Have you ever experienced small talks with strangers? What about foreigners? What were those talks about?
In this article I would like to tell you about the importance of small talks in second language practice.
First things first, small talk is a casual conversation with a stranger or an unfamiliar person with the purpose of acquaintance or communication establishment. This way people can interact without any special reason or a specific level of relationship. Now think again… Have you ever had a small talk?
Let’s find out what places are the most common for small talks:
- Workplace 🗄️ Talking to your colleagues on an everyday basis is an inevitable feature of many jobs.
- Park 🌳 Trivial but true. Seems the easiest way to connect with a Pearson by simply sitting next to him on the bench.
- Party 🎉 People themselves look for communication and meeting new people in such situations.
- Cafe ☕️ In such a relaxed atmosphere people are more likely to give a positive response to your attempt to talk.
- Gym 🏋🏻 While taking a short break between exercises, people may strike up a conversation with any person who is near.
- Other public places 👥 subway, elevator, queue in grocery stores, banks, etc. Remember that awkward conversation with an old lady at the bus stop.
Now you have a wider picture of everyday dialogues. Let’s make your view a way more extensive and try to identify do’s and don’ts in little conversations.
DO’S OF SMALL TALKS:
- Ask open questions 💬 If you want to keep the conversation going, avoid questions that can be answered with just “yes” or “no”. Open questions require a longer, more detailed response. They encourage people to share and may convert an ordinary talk into an interesting discussion. These questions can start with: - What/how/why…? - Tell me about… - Describe…
- Share experience 💁🏻♀️ You can prolong the conversation by talking about your own experiences and thoughts. Don’t be afraid to share a story from the latest trip or your findings about the second language learning.
- Show interest in other person experience 🤩 May sound logical but it is often hard to find words for a pleasant reaction to other person’s story. In order to not look foolish, you may use the following tips: 1) say encouraging phrases: - That sounds incredible! - Unbelievable! - Cannot believe it! - Tell me more! 2) ask follow-up questions: - How you felt about this? - What was the hardest/easiest part? - Would you do that again? - What did you learn from this situation? 3) relate if possible: - Your story reminds me of… - I think I should do that too. 4) give an appropriate compliment: - You are so brave/creative! - You explained it so well that it feels I’ve been there.
Remember that people love talking about themselves when they feel heard. Combine enthusiasm, curiosity and openness to keep the conversation moving!
DON’TS OF SMALL TALKS:
- Dominate the dialogue 🗣️ The key word here is “dialogue”. Watch that your discussion keeps being a discussion but not a monologue.
- Ask personal questions 🫵🏻 Must be difficult to understand what is personal for each person. Some women say it is inappropriate to ask about their age while others are confused to talk about salary. Another trick is cultural differences. You may offend some people by asking if they are married. The most effective way to avoid awkward situations is to keep the conversation neutral.
- Controversial topics 🗯️ If you want to make a friend or have a pleasant chat with a stranger, never touch politics, religion, nationalities, etc.
Considering these key aspects of a great conversation you can travel around the world without fears. The best thing you can do for yourself is to be openminded, peaceful and sincere.
The above strategies will help you to get an amazing second language practice! Do not hesitate to interact with people around. Spread love, kindness and positivity💫