Conversation Starters Newsletter
Now you'll know what to talk about!
This is the Conversation Starters Newsletter, a newsletter about ideas for English conversation lessons.
One of the most difficult tasks that English teachers have to do when preparing for conversation lessons is finding interesting topics that capture the student’s attention and challenge them to use new language. In my classes, I’ve discovered that when I provide relevant content, my students are more engaged and productive. And they seem to enjoy my lessons more!
Though I’ve started this newsletter specifically for learners of English as a foreign language, I’m confident it would work in any context where conversation ideas are needed.
In addition to a range of articles and videos about various topics to help create meaningful discussions, I also include tips and explanations about English grammar, usage, and pronunciation. After spending just a little time on the Internet, I believe that even native speakers might get some value from these too.
When you watch these videos, think of questions and discussion points for your class. Is anything new to you? Does something make you curious or angry? Have you heard any contradictory information? Which video is your favorite and why?
Here’re my conversation ideas for this first issue:
The English language has a natural rhythm and Dr. Geoff Lindsey can help us speak more naturally. You’ll find it isn’t hard to do … to do … to do!
Big numbers are often a problem for non-native speakers. In this video, we’ll learn a few commonly used words for very large numbers and a few that aren’t as well known to everyone. Did you know that a hundred used to be elastic?
Which verb tense do you use to talk about life experiences? The present perfect is the right answer. This link goes to a video on Engvid.com, a website with over 1800 videos about English grammar, usage, and vocabulary, and it will teach you a game to help you practice this particular form until you get it right. (Incidentally, Substack embeds videos only from some platforms. Click the links to see this one and the next.)
How do we create a regenerative view of nature? Is it possible to introduce the value of plants and animals to the economy and then build a system around this concept? In this TED talk, we can understand what animals like whales and elephants do for the environment. I suggest watching this video with the transcript open. Follow along to see what the speaker says and think about how he says it.
Thank you for reading! If you have something you’d like to share, let me know. In the meantime, I hope this newsletter starts some valuable conversations for you.
Talk to you soon,
Marsha