Teaching Conversational Skills -
Tips and Strategies
Most English
learners feel that they need more conversation practice. In fact, over the
years I've noticed that the number one requested skill by students is
conversation practice. I think this point clearly to the fact that students
need English to communicate first and foremost. Grammar, writing and other
skills are all very important, but in the students' minds conversation is the
most important. Unfortunately, teaching conversational skills is much more
challenging that teaching grammar.
When employing role-plays, debates,
topic discussions, etc., I have noticed that some students are often timid in
expressing their viewpoints. This seems due to a number of reasons:
|
Students
don't have an opinion on the subject
|
Students
have an opinion, but are worried about what the other students might say or
think
|
Students
have an opinion, but don't feel they can say exactly what they mean
|
Students
begin giving their opinion, but want to state it in the same eloquent manner
that they are capable of in their native language
|
Other,
more actively participating students, feel confident in their opinions and
express them eloquently making the less confident students more timid
Of
course, this is not to say that students should not express their own opinions.
After all, when students go out into the "real" world they will want
to say what they mean. However, taking out the personal investment factor can
help students first become more confident in using English. Once this
confidence is gained, students - especially timid students - will be more
self-assured when expressing their own points of view.
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