Bubble tea was born in Taiwan, so your student is the real expert here. Let them walk you through ordering and customizing the perfect drink while you help their English flow.
⏱ About 60 minutes🎯 All levels (questions are leveled)📋 No prep — tap 🔊 to hear any phrase
Before you start tutor prep
This lesson runs itself. You don't need to know anything about bubble tea — your student does, and that's the point. Skim this page once, then teach straight from the screen.
Have this page open and your camera on. Smile and keep your energy warm.
Tap any 🔊 button to play clean English audio — great for modeling pronunciation.
Let the student do most of the talking. You are the curious listener and the gentle corrector.
Don't rush. If one section sparks a great conversation, stay there. The minute counts are a guide, not a rule.
Keep a notepad (or the chat box) handy to jot down words the student struggles with for the wrap-up.
Mindset: The student is the expert today. Your job is to make them feel proud of their culture while gently stretching their English. Ask "Why?" and "Tell me more" often.
1 · Warm-up 5 min
Start easy and friendly. These questions warm up the voice and get the student smiling. Let them answer in full sentences when they can.
Do you like bubble tea? How often do you drink it?
What is your usual order? Tell me everything in it.
Where do you usually buy your drinks?
Do you drink it more in summer or winter?
What did you drink today, or yesterday?
Tip: If the student gives a one-word answer, smile and ask "Oh, why that one?" to pull out a longer reply. Don't correct yet — just get them talking.
2 · Key words & phrases 8 min
Read each word aloud, then have the student repeat it. Tap 🔊 to model the sound. Ask the student which words they already use in real life.
bubble tea (boba)Bubble tea is my favorite drink after school.
tapioca pearlsThe tapioca pearls are chewy and sweet.
milk teaI always start with a classic milk tea.
sugar levelYou can choose your sugar level when you order.
ice levelI like a low ice level so the tea is stronger.
toppingMy favorite topping is the big black pearls.
puddingSometimes I add pudding instead of pearls.
grass jellyGrass jelly is soft and not too sweet.
"half sugar"Can I have half sugar? It's sweet enough for me.
"less ice"Less ice, please. I don't like it too cold.
"Can I get ___?"Can I get a large milk tea with pearls, please?
Tip: Ask the student to teach you the Chinese name for one or two toppings, then say the English back. Trading words both ways builds confidence fast.
3 · Read & talk 8 min
Read this together. You take Clerk (B), the student takes Customer (A). Then swap. Tap 🔊 to hear any line first.
A:
Hi, can I get a large milk tea, please?
B:
Sure! What sugar level would you like?
A:
Half sugar, please.
B:
Got it. And how about the ice?
A:
Less ice, please. I don't like it too cold.
B:
No problem. Would you like any toppings?
A:
Yes, with pearls, please. And can I add pudding?
B:
Of course. So that's a large milk tea, half sugar, less ice, with pearls and pudding.
A:
That's perfect. How much is it?
B:
It's sixty-five dollars. It'll be ready in a minute!
Tip: After the second read-through, close your eyes to "the menu" and let the student order their own real drink off-script. That's where the real practice happens.
4 · Let's talk 12 min
Pick questions that fit your student's level. Stay on the ones they enjoy. Let answers grow naturally.
BEGINNER
What is your favorite drink?
Do you like pearls or pudding more?
How much sugar do you like — full, half, or none?
Hot or cold? Which do you choose?
INTERMEDIATE
How do you customize your perfect drink? Walk me through it.
Why do you choose that sugar level and ice level?
Which shop do you like best, and why?
Have you ever tried a drink you didn't like? What happened?
ADVANCED
If you opened your own bubble tea shop, what would make it special?
How has bubble tea changed since you were younger?
Do you think there can be too many choices when you order? Why?
What would you recommend to a foreigner trying boba for the first time?
Tip: When the student names a topping or shop you've never heard of, light up and ask about it. Genuine curiosity keeps them speaking longer than any question can.
5 · Going deeper 10 min
Now move from facts to ideas. These prompts ask the student to explain and reflect. Give them time to think.
BEGINNER
Imagine I have never seen bubble tea. Tell me what it is.
When do you usually drink it — with friends, after school, or alone?
Is bubble tea cheap or expensive where you live?
INTERMEDIATE
Why do you think bubble tea became so popular around the world?
Is bubble tea healthy? How often is it okay to drink?
How is buying a drink in Taiwan different from other countries?
ADVANCED
Bubble tea is now a symbol of Taiwan. How do you feel about that?
Should shops show the sugar and calories on the cup? Why or why not?
What does drink culture say about everyday life in Taiwan?
Tip: If the student says "I don't know," rephrase it as a personal question: "What do you think?" Opinions are easier to find than facts.
6 · Activity — role-play ordering 10 min
Time to put it all together. The student orders a fully customized drink out loud. Then swap roles so they practice both sides.
You are the clerk. Greet the student and ask what they'd like.
The student orders a drink, then chooses a size, sugar level, ice level, and at least one topping.
Repeat their full order back to them to check it.
Swap roles — now the student is the clerk and asks you the questions.
Finish by having the student order their real, dream drink with no help.
"Hi, can I get a ___, please?"
"I'd like ___ sugar and ___ ice."
"Can I add ___ as a topping?"
"So that's a ___ with ___. Is that right?"
Tip: Make a small "mistake" in your order (wrong size or topping) so the student has to correct you: "No, I said large, not small." Real conversations are full of these little fixes.
7 · Wrap-up 5 min
Close warmly and leave the student feeling they did well. Recap together.
Ask the student to name three new words or phrases they learned today.
Have them order one last drink in one smooth sentence.
Share two things they did well, and one small thing to practice.
Give a tiny challenge: order a real drink in English (out loud at home or in their head) before next time.
Thank them for teaching you about Taiwan's most famous drink.
Tip: End on a high note. The last thing they hear should be praise, not a correction. They'll come back excited.
🧭 Tutor notes
Quick guidance for adjusting on the fly to the student in front of you.
IF THEY'RE SHY OR LOW-LEVEL
Model the full sentence first, then have them copy it.
Stick to the Warm-up and Read & talk sections — repeat the dialogue several times.
Accept short answers and celebrate every attempt.
IF THEY'RE CHATTY AND CONFIDENT
Skip ahead to "Let's talk" and "Going deeper" for more airtime.
Push for reasons: "Why?" and "Can you give me an example?"
Note 2–3 errors to review at the end, not mid-sentence.
IF THEY WANT A REAL CHALLENGE
Have them explain bubble tea culture as if to a tourist board.
Ask them to debate: is bubble tea good or bad for Taiwan's image?
Introduce natural phrases like "I'm in the mood for" or "treat myself to."
Most important: Let the student be the expert. This topic belongs to them, so your warmth and curiosity matter more than any correction. A confident speaker improves faster than a perfect one.
