How to Teach Speaking to English Learners

5 tips that will help you teach speaking successfully

Whether you are teaching an actual English conversation class or you integrate speaking activities in your everyday curriculum, how to actually teach speaking may still be a daunting task for you.

We speak for different purposes: to persuade, to inform, to demonstrate or to entertain. Just think: each of those types has their own specifics, and can be taught in separate courses!

But how do you teach speaking to someone who is learning how to speak in another language? It can be just as nerve-racking as it is exciting.

If you have a purely conversation class, chances are there may not even be a curriculum for you to follow. And if you are incorporating speaking in your regular day along with writing and reading, it may seem that speaking will be learned automatically anyway.

There are a few things you can do to teach speaking effectively.

In this blog post, I am going to break down the main components of a speaking lesson that you should incorporate. They will make it much easier for you to plan and will bring a sense of achievement for your students.

Here they are in short

• Set the rules
• Pre-teach vocabulary
• Arrange for small group or pair work
• Teach strategies
• Give students choices

Set the rules

Different cultures may have different rules for speaking. In some cultures, students are expected just to listen and only speak up when a teacher is addressing them. In others, it’s a free-for-all. That is why it is super important to explain to students the rules of engagement right from the beginning. When someone talks, we listen courteously. If you have a question, ask for clarification. This is the part where you can go over terms such as audience, register, differences between academic and conversational language. It may take a full lesson or two, but these are super important topics to cover and will allow both you and your students to be successful. 

Pre-teach vocabulary before speaking

I have mentioned in numerous blog posts that knowing words in another language means the ability to express yourself. A lot of students may not be speaking simply because they do know how to say what they want to say, i.e their vocabulary is not yet sufficient. Pre-teach basic vocabulary and phrases for beginners before a lesson. Don’t be afraid of teaching common idioms and/or metaphors as they abound in the English language. For higher level students, introduce tier 2 words to enrich their speaking ability.

Arrange for small group/pair work

Students may feel comfortable speaking with a peer in a paired activity or in a small group. The dynamics of a group is much more informal and allows the students to feel more relaxed and less self-conscious. At the same time, how often in our lives to we have to speak in front of an audience? Most of our conversations take place in small groups or with one other person. That is why speaking practice is great when it can be done in as real a situation as possible. The more your students practice, the more confident they will feel.

Teach speaking strategies

When we speak our native tongue (or L1), we do not always understand things, either. Sometimes we need to ask to repeat a question, other times we want a clarification on a concept or vocabulary word, and sometimes we want the speaker to rephrase what they are saying. These are all strategies your students already have. Now it is a matter of transferring them into their second language learning. In one of my blog posts, I shared a self-assessment sheet that I have my beginners fill out at the end of each week. In it, there is a section, where they have to reflect on what they did if they could not understand what the speaker was saying. This allows them to see that they already have the tools and makes them feel more empowered.

Click the picture below to check out how you can transform your speaking classroom!

Give students choices

To make the conversation more authentic, have the students choose the topics they would like to talk about. Whenever the students have something they are interested in or passionate about, the motivation to speak is there. Half of your work as a teacher is already done! Students could work in groups to brainstorm the topics they would like to talk about and make a list either on an index card or a piece of paper. You now have ideas for your next speaking lessons. It is important to note that while controversial topics such as political elections, or same-sex marriage are great for generating discussion and learning persuasion, not all students can handle mature topics like this. Always consider their age, cultural backgrounds, and interpersonal skills before assigning a controversial topic.

Assessment

Just like with writing, speaking assessment poses certain difficulties. However, the most important thing to remember is that conversational speaking assessment should be informal. Do not assess students on grammatical mistakes or an “incorrect” way of speaking. Even when we speak our first language, we do not always say things “correctly”. Focus on fluency and flow, ability to use the new words and retrieve them when necessary, look for and suggest strategies your students can employ when speaking. If the students can understand each other, and if they have come out of their shell and have begun speaking English (no matter how little) that is already a win!

Here is a sample speaking lesson plan template, which is handy when planning your own speaking lessons.

To get you going on your speaking lessons, check out the 25 Authentic Speaking Activities by clicking on the image below.

Click the picture below to check out how you can transform your speaking classroom!

Would you add anything to these tips? What do you find works when teaching speaking? Share in the comments below!