also provides an opportunity for students to work together, which can help them develop more positive attitudes toward each other.

Here’s how you can set up your scavenger hunt:

Divide your class into teams of four or five students each. If you have fewer than 30 students in your class, consider having teams of three instead. This will give everyone more time during the activity and allow them all access to the materials needed for solving each puzzle.
Give each team a paper copy of its list. You could also create an electronic version that includes links back to various parts of your curriculum. This makes it easier for teachers who aren’t familiar with everything being covered during this exercise. They can just follow along with whatever links lead them to where they need to go next.

Scavenger hunt can be implemented for students of all ages. A study by the International Literacy Association shows that even an ABC scavenger hunt can help students learn new words. Even businesses use scavenger hunts to teach new skills to employees. An article from the Taylor & Francis Online Journal shows that a marketplace scavenger hunt can teach employees about consumer behavior.

4. Solving Puzzles : Exploration Problem Solving Activities

Solving puzzles is a fun way to develop the critical thinking skills of students. It requires them to think outside the box, look at things from different perspectives, and come up with unique solutions. This is an important skill set that will help students in their future careers, whether they choose a STEM or non-STEM field.

Puzzles can be used as part of a lesson on problem solving, or for review and assessment purposes. They can also be used as a warm-up activity before starting work in other subjects, such as math or science.

Here are some ideas for using puzzles in your classroom:

Use puzzles as a way to introduce new topics or reinforce concepts that have already been taught in class. For example, if you’re teaching about patterns in math class, have your students work on a pattern puzzle before moving on to another lesson. Or if you’re working with fractions in science class, have them solve fraction puzzles before moving on to another topic.
Solve puzzles as homework assignments or extra credit options at the end of each week’s lessons. This will enable students to practice what they’ve learned while being encouraged to use their critical thinking skills at home.

5. Brainstorming Sessions: Unleashing Creativity

Brainstorming sessions are vital for developing creative problem-solving skills. These sessions encourage students to think out of the box and come up with innovative solutions. Teachers can facilitate these sessions by posing a problem and allowing students to generate as many solutions as possible, without judgment. This free-flowing exchange of ideas fosters a collaborative and creative learning environment.

6. Role-Playing Scenarios: Real-World Problem-Solving Activities

Role-playing activities are an effective way to simulate real-world problems. By assuming different roles, students can explore various perspectives and develop empathy. For instance, a role-play on environmental issues can help students understand the complexities of ecological conservation and brainstorm sustainable solutions.

7. Technology Integration: Digital Problem-Solving Activities

Incorporating technology into problem-solving activities can greatly enhance the learning experience. Digital tools like coding games, simulation software, and interactive quizzes offer students a modern approach to problem-solving. These tools make abstract concepts tangible and accessible, thereby deepening students’ understanding and engagement.

8. Group Projects: Collaborative Problem-Solving Activities

Group projects are excellent for fostering teamwork and collective problem-solving. By working together, students learn to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and respect different viewpoints. This collaborative approach not only enhances problem-solving skills but also prepares students for teamwork in their future careers.

Cultivating a growth mindset through problem-solving activities is a transformative approach in education. By engaging students in diverse and interactive problem-solving tasks, we equip them with the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the modern world. These activities not only enhance academic performance but also prepare students for lifelong learning and success. As educators, our role is to guide and inspire our students to become confident, creative problem-solvers, ready to face the challenges of the future.

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