Priorities Pyramid

Students rank items in a pyramid, then negotiate a group consensus. Also called: Survival Ranking, Desert Island Task.

Pyramid Structure

    Most Important
         (1)
      (2)   (3)
    (4) (5) (6)
  Least Important
      (7) (8)

Procedure

1. Give students 6-8 items related to a topic.
2. Individually, students arrange items into the pyramid (5 min).
3. In pairs, compare pyramids and discuss differences (5 min).
4. Groups negotiate a single consensus pyramid (5 min).

Example Topics

• Clothing: brand, material, quality, color, design, value, price, comfort
• Jobs: salary, location, colleagues, growth, work-life balance, security
• Travel: cost, weather, culture, food, safety, activities, accommodation

Tips

• Assign positions randomly so students practise justifying, not just stating preferences.
• The negotiation phase is where most language production happens — give it enough time.