Basic Principles of Teaching Conversation Classes (Part 2)

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Teach students strategies for both formal and informal conversations.

  • Conversations may fall flat if the participants do not know conversation strategies.
  • There is a difference between an everyday conversation and an academic conversation.


Example:

Situation 1:

"Hey, Rayyan! How's your study in USM?"

  • I am signalling to Rayyan that I would like to open an informal and brief conversation on the topic of his study. It might extend a little into my own study in my university.


Situation 2:

"What do you think about university students today? Don't you think that they are being too pampered?"

  • Now, I am signalling a different kind of conversation which is more academic. It is more in-depth and analytical as the conversation participants need to consider giving more facts regarding the topic.

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