“Speed Dating” – information gap speaking

Shared by Adam

This is a typical information gap speaking game based on the idea of speed dating. If you’re not sure what speed dating is: a formalized matchmaking process or dating system whose purpose is to encourage people to meet a large number of new people (Wikipedia).

The idea is that you get a bunch of single people in one room, sit the ladies at tables. Men go from table to table talking with women at each table. The trick is that there’s the time limit of 1 minute (or whatever for that matter) after which men have to move on.

The idea behind speed dating is that you get to know and talk to a lot of people in a very short time. It is the first impression that metters.

In order to reproduce speed dating in a classroom organize the chairs into two rows facing each other. Each student get a slip of paper with their role. They have to talk to each other and find there soulmate. Make sure that students move on after a minute or so…

If you want to introduce the idea of speed dating you can use the picture below (courtesy of BBC). Traditionally, you can ask your English students to describe the picture in pairs and elicit the term “speed dating”.

speed dating…

If you’re fortunate enough to have a DVD player in your classroom you could play a fragment of “Sex and the City” or “Hitch” where speed dating is shown.

Excerpt

Your name is Asia and you are 25 years old. You are divorced and have three children. You were born in Sochaczew, but you decided to move to Warsaw when your ex-husband left you six months ago. You are looking for a caring old bachelor who is never jealous and who can help you financially. [...]