Survey Activity

A survey activity is a classroom task in which students create and/or conduct surveys, asking classmates questions, recording answers, and reporting results. It naturally integrates question formation, speaking, listening, note-taking, and often writing and presenting, making it one of the most effective Integrated Skills activities.

Procedure

1. Preparation: students write survey questions (or receive pre-made questions at lower levels)
2. Conducting: students move around the room (Mingle Activity format) asking classmates and recording responses
3. Collating: students organise and tally their data
4. Reporting: students present findings to a partner, group, or the class

Language Opportunities

Skill/Area	What students practise
Speaking	Asking questions, follow-up questions, responding
Listening	Processing answers in real time
Writing	Question formation, note-taking, report writing
Reading	Reading others' questions or written reports
Grammar	Question forms (Do you...? Have you ever...? How often do you...?)
Vocabulary	Topic-specific lexis
Functional language	Thanking, clarifying, checking understanding

Why It Works

• Genuine Information Gap: students do not know what their classmates will answer, creating a real reason to listen
• Movement: the mingle format energises the class
• Repetition with variety: students ask the same questions multiple times but get different answers; natural recycling of target language
• Student-generated content: when learners write their own questions, they invest more in the activity
• Personalisation: questions are about real opinions, experiences, and preferences

Variations

Variation	Description
Find someone who...	Students find classmates matching specific criteria ("Find someone who has been abroad")
Class census	Collecting factual data for analysis (favourite food, travel experience, daily routine)
Opinion survey	Questions about views and preferences; results lead to discussion
Expert interview	Students survey each other on areas of personal expertise
Before/after survey	Conduct the same survey before and after a lesson/unit to measure change in opinion or knowledge

Controlled vs Free Versions

• Controlled: teacher provides the questions; students focus on accurate delivery and recording. Suitable for practising specific question forms (e.g., present perfect: "Have you ever...?")
• Semi-controlled: teacher provides the topic and question stems; students complete the questions
• Free: students design their own survey from scratch on a given topic; develops fluency and autonomy

Teaching Tips

1. Model the interaction: demonstrate how to ask, respond, and record before students begin
2. Set a minimum number of respondents: "Ask at least 5 different people"
3. Include follow-up questions: "Ask one follow-up question after each answer" prevents mechanical questioning
4. Provide a recording grid: a simple table helps students organise responses
5. Build in a reporting stage: the survey gains purpose when students share findings; otherwise it feels pointless
6. Use for grammar practice: surveys are an excellent way to practise question forms in a meaningful context (far more effective than workbook exercises)

Common Pitfalls

• Questions too difficult: lower-level learners need pre-written or heavily scaffolded questions
• No reporting stage: without it, the activity lacks closure and purpose
• Chaos without structure: establish movement patterns and time limits before starting
• L1 use: in monolingual classes, the temptation to switch to L1 is high during mingle activities; monitor actively