Language learning conversation starters
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What would you like to talk about?
Learning a foreign language is a challenge and it requires practice. Both listening and speaking practice on a regular basis is required for learners to become fluent.
I am doing business in Turkey and during work hours in my office, we tend to speak Turkish because my employees are Turks and I am trying to learn Turkish. However at lunch times, we speak English because they are trying to learn English.
Starting conversations (even in your own language can be scary) so here are some conversation starters that we have been using during our lunch breaks to help our employees learn English as a second language. These are people who have passed the "Hello, how are you?" stage and we already know, but want to get to know better and help them overcome the fear of speaking in a foreign language.
Please add your conversation starters to help us out.
Many of these conversation starter ideas are good lens starter ideas too!
I am doing business in Turkey and during work hours in my office, we tend to speak Turkish because my employees are Turks and I am trying to learn Turkish. However at lunch times, we speak English because they are trying to learn English.
Starting conversations (even in your own language can be scary) so here are some conversation starters that we have been using during our lunch breaks to help our employees learn English as a second language. These are people who have passed the "Hello, how are you?" stage and we already know, but want to get to know better and help them overcome the fear of speaking in a foreign language.
Please add your conversation starters to help us out.
Many of these conversation starter ideas are good lens starter ideas too!
Comfortable with chatting?
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Resources for teaching English
“What did you do last night (or on the weekend)?”
Important!
This is a great fall-back question
The answers can change each time because your conversation partners are doing different things.
The most important thing with practicing English conversations is to encourage participation. Ask questions that do not need a lot of thought so their focus is on speaking English and not finding the right or acceptable answers. Avoid opinion based questions and instead stick to ones that can be answered only with facts.
The most important thing with practicing English conversations is to encourage participation. Ask questions that do not need a lot of thought so their focus is on speaking English and not finding the right or acceptable answers. Avoid opinion based questions and instead stick to ones that can be answered only with facts.
“What was your first computer?”
My answer: Sega SC-3000
I wrote a lens about it
“What is your favorite sports team?”
My answer should be: The All Blacks
But I haven't seen them play for ages
As a New Zealand citizen, my only responsibilities are obey and promote the laws of New Zealand and not act in any way that is contrary to the interests of New Zealand. Therefore even though it has been a while since I have seen an All Blacks (rugby) game, I have a responsibility to support them (and any team playing against Australia).
A great All Black tradition is to perform the Haka before the match and my Turkish friends all love the Haka dance.
A great All Black tradition is to perform the Haka before the match and my Turkish friends all love the Haka dance.
“What is your favorite food? How do you make it?”
I would like to buy a hamburger
Pronunciation of some English words can be hard. Watch how Steve Martin as Jacques Clouseau in The Pink Panther 2 tries to pronounce a simple phrase. The second video is dubbed into Turkish - a language that is relatively easy to pronounce because the pronunciation rules are almost always consistent.
curated content from YouTube
“or What is a food unique to your country and how do you make it?”
My answer: Pikelets
“What is your favorite season of the year? Why?”
Extend the questions
Don't just ask about the weather. Ask about the sort of things they like to do in their favorite season. If they love summer, do they go to the beach? Where and how to get there? Who do they go with? What do they do there?
“What is the longest journey you have been on?”
Tips for a good conversation
Listen carefully.
Ask open ended questions.
Don't ask questions that could be embarrassing.
Give plenty of time for answers.
Build the conversation with further questions and your own experiences.
Give encouragement and praise.
“What is the biggest adventure you have had?”
My answer: Moving to Turkey
Moving to Turkey to live and do business is an adventure. There are normal business challenges as well as adjusting to a different language and culture. There is lots to learn. Lots of wonderful people to meet. Lots of great food to eat. Lots of fun to be had.
“What is your favorite movie? Tell us about it.”
Some of my favorite movies
Buy these movies
“What was your first job?”
Start a lens
These conversation starters are great ideas for starting a lens too!
“What was your favorite subject at school?”
How do you start a conversation?
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Serenia
Dec 30, 2011 @ 12:06 pm | delete
- You know the All Blacks won the 2011 Rugby World Cup, right? For the second time - the first time being the first ever world cup back in 1987. Australia came in 3rd place - NZ beat France in the final.
I would love to learn the turkish language but all those curly things under the letters (do not ask me what they are called) makes it look and sound hard!!!
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ChrisDay
Jan 27, 2011 @ 3:22 pm | delete
- Hi & how are you (in whatever tongue) is always a good starter. Not very original tho'. Great lens thanks
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Peter.Murray Jan 27, 2011 @ 6:08 pm | delete
- Thanks. The conversation starters on this lens are not for the level of first meeting people, but for the next level of getting to know them better and helping them to overcome their fear of speaking in a foreign language.
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tembrooke Jan 21, 2011 @ 6:47 pm | delete
- I've never been to Turkey but I've heard it's very beautiful. I admire you for learning a new language!
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- Thanks. You should come and visit Turkey. It is a beautiful place, the food is wonderful and the people are very hospitable.
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mivvy
Jan 15, 2011 @ 8:32 am | delete
- My biggest (one of the many) adventure was travelling in east Turkey. I am/was learning Turkish. Reading is not too difficult but speaking is. I always miss the infixes and miss negations.
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- My Turkish reading and writing is better than my speaking. I miss a lot of the suffixes and so mistakenly talk about myself or the person I am talking to in the third person.
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magicgeniewishlist
Jan 14, 2011 @ 5:07 pm | delete
- Nice lens :)
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- Thanks. Glad you like it.
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AllyVuitton
Jan 14, 2011 @ 10:02 am | delete
- I've never been socially awkward, so words just flow out. But for all those great, but what-should-i-say people, this lens has been blessed!
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- Thanks for the blessing. My team of web programmers are not socialy awkward, but our office is very quiet and they need all the encouragement they can get to communicate.
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For languages other than English too
The conversation starters on this lens can help with learning languages other than English. Just translate them and start talking!
About the author
by Peter.Murray
I am an entrepreneur, originally from New Zealand, living and doing business in Turkey because of the great food, wonderful people and many opportunit... more »
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Stop the silence
Start the conversation
TableTopics Original
Amazon Price: $23.89 (as of 06/02/2012)
135 conversation starting question cards in an attractive acrylic cube.
Also available in General, Family, Couples and Girls Night Out editions.
Talking Turkey
My Living in Turkey lenses
