Lesson Overview

This ESL B1 lesson plan on small talk begins with a fun warm-up that explores what is most and least important to someone in their job. Next, there are engaging tasks where students learn how to describe different jobs using new adjectives. 

 ESL B1 lesson plan on small talk then teaches students how to introduce themselves and others in a formal environment. The phrases are introduced before a series of dialogue and free-talk activities. 

The lesson plan then moves on and teaches students how to keep the conversation flowing by introducing echo questions, echo words, and wh follow-up questions. 

In the next activity, adverbs of frequency are taught as they are linked to and often used in small talk. Learners are given a detailed explanation before being asked to use the adverbs in a fun, engaging task. 

The penultimate task of this ESL B1 lesson plan on small talk is an exploration of an awesome video on small talk, which studies different techniques as well as the importance of small talk in business. The lesson finishes with an excellent role play exercise that encourages learners to use all the words, grammar and techniques introduced in the class.   

Exercises:

1. What’s most and least important to you?
2. Describing jobs. 
3. What do you do? 
4. Keep the conversation flowing.
5. Adverbs of frequency. 
6. Video analysis. 
7. Role play. 

Homework

There is an excellent homework task to supplement this awesome ESL B1 lesson plan on small talk. Students are presented with an excellent article before being asked to write answers to challenging questions. There is also a comprehension activity.  

Exercises:

1. Reading: Small but Important Talk. 
2. Comprehension questions. 
3. Writing task.