120 hr. TEFL Course Module 6-Listening (Pt.10 Conversational English)

Module 6: Listening

6.3 Conversational English

The next step from having your students listen to someone speak and paraphrase their words is to have them respond to the speech with an appropriate reaction. Whereas paraphrasing requires your students to be able to take someone else’s speech and put it into their own words, conversational English requires them to quickly comprehend what someone says, decide how to respond, and then determine how to respond in English. The immediacy of a conversation makes this one of the true tests of your students’ fluency and what they have learned thus far. To ensure that your students are prepared for conversational English, make sure they understand each of the following concepts (some we have already discussed):

• Verb conjugation: To effectively communicate during a conversation, your students will need to know the basics of verb conjugation, especially when it refers to tense. The difference between “I ran to the store” and “I run to the store” may only be a difference of one letter, but it significantly changes the sentence. Students do not have to be experts at this yet, but they should understand the basics so that they can participate in a conversation without confusion.
• Using pronouns properly: Pronoun use is very important in conversational usage, as it is a typical (and grammatically correct) way to take shortcuts to meaning. It is important that you help your students by stressing to them the importance of clear antecedents as well as proper pronoun usage.
• How conversational English varies from formal English: Your students may be fluent in formal English, but if you haven’t discussed such words as “gonna” with them, they might find themselves very confused in a conversation. Few people speak with perfect English or even scrutinize spoken English the same way that they scrutinize written English. While you don’t need to teach your students all the slang that they might hear, it would be helpful if you could give them some information on the slang words that have been generally accepted in oral English.  
• Understanding English idioms: While these cultural sayings will not pop up in every conversation that your students have in English, you should try to give them some instruction in some of the idioms that are most commonly used. Since idioms are so cultural, we will leave it to you to decide which are the most relevant in your region or country.
• How English differs from their language: This will require individualized instruction, but it will be worth it. Try to provide extra practice and instruction with your students to help them understand some of the specific differences in grammar and structure between English and their native language. Students who speak Spanish, for example, will have to get used to the fact that the adjective typically comes before the noun in English. With specialized instructions in these nuances, you can help your students be prepared for things that are most likely to trip them up during a conversation.