Technology can give students more ways to communicate, reflect, and demonstrate what they know. For English language learners in particular, short video responses can provide valuable speaking practice without the pressure of performing in front of the whole class.
For many years, Flipgrid—later known as Microsoft Flip—was a popular tool for this kind of activity. The standalone Flip platform was retired in September 2024, but the teaching ideas behind it are still highly relevant. Teachers using Microsoft Teams for Education can access Flip video-recording features within assignments, while similar activities can also be adapted to other school-approved video tools.
The important part is not the platform itself. It is how we use video to encourage meaningful communication.
Why Video Responses Work Well for English Language Learners
Speaking in a second or additional language can be intimidating. Some students need more time to organise their thoughts before answering, while others may understand a question but hesitate to speak in front of their classmates.
Recorded responses can reduce some of that pressure. Students have time to prepare, practise, record, listen to themselves and try again.
For EAL learners, this can support:
- speaking confidence;
- pronunciation and fluency;
- vocabulary development;
- listening skills;
- reflection and self-assessment;
- presentation skills.
Video should not replace face-to-face communication. Instead, it can provide another safe opportunity for students to practise before transferring those skills to real classroom conversations.
1. Record a Book Recommendation
After reading a story or graded reader, ask students to record a short recommendation.
For younger or beginner EAL learners, provide sentence starters such as:
My favourite character is…
I liked the story because…
I would recommend this book to…
More advanced learners can summarise the plot, explain their opinions and justify their recommendations.
This combines reading comprehension with authentic speaking practice.
2. Create Speaking Exit Tickets
Exit tickets do not have to be written.
At the end of a lesson, students can record a 30- to 60-second response to a simple question:
What did you learn today?
Which new word can you use in a sentence?
What was difficult?
What would you like to practise again?
For an EAL teacher, these short recordings can reveal much more than whether a student completed a worksheet. They provide an opportunity to hear vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and confidence developing over time.
3. Practise New Vocabulary in Context
Instead of asking students simply to memorise vocabulary, give them a reason to use it.
After learning vocabulary about food, for example, students could record themselves describing their favourite meal. After learning language for feelings, they could describe a situation in which someone might feel excited, worried or disappointed.
For younger learners, even a simple task such as “Show an object and describe it using three words” can provide meaningful language practice.
4. Rehearse Before a Presentation
Standing in front of a class can be challenging, particularly for students who are still developing their English.
A short video rehearsal gives students a chance to practise first. They can listen to their pronunciation, notice where they pause, and decide whether their explanation is clear.
Teachers can also provide focused feedback before the final presentation.
Rather than correcting everything, choose one or two achievable targets, such as speaking more slowly, using complete sentences or pronouncing a particular sound clearly.
5. Tell a Story From a Picture
Images provide excellent support for EAL speaking activities.
Show students an interesting picture and ask them to record a short story about what they see. Beginners might describe people, objects, and actions, while more proficient learners can predict what happened before or what might happen next.
Useful prompts include:
I can see…
The person is…
I think…
Maybe…
Next, they might…
The same activity can be adapted to almost any age or language level.
6. Create Character Interviews and Role-Plays
Video responses can make role-play more accessible to students who are nervous about performing live.
Students might pretend to be a character from a story, a famous historical figure, or someone connected to a topic they are studying.
One student could act as an interviewer while another responds in character.
For English learners, provide the language structures needed before recording. Question frames such as “Why did you…?”, “How did you feel when…?”, and “What happened next?” allow students to focus on communicating rather than inventing every sentence from scratch.
7. Build a Speaking Portfolio
One of the most useful applications of recorded video is documenting progress.
Students can complete a similar speaking activity at different points during the school year. When they compare an early recording with a later one, they may notice improvements in fluency, vocabulary, sentence length, and confidence.
This can make language development visible to students themselves.
A portfolio does not need dozens of recordings. A few carefully selected samples can provide a meaningful picture of progress.
8. Encourage Reflection After Projects
After completing a group project, students often move immediately to the next activity. A short video reflection encourages them to think about the learning process.
Ask questions such as:
What did your group do well?
What was difficult?
What new English did you use?
What would you do differently next time?
For EAL learners, reflection can also build the language needed to talk about learning itself.
9. Give Every Student a Chance to Speak
Perhaps the greatest advantage of recorded responses is simple: every student gets speaking time.
During a whole-class discussion, confident speakers can easily dominate while quieter learners contribute very little. With individual recordings, every student produces language.
This does not mean recorded speaking should replace partner work, group discussions or real conversations. The strongest approach combines them.
A student might first prepare and record an answer, then discuss the same topic with a partner, and finally contribute to a class conversation. In this way, technology becomes a scaffold rather than the final goal.
A Few Tips Before You Start
Keep initial recordings short. Thirty seconds can be enough for beginners.
Provide vocabulary and sentence starters before expecting students to speak independently. Model the activity yourself so learners understand what is expected.
Most importantly, focus feedback on communication rather than perfection. If students become worried about making every sentence grammatically correct, video recording can quickly become stressful instead of supportive.
Schools should also use platforms approved by their institution and follow their own policies for student privacy, accounts and video sharing.
Final Thoughts
Flipgrid may no longer exist as a standalone classroom platform, but the teaching approach it helped popularise remains valuable.
Video responses can give English language learners additional time to think, practise and communicate. Used thoughtfully, they can support speaking development, reflection and confidence while giving teachers another way to observe language progress.
The technology is only the tool. The real value comes from creating purposeful opportunities for students to use English, express their ideas and gradually become more confident communicators.
Inspired in part by Kathryn Nieves, “9 New Ways to Use Flipgrid in the Classroom,” originally published by Edutopia in 2020. The original article discussed classroom applications of Flipgrid before the platform was retired.