6 Fun Activities to Make Standardized Test Prep Fun for ESL Students

Standardized reading passages can be tough, especially for ESL students still working on their English skills. But test prep doesn’t have to feel like a chore! With a bit of creativity, you can transform reading practice into something fun and interactive. Here are five of my favorite ways to make reading passages more enjoyable and engaging for your middle school ESL students. These activities will help build the reading skills they need for tests—all while having a great time.

1. Turn the Passage into a Comic Strip

What It Is:
This is a blend of reading comprehension and creativity! After students read the passage, they’ll break it down into key scenes and turn each part into a comic strip panel.

How to Do It:
Have students pick the main events and characters in the story and draw them as comic panels. They can add speech bubbles to show character dialogue or thought bubbles for emotions, and even sound effects like "WHOOSH!" or "BAM!" for dramatic moments. I find that allowing students to summarize each scene in their own words helps them retain details and makes the story more memorable.

Why It Works:
This is ideal for visual learners who benefit from “seeing” the story unfold. Plus, by putting the story into their own words, they’re practicing summarizing—a skill that’s crucial for standardized tests. And let’s be honest, creating comics makes reading way more fun!

2. Passage Scavenger Hunt

What It Is:
Turn reading into a scavenger hunt! Give students a list of words, details, or phrases to find in the passage. Find Ready-Made Scavenger Hunts Here!

How to Do It:
Create a list of things for students to locate—like vocabulary words, main ideas, or specific phrases. Set a time limit to make it feel like a game. You can even make it competitive by having students work in pairs or groups. Once they’ve completed the hunt, discuss their findings together to reinforce their understanding.

Why It Works:
This activity helps students pay close attention to details, something they’ll need for test day. The scavenger hunt format makes reading feel like an adventure and encourages them to focus on specific parts of the passage.

3. Role Play the Passage

What It Is:
Get your students out of their seats and into character with this role-playing activity! Acting out scenes from the passage adds energy and excitement to reading comprehension practice.

How to Do It:
Divide the class into pairs or small groups, and assign each group a character or scene from the passage. Let students read through their section and plan their performance. They can add their own dialogue or actions based on their character’s personality. If students feel shy, allow them to work in smaller groups, so they feel comfortable.

Why It Works:
Role-playing lets students connect with the material on a deeper level, especially if they’re more comfortable expressing themselves through movement. It also helps them practice speaking and listening skills, while making comprehension practice more interactive and fun.

4. Story Retell Relay

What It Is:
This is a high-energy activity that gets students moving while they work on their comprehension skills. In the Story Retell Relay, students summarize the passage one section at a time in small groups.

How to Do It:
Split students into groups and assign each group a section of the passage. The first student reads their section and summarizes it for the next person, who then reads their own section and summarizes it for the next, and so on. The last student summarizes the whole passage for the group or class.

Why It Works:
This relay encourages students to listen carefully and understand the passage as a whole. It’s also a great way to incorporate teamwork, which builds communication skills while keeping them engaged and moving.

5. Passage Puzzle

What It Is:
Turn the passage into a puzzle by cutting it into sections that students need to put back together in the correct order.

How to Do It:
Print out the passage and cut it into paragraphs or smaller sections. Students work in pairs or groups to arrange the pieces in the correct order. To make it more challenging, you can add multiple puzzles or mix up similar sections. As they put the pieces back in order, encourage students to explain why they think each piece fits where it does.

Why It Works:
This puzzle activity reinforces sequencing and helps students understand text structure, which is key for reading comprehension. Plus, working with the passage as a puzzle adds a hands-on element that keeps students engaged and encourages discussion.

6. Escape Room Challenge

What It Is:
Transform the reading passage into an “escape room” challenge by turning comprehension questions into a series of clues that students need to solve to unlock the next part of the passage. This adds an element of adventure, making reading comprehension feel like a thrilling escape game. Find Ready-Made Escape Rooms HERE!

How to Do It:
Divide the passage into sections and create comprehension questions or clues based on each part. Each answer leads to the next clue, which students need to solve in order to "escape" or complete the passage. You can set up different stations or have students work at their desks in pairs or small groups. Make it more challenging by including hints or requiring students to find specific words or details from the text to move forward.

Why It Works:
This activity combines reading comprehension with problem-solving, giving students a fun, engaging way to interact with the text. The escape room format keeps students motivated and focused, while also encouraging teamwork and reinforcing reading skills such as close reading, detail retention, and inference. By making comprehension practice an interactive challenge, students are more likely to stay engaged and retain what they’ve read.

Ready to Make Test Prep Fun and Effective?

These activities are some of the best ways I’ve found to make reading comprehension practice something your students look forward to. They’re also great for helping ESL students build the skills they need for standardized tests without the pressure of traditional test prep.