to speak or not to speak

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To Speak... Ester Boldú or Not To Speak...

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To Speak or Not To Speak...

To Speak...Ester Bold

or Not To Speak...

Dont take notes!Find all the information and resources at: http://anglester.blogspot.com

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Outline:1. Definition of Speaking.2. Definition of Teaching Speaking.3. Elements of a Speaking Activity.4. Activities to Enhance Fluency5. Designing a Speaking Activity6. Assessment and Grading7. Advices and Resources

1. Definition of Speaking:Speaking" is the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of context. (Chaney, 1998, p.13).

1. What is Speaking?Speaking is the primary mode of communicationAll humans learn to speak as part of their natural biological developmentAn important component of the language teachingSpeaking exercises are integral in the adoption of another language

1.Components of a Speaking Activity

Contextualized practice - clear the link between linguistic form and communicative functionOpportunity to personalize language - students can express their own ideas, feelings, preferences and opinionsAn awareness of the social use of language - appropriate social behavior and the language that accompanies itOpportunity to build confidence - build confidence in students to produce language quickly and automatically

1. What are the types of classroom performance ?Imitative (this should be limited) repetition drillIntensive practice a grammatical/phonological featureResponsive to respond to a questionTransactional (dialogue) to convey informationInterpersonal (dialogue) to interact sociallyExtensive monologue (intermediate/advanced)

Teaching Speaking" is to teach ESL learners to select appropriate words and sentences according to the proper social setting, audience, situation and subject matter.2. Definition of Teaching Speaking:

Speaking is the most important skill, as it is the last step in language acquisition. It is a tough job for teachers to engage student to speak, because there are some barriers and affective filters. You can write or read or learn grammar or listen individually, but you can not speak with yourself so teaching speaking needs more consideration. 2. Some Teaching Considerations:

2. How Do We Teach Speaking?Present new vocabulary words and grammatical structures in situational and communicative contexts.Use the language quickly and confidently with few pauses, which is called fluency. Produce the English speech sounds and sound patterns.Use word stress, intonation patterns and the rhythm of the second language.

2. What are the principles for Teaching Speaking ?Focus on fluency and accuracy (depending on objective).Develop speaking strategies and motivating techniques.Use authentic language in meaningful contexts.Provide appropriate feedback and correction.Optimize the natural link between listening and speaking (and other skills).Give students the opportunity to initiate oral communication.

2. Stages for Speaking Activities. Pre-communicative: Where mainly accuracy-based activities are used. They tend to be the most controlled.Practice stage: These are fluency based activities where they tend to be less controlled.Communicative interaction or production stage: Free activities and improvisations.

2. Some examples for teaching speakingInterviewsGuessing gamesRanking exercisesDiscussionsProblem-solving activitiesRole playsSimulations

2. What are the common speaking strategies ?Asking for clarification (what? Pardon?).Asking someone to repeat something.Using fillers and conversation maintenance cues (uh-huh, right, yeah, okay, hmm).Getting someones attention.Using paraphrases for structures one cant produce.Using formulaic expressions.Using mime and non-verbal expressions.

TASK 1: BrainstormingDiscuss with your partner possible reasons why learners do not speak English in class. Write a couple of these reasons on a paper sheet.

Come up with a couple of ideas to encourage students to speak.

2. Why Learners Do Not Speak?

2. Why Learners Do Not Speak?They have nothing to say.They feel silly speaking a language in which they know they are making mistakes.It is artificial to communicate with your classmate in a foreign language.They do not have the English level to express the concepts that the teacher wants them to express.It is very tiring to concentrate on producing in a foreign language; especially when your level is low.The topic is boring.

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Lack of curriculum emphasis on speaking skills. Teachers limited English proficiency. Class conditions do not favor oral activities. Limited opportunities outside of class to practice. Examination system does not emphasize oral skills. 2. Reasons for poor speaking Skills

2. Suggestions:Create a purpose for class communication.Allow enough time for thinking.Give enough input before students speak.Select topics suitable for the learners proficiency (level, age).Create a reward/punishment system for speaking in English. (extra points 0,25)Avoid over correction (Accuracy vs. Fluency)

Organizer: Get Ss engaged and set the activity.Prompter: Provide Ss with chunks not words.Observer: Analyze what causes communication breakdowns.Participant: Do not initiate the conversation.Feedback provider: Tell Ss how proficient their performance was.Resource: Provide Ss with tools to improve their oral performance.Friendly: Establishes a good rapport with Ss.

2. Characteristics of Teacher in Speaking Activities:

3. Teachers Role:

Increase the Learners Role and ResponsibilityUse learner centred activitiesFocus on the learner talk time

Adjust Feedback/Error CorrectionChoose the right time to correct students Choose the right way to correct students

Integrating SkillsCombination of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in classroom activities. Teachers create activities that imitate real world language use.

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3. Elements of a Successful Speaking Activity:Provide Appropriate InputIntegrate SkillsUse Variety of AidsCreate a Purpose for SpeakingBase your Lesson on Real Life SituationTailor to the Needs

3. Getting students to speakGames: surveying games, bandit and sheriff, shopping games, tabooDrilling: standing in circles then throw the ball to question-answer each other, using pictures (from books or cards), ask and answer questions in pairs/groups, telephone gameSinging: Were table number one, The finger song, Can I have a pen? Chanting: What time is it?, Storytelling: retelling stories

3. Communicative Activities:Classroom activities are designed to get learners speak and listen to one another (communicate).

TASK 2: QuestionWhich of the following is a communicative task?Students read a prepared speech.Students read a story and look at the picture.One student reads the instructions and the other fixes the machine.And a speaking task?

Find the DifferenceDiscussionsDebatesProjects (News)

Benefits?Fostering critical thinkingQuick decision making and justify themselvesDisagreeing with the others politely4. Activities To Promote Speaking:

Examples

Oral presentations Celebrations/News

Role-PlaySimulations

Benefits?Motivating the studentsIncreasing the self-confidence of hesitant students4. Role-Play & Simulations:

Example:

4. Storytelling & Story Completion:StorytellingStory Completion

Benefits? Fostering creative thinking Expressing ideas in the format of beginning, development and ending, and teaching the characters and setting of a story

Picture Describing (comparing&contrasting)Picture Narrating

Benefits?Fostering the creativity and imagination.Improving public speaking skills.Finding similarities and differences.Speculating feelings and future actions.

4. Picture Describing & Picture Narrating:

4. Interviews & Reporting:InterviewsReporting

Benefits?Giving students a chance to practise their speaking.Helping them becoming socialised.

Example:

www.finchpark.com/books/TWA_China/pdf-files/045_news_interview_1.pdf

4. Brainstorming & Playing Cards:BrainstormingPlaying Cards

Benefits:Never criticise learners ideas.Collaborative working.Teacher should state at the beginning of the activity some rules (Ss are not allowed to prepare yes-no questions, they should answer with complete sentences, etc.)

TASK 3: Your ExampleCreate one activity covering these points. Then, critique one of your peers activities using these criteria.Controlled Creative?Level (s) of production?Teacher roles?Accuracy, fluency, communicative?Language focus?Other skills?Stage in a lesson?Seating arrangement?

What Mistakes Do ESL Teachers Make When Designing a Speaking Activity?

5. Designing a Speaking Activity:

Do not provide enough input or sufficient vocabulary beforehand Do not provide authentic materials and shared knowledge. Do not monitor students performance.Setting inaccurate time limit.Give limited opportunity for students to speak the target language and do not involve all students. Focus on the dominant students and ignore shy ones.

5. Mistakes of ESL Teachers (I) :

Do not prompt students to speak more.Increase teacher talk time in class.Usage of one mode of interaction.Distract students by correcting their pronunciation, grammar or word choice.Give offensive signs when commenting on a students response or pronunciation.Give no or unconstructive feedback

5. Mistakes of ESL Teachers (II):

Challenges of assessing speaking activities:What to testHow to testWhen to asses.Scoring6. Speaking Assessment Challenges:

What to test?FluencyAccuracy (Grammar)PronunciationTask CompletionVocabularyAppropriatenessComprehensionCommunicative Competence6. Speaking Assessment Challenges:

How to test?Question/ AnswerPicture TestSituation ResponseRole-PlayFormal PresentationTense6. Speaking Assessment Challenges:

When to assess?Provide appropriate feedback and correction.Takes notes while pairs or groups are talking.Address problems to the class after the activity without embarrassing the student who made error.You can write the error on the board and ask who can correct it.6. Speaking Assessment Challenges:

6. Overview = confidenceCalendar

Sequence and Examples

6. Feedback

Sample Scoring System:Fluency (20%)Pronunciation (20%)Accuracy (20%)Vocabulary (20%)Task Completion (20%)6. Speaking Assessment Challenges:

6. Audience Comments Returned to Students

Wheres your feedback? Your comments are important!

Speaking Checklist:Things to be aware of when evaluating speaking (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary):Pronunciation:Individual soundsStress and IntonationPausing and PhrasingReductions

6. Speaking Assessment Challenges:

Speaking Checklist:Grammar:VerbsNoun PhrasesSentence StructureIndividual Grammar ProblemsFunctional Phrases

Vocabulary:Word ChoiceIdioms and Phrasal VerbsAppropriateness

6. Speaking Assessment Challenges:

7. Advice (I): How to improve my conversation skills?Dont be shy and self-conscious! Communication errors can be solved.A conversation is an interactive activity involving listening and speaking from both parties.Its all about listening and asking questions.Do some research!Lulls are normal.If a conversation is going wrong, it may not be your fault.

7. Resources (I)www.eslflow.comhttp://www.teachingenglish.org.ukhttp://www.onestopenglish.comhttp://www.englishclub.comhttp://www.eslgold.comhttp://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-printables-worksheets.htmlhttp://www.waze.net/oea

7. Advice (I): How to improve my pronunciation?Listening and reading aloudWriting Networking and making friends Greeting people on the streetHaving small talks in publicJoining one-on-one conversations, conversation and common interest groupsWatching foreign movies with English subtitles

7. Resources (II)Daily Conversations:http://www.worldenglishclub.com/daily-english-conversationsEBooks:http://www.gutenberg.orgPhrases and Expressions for Speaking: http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/phrases.html

7. And Rememeber

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Keep It SimpleLess is MORE

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Any Volunteers?

Any Volunteers?

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7. Common teacher statementsMy students are too shy to speak in a groupTheir English level is too poor to give their opinionThere are too many students in the classroom to do a speaking activityThey are not motivated to speak in English Etc. No more excuses!

Thank you for listening

Ester BoldBlog: anglesterMail: [email protected]