Purpose: To provide a limited context within which two learners can practice giving and receiving information in sentences.

Preparation Time:  Varies according to level of students and amount of information on each index card. 

Materials:  Index cards or pieces of paper, one for each student.

Preparation:  Choose a topic.  For example, on each card you could write the name of a country and its population.  This would be a good activity for practicing large numbers.  Or you could write the name of a country or state and its capital city, or a day of the week and an activity. Each card contains factual information that is not in sentence form.  Create at least one card for each student.  Easy cards would have only a few pieces of information that would require simple questions and answers like, “What is your country?” and “What is the population of your country?”  For higher levels, use time lines of various kinds, brief biographical sketches of famous people or add more information to the country cards, such as location, languages spoken, currency used, etc.

Procedure: 

1. Go over the information that students will see on the cards and review vocabulary.  Enlist student help to come up with appropriate questions for gathering the information that is on the cards.  Model the activity with a student.  Write the questions on the board or on paper if appropriate.
2. Give each student a card and give them a few minutes to study it and ask questions.
3. Pair students off. They ask and answer questions of each other or exchange and discuss the information on the cards.
4. When a pair successfully completes the exchange, they break up and find new partners.