Exploring Conversational Basics

Overview

This is the first lesson in the eight-part unit "Building Confidence in English." Students are introduced to common conversational phrases, greetings, introductions, and open-ended questions to begin developing spoken fluency in a supportive, one-to-one setting.

Learning intentions

• Students will understand the purpose and structure of everyday conversational English.
• Students will learn key phrases for greetings, self-introduction, and asking open-ended questions.
• Students will begin to use these phrases with growing confidence in real exchanges.
• Students will recognise how tone, register, and context shape spoken communication.

Success criteria

• I can greet someone and introduce myself using natural, appropriate language.
• I can form and ask at least three open-ended questions in conversation.
• I can identify the difference between open and closed questions and explain why open questions extend dialogue.
• I can reflect on my own speaking and name one area to improve.

Curriculum links

• MYP English Language and Literature — oral communication and interaction as central to language development.
• MYP key concept of Communication — understanding how language functions in social contexts.
• MYP global context of Identities and Relationships — exploring how we present ourselves and connect with others through language.
• MYP approaches to learning (ATL) — communication skills, specifically speaking and active listening.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

0–5 min | Warm-up and rapport building Begin with a relaxed, informal chat: ask the student how they are, what they did recently, or what they are looking forward to. This models natural conversational English from the outset and establishes a comfortable atmosphere for the lesson.

5–15 min | Introduce greetings and introductions Present a short reference card listing common greetings (formal and informal) and self-introduction phrases (e.g. "I'm originally from…", "One thing I enjoy is…", "I've recently been…"). Discuss how register changes depending on audience and context — for instance, greeting a friend versus a new teacher. Ask the student to practise saying several phrases aloud, adjusting tone as prompted.

15–25 min | Open vs closed questions Explain the distinction between closed questions (yes/no answers) and open-ended questions (who, what, where, when, why, how). Use simple paired examples on a prepared card (e.g. "Did you enjoy it?" vs "What did you enjoy about it?"). Ask the student to convert a list of five closed questions into open ones, then read them aloud naturally.

25–40 min | Guided conversation practice Conduct a structured role-play: the student introduces themselves as if meeting someone new in a UK school setting. Prompt them to use at least three open-ended questions during the exchange. Pause gently when needed to offer in-the-moment coaching on phrasing, pronunciation, or confidence. Swap roles briefly so the student also practises responding to open questions.

40–50 min | Reflection and language review Ask the student to recall which phrases felt natural and which felt awkward. Together, review the reference card and annotate it — circling phrases they used well and underlining ones to revisit. Introduce a simple self-assessment habit: "What went well?" and "What would I do differently?" This builds metacognitive awareness aligned with ATL skills.

50–60 min | Consolidation and preview Ask the student to compose two or three sentences introducing themselves, incorporating at least one open-ended question they might ask a new acquaintance. Read these aloud together. Briefly preview lesson two: building on these foundations to sustain longer conversations. Set a light task — notice and jot down one conversational phrase heard before the next lesson.

Resources

• Teacher-prepared reference card: greetings, introductions, and open-ended question starters
• Printed list of five closed questions for the conversion activity
• Blank notebook or journal for the student's ongoing language log
• Simple self-assessment prompt sheet ("What went well? / What next?")
• Whiteboard or large notepad for live modelling during explanations

Assessment

• Formative observation: monitor spoken fluency, accuracy of open-ended question formation, and willingness to self-correct during the role-play.
• Self-assessment: student completes the "What went well / What next?" reflection to develop ownership of their learning.
• Annotated reference card: serves as a baseline record of the student's starting point, to be revisited and compared across the unit.

Differentiation

• Support: if the student struggles with question formation, provide a sentence-frame scaffold (e.g. "What do you think about…?" / "How did you feel when…?") and allow extra rehearsal time before the role-play begins.
• Extension: challenge the student to sustain a two-minute uninterrupted self-introduction without prompts, incorporating varied vocabulary and at least four different open-ended questions.
• EAL/lower confidence: reduce the number of target phrases and focus on accuracy and comfort with two or three core expressions before broadening; validate code-switching as a natural part of language learning rather than an error.
• Pace adjustment: given the one-to-one setting, be responsive to the student's energy and confidence levels — spend longer on whichever stage yields the most productive engagement, trimming the consolidation activity if needed.