Internet TESL Journal Conversation Questions: Hometowns

Example Web Site and/or Technical Equipment Required

Computer(s), Internet access, optional projector (for class presentation)

Use the Web site's conversation questions about hometowns as a warm-up to having students write and/or make oral presentations about their hometowns.

Prepare a list of vocabulary words that students will need to engage in conversation about hometowns. You may also want to use the Mind Map (Example Document 1 above) to help students construct their story.
Prepare a lesson about hometowns, perhaps writing your own paragraph (see Example Document 2, above) or making your own oral presentation about your hometown as a model for students to follow.

Go to the Web Site Example (above) for a list of conversation questions on hometowns.
Project the questions from a computer connected to a LCD projector, or copy and paste the questions you want students to talk about into a document, print, and make photocopies for distribution.
Introduce the lesson, asking students the names of their hometowns and then explaining that students will converse about their hometowns and later write and/or make presentations about their hometowns.
Place students in pairs or small groups for the conversation activity.
Demonstrate how students will ask and answer the questions.

You may want to distribute the questions a day or two before the conversation activity so that students have a chance to prepare and rehearse their answers.
It is a good idea to teach words and expressions for conversational turns, such as the following: "It's your turn. What do you think?" or "That's interesting. Let's go to the next question.".

The Web site has a wealth of lesson plans ; conversation questions on a variety of topics; listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling, and ice-breaker games for the classroom ; as well as articles and other resources for teachers.
There is also an article at this site titled "Teaching Conversation Skills with Content Based Materials" with more ideas on using conversation questions.

Basic Communication