Conversation Circle
Getting students to speak in another language is often a challenge. An activity that I have used successfully is the conversation circle. The class is divided into two equal groups. Two large circles are formed with the inner circle facing outward toward a partner in the outer circle. Conversation topics are presented to the students on a slip of paper. I prefer to use 3-6 different topics per slip of paper. The teacher then challenges the students to talk to each other on topic #1 for a short length of time, perhaps 1 or 2 minutes. At the end of the time period, the teachers tells students in the outer circle to "rotate one person to the left". After the outer circle has rotated and each student has a new partner, the students converse about topic #2. This process continues until all topics have been discussed. The teacher always stands at the board to write down new vocabulary unknown in the target language. After completing the conversations, students return to their seats and the teacher can check on the quantity of communication by asking questions about what their partner said about topic #1, #2, etc. This will often lead to more group discussion and the new vocab from the board can be discussed.
The level of topic difficulty, tenses to be used and time limits can be determined by the teacher ahead of time. Switching topics constantly helps students to develop a wider range of vocabulary and confidence. At first students will be reluctant to participate, but once they get going, watch all the smiles and animation taking place as they really communicate with one another. Of course some times the teacher must remind the students to stay in the target language. If circles don't work for your classroom, two long parallel lines of students will also work.
Below you will find 14 conversation sets and also a huge list of topics that the teacher can choose from. Modify the lists to fit your classes (level, vocab, interests, etc.) and listen to what the students can do.
El Círculo de Conversación #1
1. What are some things that make you happy?
2. A trip that you took
3. Things that scare you / why?
4. Good TV shows
5. Describe a perfect day.
6. Helping at home
El Círculo de Conversación #2
1. What are some things that make you sad?
2. A favorite season
3. Your future family
4. Your possessions
5. A perfect vacation spot
6. A strange relative or friend
Círculo de conversación #3
1. My neighbors
2. My activities when it snows a lot and there are no classes
3. Foods that I like and don't like
4. Ideas to change my house or apartment
5. My school should .......
6. Something I would never give to another person
Círculo de conversación #4
1. What is good and bad about the 4 seasons of the year
2. Changes that I want to make in my life
3. The ideal pet
4. How I get ready to take a test
5. A favorite relative
6. The politicians that represent us
Círculo de conversación #5
The happiest moment of my life
Reasons why people lie
My fondest school memory
A person that I admire
The most interesting person that I have ever met
My biggest goal in life
Círculo de conversación #6
My first flight / train ride / trip to …
I am happy when...
The things that get me upset
My least favorite ____
My future spouse
My most embarrassing moment
Círculo de conversación #7
An interesting place that I have visited
The present that I would like to give
Qualities that I look for in a friend
My three wishes
My favorite and least liked food
How the problem of hunger can be solved
Círculo de conversación #8
Things that I like about our school
These are some things that I do very well
My favorite music group / singer / type of music
Holiday celebrations
Why education is important
My personality
Círculo de conversación #9
Describe each of the people in your family
Describe the house or apartment where you are now living
Describe activities for newcomers to Decorah
What is your opinion about cellular phones?
A person you would like to meet some day
Describe your friends’ personalities
Círculo de conversación #10
What are the pros and cons of having your own car?
Do you like buying new clothes? Where do you go?
Do you give much importance to what you eat?
What is your ideal job?
What was the last movie you saw? With whom? When? Where?
What are the most dangerous things in a house?
Círculo de conversación #11
1. A famous park or recreation area in your area
2. A sporting/musical/theatrical event you attended recently
3. Someone you respect (respetar)
4. An interesting person you have met
5. A place you would like to visit in the future
6. A gift you would like someone to give you
Círculo de conversación #12
1. A place you go for recreation, exercise or relaxation
2. Your childhood home
3. A time when you lied to your parents, boss, or teacher (mentir)
4. An interesting neighbor you have had
5. An interesting place you have been to recently
6. What you would like to do when you get older
El Círculo de Conversación #13
1. Things that bore you
2. What you would like to do when you get older
3. A pet you don’t have, but want to have
4. Something you like to do when you have free time
5. A special talent you have
6. Your favorite possessions
Círculo de conversación #14
1. Outdoor activities, and indoor activities on a rainy(snowy) day.
2. Fairy tale characters you would like to talk with.
3. Why I want to travel to ....
4. My suggestions for a school field trip.
5. How to prepare for a day at the beach/river/lake/park/???.
6. A favorite pet
General Topics for Conversation
1. shopping 2. my favorite state
3. the telephone in my house 4. why I need a car
5. why I go to school 6. things I like and dislike about school
7. why I work or don’t work 8. my relatives
9. my family and our pastimes 10. my friends
11. my favorite restaurant 12. a television program
13. what I want to be 14. my home/apartment
15. my language class 16. my town, city
17. my favorite actor/singer 18. a perfect day
19. a vacation 20. foods that I like / don’t like
21. Christmas at my house 22. how I see our country
23. tourists 24. I want to go to ...
25. an ideal friend 26. favorite movies/videos
27. means of transportation 28. with lots of money I could ...
29. my plans for the future 30. it’s better to tell the truth
31. sports in my school 32. what I like and don’t like about myself
33. people in my life 34. the ideal man / woman
35. in my free time 36. a trip to ...
37. clothing in the USA 38. some books / magazines I like
39. Spanish is important in the US 40. my busy schedule
41. Santa Claus 42. a special day
43. a dream I had 44. music I enjoy
45. my childhood 46. the ideal age to get married
47. how I imagine the future 48. next year
49. politicians / world leaders 50. technology
Many more topic ideas for discussion from ESL site
Conversation Questions
Family - La Familia
1. Are friends more important than family? What do you think?
2. Are chores assigned to children in your family?
3. Do you plan to marry in the future? When?
4. Are you the oldest among your brothers and sisters?
5. Are your parents strict?
6. Did you ever meet any of your great grandparents?
7. Do you get along well with your family?
8. Do you get along well with your brothers and sisters?
9. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, how old are they?
10. Do you plan to have any children in the future? How many?
11. Do you have to clean your own room?
12. Does somebody make you clean your room?
13. Do you like your family? Why or why not?
14. Do you live with any of your grandparents?
15. Do you look more like your mother or your father?
16. Do you often argue with your mother or father? What about?
17. Do you often visit your grandparents?
18. Do you think people should adopt children from other countries?
19. Do you usually have any influence on family matters?
20. Do your parents let you stay out late?
21. What time do you have to be home?
22. Do you have a curfew?
23. How did you get your name?
24. For whom are you named?
25. Who are you named after?
26. How many (first) cousins do you have?
27. How many aunts and uncles do you have?
28. How many brothers and sisters do you have?
29. How many children do you have?
30. How many members do you have in your family altogher?
31. How many people are in your (immediate) family?
32. How many people are in your family?
33. How often do you see your cousins?
34. How often do you see your grandparents?
35. How often is your entire family together?
36. How old are your brothers and sisters?
37. How old are your grandparents?
38. How old are your parents?
39. Is spanking a good way to discipline children?
40. Should people follow the religion of their parents, or should they have the liberty to choose?
41. What are some of your best memories of childhood?
42. What are your parents like?
43. What do you and your family like to do together?
44. What do your mother and father look like? How about your grandparents?
45. What do your parents do in their free time?
46. What jobs do you parents have?
47. What is the best memory you have of your family doing something together?
48. What kind of things do you do with your family?
49. What would you change about your childhood?
50. Where do your grandparents live?
51. Where does (did) your father's father live?
52. Where does (did) your mother's mother live?
53. Who do you get along better with, your mother or your father?
54. Who is the black sheep (odd ball) in your family?
55. Would you live with your parents after you get married?
56. Should children help with the housework?
57. How much or how often should they help?
58. What kinds of housework is not appropriate for children to do?
59. Do you live in a nuclear family or an extended family?
60. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these types of family?
61. What impact has divorce and/or modern day living had on families?
62. Is the nanny and/or the day-care center the third parent?
63. Where is the best place to raise a family? Why?
64. ??
More ideas for conversation practice
1. Strange experiences in a restaurant.
2. Your most embarrassing moment.
3. Amazing discoveries or facts.
4. Adventure racing.
5. Astronomical signs.
6. Nursing your parents.
7. Islands in Oceania.
8. Railroads and trains.
9. How to visit an art museum.
10. Robotics in 2011.
11. Hurricanes, how do they begin.
12. Food photography is much difficult than you think.
13. A narrow escape from trouble ...
14. How to organize a surprise party.
15. Why are television soaps popular?
16. I want a new law on ...
17. What do you think about often?
18. What have you always wanted to do?
19. What would you like to change and why?
20. Things we can't understand.
21. What are your community activities?
22. Suggestions for a school field trip.
23. Dream explanation, ask for dreams and explain them.
24. Rhetorical questions, Socratical debating techniques.
25. Great places to go in the world.
26. Hiking trails nobody knows.
27. See Europe in seven days
1. My hobby and pet peeves.
2. Free time activities that you can recommend.
3. What brands or products are popular in this school and why?
4. Unusual experiences in the last year.
5. Outdoor activities, and indoor activities on a rainy day.
6. Why we are no longer kids.
7. Suggestions for a fun weekend.
8. Animation characters and their voices.
9. Antarctica research of penguins.
10. Aviation pioneers.
11. Celebrities, actors and actresses.
12. Computer games.
13. Flying discs trics.
14. Foreign flags and their story.
15. Reasons to abandon grounding.
16. Rodeo riding: how to survive more than 30 seconds.
17. Strange world records.
18. Skateboarding tips and trics.
19. Greyhound racing.
20. The world would be a better place if ...
21. Environmental problems.
22. Fashion in the last century.
23. Pen pals or email pals?
24. My favourite sports game.
25. My checklist for if you move to another town.
26. Kid cooking is cool.
1. What makes you happy?
2. Our last vacation trip.
3. Fairy tale characters you would like to talk with.
4. Magic tricks you can show.
5. Funny things my pet has done.
6. My favorite family story.
7. Oceans in the world.
8. My neighbourhood.
9. Funny Halloween costumes.
10. A visit to the doctor, dentist.
11. How does it feel to wake up an being a giant?
12. Places I lived.
13. Why I want to travel in space.
14. The best paper airplanes
15. How boomerangs work.
16. Circus clowns.
17. The fire department.
18. Fireworks on New Year's Eve.
19. The best fishing spots.
20. My best birthday ever.
21. I'm good at ...
22. This is the song I like to sing every day: ...
23. Making Puzzels.
24. Police uniforms.
25. What can you see in the zoo?
26. Musical instruments.
1. How I will surprise my mom on Mother's Day or dad on Father's Day.
2. If I was a princess or prince, I should ... - fill in any crazy, funny or hot kid speech topics.
3. How it starts raining.
4. I don't like to eat ...
5. My favorite band or singer.
6. How penguins live on Antarctica.
7. The toys, dolls or mini racing cars collection.
8. Where we went on vacation.
9. A day at the see aquarium.
10. My suggestions for a school field trip.
11. My favorite sports.
12. How I decorate my room at home.
13. Ghost castles and their stories.
14. What we did on Summer Camp.
15. My trip to Disney World or any other vacation resort.
16. The rules of the Paintball game.
17. How your mom or dad can give you free printable coloring pages.
18. The best fairy tale, or a variation child speech topic can be the best fairy tale character.
19. What I think of Hamster Dance.
20. What is the Kids Newsroom?
21. Pumpkin carving for Halloween.
22. How trees grow, or come up with kid speech topics on plants and flowers.
23. Recipes for kids.
24. How to prepare for a day at the beach.
25. The funniest Pokémon cards.
26. Why my neighbourhood is cool.
27. 3 hard to believe miracles.
28. I think teachers should ... or should not ...
29. My biggest adventure ever.
30. The best kid games online.
31. How kangaroos care for their children.
32. The best April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day joke.
33. How to become a police officer.
