In the English as a second language (ESL) classroom, conversation is one of the most difficult skills to teach. While students usually have no problem conversing in their first language, dialoguing with others in English can be daunting and frightening. Conversation built into the fabric of a game allows students to worry less about mistakes and practice their English-speaking skills.

A Solid Alibi
"Alexis," a teacher in Beijing, China, shares a challenging game for older students on Dave's ESL Cafe website that involves in-depth conversation and the ability to form strong questions. To play this game, write the word "Alibi" on the board and explain its meaning to students. Divide the class into several groups, choosing one group to come to the front of the classroom. Tell a story about a crime committed in your town, perhaps a light-hearted version of a bank robbery or a petty theft. Explain that the group in front has been arrested and the rest of the class must act as investigators.

Tell the class that the alibi of the "suspects" was that they were having lunch at a restaurant on the other side of town at the time of the crime. Send the "suspects" out of the room to solidify their alibi and come to a consensus on what food they ordered, what the server was wearing and if the restaurant was busy.

Meanwhile, the rest of the class creates a list of questions for the suspects. When the suspects return, each goes to a group, which has three minutes to question the suspect before the suspects switch groups. The goal is to find a hole in the suspects' alibi, but the process will produce a great deal of conversation. End the game by having each group share its findings.

Conversation Board Game
Another game posted at Dave's ESL Cafe, by Japan-based teacher Cheryl Elting, creates a board game. The teacher prepares the layout on a large piece of paper, making a long, winding road several blocks long, leading to an ending point. In random squares within the road, write age-appropriate conversation prompts, such as "What are you scared of?" "What is the most exciting place you have been?" or "What would you do if you were president?" Divide the class into groups, and give each group a game board, dice and individual game pieces. The students roll the dice to move their pieces toward the finish; whenever they land on a space, the person to their right must ask them the question on the board. Whoever finishes first, wins.

Have You Ever . . .
To practice conversation, put "Have you ever . . ." at the top of a paper. Then, compile a list of strange or distinctive experiences. For younger students, use phrases such as "been to Disney World?" "met a famous person?" or "won something?" For older students, use phrases like "almost died?" or "eaten something really disgusting?" Have students ask their classmates about items on the list. Whenever someone confirms an experience, students must ask one or two questions to follow up.