End of Year Activities in November: Why Wait for December?

As the days grow shorter and the year draws to a close, there’s an almost tangible pull toward winding down, reflecting on ourselves, making resolutions, waiting for new beginnings etc. The thing is, we usually try to do it all at once in December, which often becomes a whirlwind of holiday activities, assessments, and trying to get everything done before the break. As a result, we’re often left feeling frustrated because we don’t have enough time for deep reflection, and our resolutions tend to flop.

Then, I thought: wait. What if November, not December, was the perfect time to wrap up our year’s reflections and test out some possible resolutions? Imagine making November your December and using December as a pilot for the new year — trying out various ideas for resolutions and sticking with those that seem the most sensible (and achievable).

I know it may sound counter-intuitive. November is that odd month squeezed between the back-to-school energy of September and the festive chaos of December. But precisely because of this, it’s a hidden gem for doing something truly meaningful. Let me share some activities that you can enjoy in your classroom:

Reflect and Refresh: Year-End Reflection Without the Rush

December is often packed with exams, projects, and end-of-term admin work. So, why not use November to take a step back and reflect? It’s the perfect moment to summarize the year with your students before the festive distractions kick in.

• Student Reflections on the Year
  Encourage your students to think about how far they’ve come this year. Ask them questions like: What was the most challenging part of learning English? What achievement are you most proud of? This can be done as a written assignment or a casual discussion in pairs. For higher levels, you can turn it into a mini-presentation, which also builds public speaking skills.
• Classroom Awards Ceremony
  Create a light-hearted “awards ceremony” with categories like Most Improved Pronunciation, Grammar Guru, or Top Storyteller. This can be a fun, confidence-boosting way to recognize each student’s efforts. Plus, it gives everyone a chance to practice past tense forms and adjectives.

Embrace the Cosy Vibes: Warm-Up Activities for Darker Days

November is the perfect time to embrace the cosy, introspective mood before the holiday season. Why not introduce your students to activities that are more relaxed but still educationally rich?

• Storytelling with a Seasonal Twist
  Use those dark November afternoons to explore creative storytelling. For inspiration, try out my Mini Storytelling Lesson Plan Bundle that you receive once you subscribe to my newsletter (wink, wink). Challenge your students to reimagine classic tales with a November theme — think Little Red Riding Hood set in a foggy forest filled with unexpected creatures. Perfect for practising narrative tenses and descriptive language!

Experiment with New Activities: The Time is Now

The end of the year is an ideal time to try out those lesson plans you’ve been curious about but didn’t dare to test earlier. With assessments mostly out of the way, you can afford to experiment a bit.

• No-Prep Lesson Plans
  November is ideal for experimenting with simpler, low-prep activities that still pack a punch. One idea is the Gratitude: Between Pollyanna and Scrooge lesson plan that you received with the November newsletter. It’s a great way to get students reflecting on their lives and practising contrasting perspectives, all while keeping things light-hearted.

New Year Resolutions: Start Them Early!

We all know how January is flooded with New Year’s resolutions that quickly fizzle out. But what if you encouraged your students to start their language-learning resolutions in December? This way, they can test their goals early and tweak them before committing in the new year.

• Language Resolutions Challenge
  Ask your students to brainstorm personal language-learning goals. These could range from reading an entire book in English, committing to listening to a podcast weekly (you can even create a list of podcasts recommended by your students!), or practising speaking with a friend for 10 minutes a day. The twist? They start in December! This “trial month” helps them figure out what works (or doesn’t) before 2025 begins.
• Goal-Setting Workshops
  Dedicate a lesson to helping your students set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. Let them share their resolutions with the class and receive feedback. By doing this in December, they can adjust their strategies before January rolls around.

November as the Calm Before the Storm: Embrace the Flexibility

December is usually a time of structure — deadlines, assessments, and planning for the new term. November, however, can be much more flexible. This is the time to embrace spontaneity. If you feel like your class needs a change of pace, try incorporating activities like:

• Role-Playing Games
  November is perfect for unleashing your students’ creativity with role-playing games. Whether it’s solving mysteries (Who stole Red Riding Hood’s picnic basket?) or negotiating a peace treaty between rival kingdoms, these activities encourage language use in an engaging, low-pressure way. You might even try a session of Edelweiss — it’s a lovely game!

By using November to reflect, refresh, experiment, and kickstart new resolutions, you’ll avoid the burnout that often accompanies the December rush. And who knows? You might discover a new favourite activity or lesson plan that becomes a staple in your teaching toolkit.

So, let’s make November the month where we try something new, embrace creativity, and set the tone for the final sprint before the winter break. After all, November is a time of transition — why not use it to transform the classroom, too?

Happy teaching!