Speaker
Description
This presentation is sponsored by Pro Lingua Learning.
Students’ abilities to interrupt, confirm understanding, ask for clarification, signal (dis)agreement, paraphrase, etc., can be difficult to develop in ways that are truly helpful, engaging, and authentic. The presenters demonstrate effective approaches and provide materials from the new 2026 editions of the bestselling student books Conversation Strategies and Discussion Strategies.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
The primary purpose of this presentation is to equip ESOL educators with practical, highly engaging strategies to teach essential conversation and discussion skills. Attendees will discover how to transition students from passive listeners to active participants who can confidently interrupt, clarify, and negotiate meaning. The session aims to provide teachers with ready-to-use, authentic techniques drawn from the updated 2026 editions of Conversation Strategies and Discussion Strategies to elevate their classroom practice immediately.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The presenters will begin by briefly outlining the pedagogical challenges of teaching spontaneous conversation skills. Next, we will model specific communicative activities to demonstrate pacing and scaffolding. Participants will then engage in hands-on pair and group exercises, actively practicing targeted strategies like signaling disagreement or paraphrasing. The session will conclude with a collaborative debrief and Q&A to discuss adapting these techniques for various proficiency levels and diverse adult education contexts.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
This workshop focuses on the practical application of pragmatic speaking skills. The content centers on targeted, student-centered activities from the new 2026 editions of Conversation Strategies and Discussion Strategies. Participants will learn how to facilitate dynamic exercises that teach learners how to politely interrupt, confirm understanding, ask for clarification, paraphrase, and express agreement or disagreement. Attendees will leave with a clear pedagogical framework, adaptable activity templates, and sample materials. Ultimately, teachers will learn how to seamlessly integrate these authentic communication strategies into their existing curricula to build students’ confidence in real-world, unscripted environments.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Current Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research emphasizes interactional competence—the ability to co-construct meaning through dynamic turn-taking, repairing breakdowns, and negotiating meaning. Traditional ELT practice often isolates language mechanics, leaving students ill-equipped for authentic, spontaneous discourse. Grounded in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and pragmatics, this presentation addresses the practical challenge of teaching specific functional skills—such as interrupting, clarifying, and paraphrasing. By translating current discourse analysis research into structured, student-centered tasks, educators can move beyond rote dialogues and foster genuine, real-world communicative competence in diverse classroom settings.
| Title | Strategic Speaking: Building Communicative Competence |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | Conversation/language school |