Video-Based ESL Speaking Tasks That Need a Real Decision
2026-10-30 · ListenFlow Team
A useful video-based ESL speaking task gives learners a reason to use what they understood. Set an outcome, require relevant evidence from the source, and give the listener something to decide or clarify. “What do you think?” can start a conversation, but a decision brief makes the final task easier to prepare and assess.
This guide is for adult ESL tutors who want the speaking stage to build on the video rather than drift into unrelated conversation.
If you need a starting lesson, explore ListenFlow's ready video Library. Review the source and existing tasks before deciding which speaking outcome fits your learner.
Define what students will accomplish
Choose an outcome you can observe: recommend an option, negotiate a change, resolve a complaint or agree a plan.
The British Council's guidance on evaluating speaking describes decision-making tasks as a way to give discussion a clearer focus. The classroom brief below applies that idea; it is a teaching proposal, not a validated assessment.
Write the outcome before collecting discussion questions. Recommend one place for a colleague to work for an afternoon is clearer than discuss cafés.
Make the source necessary
Use this original source summary for the worked example:
Place A costs €6 for the afternoon, has reliable Wi-Fi and closes at 17:00. Place B is free, closes at 19:00 and has no Wi-Fi. Both have quiet tables.
These are invented planning facts, not claims about real venues or a ListenFlow lesson. For a real video, replace them with facts you have checked against the recording.
The learner's client needs to join an online meeting from 16:00 to 17:30. Ask the learner to recommend an option or explain why neither fully works.
A generic answer such as “A is better because it is nice” does not meet the brief. A stronger answer identifies that A closes too soon and B lacks the required connection. The student might propose another location or a verified workaround; they should state any new information they would need.
The video now matters because its details constrain the decision.
Give the learner a complete task card
Role: You are helping a colleague choose a workspace.
Goal: Recommend a workable arrangement for the full meeting.
Use: At least two relevant facts from the source.
Constraint: Your colleague cannot leave during the call.
Preparation: Note the options, the problem and one clarification question.
Listener's job: Ask about one practical risk before accepting the recommendation.
Finish: Agree a plan or name the missing information that prevents a decision.
A student can complete this without using sophisticated vocabulary. Judge whether the message works before turning the task into a grammar demonstration.
Move from support to a real exchange
Start by checking the source facts. Ask learners to identify the closing time and connection details, with a replay where needed.
Then model the reasoning briefly: A has Wi-Fi, but it closes before the meeting ends. Ask which fact causes the problem. This connects the language of contrast to a communicative purpose.
Offer a small phrase bank:
- “It would work if…”
- “The main problem is…”
- “Could we check whether…?”
Let the learner prepare notes, then hide the model answer during the conversation if appropriate. Notes should support a decision rather than become a script to read.
In one-to-one teaching, the tutor plays the colleague and asks a real follow-up: “What happens if the connection fails?” In pairs, give the listener a concern to raise, then swap roles. Both people need a job.
Repeat with a changed condition
Change the meeting to 14:00–15:00. Place A now fits both the opening hours and Wi-Fi requirement, assuming the colleague accepts the cost.
Ask the learner to revise the recommendation. If they repeat “neither works” without reconsidering the details, return to the changed condition. Repeating the same speech would not demonstrate adapting the message.
Avoid adding five new constraints at once. The aim is to create another reason to communicate, not to overwhelm the learner with a logic puzzle.
Review content and language separately
| Review question | Evidence to listen for |
|---|---|
| Was the source understood? | Correct use of times, costs and connection details |
| Did the recommendation meet the need? | A plan covering the entire call |
| Did the speaker handle uncertainty? | A clarification question or a stated assumption |
| Was the message clear? | A reason the listener could follow |
| What language needs another attempt? | One useful correction or reformulation |
Do not penalise every hesitation while the learner is solving the problem. Select a small language focus for a second attempt and keep the communicative goal intact.
For how this stage connects to earlier work, see the pre-, while- and post-listening framework.
Use a ready lesson without giving up the decision
ListenFlow offers video lessons with scenes, activities and homework. A ready lesson can provide the context; you still check the source, choose a suitable speaking outcome and decide how much support to offer. The example above is not a claim about an automatic task feature.
Browse the ListenFlow Library, review a lesson for your next class, and use the teacher signup option if it fits your teaching. The current subscription offer is shown on the destination page.