Just a Minute

Speak for one full minute on a topic without hesitation, repetition or going off subject.

Explain the three rules — no hesitating, no repeating a word you have already said, and stay on the topic.

Give a volunteer a topic card and start the timer.

The rest of the class listens carefully and raises their hand if they spot a violation.

If the teacher agrees with the challenge, the challenger takes over and continues on the same topic.

Whoever is speaking when the minute ends scores a point.

Keep a running total on the board and play until everyone has had at least one turn.

Start with 30 seconds rather than a full minute — one minute is very hard for this age group.

Be generous with hesitation calls at first so children understand the rule before enforcing it strictly.

Choose familiar, personal topics so children have something to say without needing to research.

Model the game yourself first so children understand exactly what is expected.

Thirty seconds — a shorter version that works better for less confident speakers.

Vocabulary focus — the speaker must use five target words from the lesson during their minute.

Question version — instead of a topic, the speaker must answer questions from the class for a full minute.

Partner prep — give pairs two minutes to prepare notes before one speaks to the class.