Beginning a Lesson

Before starting the lesson material, it is a good idea to engage in a little small talk with your student. Japanese people, in general, feel more comfortable with this because it is a part of their daily life in Japan.

The easiest topic to start with for small talk is the weather. The teacher can ask the student if it is hot or cold outside and what the student feels the temperature is. Asking if the weather is usual or unusual for the season is a good expansion on the topic. If the teacher talks about the weather each time, it gives her a chance to slowly introduce vocabulary related to the weather which the student may not know such as "humid". Many Japanese students have difficulty using warm/hot and cool/cold properly so you'll have a chance to discuss the difference as well as give the students a chance to practice using these adjectives in every lesson.

Another good topic of small talk is holidays that occur near the date of the lesson. The teacher can ask what the name of the holiday is in English, how it is celebrated, and whether or not the student will be doing anything special to celebrate it. If the student is of relatively low level, it may be helpful to know about the holiday before the lesson in case the student lacks the vocabulary to answer all your questions. You can see a list of all the holidays celebrated in Japan here.

If the student has children or lives with other family members, the teacher can also ask how they are or what they've been doing. If the student has a regular interest or hobby, asking about whether or not the student has engaged in that activity in the past week is also a possibility.

Asking a student about his work is another source of small talk but it's a good idea to measure the student's reaction to the topic. Some people are uncomfortable talking about their work and others are very happy to do so.

Keep in mind that the main purpose of small talk is to relax the student and give him a chance to talk in some semblance of a "real" conversation regardless of level. Some students will find it easier than others but it's worthwhile to give students of all levels a chance to casually speak about themselves.