Have you tried Coffee Talks at your Language School?
Looking for a fun and engaging project for your whole Language School? Try Coffee Talks! They’re a fantastic way to get your students chatting for 60-90 minutes. Students rotate between tables and discuss different topics in a cozy, café-like atmosphere. Curious to learn more about this awesome project? Let’s dive in!
How Do I Set Up Coffee Talks in My Language School?
Here’s how I do it:
Divide the Classes:
Break your classes into groups of 4-6 students. Each group gets a set of questions and a worksheet for jotting down reflections and new insights.
Timed Discussions:
Students discuss the questions for 15 minutes, then spend 5 minutes writing a paragraph with their conclusions and insights. After that, they rotate to a different table or classroom. Make sure they mix with different people to build a strong school community.
Guest Speakers:
Sometimes, I invite guest speakers to make the experience more exciting and enriching. Think of parents with a high level of English, native speakers, or experts in a certain field.
Create a Café Atmosphere:
Let students have coffee while they chat. Cover tables with tablecloths and set out mugs, sugar packets, and napkins to make it feel like a real café.
Teacher Role
As a teacher, your job is to facilitate dialogue and monitor student progress. Take notes while observing to provide informed and effective feedback. This way, you can better understand which teaching methods are working and which need tweaking.
Student’s Roles
At each table, students should choose a HOST and a NOTE TAKER:
THE HOST guides the conversation by reading the questions and facilitating discussion.
THE NOTE TAKER captures key points of the conversation on paper for later reflection.
Q&A
Do I mix levels?
Why not?. It’s a wonderful opportunity for lower-level students to raise their standards and for higher-level students to help those who might find communication challenging.
How do I choose the topics for discussion?
I select a mix of topics that are interesting and relevant to the students. Sometimes I involve students in choosing the topics to ensure they are engaged and excited about the discussions.
What if a student is too shy to participate?
Pair them with a supportive peer or give them a specific role, like the NOTE TAKER, to encourage participation. Over time, they usually become more comfortable speaking in the group.
Can I incorporate technology into Coffee Talks?
Absolutely! You can use tablets or smartphones for research during discussions or to play relevant videos. Online collaborative tools can also be used for taking notes and sharing insights.
Do students enjoy these conversations?
They absolutely love it! Check out some of the feedback they gave at the end of the Coffee Talks:
“It was so much fun talking to different people!”
“I learned a lot from the guest speaker.”
“The café atmosphere made it feel really relaxed and enjoyable.”
In conclusion, Coffee Talks are a fantastic and effective way to engage students in meaningful conversations and enhance their language learning experience. By creating a café-like atmosphere and incorporating a mix of interesting and relevant topics, students are given the opportunity to not only improve their language skills but also build a strong class/school community. So, give Coffee Talks a try and watch your students’ speaking skills soar!
Wanna get inspired by other amazing speaking activities? CLICK HERE!
