If your student is a beginning writer, it might be appropriate to begin by making lists ol many kinds - days of the week, months, groceries, family names, likes and dislikes — the possibilities for list making are many. For more advanced students, lists of questions might be a useful activity. Prepare a list of 25 questions including who, what, when, where, and why questions. Expect expanded answers, not two or three words, but at least one sentence, preferably two. For example, "Where are your shoes?" The answer may be, "They are on my feet. I put them on this morning." Then have the student prepare 25 questions to ask you. This exercise can help vocabulary, writing, grammar, etc.