Today’s world allows you to study and teach foreign languages from the convenience of your own home! Teaching conversational English online offers a look into a different culture in addition to being a lucrative distant job. You’ll be able to communicate with people from all over the world with grace after you understand how to teach conversational English.
Do you want to don the role of a teacher? For some great advice on teaching conversational English online, keep reading!
What is meant by conversational English?
You probably use conversational English daily if you’re a native English speaker. However, what is it? It is exactly what it sounds like using conversational, natural English when communicating. You shouldn’t be concerned about how to teach conversational English. You’ll find it easy to do as it’s inherent.
To enable students to speak in English successfully, you will be assisting them with their listening comprehension, pronunciation, and grammar. You won’t be merely pointing out differences; you’ll give them the inside scoop on how English sounds, not how it’s dryly stated in a textbook.
How to impart online conversational English skills
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Make question lists
Preparation makes anything simpler, and teaching conversational English online is no exception.
One excellent method to get things started and put your English language learner front and center is to prepare a range of questions for them to answer. It can be useful for you to assess your learner’s proficiency and provide challenges if you have a list with varying levels of difficulty.
Let’s start with the fundamentals:
- “How are you doing?”
- “What is your age?”
- How would you describe your family to me?
- “How do you pass the time?”
You can progress to questions like “How would you describe your personality?” if you get a sense of how at ease they are responding to those kinds of inquiries. “What three items would you bring, and why, if you were stranded on a deserted island?”
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Provide answers to your questions
Feel free to respond with your own if the kid doesn’t ask you the question you just posed organically. You can provide the pupil an alternative explanation for how to answer the issue by modeling. Additionally, you can build on your response by using their responses to demonstrate other approaches to asking follow-up questions or voicing your views.
If a student says, “I like to snowboard,” for instance, when you ask them what they prefer to do in their leisure time, you might follow up by asking, “You like to snowboard? You have to be an avid winter sports fan! I like to ski. Which resort is your favorite?
You may model how to ask that question by asking them to repeat their response in the form of a query, and you can provide them with further context by adding specifics.
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Don’t treat them like a child, but converse slowly anyway
Unless, of course, they are a child! But if you are teaching conversational English, you better treat them like an adult. We’ve all seen the embarrassing English speaker talk to someone whose first language isn’t English in a very SLOW, LOUD, CLIPPED SENT-TEN-CES. Don’t be an English speaker; there are benefits to talking slowly; English language learners can follow along, stop you when they’re confused, and ask questions. You should also be aware that most of the time, your normal speed is way too fast, so be mindful of your pace.
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Select common topics and solicit the students’ thoughts on them
When it comes to speaking English, many English language learners will have particular objectives they wish to focus on. Some students want to utilize their English classes as practice interviews, some are trying to ask for a raise at work (in English!), and still others are just trying to get better at the language so they can speak it naturally. Some are content to simply go on vacation!
Having a list of potential subjects before class will help you create a simple, fuss-free lesson plan, but you should also consider what the students are interested in learning. Find out what themes they would want to discuss and center the lesson around those issues.
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Allow silence for a while, but know when to ask
You must be at ease in quiet if you plan to teach conversational English online. Isn’t silence the best thing? It gives the kid time to consider your topic and come up with an original response.
Because, let’s face it, learning a second language is difficult. Giving the learner a little more time to consider their next response allows them to acquire the space necessary for learning.
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To clarify matters, use a whiteboard or the chat box
You can use the built-in chat box on some online learning systems to define, explain, or elucidate terms or phrases. One simple yet crucial skill for teaching conversational English online is the ability to spell. Use a whiteboard or even a notepad if you don’t have a chat box so you may highlight concepts your student is having trouble with.
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Jot down notes
Students will only benefit from feedback you can provide after your session if you are actively listening to them. You may let the conversation to flow more naturally when you take notes while it rather than stopping to correct and interrupt every other minute.
“Can I give you some feedback?” is a good question to ask once the discussion or role-play is over. then dissect the discussion for them after that. Commence by praising the things they did well. Accept criticism without fear; they need it to help them grow as learners.
Although teaching conversational English can be challenging at first, your pupils will benefit if you approach the task with honesty and support as a teacher.
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Obtain TEFL Certification
A TEFL certification gives you abilities beyond conversational English and is a wonderful method to land a high-paying English teaching position. The finest aspect? Online certification is available!
Even if you decide not to pursue ESL as a career long-term, it’s reasonably priced and adapts well to a range of teaching options. You’ll learn how to teach conversational English both in-person and virtually, which has a lot of benefits.
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Inquire as to when you will meet them again
You most likely won’t be content with a one-and-done class if you want to teach conversational English online. Just planning the next lesson right then and there is a big part of keeping students engaged! (Plus: It allows kids to practice pronouncing dates and times in English!)
Raise your game and impart conversational English online! It is a lot of fun to teach conversational English online. You get to interact with new people and support them in their pursuit of fluent, perfect English. In the realm of remote work, it’s cozy, informal, and a terrific way to get paid!
Being able to navigate this world equips you with a variety of extremely desirable skills. From the convenience of your home, you will be instructing, mentoring, and interacting with individuals from many cultural backgrounds.