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Small talk might seem like just polite conversation, but it’s a crucial part of communication in English and beyond. It helps people connect, break the ice, and build relationships. For English language learners, teaching small talk in ELT classrooms develops real-world skills that support fluency, confidence, and cultural understanding.
While grammar and formal presentations often take centre stage in ELT, small talk deserves its place too. It teaches students how to respond naturally, ask relevant questions, and engage meaningfully in everyday interactions — key conversational skills in and out of the classroom.
What Counts as Small Talk?
Small talk refers to brief, casual conversations about everyday topics. Think weather, weekend plans, food, hobbies, or the latest local event. These conversations aren’t meant to be deep, but they’re far from meaningless. Being good at small talk shows conversational intelligence, the ability to read a situation, choose the right tone, and adapt language appropriately.
Teaching students these skills gives them a toolkit for real-life conversations, and aligns with practical small talk exercises for English language teaching.
It’s Cultural Too
Here’s the thing: small talk isn’t the same everywhere. In the United States, people often start with “What do you do?” or “Do you have kids?” In China, it’s not uncommon to ask about salary or age, topics that might feel too personal elsewhere. In the UK, the weather is a go-to opener, while in other countries, chatting about food or health might be more typical.
This is why conversational intelligence activities for language learners should include cultural elements. Knowing what’s appropriate in different places is key. Ask students: “What questions are okay to ask someone you’ve just met in your culture?” and compare across the class.
Make Small Talk a Bit Bigger
We often hear the same basic questions in class: “How are you?”, “What did you do this weekend?”, “Do you like music?” These are fine starters — but expanding them makes a big difference.
Try small upgrades:
- “Did you have a nice weekend?” → “What was the highlight of your weekend?”
- “Do you have any siblings?” → “What are their names and what do they do?”
- “It’s hot today!” → “What’s your favourite kind of weather and why?”
These small shifts deepen conversations and help students build fluency naturally. This is one of the most creative ESL lesson tweaks that pays off fast.
Practical Classroom Activities
- Question Expansion Chains
Give students a basic question like “Do you have any pets?” Have them create a chain of three follow-up questions. Practise asking and answering with a partner.
- Small Talk Roleplays
Set up scenarios: meeting someone at a bus stop, queuing in a café, chatting at a school event. Students practise starting conversations and responding naturally.
- Small Talk Bingo
Create bingo cards with conversation topics: hobbies, food, weekend plans, pets, sports. Students mingle and collect answers or signatures for each.
- Culture Swap Interviews
Pair students from different backgrounds and have them compare what topics are common or taboo in small talk where they’re from. A great way to build cultural awareness and empathy.
- Favourite Question Share
Each student writes down their favourite question to ask someone new. Share them, practise them, and discuss: which questions sparked the best conversations? Why?
These strategies can easily be adapted to modern classroom tools and tech-supported activities too.
Final Thoughts
Teaching small talk builds confidence, fluency, and awareness. It helps students feel more comfortable in everyday conversations, whether they’re speaking to a host family, a colleague, or a stranger on the train.
So while it may be called “small” talk, it delivers big benefits.
If you’re looking for creative ways to teach English through video, or want to integrate short-form video in ELT lessons (like TikTok-style speaking prompts), small talk is the perfect gateway.
In short: small talk in ELT = big difference for learner success.
About the author:
Harry Waters wears many hats, both literally and figuratively. He's a multi-award-winning teacher trainer, a teacher, writer, climate activist, podcast host and a TEDx speaker. His journey into sustainability-driven education culminated in the inception of Renewable English, a platform merging language learning with environmental consciousness.
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