ESL Conversation Questions – Rosa Parks Day

A2 Level

1. Who was Rosa Parks?
2. What did Rosa Parks do?
3. When do we celebrate Rosa Parks Day?
4. Why is Rosa Parks important?
5. What is the civil rights movement?
6. How did Rosa Parks change history?
7. What can we learn from Rosa Parks?
8. Who else fought for civil rights?
9. How can we show respect to Rosa Parks?
10. What does bravery mean to you?

B1 Level

1. Discuss the impact of Rosa Parks’ actions on the bus.
2. Why is Rosa Parks known as the “mother of the civil rights movement”?
3. How do people celebrate Rosa Parks Day?
4. What challenges did Rosa Parks face?
5. How did Rosa Parks’ actions influence others?
6. What are some ways to fight for justice today?
7. Why is it important to remember Rosa Parks?
8. How can we honor Rosa Parks’ legacy in our daily lives?
9. What did Rosa Parks teach us about resistance?
10. How does Rosa Parks inspire you?

B2 Level

1. Analyze the significance of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat in the context of the civil rights movement.
2. Discuss the role of women in the civil rights movement, with Rosa Parks as an example.
3. How did Rosa Parks’ actions contribute to the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
4. What legal and social changes followed Rosa Parks’ act of defiance?
5. How does Rosa Parks’ legacy continue to influence the fight for racial equality today?
6. Discuss the importance of nonviolent protest in achieving social change.
7. Compare Rosa Parks’ activism with other civil rights leaders.
8. How do media and education portray Rosa Parks’ story?
9. What lessons can modern social movements learn from Rosa Parks?
10. Discuss the role of individual actions in the broader context of social movements.

C1 Level

1. Critique the narrative surrounding Rosa Parks’ act of defiance and its simplification in popular history.
2. Explore the intersectionality of Rosa Parks’ activism with gender and race.
3. Analyze the long-term impacts of Rosa Parks’ actions on American society.
4. Discuss the role of symbolism and iconography in commemorating figures like Rosa Parks.
5. Evaluate the effectiveness of civil disobedience, using Rosa Parks as a case study.
6. How has Rosa Parks’ legacy been co-opted or misunderstood by various groups?
7. Discuss the importance of historical context in understanding Rosa Parks’ actions.
8. Examine the role of unsung heroes in the civil rights movement alongside Rosa Parks.
9. Analyze the media’s role in shaping public perceptions of Rosa Parks.
10. Discuss the evolution of civil rights activism from Rosa Parks to the present day.

C2 Level

1. Deconstruct the mythologization of Rosa Parks and its implications for understanding civil rights history.
2. Critically assess the narrative of Rosa Parks as the catalyst of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the context of pre-existing activism.
3. Explore the global impact of Rosa Parks’ defiance and the civil rights movement.
4. Analyze the role of individual agency versus collective action in historical movements.
5. Discuss the appropriation of Rosa Parks’ image in contemporary social and political movements.
6. Examine the complexities of commemorating Rosa Parks in a racially divided America.
7. Critically evaluate the role of education in perpetuating or challenging the dominant narrative of Rosa Parks.
8. Discuss the influence of Rosa Parks on the development of feminist and anti-racist movements.
9. Analyze the challenges of maintaining Rosa Parks’ legacy in the digital age.
10. Explore the psychological impact of Rosa Parks’ action on subsequent generations of activists.