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THE ART OF THE ESL CONVERSATION
Helen Stewart, Literacy Coordinator~ Schaumburg Township District Library [email protected]
Julie Frost, ESL Instructor~Community Education District 211 [email protected]
OUTCOMES• Start or enhance your Conversation Club
• Get a range of new ideas for activities for Clubs
• Gain understanding of the different ways a Club may be structured
WHY?• Serve
immigrants• fun• Build
relationships• Build skill set• Low
Maintenance• Relaxed • Less crowded• Very useful
• Japan
• India
• Russia
• China
• Romania
Conversation Club ~ A global experience!
Mongolia
Korea
Turkey
Cuba
Taiwan
Philippines
TIPS AND BEST PRACTICES• Not a program for the beginner.
• Encourage regular attendance. Meet weekly.
• Use multimedia
• Social Networking
• Serve tea and coffee
• Don’t set assignments or homework.
• Focus on verbal expression.
• Organic versus strictly planned
• Listening before participating
• Ball of yarn
• Same language groups ok
• Builds confidence
Schaumburg Library ESL Conversation Club
• 3 (2) hour classes per week. Wed, Thur, Fri 10am-12. Free.
• Lower to upper intermediate levels.
• Not drop in. • events and field
trips• 12-20 per class
average.
Our class through the years…
Pumpkin carving for Halloween
CLASS MANAGEMENT• Repeat the correct answer back to the student in an
unobtrusive way. Student: “I went in the movies at
Saturday”Teacher: “Great! You went to the movies
on Saturday?!”
• Encourage students to help each other and “jump in”
• monopolizers versus shy students
• Ask everyone to be punctual
• Stick to a schedule
Marketing
• Local ESL Providers• Immigrant service groups• Local libraries• Churches• Newspaper/local media• Flyers
EXAMPLES OF OTHER CLUBS
Willow Glen Branch Public Library
ESL CONVERSATION CLUB
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Conversation Clubs create a welcoming and
respectful environment for adult learners of
English to practice their English conversation
skills.
Clubs meet weekly at the library with a
trained facilitator.
Cupertino Library
Please join us for this fun learning experience. Drop-in to improve your English listening & speaking skills and learn about other cultures in a supportive environment . All levels are welcome. Native speakers of English who want to volunteer at the meeting, please email ****@sccl.org
Airdrie Library
ESL Conversation ClubImprove your English speaking.If you:• are taking English Language Learning (ELL)?• are on a waiting list to take English Language Learning?• have learned English on your own but don't feel confident when you speak?
Come to the Conversation Club! It will give you the chance to have some fun while practicing what you know. We'll cover things like going to the doctor, going to a restaurant, our culture and how it differs from your culture, and just about anything else that interests you.
PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR CONVERSATION CLUBS
• THEMES
• TOPICS
• FOCUS AREAS
• FUN STUFF
TOP ACTIVITY 1“Speed meeting”
• Fun, fast-paced• Involves everyone, even at a basic level• Breaks the ice• Same visual concept as speed dating, just “meeting” instead• Need a bell/buzzer
2 circles of chairs (outer and inner)facing each other
Take turns telling the other person as
much as you can about yourself in
one minute!
When the 2 minute buzzer sounds, the person in the outer circle moves one seat over to face someone else
TOP ACTIVITY 2Choose a Picture
•Xerox: • National Geographic photographs• Pictures of paintings/artwork• Interesting architecture• Pictures of animals• Fashion designs
Student picks out a picture from a selection before class.Ask: • Why did you pick this? • How does it make you feel?• What do you like/dislike about it?
TOP ACTIVITY 2Which do you prefer?
•Powerpoint slides
2 pictures on each slide A and BAsk which the student prefers and to articulate WHY
Successful DiscussionsThese were all fun and started as a mini-lesson on the talking point itself, how to use it conversationally and were great to discuss afterwards with feedback from class, and their own opinions.
A slideshow of “lost arts…”
Things we used to do well but no longer do.
Old Wives Tales slideshow
Examples and feedback from class
The POP TOPICS Jar•The most successful standby and time filler!
•Bring to every class!
•Keep it full of one/two word topics/discussable points to spark conversation
TOPICSAnything!
ZoosAutismLibraries4th JulyMotorcyclesEuropeDentistsPolice
List is endless….
How do they feel?•Ask the question “how do they look?” or “how do they feel?”Response “he/she looks/feels…. (appropriate adjective)”
•Endless possibilities for expressions on a slideshow
•Use a BANNED WORD system e.g. happyFeelings
Keep them interesting!
ConfusedDisgustedTerrifiedFurious
PeacefulDelightedExcited
Exhausted
Caption this!•Print funny, interesting thought provoking pictures from the internet involving people, or animals, in weird situations
•Give the students a speech bubble – handmade or stick on post-it
•Ask them to caption anyone in the scenario, what would they be saying? What are they thinking? Report back as a group.
Say cheese!
What is happening in the picture?Tests observationFor extra fun, set a timing for this – 30 seconds works well!
Reveal a picture on the screen with a lot of people and activities going on.
Reveal the picture to the class for just 30 seconds (or 45/60) get them to note observations.
What’s going on?
How many people are there?
What are they wearing?... .etc
Then see how many got it right!
• Great for pairs
• Works well with names of famous people.
• Give them a list to work from
• Help them with formulating questions
Google: “100 most famous people”
• A boy’s name• An animal• Things that are cold• Insects• Things that grow• Musical
Instruments• Countries• Clothing• Games• Things that are hot• A girl’s name• Colors• States• Sports equipment• Tools• Gifts• Ice cream flavors• Parts of the body
• Cities• Stones/Gems• Things in the sky• Items in this room• Bad habits• activities
• Good for small groups to brainstorm.
• Limit it to specific letters of the alphabet.
Have you ever?
Google “ESL have you ever” for inspiration questions.“No he/she has/never_______”
HINT: Try: wackier, fun questions like:
“..had a parking ticket”“..Sang karaoke..”“been inside a police car..”
TWIST:Try this like Bingo!
Make your own bingo cards at: http://myfreebingocards.com/
AcronymsGoogle “Most Common Acronyms” Typically used everyday situations examples:
AA – Alcoholics Anonymous AARP – American Association of Retired PersonsADD – Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderAFL – American Football League AKA – Also Known AsASAP – As Soon As Possible AWOL – Absent Without LeaveBFF – Best Friends Forever CDC – Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCIA – Central Intelligence Agency CPS – Child Protective ServicesCSI – Crime Scene Investigation DMV – Division of Motor VehiclesDOB – Date Of Birth FBI – Federal Bureau of InvestigationFYI – For Your Information HR – Human ResourcesLOL – Laughing Out Loud NASA – National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNBA – National Basketball Association NFL – National Football LeagueNHL – National Hockey League OTC – Over The CounterPOW – Prisoner of War SSN – Social Security NumberUFO – Unidentified Flying Object
Do it as a blank worksheet where they have to fill in what they know already and fill in the blanks together.
Mispronounced wordsGreat exercise to do verbally, and for the class to do together. Surprises everyone, and is fun. Get them to say first what they THINK the pronunciation is, then repeat it back.
Google: “common mispronounced words”
Examples:
Mischievous Colonel
Rural Hierarchy
Subtle Chaos
Mishap Paradigm
Quay Niche(and many more!)
SYMPTOMS Develop a chart of typical medical symptoms and the corresponding area of the body.
Headache FatigueDizziness Weight loss/gainSore throat SwellingSneezing WeaknessPain Stomach ache
etc ….
THEN
Develop a list of illnesses or conditions, and talk about the symptoms that go along with each condition.e.g. Flu, Diabetes, Heart attack, Cancer, etc.
RiddlesKeep them EASY!
Great fun and perfect example of wordplay and double meaning.
Google: “Easy ESL Riddles”Put them in a Powerpoint .
Tongue TwistersGreat way to finish up a class, give them time to practice before the lesson ends, or during break.
Say it once, then say it faster!
Google:“ESL tongue twisters”
saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen
I thought I thought of thinking of thanking you
Fred fed Ted bread and Ted fed Fred bread
Vivacious Val vacuumed Violet’s very vivid vehicle
Design a T-ShirtTeaching objective: T-shirts can be slogans, mottos, political, philosophical, religious, funny, patriotic, jokes, opinionated, and much more.
What would YOUR T-shirt say? Use a blank T-Shirt template and have the class design their own.
Put together a slideshow of sample slogan T-Shirts to give the class inspiration beforehand.
Report back to the class on chosen wording/design.
Typos
Spot the mistake - Fun, and shows native speakers make mistakes!
Do a street sign/typo slideshow and ask the class to articulate what exactly the problem is with each sign. Fun, suprising, and encourages analysis and troubleshooting. Ask “what’s the problem here?” Spelling? Grammar? Punctuation? Expression?
Inkblots or Trompe L’Oeil
Explain what they are, and ask, what do YOU see? Fun, and expressive!
Vocabulary: “it looks like…” “it makes me think of…”“maybe it could be…”
PictionaryGood for large/small group or 2’s
Give every class member a picture of a random item, object, famous person, activity. Get them to describe it to their partner/group WITHOUT using the actual word or hand gestures.
Use website www.randomlists.com to generate ideas for everyday items to describe.
What’s My Line?
Like the game show!
Ask a “special guest” to come to class with a pre-organized (pretend) profession and answer questions y/n on what they do for a living.
Help students with sample questions
Is your job dangerous?Do you make a lot of money?Do you work in a team?Do you wear a uniform?Do you have an office?
Bumper Sticker Philosophyexistential, religious and comical
Do a slideshow of interesting bumper stickers you find on the internet, to illustrate the concept.
Xerox examples from THIS book(or the internet)
Ask students to Choose a bumper sticker: which one would you have on your car, and why?
Slang words and expressionsCommon “Americanisms” it’s useful to know, and maybe use too!Google: American Slang Words and Phrases You Need to Know
Examples:
SimilesAs…………………………as………………….
Examples:
Make it a tactile experience: bring a variety of objects in with different textures, weights, appearances, and find a simile to describe each one.
As soft as…. As hard as…. As shiny as….
Couch Potato
Pass the buck
Going Dutch
Hang out
Screw up
Ride shotgun
Word ScramblesAssemble sentences or phrases on the board scrambled up.
Works well for class as a whole. Put the scrambled words on the screen and ask the class to assemble them to make the correct headline. Good speed and competitive exercise.
Easy newspaper headlines work very well.
“Trudeau visits Trump in crucial meeting for Canada”
Trudeau
visits
Trumpin
crucial meeting
for
Canada
Sample Menu
Week 2
DatingGetting to Know Each OtherMarriage
Do you think a boy or a man should pay for everything on a date?What are some popular places to go on a date?What kind of person do you want to get married to?What was the most boring date you've ever been on?Are you married or single?How old are you?What languages do you speak?When did you start to study English?What role do in-laws play in a marriage?
Do you know someone who has gotten a divorce?Do you think getting married means giving up freedom?What are some wedding traditions in your country?
Card samples
What is your family’s favorite holiday?
Can you think of a way that people celebrate a holiday in your country and break a law at the same time?What foods are associated with a summer holiday in your country?
Is there a holiday that you don’t enjoy? Why?
Would you like to be an astronaut? Why or why not?
Have space movies ever scared you? Why or why
not?
Do you think governments spend too much money on space programs? Why or
why not?
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES• PRINT• ONLINE
Highly recommend this presentation, and if any references have been borrowed unconsciously, then I consciously thank:Presenters: Emily Weak, Rachel Schmidt, Hilda Lopez
Many Paths to Conversation: techniques for successful ESL clubsVIMEO of Slides https://vimeo.com/174755530
News for YouEasy-to-read news stories that can help you learn to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.
Easy English NewsA monthly newspaper written in simple English, created by expert ESL writers for adult & young adult immigrants and visitors to the United States
Recommended Online Resources
www.elcivics.com
www.breakingnewsenglish.com
www.eslholidaylessons.com
http://iteslj.org/questions/
“Conversation Questions for the ESL/EFL Classroom”
Two Minute English
https://www.youtube.com/user/twominenglish
Rachel’s English
https://www.youtube.com/user/rachelsenglish
District 211 Continuing Education classes
• Conversation class on Saturday mornings
• 9:30 to 11:00
• $8.00 per class
• Runs for 5 week sections usually 5 times a year
District 211 Continuing Education classes
• Conversation café
• Started from a workshop and my language experience
• Menus of questions
• Envelopes of questions
• Listen and write down suggestions, corrections
• Answer questions
• Listen before participating
CONTACT US
Helen Stewart, Literacy Coordinator~ Schaumburg Township District Library [email protected]
Julie Frost, ESL Instructor~Community Education District 211 [email protected]
