1. Conversation Strategies: Preparing Students for Real-World Interaction
Angela Richardson

2. What strategies/skills enable us to successfully carry out a conversation (in L1 or L2)?

3. Why teach conversation strategies?
Builds confidence & reduces anxiety
Improves fluency
Successful communication motivates
Prepare learners for real world interactions
Negotiating meaning -learners find new ways to express themselves & notice ‘knowledge gaps’

4. Each group will choose a strategy Create a poster
Why is your strategy important to teach?
How would you teach your strategy?
Share!
Gallery walk

5. How can we teach conversation strategies?
Introduce using an authentic model
Textbook dialogue & CD, video, etc.
Semi-controlled practice
Lots of scaffolding, peer support, think time
Authentic communicative activities
Incorporate regularly

6. Interview a star
One student chooses a star they know a lot about. Another student interviews them for a TV show. The interviewer focuses on formulating follow-up questions (FUQs) in response to the star’s replies (they have ten cards that say ‘FUQ’ and they discard one each time they ask a FUQ until all the cards have been laid down). Change roles.
Race game
Small groups of students work together to generate a FUQ in response to a prompt from the teacher (ex: I went to Thailand). The first group to write a correct FUQ on the board wins a point. The question word (who?, what?, etc.) and group writer change each round.
Follow-up question
Ten of these!

7. Students need regular, authentic practice!
Knowledge = Ability
Students need regular, authentic practice!

9. Angela Richardson