Talking to a wall is easier than dragging a conversation out of a self-conscious language learner. I've been there. You're in a drafty classroom or a Zoom call, and you ask, "What did you do this weekend?" The response is almost always a polite, soul-crushing "Nothing much." It's not that they didn't do anything. It's that the prompt is a snooze-fest. Finding topics of conversation ESL students actually want to engage with requires moving away from the "How's the weather?" scripts and toward things that actually spark a pulse.
We focus way too much on grammar and not enough on the "why" of talking. If you're teaching or practicing, you have to realize that language is just a vehicle for connection. Most textbooks give you scripts about ordering a pizza. Honestly, who cares? You can do that on an app now without saying a word. Real fluency happens when you’re so annoyed or excited about a topic that you forget you’re worried about using the past perfect tense.
The Problem With Traditional Topics of Conversation ESL Materials
Standard curriculum is often sterile. It’s designed to avoid offense, which also means it avoids interest. When you stick to the "safe" stuff, you're essentially asking people to perform a linguistic dance rather than express a thought. Research from experts like Stephen Krashen suggests that "compelling input" is the key to acquisition. If the topic isn't compelling, the brain just stays in "study mode" instead of "communication mode."
You've probably seen the lists. Hobbies. Family. Jobs. They’re fine for the first five minutes. But after that, the energy dies. To fix this, you have to lean into "low-stakes controversy" or deep cultural comparisons.
Think about the difference between asking "What is your favorite food?" and "What is the most overrated food in your country?" The first one gets a one-word answer. The second one? That starts a debate. People have feelings about their national cuisine being misunderstood. That’s where the magic happens.
Moving Beyond "What's Your Hobby?"
Let's look at some specific pivots. Instead of asking about a job, ask about the "worst boss ever." Everyone has a story about a terrible manager. It’s universal. It taps into shared human frustration. You'll get more vocabulary out of a rant about a micromanaging supervisor than you ever will from a polite description of daily tasks in an office.
The Power of "Would You Rather" and Ethical Dilemmas
Gamification isn't just for kids. Using "Would You Rather" questions is a classic for a reason. They force a choice.
- Would you rather live in a world without music or a world without movies?
- Would you rather have a job you love that pays nothing or a job you hate that makes you a millionaire?
These aren't just silly. They’re structured debates. They require the use of conditionals—"If I chose X, then Y would happen"—which is a notoriously tricky area for many learners. By focusing on the choice, the grammar becomes a tool, not the goal.
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Then there are the "Shipwreck" scenarios. If you're stuck on an island, which three items do you take? Again, it's a cliché, but it works because it demands justification. You can't just list items; you have to explain why a solar-powered Kindle is better than a fishing rod. It’s about the "why."
Technology and the Future as a Goldmine
Technology is a great topics of conversation ESL goldmine because it's changing so fast that no one is really an expert, yet everyone has an opinion.
Artificial Intelligence is the obvious one. Don't just ask "Is AI good?" That’s too broad. Ask: "Would you trust a robot to perform surgery on you?" or "Should AI be allowed to write books?"
Social media is another one. Is it making us lonelier? Every student, from a teenager in Tokyo to a retiree in Rome, has observed the "phone-at-the-dinner-table" phenomenon. It’s a shared global experience.
Cultural Nuances and the "Fish Out of Water"
If you're working with students who have moved to a new country, the "culture shock" angle is huge. But avoid the "What do you like about this country?" question. It’s too polite. Students feel obligated to be nice.
Instead, ask: "What is the weirdest thing people do here?"
I once had a student from Brazil spend twenty minutes explaining how bizarre he found the American habit of wearing shoes inside the house. He used more complex adjectives in that twenty-minute rant than he had in the previous three weeks of lessons. He was passionate. He was confused. He was communicating.
Travel Stories (The Ones That Went Wrong)
Nobody wants to hear about a perfect vacation. It’s boring. We want to hear about the missed flight, the lost luggage, or the time you accidentally ordered fermented shark in Iceland.
Failure is funny. It’s also relatable. When a student tells a story about a mistake they made, it lowers the "affective filter." They stop being afraid of making a mistake in English because they are literally talking about making mistakes.
The "Expert" Approach
One of the best ways to get someone talking is to treat them like the expert they are. Everyone knows something about something.
- If someone is a programmer, ask them to explain a complex concept to a five-year-old.
- If they are a parent, ask for the one piece of advice they’d give a new mom or dad.
- If they love cooking, have them "teach" you how to make their signature dish.
This flips the power dynamic. In an ESL setting, the student often feels "lesser than" because their English isn't perfect. By making them the teacher of a specific subject, you give them back their authority. They have the knowledge; they just need the words. You’ll find they search harder for those words when they’re trying to explain something they’re proud of.
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Psychology and Human Behavior
Why do we do what we do?
People love talking about personality. Introverts vs. Extroverts. The concept of "burnout." What makes someone a "good person"?
These are deep waters, sure. You have to gauge the level of the student. But even at an intermediate level, you can discuss "What makes you happy?"
Check out the "World Happiness Report" or similar studies. Why are people in Finland supposedly the happiest? Is it the healthcare or the saunas? This leads into discussions about government, lifestyle, and values.
Avoiding the "Dead End" Questions
A dead-end question is anything that can be answered with "Yes" or "No."
"Do you like movies?" (Dead end)
"What's a movie that changed how you think?" (Open road)
"Is English hard?" (Dead end)
"What's the most annoying thing about English grammar?" (Open road)
Always aim for the open road. Use "Tell me about a time..." or "How do you feel about..."
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Real-World Interaction and Current Events
News is tricky. You want to avoid politics and religion unless you know the person very well, as those can go south fast. But "soft news" is great.
Scientific discoveries, space exploration, or even celebrity drama (if that’s their thing) work well.
The "SpaceX" launches or the James Webb telescope images are fantastic visual prompts. Show a picture and ask, "Does this make you feel small?"
Actionable Steps for Better Conversations
If you're looking to improve your sessions or your own practice, don't just wing it.
1. Prepare a "Hook"
Don't start with "Hi, how are you?" Start with a fact or a weird news story. "I just read that some people can't see images in their mind. Can you see a red apple when you close your eyes?" Boom. You're in a conversation about aphantasia before they've even put their bag down.
2. Follow the "80/20 Rule"
The student should be talking 80% of the time. If you’re the teacher/partner and you find yourself talking for three minutes straight, stop. Ask a "why" question. Your job is to be the conductor, not the lead singer.
3. Embrace the Silence
This is the hardest part. When you ask a deep question, the student needs time to translate their thoughts. Don't jump in after two seconds of silence. Count to ten in your head. Give them the space to build the sentence.
4. Use Visual Aids
A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when you don't have the words yet. Use "The Most Interesting Man in the World" memes or National Geographic photos. Ask them to describe what happened five minutes before the photo was taken.
5. Note the "Gaps"
As they talk, don't interrupt to correct every "the" or "a." Instead, jot down the words they are clearly searching for. At the end of the conversation, give them those words. "You were trying to describe a 'hectic' morning—here’s that word." It’s much more useful than a grammar drill.
Stop worrying about the "right" way to speak and start finding the "real" way to connect. The best topics of conversation ESL learners can engage with are the ones that make them forget they're speaking a second language in the first place. Focus on the human across from you, find out what makes them tick, and the language will eventually follow.