How to Teach an ESL Conversation Class

This article provides some basic instructions to teach a conversation class.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a topic that generates conversation. Topics that work well include: differences between your students' cultures and American culture, food, healthcare, and work-related issues.

2. When necessary, take the opposite position. Your opinion doesn't matter. The goal is to keep your students talking.

3. Make a list of the pronunciation and grammar mistakes your students make. Unless the same mistake is made continuously, make the corrections at the end of the class.

4. Keep your students talking. Only interrupt the flow when necessary.

[knell63]

on 9/23/2009 Interesting points, I have been looking into this too and ways to encourage students to continue conversations once the class has finished. I have attached a link with some more useful tips.

http://languagebar.blogspot.com/2009/09/ten-tips-for-practicing-english.html

[Eric18]

on 6/8/2008 These four points are a solid starting point, but you have to go much further to create a lively, informative conversation class. You also have to balance accuracy and fluency, build rapport, create a tolerant yet rigorous atmoshere, and expand student vocabulary.