Building connection through conversation
Level: A1, A2 Handout on TPT Media: Video Language focus: Routines, Verbs What is your daily routine? My daily routine is the backbone of my success. I am nauseatingly disciplined and predictable. Even when I’m on vacation, I still need to do some of the same tasks to start the…
Level: A1, A2, B1, B2 Handout: Free on TPT Media: Video Language focus: emotions, actions, comparisons Do you believe in luck? I once introduced one of my girlfriend’s to a boy that seemed to be a good match for her. When I asked if things had worked out, she said…
I love talking about the weather. It is the easiest way to initiate a conversation with a stranger or acquaintance if you need to break the silence. Great for elevator rides, spontaneous waiting time and warm repartee. It is also a ubiquitous element that can have multiple impacts on our…
In my experience as a second language teacher, I can’t tell you how many times I have come across people who tell me “I learnt Spanish with Pedro Almodovar movies”, or “I learnt English watching Friends“. Some people have this uncanny superpower of learning a complex interactive communication system such…
It’s fall and the viruses are running amok. As I type these lines, I am sitting in bed, with my weekend pj’s, a box of tissues and a cup of tea at arm’s length…humph! What are my symptoms you ask? I am sneezing, I have a runny nose, I have…
I am an avid visualizer. I love hypothetical dreaming. I test out lessons, see possible problems, and think of fun ways to connect the classroom to reality. It’s like a constant mini-movie up there. I don’t just visualize lessons, I play out conversations, memories, happy places etc… Our ability to…
Level: A1, A2, B1 Handout: free Google docs Language focus: modal auxiliaries, daily actions, action verbs Media: video Can kindness make you happy? Altruism was a hotly debated topic in my philosophy classes. For instance, if we do something nice, and it makes us happy, are we doing it for…
Level: A1, A2, B1 Handout: Google slides prompts. Free on TPT Media: none Language focus: wh-questions, open-ended questions Asking questions is an integral part of conversation. When I prepare an ESL lesson, I can spend quite a lot of time composing just the right question. Not too hard, not too…
Level: A1-A2 Handout on TPT Media: Video Language focus: food, verbs, cooking, imperative How do you poach an egg? Yes, that is my discussion question for today. Easy right? In my humble experience, poaching an egg is one of the harder cooking skills I have ever had to master. It’s…
Can you describe what emotions you are experiencing right now? This is the question Tiffany Watt Smith asks her TED audience to sensitize them on how easy or how hard it is to put words on our emotions. This is a fantastic presentation to conjure the vocabulary of emotions and…
