English language teachers everywhere spend time and energy helping students practice their conversation skills. Some may ask whether conversation in English can actually be taught. And – if it can – what the rules might be.
To explore these questions, we spoke to world-renowned . He is an Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Bangor and has written more than 120 books on the subject.
“It’s very important that we put this everyday use of language under the microscope,” he says. He highlights three critical facets of conservation that we should bring into focus:
But all in all, he says that people should walk away from a conversation feeling like they’ve had a good chat.
“For the most part, people want that kind of mutual respect, mutual opportunity, and have some sort of shared topic about which they feel comfortable – and these are the basics I think.”
There are plenty of ways you can teach learners to engage in a successful conversation – including how to speak informally, use intonation, and provide feedback. So let’s take a look at some of the key areas to focus on:
Fluency and intelligibility are commonly covered in English language classes. But appropriateness can be more complicated to teach. When preparing to teach conversational appropriateness, we can look at it through two different lenses: subject matter and style:
“What subject matter is appropriate to use to get a conversation off the ground? There are cultural differences here,” he says. The weather is often a good icebreaker, since everyone is affected by it. The key is to find a common topic that all participants can understand and engage with.
Teachers can also teach students about conversational style, focusing on how to make conversations more relaxed in English.
There are “several areas of vocabulary and grammar – and pronunciation too, intonation for example – as well as body language, in which the informality of a conversation is expressed through quite traditional means,” says David. One example he offers is teaching students how to use contracted verb forms.
This is what makes a conversation tick. When we talk with someone, we let them know we’re listening by giving them feedback. We say things like “really” or “huh” and use body language like facial expressions and gestures.
Of course, these feedback noises and expressions can be taught. But they won’t necessarily be new to students. English learners do the same when speaking their own language, anyway.
Keep in mind though, that when it comes to speaking online on video conferencing platforms, it’s not easy to give this type of simultaneous feedback. People’s microphones might be on mute or there might be a delay, which makes reacting in conversations awkward. So, says David, this means online conversations become much more like monologues.
Uptalk is when a person declares something in a sentence, but raises their intonation at the end. For English learners, it might sound like someone is asking a question.
Here’s an example:
Now, should teachers teach uptalk? David says yes. For one, it’s fashionable to speak this way – and it can be confusing for English learners if they don’t understand why it’s being used in a conversation.
“The other thing is that we are dealing here with a genuine change in the language. One of the biggest problems for all language teachers is to keep up to date with language changes. And language change can be very fast and is at the moment,” he says.
When it comes to accents, David is a fan. “It’s like being in a garden of flowers. Enjoy all the linguistic flowers,” he says, “That’s the beauty of language, its diversity”.
At ɫèAV Languages, 2024 has been a landmark year full of innovation, connection, and impactful resources for businesses worldwide. We’ve worked on so many things with the aim to empower global workforces and help organizations unlock the potential of language skills to drive business success. Here's how we made a difference this year.
As the year comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the highlights, achievements and innovations that shaped education in 2024. For educators everywhere, this has been a year of growth, adaptation and pushing boundaries to empower both students and teachers. Whether you’ve been focused on refining your teaching practices or adopting new educational technologies, there’s plenty to celebrate and learn from this year.
Here’s a look back at some of the major ɫèAV Languages educator highlights in 2024.
The end of the school year can be bittersweet. Students are excited for the holidays, but teachers have the tricky task of keeping their attention as focus starts to fade. The upside? It’s the perfect chance to make this time fun, memorable and engaging with creative classroom ideas that really stick. Here's a list of end-of-year school activities to ensure your students stay motivated all the way to the final bell.
Longer projects are perfect for the end of the year because they encourage deeper engagement. Here are a few ideas to try out.
With the festive season approaching, it’s the perfect excuse to blend learning with holiday cheer.
Interactive games are an easy way to maintain focus and excitement.
Encourage collaboration with team tasks that bring students together.
Don’t hesitate to think outside the box with these unique ideas:
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The end of the school year doesn’t have to signal the end of learning. With a bit of creativity, teachers can make the last weeks of school productive and enjoyable. From fun classroom activities to meaningful year-end projects for students, these ideas will set the stage for a memorable finish.
