Spoken language topics

Last updated: 15/11/2023
Contributor: Teachit Author
Spoken language topics for GCSE English Language
Main Subject
Key stage
Category
Speaking tasks: Debates and discussions
Resource type
Role play/debate/discussion
Student activity

A comprehensive list of topics suitable for the Spoken Language endorsement component of GCSE English Language, whichever exam board specification you are teaching. 

GCSE English Language students need to develop their debating, presenting, dialogue and speech-writing skills for this non-exam assessment (NEA) in year 10 or year 11.

You'll find a choice of 25 English speaking topics designed to engage and interest young people. These challenging, sometimes controversial and highly topical ideas will help to inspire students to plan, prepare and organise their ideas for their spoken presentation and to anticipate answering questions from peers on their presentation and point of view.

With a range of speaking topics to choose from, including politics, climate change, the education system, celebrity culture and freedom of speech, this resource encourages students to choose three topics that interest them, before selecting their favourite.

Perfect for practice presentations to develop students’ public speaking and spoken English skills and confidence, or for Spoken Language assessments.

Suitable for AQA GCSE English Language, Edexcel English Language, Eduqas WJEC English Language and OCR English Language.

Example speech topics from the resource:

·       Boys and girls are fundamentally different and should be taught separately.

·       Celebrity culture makes us feel worse about ourselves.

·       Charity should be compulsory.

·       Climate change is inevitable.

·       Practical life skills like cookery should be on the curriculum and not English literature.

·       School children should not be encouraged to play contact sports.

·       UK government should pay reparations to countries that suffered from the slave trade.

·       Vegetarianism should be compulsory.

·       We all have the right to erase our own digital footprints.

·       We need incentives to behave well – not penalties for behaving badly.

·       We need more women in parliament.

·       Life is harder today for teenagers than it was for their parents.

All reviews

Have you used this resource?

5

18/11/2020

Intellectually engaging topics that will allow students to really critically engage and develop their understanding of an issue.

Abena Baiden

15/03/2018

5

5

18/11/2020

Intellectually engaging topics that will allow students to really critically engage and develop their understanding of an issue.

Abena Baiden

15/03/2018

5