We teach languages to give students opportunities to go out into the world and communicate. This week during our #LangChat on Twitter (8 pm Eastern Thursdays), we’ll discuss ideas for task-oriented activities that give students skills they can use in the real world.

I am excited to discuss this topic because I have often found myself struggling to communicate in very simple and common situations. When making plans over the phone, how do you say, “Can you give me a ride?” or “I’ll pick you up.”

What ordinary situations have you been unprepared for in your language experiences, and what activities in the language classroom could have prepared you better?