Very often I find
that the students, when told to converse in English, are at a
loss for words. Their first question is, “What do we talk
about?”
This is where the
teacher comes in. She is the guide to their conversation.
Now she has to get
busy preparing simple situations along with appropriate
information.
Example:
At the airport
Leonardo DaVinci airport, Rome
Monday, June 10th
Flight 620
New York City
Gate 12
Check in time: 7:30a.m.
Departure time: 9:30a.m.
8-hour flight
Arrival time 11:30 a.m. New York time
Using the above
information, the students can begin a dialogue.
When are you leaving for New York City?
What airport are you leaving from?
What is your flight number?
How long is your flight?
The teacher can
decide if she wants her students to write a dialogue first then
use it in conversation or else use if directly for oral
conversation practice.
The more opportunities the students have in preparing simple
dialogues, the better.
Here is an other example:
Making a hotel reservation
Double room with bath
2 adults
5 nights
June 25-29th
Room with a view of the ocean
Buffet breakfast is included
Payment by credit card
It’s good to vary
the situations as much as possible so the students can increase
their vocabulary.
A Nice Thought
“To speak and
to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man
speaks.”
Ben Johnson