When devising your own speaking tasks it is useful to bear in mind Brown's list of principles (2001: 181). To summarize, tasks should:

• motivate the student;
• have a certain authenticity;
• make room for meaningful feedback;
• integrate with listening skills;
• allow students to initiate communication (instead of simply answer questions);
• build in speaking strategies.

The techniques suggested below start from a variety of stimuli. I have attempted to give suggestions appropriate to different levels, and also to suggest ways of integrating strategy tasks.