<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1452922451683058&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Transparent Language

Hosting an English Conversation Club at Your Library

Want to launch or improve the English Conversation Club at your library? It's an informal program to bring English learners together and give them a safe space to practice. But just because it's informal doesn't mean there aren't strategies to make it run smoothly! Listen to this panel of experts share their tips and tricks on:

Overcoming language barriers & varying proficiency levels

Structuring your sessions

Approaches to error correction

Favorite topics, props, & resources (with many more below!)

In addition to the panel, the chat box was an absolute party. Below is a recap of our attendees' best advice and recommendations.

Recommended materials & props:

  • Games: Clue, Bananagrams, Train of Thoughts
  • New Readers Press – great dictionary with lots of pictures
  • Easy English News newspaper
  • Randall’s Listening Lab – convo topics with audio, script, and questions
  • Ask learners to bring in materials from their daily life (school newsletters, etc.)
  • Children’s and YA books, comics
  • Songs with printed out lyrics
  • Big inflatable globe or map
  • Props from the library’s children’s room
  • "Owl" style camera – a 360-degree camera for those hosting hybrid sessions; it rotates around so everyone virtual can see and hear everyone in the room when they are speaking

Icebreakers:

  • Start with the day, date, and weather
  • Ask everyone to introduce their name and where they’re from
  • Ask for one thing they’ve learned since you last met

Popular discussion topics:

  • Celebrities & pop culture
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Holidays
  • Local culture: "My favorite was when a participant asked me to explain Black Friday! It's an inexplicable American phenomenon."

Session structure & scheduling:


  • Group size: Consensus is that the sweet spot is around 10-15 people max, otherwise it's hard to have just one conversation all together, but there is no shame in much smaller groups especially when getting started
  • Session length: Ranges from 45-90 minutes, leaning more heavily toward the longer end to get in the groove and accommodate those who may need to arrive late or leave early
  • Session frequency: Ranges from 2x/month to 2x/week, but the consensus is consistency is key
  • Scheduling: Groups tend to meet weekday evenings or weekends to accommodate parents and work schedules; many found that weekday mornings were not as well attended; some libraries offer 2x a week at different times for flexibility
    • Some libraries offer concurrent programming for adults with children: "We are offering concurrent programming with our Reading Buddies program, which is for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders, so the kids can practice reading while their parents can practice speaking and listening down the hall."

Other tidbits that felt important to share:

  • “I try to remember that the goal is NOT teaching but providing a space for folks to practice together.”
  • “I think of it like the Lab to the Lecture, but the lecture happened on their own or in some other setting.”
  • “Be very comfortable saying ‘I don’t know.’ I often add ‘Let’s look it up.’”
  • “Having the courage to make mistakes and not be perfect always yielded the most progress.” – I think this applies to your group leaders as much as your learners. 😊