Charles Paxton asserts authorship of this website, CAT, a.k.a. Communications And Tutoring, A Very English Language School and all its programs and procedures. These are copyright The WebCat 2009, all rights reserved, unless expressly stated otherwise by this author.

Themed and Spontaneous Conversation Classes

If you are primarily interested in developing conversational fluency centred upon particular topics or themes, then themed conversation might suit you nicely. Perhaps you are interested in talking about your business field, or cooking, movies, trends, gardening, architecture, art, foreign travel, current events, the environment, etc. You can choose themes that interest you and we can chat about them. In the orientation session we can decide the first theme and afterwards I will email you some thought provoking questions about it. You can use the questions as a basis for questioning me, and/or you can modify them and create your own. Henceforth, at the end of each session we can agree upon the next theme, or carry one theme over two sessions if it is a rich vein.

(the level of complexity can vary for false beginners through to advanced students)

If you prefer spontaneous conversation ...

we can talk in a very 'free and easy', unplanned manner, following up your interests as the conversation unfolds, taking time to deal with points of interest (and themes) as they naturally arise and also within role playing scenarios. This style suits students with a wide variety of interests or experiences, or students who wish to develop confidence in spontaneous conversation and active listening skills. I will encourage students to develop their assertiveness and steer the conversation, but will be ready with suggestions to avert 'conversation collapse'.

(these activities are better suited to upper intermediate or advanced students)