I often consult my tarot cards when I need to gain insight or make decisions. So imagine my excitement when I realized that tarot cards could also work well as an ESL speaking activity. Woot!
Tarot cards are a novelty of mystery and enchantment. But they can also be a powerful way to get students talking in past, present, and future tenses.
The images spark ideas, and their meanings naturally capture students’ curiosity—making it an engaging activity that students genuinely enjoy.
Hold on a sec! Let me stop you right here. If you’re thinking about bringing any old deck of tarot cards to class… think again.
Traditional tarot cards are NOT suitable for classroom use. Official decks include cards like The Tower, The Devil, and the often misunderstood Death Card.
You definitely don’t want students getting the wrong message on your watch… trust me.
So I designed a simple deck of 24 classroom-friendly tarot cards with more positive themes, like Wisdom, Charity, and Luck. No spooky symbols or messages here, folks. These are the happiest fortune cards you can find!
Classroom-Friendly Tarot Cards Activity
- 24 Positive Symbols
- Reflection Sheet
- Card Interpretations
- Includes Fronts and Backs
- Easy To Print and Go!
Why Classroom-Friendly Tarot Cards Work So Well
Whenever I bring these cards to class, students are naturally curious. Maybe it’s the mystery surrounding tarot cards.
Are tarot cards real?
Do you believe in them?
How do they work?
Questions like these get students talking right away. Everyone has an opinion about the future, luck, or destiny.
Of course, these aren’t real fortune-telling cards. They’re simple picture cards designed for classroom use.
Want to make your own tarot cards?
Download a free classroom version with discussion questions and a blank tarot card template so your students can create their own cards.
It’s an easy way to get students speaking about the past, present, and future!
Get the free activity →How To Use Tarot Cards in ESL
There are a multitude of ways tarot cards can be used in ESL. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
A Brief History Of The Tarot
Students might be surprised to learn that tarot originated in Europe over 500 years ago. Tarot started out as a game that gradually became a tool used by anyone seeking answers to life’s everyday problems. The fact that tarot cards are a popular hobby today shows that people still find them useful and fulfilling.
Warm-up discussion questions can include:
- Do you believe anyone or anything can predict the future?
- Do you think psychics are just scam artists in disguise?
- Do you know of any other ways people try and predict the future?
- Do you think psychic ability or intuition is real?
Want to make your own tarot cards?
Download a free classroom version with discussion questions and a blank tarot card template so your students can create their own cards.
It’s an easy way to get students speaking about the past, present, and future!
Get the free activity →First and Second Conditional Practice
If you’re teaching the first conditional, students will love talking about superstitions. You can check out more ways of teaching the 1st conditional here.
- What are some common superstitions in your culture?
- What will happen if you make a wish on a star?
- What will happen if you break a mirror?
Students can choose a card and make their own predictions based on the image shown.
If you’re teaching the second conditional, ask questions like:
- What would you like to know about the future?
- Would you believe someone if they told you not to travel based on a feeling?
- If you could see into the future, would you want to know what happens?
These activities make great warm-ups… before you even break out the cards.
Let The Cards Do The Talking: A Real Tarot Reading
The main event with tarot cards is to have students give and get readings.
Here’s how it works:
- One student shuffles the cards and lays them on the table face down. Their partner chooses one card each for past, present and future.
- The cards are revealed one at a time, starting with the past.
- The reader uses each card to predict their partner’s past, present, and future.
- After the taking turns, students can write down what their cards revealed. This is a great opportunity for reviewing any grammar students may need to review.
You got the Dream Card in the Past Position.
It means you had a dream to travel to another country and you did it!
It feels like a game—but students are practicing:
- using past, present, and future tenses
- building short sentences
- speaking and listening in pairs
Even quieter students usually join in because the card gives them an idea to start with.
Abstract Nouns and Word Forms
I chose to use abstract nouns for my cards, like Strength, Success, and Wealth. These can also be used as opportunities for practicing parts of speech, e.g. strong, strength, strengthen.
There’s Fun In Your Future With Classroom-Friendly Tarot Cards
Tarot cards have become one of my favorite ways to get students talking.
Every class uses them a little differently, and that’s part of what makes this activity so fun. I’m sure you’ll come up with your own creative twists, and I’d love to hear your ideas!
If you’d like an easy way to bring this into your ESL class, download my free tarot text and template below.
A little mystery can go a long way in getting students to talk!
Have a great reading!
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