Teaching Oral English for Employability Using Communicative Language Techniques

Michelle Stabler-Havener

Senior English Language Fellow

Objectives

Participants will be able to…

List, give examples of, and practice different activities and teaching techniques for speaking for employability

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1 Thumb + 2 Fingers Up = Silence

Warm-Up: Small Group Discussion

What are some activities and teaching techniques that you use to teach speaking for employability purposes?

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Speaking Activities and Teaching TechniquesFor Employability Purposes

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Model Based Dialogues

Example

How to make suggestionsA: Let’s + simple present tense verbB: I would like to, but + (specific

reason) Context: At Work

A: Ask your colleague “B” to have tea with you. Be persistent.

B: Find polite excuses for refusing. Refuse your partner at least three times.

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Model Based Dialogues: Example

A: Let’s go to tea.

B: I would like to, but I still have a lot of work to do.

A: Come on. Let’s go to tea.

B: I would like to, but I really must get this work done quickly so that I can get home and prepare dinner.

A: Please, let’s go to tea.

B: I would like to, but I am afraid I don’t have the time now.

A: Let’s go to tea. We will be quick, just 5 minutes.

B: Ok. Tea will give me energy to work faster. Just 5 minutes.

Model Based Dialogues

Model Based Dialogues

Personalize

Choose volunteers and students at random

Change partners

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Role Play

Role as a mask

Relate the role play to lesson/ unit/ course objectives

Make sure to give students time to prepare their role play

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Example:

Objectives:

The learner will be able to…Use language functions to invite someone to dinner as well as politely accept/decline an invitation.

Instructions:

In pairs, take turns doing the following:

A.Invite “B,” a city official, to a special function on your boss’s behalf.

B.“B” -- Accept or decline the invitation.Switch roles. Make sure to use the language functions during your role play. 

Example Role Play: Language Functions

Inviting Someone:

Would you like to…?

Why don’t you come over?

I would be delighted if you were able to…

Accepting an Invitation

Thank you. I’d like to very much.

I’d love to.

I’d be delighted to come.

Declining an Invitation

I’m sorry. I don’t think I can.

Sorry I can’t, but thanks anyway.

I’d love to, but unfortunately I already have plans.http://thenewindianbride.com

What is a language function?

The term “language function” refers to the purpose of a speech or text.

We are focusing on speech in this session. An “utterance” is a spoken word or statement.

Example: What is the

language function for this student’s

speech? In other words,

why is he saying, “Present”?

What is the purpose of his

utterance?

“Present.”

Practice

Examples:

Function: Giving instructionsUtterance: Turn to page 33, please.

Function: Encouraging studentsUtterance: ?????Answers: Well done, that’s great, You’ve really done well, good try, etc.

Function: ???????Utterance: Would someone be willing to share first?Answers: Eliciting, facilitating a group discussion

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Interviews

Interviews

Gets students moving

Can reflect students interests or unit theme

Example

In 5 minutes, talk to as many different people as you can.

Write down their names and their answers to the following question:

Do you think it is important for students in rural India to learn English? Why or why not?

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Small Group Problem Solving

Small group problem solving may involve:

Making a decision

Prioritizing a list

Listing steps

Planning activities

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Small Group Problem Solving:More ExamplesMaking a decision:

A colleague has an important presentation to give in one week. Her mother suddenly becomes ill and is admitted to the hospital. How should your colleague spend her time this week?

Listing Steps/Planning Activities

A group of 3 people are put on a committee to plan a national day celebration event for the company. One person is a good administrator. One person accomplishes tasks quickly. One person is an excellent speaker and performer.

What tasks need to be done to prepare for the national day event and which person should accomplish each task?

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Debates and Discussion

Specific topics

Topics students know something about

Students should have time to prepare

Facilitation Suggestion

Split the class into 2-4 groups depending on the topic.

Traditional debate is when the class is split into 2 groups where one group is for an issue, the other is against it.

Break the groups into smaller groups of 2-4 people to prepare for the debate.

At the time of the debate, a different person must speak each time.

The person speaking needs to address what has just been said by the other group before they make a different point.http://dumais.us/newtown/blog/?tag=debate

Debate

Should there be a mandatory dress code at the workplace for men and women?

THANK YOU!

Comments? Questions?