This warmer is appropriate for a class that already knows each other quite well. In essence, the students to greet each other, and pay each other a compliment. Getting so many compliments in such a short space of time feels good, even when the compliments are contrived. It also feels a bit silly, which allows the students to laugh and relax together – perfect for communicating in their L2. The activity comes from a great book I recently acquired by Jill Hadfield, called Classroom Dynamics (where it’s called Crazy Compliments.)

Materials required: students and post-it notes (the same number as there are students).

• Write on each post-it note an instruction to give a compliment, eg. “say something nice about my eyes,” “say something nice about my smile,” “say something nice about my pronunciation,” etc.
• Stick one on the back of every student and explain that they are going to mingle…