Dialogue Building Prescription for B2 ESL Class

 

This comprehensive lesson plan tailored for a B2 (Upper Intermediate) ESL class. This plan focuses on moving students beyond "robotic" Q&A exchanges toward natural, fluid conversation by focusing on register, discourse markers, and active listening strategies.

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Lesson Plan: The Art of Natural Conversation

• Topic: Dialogue Building and Conversational Flow 
• Target Level: B2 (Upper Intermediate) 
• Duration: 90 - 120 Minutes 
• Materials: Whiteboard, printed sample scripts (included below), role-play cards.

1. Lesson Overview & Objectives

At the B2 level, students often possess strong vocabulary and grammar skills, yet their dialogues can feel stiff or strictly transactional (A asking a question, B answering, silence). This lesson aims to bridge the gap between "correct English" and "natural English."

Primary Learning Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Differentiate Register: Switch effectively between formal and informal language depending on the context.
2. Master Turn-Taking: Use the "Answer + Add" technique to maintain conversational momentum.
3. Utilize Discourse Markers: Employ fillers and connectors (e.g., well, actually, to be honest) to soften statements and buy thinking time.
4. Demonstrate Active Listening: Use back-channeling techniques (e.g., Really? No way! I see) to show engagement.

2. Warm-Up: The "Robot vs. Human" Test (15 Minutes)

Goal: To highlight the difference between grammatically correct English and natural, pragmatic English.

Activity: Write the following short dialogue on the board. Ask two students to read it aloud.

Script A (The Robot):

• Person A: Hello. How are you today? 
• Person B: I am fine. Did you watch the football game? 
• Person A: Yes, I watched the football game. It was good. 
• Person B: I agree. I must go to work now. Goodbye. 

Discussion: Ask the class: Is this incorrect English? (No). Is this natural English? (No). Why?

• Teacher's Tip: Elicit answers like "too short," "no emotion," "repeating words," "sounds like a textbook."

Action: Now, present Script B (The Human):

Script B (The Human):

• Person A: Hey! How's it going?  
• Person B: Not bad, just a bit tired. Did you catch the match last night?  
• Person A: Yeah, I did! That final goal was insane, wasn't it?  
• Person B: Totally. I couldn't believe it. Anyway, I’d better get going—work's calling. See ya!

Analysis: Have students identify the changes.

• Hello >>> Hey
• I am fine >>> (Hedging/Nuance)
• Yes >>> Yeah + [Commentary]
• Goodbye >>> See ya

3. Core Concept 1: The "Answer + Add" Technique (20 Minutes)

Theory: In B2 interactions, a "dead-end" answer kills a dialogue. Teach the concept of Answer + Add. When asked a question, the student must answer it and then add a detail or a follow-up question.

The Formula:

Answer (Direct response) + Detail (Why? When? Who?) + Bridge (Throw it back to the partner).

Examples:

• Question: "Do you like Italian food?"
• Level A2 Answer: "Yes, I do." (Conversation dies).
• Level B2 Answer: "Absolutely! (Answer) I actually went to a great pasta place downtown last week. (Detail) Have you ever been to Luigi’s? (Bridge)"

Practice Activity: The Ball Toss

1. Students stand in a circle (or pairs).
2. Teacher throws a conceptual "ball" (a topic) to a student (e.g., "Movies").
3. Student A asks a question about movies.
4. Student B must use the Answer + Add formula. If they only answer "Yes/No," the class shouts "ROBOT!" and they must try again.

Teacher's Tip: Encourage students to use "Question Tags" as bridges (e.g., It’s cold today, isn’t it?). This is a distinct B2/C1 skill.

4. Core Concept 2: Register & Context (20 Minutes)

Theory: B2 students often mix registers, using slang in formal emails or formal phrasing in casual chats. Dialogue building requires context awareness.

Board Work: Draw a line on the board: Formal <----------> Informal. Brainstorm functional language for the following categories and place them on the line.

1. Greeting:

• Formal: Good morning / How do you do?
• Neutral: Hello / How are you?
• Informal: What’s up? / How’s it going? / Alright?

2. Requesting:

• Formal: I was wondering if you could possibly help me...
• Neutral: Could you help me?
• Informal: Can you give me a hand? / Do me a favor?

3. Disagreeing (Crucial for B2 - Softening):

• Formal: I am afraid I have to disagree.
• Neutral: I don't think so.
• Informal: No way! / You're kidding, right?

Practice Activity: The Register Switch Give students a list of sentences. They must translate the sentence into the opposite register.

• Scenario: Asking for a pen.
• Source: "Give me a pen." >>> Target (Polite): "Excuse me, would you mind lending me a pen?"
• Scenario: Apologizing for being late.
• Source: "I apologize sincerely for the delay." >>> Target (Casual): "So sorry I'm late guys; traffic was a nightmare."
• Scenario: Rejecting an invitation.
• Source: "Nah, I'm not feeling it." >>>Target (Polite): "That is very kind of you, but I have another engagement."

5. Core Concept 3: Discourse Markers & Active Listening (25 Minutes)

Theory: Fluency isn't about speaking fast; it's about not having awkward silence. Discourse markers act as "verbal glue," while Active Listening (Back-channeling) shows the speaker you are engaged.

Part A: Fillers and Softeners (The Glue) Explain that these words buy thinking time and manage tone.

• "Well..." (Signals a long answer or a disagreement).
• Ex: "Do you like the movie?" >>>"Well, the acting was good, but..."
• "Actually..." (Correcting a misconception or adding surprising info).
• Ex: "Are you from Spain?" >>> "Actually, I'm from Portugal."
• "To be honest..." (Signaling a negative or personal opinion).
• Ex: "To be honest, I didn't enjoy the party."
• "You know..." (Appealing to shared knowledge).

Part B: Back-Channeling (The Listener's Job) In English, silence is often interpreted as boredom or disapproval. Listeners must make noise.

• Surprise: No way! You’re joking! Really?
• Sympathy: Oh no. That’s a shame. What a pity.
• Interest: Uh-huh. Right. I see. Go on.

Activity: The "Bored" vs. "Interested" Game

• Student A reads a prepared story (about a bad holiday or a funny shopping trip).
• Round 1: Student B must listen in complete silence (statue mode).
• Debrief: Ask Student A how that felt (usually "awkward" or "intimidating").
• Round 2: Student B must use at least 5 back-channeling expressions while Student A reads the story again.

6. Production: Guided Role-Play (30 Minutes)

Goal: Combine "Answer + Add," "Register," and "Discourse Markers" in a creative scenario.

Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Hand out the scenarios. Give them 5 minutes to prepare/make notes (but not write a full script), and then perform.

Scenario 1: The Defective Phone (Formal/Semi-Formal)

• Student A (Customer): You bought a phone yesterday, and the camera is broken. You are frustrated but polite. You want a refund, not a repair.
• Student B (Shop Assistant): You cannot give a refund because the box is opened. You can only offer a repair. Try to calm the customer down.
• Requirements: Use Actually, I’m afraid, To be honest.

Scenario 2: The Surprise Party (Informal)

• Student A: You want to throw a surprise party for your mutual friend, Sam. You want to have it at a karaoke bar.
• Student B: You hate karaoke. You think a quiet dinner is better. Try to convince A.
• Requirements: Use No way, Well, You know, and the "Answer + Add" technique.

Scenario 3: The Job Interview (Formal)

• Student A (Interviewer): Ask difficult questions about gaps in the resume.
• Student B (Candidate): Answer the questions positively using the "Answer + Add" technique.
• Requirements: Focus on high-level vocabulary and polite disagreement if the interviewer challenges you.

Performance & Feedback: Have pairs perform for the class. Peer Feedback Task: While a pair is performing, the rest of the class must listen for:

1. One specific discourse marker used.

2. One instance of "Answer + Add."

7. Cool Down & Homework (10 Minutes)

Review: Write three sentences on the board and ask students to make them "B2 Natural":

1. "I like coffee." >>> (e.g., "I'm actually a huge coffee fan, I can't start my day without it.")
2. "No." >>> (e.g., "I'm afraid I can't make it.")
3. "The weather is bad." >>> (e.g., "It's awful out there, isn't it?")

Homework Assignment: The Eavesdropper Ask students to watch 5 minutes of a TV show or movie (in English). They must write down:

1. Three discourse markers they hear (e.g., Look, So, Anyway).

2. One example of a character answering a question and adding extra information immediately.

Teacher's Answer Key & Examples for Reference

Example of "Script Doctoring" (for Section 2 or Homework):

Original (Robotic): A: Do you have plans for the weekend? B: Yes. I will go to the cinema. A: What will you see? B: I will see the new Marvel movie. A: That sounds fun.

Improved (Natural B2): A: Got any big plans for the weekend? B: Actually, yeah. I’m thinking of heading to the cinema. You know that new Marvel movie? A: Oh, right! I've heard mixed reviews, to be honest. B: Really? Well, I usually love their stuff, so I’ll give it a shot. How about you? Up to anything?

Common Student Errors to Watch For:

1. The Interrogator: Student A asks a list of questions without listening to the answers. Correction: Force them to comment on the answer before asking the next question.

2. The Over-User: Student uses "actually" in every sentence. Correction: Teach variety (In fact, As a matter of fact, To tell the truth).

3. The Tone Deaf: Using "I want..." in a formal request. Correction: Drill "Could I possibly..." or "I would like..."

Of course, some activities will be difficult to be implemented in your classroom. Try to scaffold the activities related to the level of your students. These examples are just guides to give you thorough understanding to meet the language level of B2 (upper intermediate) level classroom. Hope you have got novel ways to help your students to build dialogues. Please, do leave a comment below about your experience. Happy Teaching!