This indication of personal interest puts the student at ease and helps him overcome inhibitions about speaking out in a group.
a) Concentrate on the Student.
While
talking to the student, the teacher should focus his attention
primarily on the student’s eyes, and he should give the student his full
attention.
b-Take Notes.
The
teacher should ask the student to write his name on the notepad (which
the teacher should always carry to class).
c) Identify the Seats and Use the Students’ Names.
2) Give Praise When It Is Deserved.
3) Smile.
A
smile generates warmth and response. The teacher should not be afraid
to smile—or to give a hearty laugh if a situation warrants it.
4) Speak Naturally.
There
is a tendency on the part of some teachers, in their efforts to make
the students understand, to speak very slowly, increase the volume of
their voice, and over-enunciate words or use artificially emphasized
intonation patterns.
5) The Student Should Talk, Not Take Notes.
A conversation class should give each student the maximum opportunity
to talk, and to that end everything should be subordinated. The student
should not take notes. A person does not usually carry on a conversation
with a note pad and pen in hand.
6) Everyone Should Use English.
The teacher should discourage the use of the student’s mother tongue
Be alert and foster alertness
Since
the conversation class provides practice in both speaking and
understanding what is said, the teacher should stay alert and see to it
that the attention of the students does not wander.
Be enthusiastic and engender enthusiasm
Enthusiasm
is one of the most important factors in a conversation class.The
teacher must remember that enthusiasm is infectious, and that much of
the impetus for expression must come through enthusiasm that he himself
engenders.
Be patient
Patience,
necessary in any encounter with students, is especially important in a
conversation class. The teacher should put himself in the place of the
student. He should think of how he himself had to struggle to express
his ideas when he was first learning a new language.
Be sensitive
The
teacher must be sensitive to the subtleties of speech, gesture, and
facial expressions of the students, for these reveal the way in which a
student is thinking or reacting to the situation.
Think The
word think should be the watchword for all conversation classes. The
teacher should never accept the idea that practicing English must be
limited to talking alone. He should encourage the students to try to
come to grips with ideas, with issues.
Listen The
teacher should try to get the
students to speak as much as possible. With some classes, the teacher’s
role is merely to be a critical listener. With others, he must play a
more active role in order to keep the conversation moving.
Making Corrections
However,
the teacher should always correct flagrant violations the moment they
are made.
Other Activities
1-Extemporaneous Speaking.
Before
the class meets, I type individual topics on small pieces of paper.
When the students arrive, each one picks up a slip of paper. I give each
student two minutes to organize his thoughts and two minutes to speak.
After a student speaks, members of the class ask him two or three
questions.
2) Colored Slides.
I
show colored slides of interesting places known to the students. As
each slide is shown, the students engage in casual conversation about
the place being viewed.
3) Book Reviews.
I assign students to prepare and give in class five-minute reviews of books that interest the group.
4) Theater Party.
I sometimes plan a theater party with my class. The movie or play may
be in English (preferably) or the native language. Afterward, perhaps
over tea or coffee, the students discuss (in English) the play or movie
they have seen.
5) Class on Tape.
Sometimes I tape a session of the conversation class. Then I play the
tape for the class at another session. This creates great interest among
the students. It also enables me to evaluate my performance as well as
that of the students.
6) Role Playing.
The
most exciting “role playing” I’ve ever had in a conversation class
dealt with the topic of movies. Movie
Censor).
Greetings:
Part 1: Opening Dialogue
(Hello) ________. How’s it going?
(Great!) And you?
I’m (fine.)
Part 2: Social Function Dialogue
(By the way) My name is ________.
I’m ________.
(I don’t think we’ve met. I am ________.)
(Nice to meet you.)
(Nice to meet you, too.)
(I’m sorry. What’s your name again? I’m ________.)
(Good to see you again. Long time no see.)
Part 3: Transitions
(So, ...) (By the way, ...) (Well, ...)
Page 4: Question–Response Dialogue
How was your weekend? (week?) / Do you have any plans for this weekend?
(It was good.) / I (will) ________ and ________.
That’s great. (That’s too bad.)
How about your weekend? / Do you have any plans?
(It was great.) / I (am going to) ________ and ________.
Oh yeah? (Question)
(Answer)
Part 5: Closing Dialogue
(Well, ...) (So, ...) / Hey, what time is it?
It is ________.
I’m sorry, but I have to go. It was nice talking to you. Talk to you later, OK?
