| One hour of English conversation practice can be | | | | into two smaller groups. |
| worth two hours in the classroom. Every student | | | | Bigger groups can provide excellent practice, but |
| of English - or any other language - should look | | | | more structure is needed: the group could 'role |
| for opportunities to speak English as soon as | | | | play' as a committee given a specific task (for |
| possible and as often as possible. | | | | example, how to spend a one million dollar legacy |
| In a school or university there is - or should be - | | | | to the school or neighborhood). With a bit of help |
| someone who is responsible for organizing | | | | the students could even set up a 'virtual' limited |
| conversation groups or running an English-language | | | | company, with virtual products, shareholders and |
| club. This may be another duty that is imposed on | | | | problems. This would be good for groups of eight |
| a hard - working teacher, but it doesn't have to | | | | or even more people. But it needs organization |
| be: students over the age of eleven could arrange | | | | and discipline. It also provides great opportunities |
| a group themselves. | | | | for students to act as interpreters, because the |
| If students don't practice speaking English there | | | | specialists in business subjects (maybe other |
| isn't a lot of point in learning the language. This | | | | teachers) don't necessarily want to speak English. |
| applies to all students, even children in nursery | | | | Outside of the school or university it is difficult to |
| schools. | | | | maintain a conversation group. A local teacher |
| One of the biggest obstacles to speaking English | | | | may offer private conversation sessions (as |
| (or any foreign language) is the embarrassment | | | | opposed to lessons) and these are obviously |
| or timidity that a student might feel at first. The | | | | valuable to students of English. In fact I would |
| only way to overcome this is by practicing English | | | | suggest that the busy teacher who can't face |
| and by spreading the idea that 'it's no big deal.' | | | | doing extra private lessons could relax a bit and |
| Speaking English should be a natural and regular | | | | make some extra cash by hosting groups. If the |
| thing that everyone in the group should support. | | | | teacher, or any other fluent speaker of a second |
| In this case 'support' means no laughing at | | | | language, has suitable premises, arranging |
| mistakes or mocking beginners' accents, for | | | | conversation groups can be fun and can be |
| example. | | | | profitable. |
| Even kids in nursery school can start to speak | | | | Students of English - or any other language - can, |
| English, using simple rhymes and songs. But they | | | | of course, organize everything themselves, |
| can also converse: the subjects of conversation | | | | perhaps meeting in each others' houses on a |
| should be varied to suit the ages of the children. | | | | scheduled basis every week. This costs nothing |
| Children as young as four or five should be able | | | | except effort. |
| to say something about the Teletubbies, Barney | | | | Finally, it's worth mentioning that a 'conversation |
| or Bob the Builder. | | | | group' doesn't mean that everyone has to speak. |
| A good group needs a plan; it is unrealistic to get | | | | Students who are not yet ready for conversation |
| a group together if no one has any idea what | | | | can still attend. In their case it's a 'listening group', |
| they're going to talk about. And it must be a small | | | | and why not? It will surely help them with their |
| group - no more than three or four people. A | | | | other language to hear it in conversations. And an |
| larger group will not produce useful conversation. | | | | extra two or three listeners in the group can add |
| In real life, in our own language, more than four or | | | | income because they pay the same as everyone |
| five people don't usually have a true conversation. | | | | else. |
| It becomes a shouting match or the group splits | | | | |