Don’t Worry, Just Try!

Yoko Tachibana Lacey Love

CommunicationWhat problems come to mind when you think about student

communication?

Our Class Goals• We want students to: – Speak – Try to communicate – Make themselves

understood• Do so without fear…

Our Class Goals• We don’t mean being nervous. • We mean the fear that keeps

students from even trying.

Today’s Goal• As teachers, we can be afraid,

too. • We hope to give you some

activities and ideas to start the scaffolding process.

ScaffoldingScaffolding means teaching

a skill in small pieces.

Communication Scaffolding• If your goal is for students to

be able to communicate… • Trick them into learning the

skills piece by piece.

1MSOne Minute Speech

1MS• Every lesson starts with a 1MS. • Students are in pairs. They

Janken. • The loser starts. The winner

counts words. • Half the class is talking

and half is counting.

1MS• Our students can do easier

topics, such as “My favorite food…” • But also… “How will Japan be

different 100 years from now?”

1MS• Let’s try it! • Please make a pair.• Please choose the

topic. • Let’s try 30 sec.

Building Background• This is how we use T.T. lessons• Power Point with images and videos• As a precursor to the grammar lessons

Knowledge

Building Background• They’re better prepared for the text• They get the “bones” of the lesson• All they need now is the “meat”

Knowledge

Building Background• Here is an excerpt from a T.T. lesson

about the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

Knowledge

Hawaii Game • Your team is at your table. • Listen about Hawaii.• I will ask a question.

Janken. Loser(s): say the answer.

Let’s Learn Hawaiian!

•Hello = Aloha •Goodbye = Aloha `oe •Thank you = Mahalo 

Janken!

A: Aloha

Q: How do you say “hello” in Hawaiian?

Polynesian Voyaging Society

(PVS)

Voyage = A long trip

Society = Group ofPeople / Club

Polynesian Voyaging Society

Janken!

A: A long trip.

Q: What is a voyage?

Building Background• Sometimes we teach around the text• When students start the textbook,

they have a better framework

Knowledge

The 5 Ws Listening Quiz • This is how we start teaching the

actual text. • After T.T., they have an idea what

the lesson is about. • But they don’t know the specifics.

The 5 Ws Listening Quiz • They only know the name of the

lesson plus anything from T.T. • We start by listening to the CD. • Students do a quiz.

The 5 Ws Listening Quiz

The 5 Ws Listening Quiz • They don’t catch everything,

especially at the beginning. • But, even if they can only write one

thing, that’s a success!

The 5 Ws Listening Quiz • Go over the quiz as a class. • Each student says one word. • They can listen to at least 42

words.

The 5 Ws Listening Quiz • This gives them a second piece of

the puzzle. • By the time they start reading, they

have: –T.T. Background –The 5Ws from the listening quiz

Vocabulary• After the listening quiz, we start

vocabulary. • They may have heard it, but they

might not know what it means.

Vocabulary• How can we get students to learn

the vocabulary? • How can we get students to

communicate in English using the vocabulary?

Word Lists• Students match the word with

the Japanese definition. • They also have to find an

English definition.

Word Lists• It starts to scaffold

using English only definitions. • It gets them ready

to explain the vocabulary.

Word Games• After finishing the Word List,

they should know the vocabulary.• Time for games to test their

knowledge!

Crossfire• Teacher can read the English

definition. • Students say the word. • Students in that row and

column sit down.

Spelling Race• Students are in teams by

column. • One student goes to the board. • Teacher calls a word and they

have to spell it.

Meaning Race• Same idea as Spelling Race, but

Teacher calls out the English definition. • First student to write the word

gets 1 point.• This got to be too easy.

Janken Game• In this game, students Janken

in pairs. • Loser has to explain the word

to the Winner. •Winner has to guess the word.

Janken Game• There are two ways to play this

game. • For beginners level: –Word by Word

Janken Game• The second way to play is to

give students 2 minutes to memorize. • They have 5 minutes in pairs

to try to get as many words as they can.

Janken Game• They both have the same list of

words. • But they have to listen to the

explanation carefully. • Practice speaking and listening.

Janken Game• Let’s try! •Make a pair. • Please use the words from the

Word List. • Remember how many you

guess correctly!

Janken Game• You have 30 seconds to

memorize the list. • 1 minute to get as many words

as you can. • Remember how many words

you guessed.

What’s After Words?• Now, students know the

words in the text. • They’ve listened once. • So, it’s time for reading

and listening comprehension.

Pair Question Game• This game can be

played to practice reading or listening comprehension. • We make a list of

simple questions for the text. • Students read/listen.

Pair Question Game• Teacher asks question. • In pairs, students Janken. • The loser must say the

answer.

Let’s Try!1. Please read the last

page: Lesson 4, Part 32. Listen to the question. 3. Janken. 4. Loser, say the answer.

Reading Aloud • Repeat after me…• Repeat after CD…

• Can get pretty boring.

Popcorn • Popcorn Reading pops

between students. • I usually do popcorn in

pairs.

• It’s not the best for phrasing. • But it’s good to practice

saying the words.

Popcorn

• It makes them pay attention to the words as they’re reading.

Popcorn

• Let’s try Popcorn 3. • You could also Popcorn

after each sentence. • Popcorn between Teacher

and Student.

Popcorn

Reading Race• Students get into pairs. • Take turns reading each

sentence. •When they finish, sit

down.

Reading Race• They try to read fast. • But, their partner has to

be able to understand them.

Reading Race• Let’s try! •Make a pair. • Each person read one

sentence. When you finish, sit down.

Shadowing• A shadow follows its

owner closely. • Shadow reading follows

closely.

Shadowing• Shadowing while looking

at the textbook. • Shadowing without the

textbook.

Goal Activities•Using some questions from

the textbook, students do debate. •Pair Debate •Group Debate

Pair Debate• Simple format. • I think __ is better because

__. Also, __. What about you? • I agree/I disagree. I think __ is

better because __. Also, __.

Group Debate• Small groups of ~4. • Each person has a role. –Opinion A + B–Interviewer –Judge

Group Debate• I: Today’s debate is ( ). A, what

do you think? • A uses simple pair format. • I: What about you, B? • B uses simple pair format. • Judge chooses the winner.

Goal Speech • Speech using topic from the

textbook. •Debate format. • This format also helps them

in an interview test.

Questions?