You might wonder how if you have 20 something learners in your class.

Well, you can put them into groups or in pairs and give them a topic, a situation or a short conversation to practice. They can talk at the same time. It will save you and them for hours of boring repetitive drilling.

You might have other doubts about this method such as how you can make sure they are on track and practising what they are supposed to.

Well, you mingle around in the classroom and check them, correct their pronounciation and be there when they have questions.

At the end of the activity you can randomly ask some of your ESL students to come and act out the conversation, they practiced. To make sure your other students are listening to the ones who are talking, ask them to correct the mistakes the 'actors' might make.

When they finish with the conversation, let the others tell them what they should have said differently. And no matter what, you try to focus on the things they got right.

Positive feedback is really important even for you or me.