No, not the teacher doing all the
talking! Give the students room to express themselves.
I believe if we give a student a topic or
situation to talk about, it's easier for them to be motivated.
Here are some short situations that can be
used for conversation.
You heard that your old school friend,
Alan, is getting married.
You talk to your boss about when you can
have your vacation this year.
Your TV isn't working, so you call a
repairman.
Your best friend invites you to her country
home for the weekend.
Ask a friend about his new job.
Invite a friend to your birthday party.
If the class is less advanced, they can use
these situations for writing up a dialogue.
Afterwards, they can read the dialogue together
with another student, then eventually they can start right off
with an oral conversation.
Again I must repeat that the students should
have many opportunities to talk in class. You can use a role
playing technique that can be fun for the students, especially
if you let them take the part of the teacher! You'll find them
to be excellent imitators and perhaps they'll remember what
expressions you use in class while teaching! You too can "get
even" by imitating a few of your students! (In English, of
course!) Remember if you as the teacher make learning English
enjoyable, you'll find your students will make a lot of
progress.
A Nice Thought
"Learning if something students do, NOT
something done to students."