While we spend ages training our students to speak about important issues and discuss things in depth using lots of discourse markers and a wide range of linkers, we rarely focus on a speaking skill which many native speakers (myself included) find extremely difficult – making small talk. In this excellent post, Sandy Millin suggests a series of ways in which we can make our students more aware of the social conventions involved and give them practice in the art of initiating, maintaining and ending dialogues at social functions.

(Photo credit: irishmikeh)

http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/small-talk/