49 ESL Conversation Games & Activities - Jackie Bolen 2020

4: It doesn't always need to be fun
Top 10 tips for teaching english conversation

For new teachers, there is the temptation to always be a constant entertainer. I call them edutainers. However, edutainer mode is hard to keep up, week after week, month after month, and year after year. While it's good to have a laugh and a joke once in a while, learning English is not easy so it is okay to have more serious kinds of speaking activities that do not involve a game of some sort.

For example, partner conversation activities are extremely valuable because that means that every single student is either listening or talking in a very active way for the duration of that activity. It also gives students a chance to get feedback from a partner similar to their own level, which is helpful because they are able to see if what they are saying is comprehensible, or not. Students will appreciate their classes if their English speaking skills are improving, even if you are not the most entertaining teacher so don't be afraid to do some more serious things.