Teaching English Conversation Online: Essential Tips

Teaching conversation online is different from in-person. Your students are boxes on a screen. Half have cameras off. You need new strategies.

Core Principles

Student Talk Time = 70-80%
You should talk less, students should talk more. They learn by speaking, not listening.
Silence is OK
After asking a question, count to 10. Don't fill the silence immediately. Students need time to think.
Mistakes Are Good
Don't interrupt to correct. Make notes. Come back later. Or reformulate naturally: They say "I go yesterday," you say "Oh, you went yesterday?"
Use Technology
Breakout rooms, screen share, polls, chat—these help create interaction.
Be Real
Lesson didn't work? Screen froze? Laugh about it. Show that communication works even with problems.

Activities That Work Online

Speed Chat (3 minutes):
Breakout rooms with different partners each round. Topic: "Best meal this month" or "A skill you want to learn."

Hot Seat Interview:
One student gets interviewed for 5 minutes. Others ask questions. Next class, different student.

Show-and-Tell:
Students show something on their desk and explain why it matters. Creates stories and natural conversation.

Role-Play:
"You're at a restaurant." Use virtual backgrounds. Make it fun.

Photo Prompts:
Show an interesting photo. "What's happening? What happened before?" Students create stories.

Debate Lite:
"Cats vs. dogs" or "Morning vs. night person." Casual argument. Gets people talking.

Reading the Digital Room

Camera off? Ask privately if voice-only works better. Don't assume it's laziness.
Silent student? Check chat—they might type first. Let them read what they wrote.
Zoom fatigue? Switch activities every 15-20 minutes. Do a stretch break.
One student dominates? Direct questions to quiet students. "Thanks! Now let's hear from someone new."

Help students learn vocabulary naturally—recommend the FreeTalk Dictionary extension for learning between classes.

What Matters Most

High Priority:

Getting students to talk 70%+ of class time
Variety of activities

Medium Priority:

Polished lesson plans
Perfect transitions

Lower Priority:

Covering every grammar point
Recording every class (makes some uncomfortable)

Common Mistakes

❌ Talking too much
✅ Ask questions, then be quiet

❌ Correcting every error
✅ Note patterns, address 2-3 issues at end

❌ Rigid lesson plan
✅ Have 3-4 activity ideas, stay flexible

Quick Tips

Opening ritual: Start every class the same way (builds comfort)
Correction style: Use chat to type corrections OR reformulate naturally
Energy management: Have low-energy backup activities
Let students choose topics: Increases investment

FAQs

Q: What if students don't talk?
A: Use breakout rooms. Smaller groups feel safer. Direct questions to specific students.

Q: How do I handle bad internet?
A: Say "I can hear you, video's fine without picture." Keep moving. Don't let tech stop the class.

Q: Should I record classes?
A: Ask students first. Some cultures have privacy concerns. Consider recording grammar explanations only, not conversations.