How to Teach Conversational English: 9 Best Practices

When other teachers, even other ESL teachers, hear I’m teaching an
ESL conversation class, they often say it sounds “relaxing,” or “fun” or
“easy.” Most teachers will smile at this, of course, recognizing that any
teaching, while it may be fun, is almost never “relaxing” or “easy.”

And while the conversation class may certainly be less rigorous than,
for example, an advanced writing class, it has its own set of problems.
In a writing class, I know what the students need, and the title
“Advanced ESL Composition” alone suggests the curriculum: course
readings and several student essays on related topics over the course
of the semester, in drafts increasing polished and focused on
structure, grammar, and punctuation. A conversation class, however,
is less defined. What exactly is a conversation class? What is the
curriculum? Sometimes there’s not even a course text available.
Despite this initial lack of clarity, however, there are general principles
of best practice that a conversation class can be built around.
9 Basic Principles of Teaching Conversation Classes

1. 1
Focus on communication and fluency, not correctness
I’m always surprised when in the first days of class students
turned to me or ask their classmates if they are holding the
conversation “correctly,” if it is “right.”Rarely even in our native
languages do we concern ourselves if the conversation is proceeding
“correctly”; the point is if our meaning is coming through. This is what
should be emphasized to students: it’s not a matter of “right” but
whether or not your classmates understand you and can respond to
you!

2. 2
 Lay the groundwork
Before entering in academic conversations, students have to
agree on some basic “rules for engagement”: listening to each
other courteously; listening actively by clarifying meaning and asking
for examples; advancing one’s own opinions clearly and politely while
considering the audience, etc. Most students will really know these
rules already from their first languages—there are probably some
cultural universals in politeness—and can usually help in brainstorming
five or so rules to be displayed prominently in the class. More than five
will likely be too many to focus on and be useful.

3. 3
Student directed: student choice of topics
There are few things more uncomfortable than being in a
conversation on a topic you either intensely dislike or have
nothing to say on. Most native speakers will excuse themselves from
such conversations as soon as possible. Teachers should be wary of
assigningcontroversial topics such as the legality of abortion or same
sex marriage without gauging the climate of the class and having an
idea of how receptive students will be to such topics. Some classes are
perfectly capable of holding a mature conversation on these topics,
others not depending on their language and cross-cultural and
interpersonal skills. Teachers should ask themselves the following: Are
my students capable of listening to their peers on the topic without
erupting in anger? Can they advance their own opinions without undue
embarrassment? One way around this concern is allowing students to
come up with their own topics to use over the course of the term. Have
them work in groups, write agreed-upon topics on index cards, and
collect them. They do not have to be “academic” topics like the validity
of global warming but almost anything students are interested in and
can discuss for an extended time, such as favorite music. One class
session or part of one in brainstorming topics will likely yield enough
topics for the term, and the instructor can just draw an index card to
use during discussion time.
4. 4
Small group/pair work
Conversation occurs in small, not large groups. Having students
work insmall groups or pairs is usually more productive for a number
of reasons: students are less self-conscious if they are “performing” in
front of a small group rather than large, and they have more chance to
speak in a smaller group. In addition, conversations generally occur in
smaller groups, as any party or meeting will demonstrate—people
gather in small groups to talk when given the opportunity. Setting aside
regular time for students to get into groups for discussion will help them
develop their conversation skills.

5. 5
Encourage students to rotate partners
Some teachers assign conversational partners or groups for the
term, and this has advantages, such as students get to know each
other better this way, and they can quickly get into their groups
when asked to, easing transitions. However, there also are
advantages to occasionally rotating partners or groups, perhaps every
few weeks. In this way, students get to know more of their peers and
get exposed to more ideas while still having the structure provided by
having a stable group for a period of time.

6. 6
Teach students strategies
Too often conversations even between native speakers fall flat
because the participants don’t know conversation strategies. In
addition, there is a difference between an everyday conversation and
an academic conversation. Many if not all of our students can carry on
an everyday conversation without much difficulty: “What would you like
for dinner?” “I dunno. Pizza? Chicken? What do you want?” Much of
our day-to-day “conversation” goes on in exchanges like this and
requires few strategies. But to have a real “conversation” on the topic of
food choices, for example, the conversational partners will have to
know different strategies for introducing the topic, drawing each other
out, asking for opinions, advancing their own, using examples, and so
forth.

7. 7
Teach vocabulary
It seems elementary, but it is often forgotten that students may
not be participating because they simply don’t have the
vocabulary to enter a specific conversation. Introducing some key
phrases and words related to the topic will help this. For example, on
the topic of different types of vacations today, students should learn
words like “condo,” “time share,” “hotel,” “motel,” “extended stay,”
“business class,” and “coach.”

8. 8
Teach both formal and informal conversation skills
There are specific strategies for entering, extending, and ending
conversations both formally and informally. For example, with “Hey,
Diana! How was your vacation to Hawaii?” I am signaling to Diana that
I’d like to open an informal and probably brief conversation on the
topic of her vacation that might extend a little into my vacation and
vacations in general. However, with “What do you think about how we
vacation today? Hasn’t it changed quite a bit from even ten years ago?”
I am signaling a different kind of conversation—more in-depth and
analytical as the conversation participants consider different types of
vacations, and more academic. Knowing these strategies for different
types of conversations will help students avoid confusion and even
annoyance and gain experience in different types of conversations.

9. 9
Grade on degree of participation and understanding of
conversation. Assess informally.
Because the focus of instruction, and of conversation itself, is on
communicating meaning rather than on correctness, students
should be assessed mostly informally. The instructor can walk
around the class, sit in on conversations, and get an idea this way on
the degree of participation of each student. Students can also be asked
to hold a conversation in front of the teacher or class and be assessed
by a rubric on the degree of responding to and advancing topics, on
use of strategies and vocabulary, and so forth. Finally, more formal
quizzes and tests can also be given in the form of listening to taped
conversations and answering questions about topic, vocabulary,
responses, strategies, and so on.

Teaching conversation can seem challenging because at first blush it