Lesson Plan: Conversational English for ESL Students

Level: Intermediate ESL Students
Duration: 60 minutes
Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will improve their conversational skills, focusing on fluency, vocabulary building, and real-life scenarios.
Materials: Whiteboard, markers, handouts with key phrases, role-play scenarios, audio/video clips of conversations (optional)

Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Objective: Get students thinking in English and encourage participation.

• Activity: Small Talk Icebreaker
  Ask students to pair up and have a 3-minute conversation on one of the following topics:
  • "How was your weekend?"
  • "What do you like to do in your free time?"
  • "Tell me about your favorite movie."
  After the 3 minutes, change partners and repeat. This helps build confidence in a low-pressure environment.

Teacher's Role:

• Walk around and listen to conversations, noting common mistakes and key areas for improvement.

2. Introduction to Key Vocabulary & Phrases (10 minutes)

Objective: Provide students with essential phrases for starting, maintaining, and ending conversations.

• Activity: Discussion of Key Phrases
  Introduce phrases like:
  • "That’s interesting! Tell me more about it."
  • "What do you think about…?"
  • "How do you feel about…?"
  • "I see your point, but…"
  • "Sorry to interrupt, but..."
  • "I didn’t catch that, could you repeat?"

Handout: Provide a list of these phrases for students to refer to during the lesson.

Teacher's Role:

• Explain the phrases, giving examples of when to use them.
• Encourage students to write them down and ask questions.

3. Role-Play Scenario (20 minutes)

Objective: Apply new vocabulary and phrases in a real-life context.

• Activity: Role-Play Practice
  Divide students into groups of two or three. Give each group a scenario to role-play:

  • Ordering food at a restaurant.
  • Asking for directions.
  • Discussing weekend plans with a friend.
  • Making an appointment over the phone.

  Each group will practice their conversation for 5 minutes. Then, have each group perform for the class.

Teacher's Role:

• Offer feedback on language use, pronunciation, and fluency.
• Encourage students to use new vocabulary and phrases.

4. Listening and Responding Activity (10 minutes)

Objective: Improve listening comprehension and conversational response skills.

• Activity: Listen and Respond
  Play a short audio clip of a conversation or read out a dialogue. Then, ask students to summarize what they heard, or ask them questions like:
  • "What was the main topic?"
  • "What do you think the speaker will do next?"
  • "How would you respond in that situation?"

Teacher's Role:

• Play the clip or read the dialogue clearly.
• Lead a short class discussion based on students' responses.

5. Free Conversation Practice (10 minutes)

Objective: Encourage students to hold a conversation without specific prompts.

• Activity: Open Discussion
  Choose a broad topic (e.g., travel, hobbies, or technology) and let students have a free-flowing conversation in pairs or small groups.

Teacher's Role:

• Facilitate the conversation, ensuring everyone participates.
• Offer corrections if necessary but focus on fluency and natural speech.

6. Wrap-Up & Feedback (5 minutes)

Objective: Reflect on what students learned and reinforce their confidence.

• Activity: Class Discussion
  Ask students:
  • "What new phrases did you use today?"
  • "How do you feel about your conversational skills now?"

Teacher's Role:

• Summarize key points and encourage students to practice outside of class.
• Offer additional resources for improving conversational English (e.g., podcasts, language exchange apps).

Homework:
Ask students to record a 2-3 minute conversation with a classmate or friend and submit it for feedback in the next class.

This lesson plan focuses on real-world conversational scenarios while providing opportunities for vocabulary practice and fluency development.