For Teachers: Conversation Lessons

Why Conversation Lessons Need Structure

Conversation lessons – those classes where you basically just have a chat with a student – sound ideal. They can feel like easy money at first, but there are a couple of problems:

• After a while, you run out of things to say and topics start to dry up.
• You might feel you’re not really teaching, just chatting, and not using your full potential.

The good news is that you can keep conversation lessons natural and relaxed, but still give them clear aims, structure and useful language output.

A Simple System For Giving Feedback

Next time you have a conversation lesson, try this simple system so it’s more than just a “good chinwag”.

Draw a table with three columns on a piece of paper and write: Pronunciation / Words / Mistakes.

As you talk, quietly note down problems or useful language in the three columns:

• Pronunciation: sounds, word stress, sentence stress
• Words: new vocabulary, better alternatives, collocations
• Mistakes: grammar slips or repeated errors worth correcting

You can decide whether to:

• Correct on the spot (if it helps communication), or
• Do a short feedback slot at the end using your notes.

At the end of the lesson, give the student the paper. It becomes a personal record of what they did in that lesson and what they need to remember for next time.

Making Conversation Lessons Meaningful

To avoid random small talk, it really helps if your conversation lessons have:

• A clear topic for the lesson
• Some useful language that fits the topic (phrases, chunks, questions)
• A loose but logical structure (beginning, middle, end)

Below are two no-prep conversation lessons you can use with your students. They work especially well in one-to-one classes, but you can adapt them for small groups too.

Conversation Lesson #1 – “I Like…”

This lesson looks simple, but it can easily fill an hour (or more) if you really listen and ask good follow-up questions.

Step 1 – Expand “I like”

Start by going over different ways to say “I like” and ask the student to write them in their notebook:

• I’m into…
• I’m a fan of…
• I’m keen on…
• I enjoy…
• I’m mad about…
• I really love… / I absolutely love…

Drill pronunciation a little and model a few natural examples about yourself.

Step 2 – The “Like” mind map

Ask the student to write the word like in the middle of a piece of paper and draw a circle around it.

Then ask them to draw 6 (or more) “legs” around the circle, like a simple mind map. On each leg, they should write one thing they enjoy (music, football, reading, cooking, travelling, anime, etc.).

Step 3 – Go around the circle

Now go around the circle together. Choose a “like” and start a mini-conversation about it. Encourage the student to use the new phrases instead of just “I like”.

Ask follow-up questions to go deeper:

• How did you get into it?
• How often do you do it?
• What do you like most about it?
• Would you like to do it more in the future?

If you have time (or for a second lesson), repeat the same idea with “I don’t like…” or “I can’t stand…”.

Conversation Lesson #2 – A–Z Topics

This is a very simple idea that gives the student control over the topics.

Step 1 – A is for…

Start with the prompt: “A is for…” and let your student choose the word.

Example:

• Teacher: “A is for…”
• Student: “Animals.”

Spark up a short conversation about that topic:

• Do you like animals?
• What animals are common in your country?
• Do you have a pet? Would you like one?

Step 2 – B is for… C is for…

Move on to: “B is for…”, then “C is for…”, and so on.

The student decides what each letter stands for. Your job is to:

• Keep the conversation going with good questions
• Introduce useful vocabulary naturally
• Use your Pronunciation / Words / Mistakes table as you listen

You almost certainly won’t finish the whole alphabet in one lesson. That’s fine – this can easily become a two-lesson mini-series.

Final Tip – Listen Like Crazy

The key to these kinds of lessons is active listening. Really pay attention to what your student says and ask questions that:

• Make them think
• Help them use richer language than they normally would
• Encourage them to expand their answers beyond one sentence

Combine that with your correction table and a clear topic, and your conversation lessons will feel much more purposeful – for you and for your students.

Enjoy your next conversation lesson!
Luke – Native Speaker Online