Treat Your Students to a Quote-of-the-Day

Everyone has a favourite quote. Quotes are useful to teachers because they act as easy discussion starters. Students can offer opinions about what they think a quote means, what they think inspired a person to have the original thought, and what modern day situations apply. Quotes also offer a unique opportunity to explore new vocabulary and usage.

As teachers, we are often looking for transitional activities to ease into a lesson. Offering a quote of the day can be a great way to align your students’ attention at the beginning of the day or after a break. You can even give your students the opportunity to rate the quote. (Offer the #1 quote a prime spot in the classroom until it is beaten out by another.) Remind students that they will often have opportunities in life to share their favourite quotes, such as in a job interview, during a wedding speech, in a college essay, or on a loved one’s birthday card.

There are dozens of websites that offer quotes on a variety of subjects, including a growing collection of quotes right here on EnglishClub. However, don’t feel that you need to do all of the work. Invite students to bring in their own favourite quotes to share with the class. Quote-of-the-day can be used in a way that is similar to “show and tell” for young learners.

Even adult learners thrive on routine activities such as the presentation and discussion of a quote, slang expression or idiom-of-the-day. EnglishClub also offers regular readings and exercises such as this week in history or Listen&Learn.

What’s your favourite quote?