ELTM Unit 5 Focus on Speaking

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ELTM Unit 5 Focus on Speaking

• Presented By Jia Lin (Dana)

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Unit 5 Objectives

• Think about the main features of oral
  communication.
• Understand the implications of these features for
  teaching speaking.
• Learn how to design speaking activities in
  harmony with curriculum objectives.
• Know how to assess student performance during
  speaking activities.

P208
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Unit 5 Overview
P207
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Warm-up Exercise
Teaching speaking skills is a bit different from teaching reading or listening. Students need a lot of confidence to speak out loud and they also need to be stimulated so that they can think of things to say. From what you know of these two teachers, which of them could probably conduct a more effective lesson in spoken English? Why?
Strict and controlling, the Schoolmaster does not
allow mistakes.
Creative and encouraging, anything the students
say is okay with the Junior.
P208-209
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1The Nature of Speaking
A1 P210-214
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Key Terms

• redundancy
• context dependent
• hesitation
• fillers
• false starts
• breakdown
• extensive
• collocation

• ...useless repetition
• ...need to know background
• ...pause due to uncertainty
• ...used to pause or gain time
• ...to begin and then stop
• ...failure, sth. stops working
• ...large in amount or degree
• ...common usages, word combinations

A1 P210-214
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Everyday speech.
Do you speak as perfectly as you write? Try this exercise speaking in Chinese. Your partner will give you a topic (e.g. Spring Festival, pets, cooking) and you must talk continuously about it for 1 minute. Your partner will mark an X on a sheet of paper every time you - repeat yourself, - hesitate, - use fillers (e.g. er..., neige...), - or make any other mistake in fluency or grammar.
A1 T1 P210-211
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Features of everyday speech.

• There is no chance to plan what will be said.
• There are interruptions and exchanges between
  speakers (two-way communication).
• Non-verbal expressions (facial, body, gestures)
  emphasize the message.
• It is imperfect, including hesitation, pauses,
  fillers, redundancy and false starts.
• The social situation and context is very
  important.

What if a persons speech is too perfect?
A1 T2 P211-213
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Be aware of techniques.

• When its your turn to speak...
• Make sure that your pronunciation is clear and
  understandable. Choose grammatical structures,
  words and collocations that support your meaning.
• When its your turn to listen...
• Encourage the speaker to continue. Show
  understanding as appropriate. Repair any
  breakdowns in communication (e.g. ask questions).
• Dont forget non-verbal aspects...
• Smile, nod and pay attention to body language.
  The right tone of voice makes your requests sound
  more polite and keeps the conversation positive!

A1 T3 P213-214
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Other features of speaking.

• It is normal to understand a more extensive range
  of words and phrases than we would use ourselves.
• Speakers and listeners need to constantly monitor
  each other and adjust so as to communicate more
  clearly.
• Speech is context dependent. As the context
  changes, the conversation may shift.

A1 T4 P214
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What do you notice?
Read the conversation on page 212 in your textbook again. In groups, identify the following features of oral communication which are present in this dialogue - fillers, - false starts, - establishing context, and - shifts when the context changes.
A1 T4 P214
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Key Concepts
Oral communication is a two-way process in which listening plays a key role. Imperfections such as fillers and false starts are natural and normal elements in speaking. Responding to what has been said is important in maintaining conversation and avoiding a breakdown in communication. Shifts in roles and style may occur with changes in context.
A1 P214
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2A Framework for TeachingSpeaking Skills
A2 P215-227
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Key Terms

• implication
• PPP model
• presentation stage
• practice stage
• production stage
• accuracy
• fluency

• ...logical result of an observation
• ...teach speaking in three stages
• ...introduce new language items
• ...focus on accuracy (controlled)
• ...focus on fluency (spontaneous)
• ...using language correctly
• ...speaking confidently and smoothly

A2 P215-227
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Speaking activities should...

• Begin as soon as students start learning English.
• Involve more than a single speaker.
• Include spontaneous and unplanned speech.
• Not require unreasonable levels of vocabulary or
  grammatical accuracy.
• Encourage awareness of social and non-verbal
  factors in communication.
• Lets look at some elements that should be
  incorporated...

A2 T1 P215-216
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Elements of the syllabus.
Topic pets
Grammar ?
Vocabulary ?
Pronunciation ?
Function ?
Conversation technique ?
Non-verbal communication ?
Cultural information ?
What are some possible elements of an oral
English class on pets? Discuss in groups.
A2 T2 P216-218
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Elements of the syllabus.
Topic pets
Grammar like/dislike... because
Vocabulary dog, puppy, cat, kitten
Pronunciation short/long vowels
Function expressing opinions
Conversation technique asking about likes/dislikes
Non-verbal communication showing size
Cultural information preferences
Notice that teaching speaking skills involves
more than just vocabulary and grammar!
A2 T2 P216-218
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Communicative functions topics.
ask for information sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
describe an event sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
request/permit sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
complain/apologize sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
make/accept/refuse invitations sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
make suggestions sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
give instructions sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
ask/give advice or opinions sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
Which communicative functions could easily be
used with which topic? In groups, brainstorm for
ideas.
A2 T2 P216-218
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Conversation techniques topics.
start/end a conversation sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
hesitate sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
draw someones attention sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
interrupt someone sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
keep the conversation going sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
check understanding sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
ask for clarification sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
invite someone to converse sports shopping TV smoking newspapers
Which conversation techniques could easily be
used with which topics? In groups, brainstorm
for ideas.
A2 T2 P216-218
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Implications for teaching.

• Almost ANY function or technique in conversation
  can be matched to a given topic.
• The problem is deciding beforehand what to
  include in the lesson!

A2 T2 P216-218
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The three stages of the PPP Model.

• Presentation new language is presented in a
  meaningful context using model sentences,
  dialogues, etc.
• Practice use carefully controlled exercises
  such as drills or repetition to develop accuracy.
• Production combine new knowledge with old
  through activities that allow free expression to
  develop fluency.

A2 T3 P219
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Presentation - Practice - Production
teacher-centered
student-centered
teacher-controlled
teacher-coordinated
reproducing language
creating language
class/individual work
pair/group work
attention to accuracy
fluency
Does every class need to follow this order?
A2 T4-5 P220-221
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Suggested activities.

• Activities that are teacher-controlled (for the
  presentation or practice stages)...
• repetition, drills, match, gapped dialogue (fill
  in blanks), read and act, scrambled dialogue.
• Activities that allow students freedom to
  communicate (for the production stage)...
• information gap, prompted dialogue (use cues),
  make up dialogues, make up stories, interviews,
  role play, discussion.

Which activities promote accuracy? fluency?
A2 T6-7 P222-223
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When an activity is successful...

• All students participate, not just a few.
• Students are motivated, eager to speak and share.
• Students English is reasonably accurate and
  fluent. They make use of new expressions.

A2 T8 P224
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Find the obstacles.

• If the activities are not that successful, then
  why?
• Is it because students dont like the topic?
  Dont like their partners or group members?
• Is it because their language is not good enough?
  They are afraid of making mistakes?
• Or is it because they just dont know what to do?

A2 T8 P224
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What you can do.

1. Make sure the students are prepared for any
   difficulties with language in the activity.
2. Let them know what is expected of them. Give
   clear and specific instructions.
3. Have a follow-up session after the activity in
   which you provide feedback, positive
   reinforcement and correction.

c
a, b, e
d, f
Number items a to f on page 226-7 in your
textbook as being examples of either 1, 2 or 3
shown above.
A2 T9 P225-227
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More than a teacher!

• In the PPP model, the teacher serves as a
  demonstrator during the presentation stage.
• During the practice stage, the teacher may be a
  conductor, organizer and/or monitor.
• During production, roles such as stimulator,
  helper and corrector may be most appropriate.

A2 T10 P227-228
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Key Concepts
Teaching students to speak in a foreign language involves a variety of skills. When planning lessons, decide which functions and conversation techniques can be emphasized. The PPP model provides a way to go from control to communication and from accuracy to fluency. When a class is not 100 successful, dont despair. Assess what went wrong, make changes and things will go better next time.
A2 P227
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3Designing SpeakingActivities
A3 P228-247
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Key Terms

• drill
• cue
• presentation
• prompt
• deductive
• inductive
• practice
• production

• ...involves repeating many times
• ...give a sign or signal as to what to say
• ...explanation, demonstration
• ...encourage a comment or response
• ...explain directly to students
• ...help students to figure it out
• ...use new language in a controlled way
• ...produce language in a less controlled, more
  expressive and fluent way

A3 P228-247
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Designing speaking activities.

• When modifying or adapting the lesson plan in the
  textbook, what should you as a teacher consider?
• You should consider how to
• make the material more relevant to students
  lives.
• give students more chances to express themselves.
• teach students new things (besides language).
• adjust the length of time or number of new items.
• tailor the purpose and feedback to the needs of
  your students.

A3 T1 P228-230
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Presentation stage.

• When presenting a dialogue, the teachers voice,
  taped voices, or the teacher and one or two
  students can be used.
• Following the first presentation (reading),
  students can read in pairs, translate, answer
  questions or take part in drills.
• The drill should emphasize the use of a new
  language item (e.g. could you... please).
• Or, the dialogue could be analyzed and discussed
  for characteristics such as politeness,
  formality, connotations etc.

What should NOT be done at this stage?
A3 T2 P230-233
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Deductive vs. inductive.

• In the inductive approach, the teacher helps
  students to work out the explanation by asking
  questions and leading them in the right
  direction.
• Students actively search for answers and arrive
  at conclusions.

• In the deductive approach, the teacher explains
  the new language items, perhaps giving examples
  or a demonstration.
• Students listen passively, then may answer
  questions to show that they understand.

What are the advantages of each approach?
A3 T2 P234-235
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Practice stage.

• Now that students understand the key structures
  and vocabulary, the teacher allows them time to
  practice, using exercises such as
• split exchanges in which one side has all the
  questions/initiations and the other side all the
  responses,
• information gaps in which students must respond
  to pictures or maps using the correct forms,
• prompted dialogues in which students follow
  instructions on cue cards or on a flow chart.

What should NOT be done at this stage?
A3 T3 P235-238
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Create a prompted dialogue.
customer repair person
Asks for watch to be fixed.
?
?
?
?
?
?
With your partner, create cues for the flow chart.
A3 T3 P238
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Sample prompted dialogue.
customer repair person
Asks for watch to be fixed.
Suggests cause of problem.
Asks how much and how long.
Suggests price and time range.
Returns and pays.
Gives back change.
Expresses thanks, leaves.
A3 T3 P238
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Production stage.

• Although the teacher can provide guidance, at
  this stage students should be allowed to talk
  without interruption.
• Exercises should maximize communication and have
  a purpose. Dramatic and interesting situations
  (appropriate to the age of students) tend to
  stimulate talk.
• Information-gap, role-play and discussion
  activities all work well at this stage.

What should NOT be done at this stage?
A3 T4 P239-241
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Using information-gaps.

• By giving students pictures or cards containing
  different bits of information, we set up a gap
  which is resolved through communication.
• Remember that a gap exists only when one person
  has information that the others do not.
  Information-gap activities were explained in
  detail in Unit 2.
• How would you use the pictures on pages 243 to
  245 (Fragment B) in an information-gap activity?
• How would you use the information on pages 245 to
  246 (Fragment C) in an information-gap activity?

What did you bring for lunch?
A3 T5 P241-247
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Using role-plays.

• Make sure students are familiar with the
  situation and with their own role.
• Students should know the language function to use
  and the purpose of the role-play.
• There should be feedback regarding accuracy and
  appropriacy of language.

Role-plays should provide both challenge and
enjoyment.
A3 T6 P247-250
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Steps in a role-play.

• First, introduce the new language item and how it
  should be used.
• Second, organize the students into groups and
  roles.
• Third, allow them time to do the role-play.
• Fourth, commend them and provide suggestions for
  improvement.

How would you design a role-play using this
picture and the structure I like...because?
A3 T6 P248-250
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Key Concepts
In order for your students to have more chances to speak, you may need to modify exercises in the textbook. Use the PPP model to remind you to include elements of presentation, practice and production in your speaking activities. Vary the ways in which you present new language items. Use both deductive and inductive methods. Give students lots of support. Speaking out loud takes courage!
A3 P250
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4Evaluating StudentsSpeaking Performance
A4 P250-255
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Key Terms

• delay
• formulate
• concrete
• range
• appropriacy
• audio-visual
• self-assessment

• ...wait until a later time
• ...plan or develop (a response)
• ...definite and specific
• ...variety within a suitable type
• ...appropriateness (of language)
• ...using recorded pictures sound
• ...judging ones own work or progress

A4 P250-255
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How should errors be corrected?

• During the presentation and practice stages, you
  may correct mistakes right away (or you may
  choose to ignore them if unrelated to the
  lesson).
• During the production stage, it may be better to
  delay corrections until the activity is
  completed.
• Encourage students to monitor themselves and each
  other for mistakes and try to formulate corrected
  statements.
• Offer concrete suggestions for improvement. Try
  to be encouraging.

A4 T1 P250-251
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How to use an error sheet.
Pronunciation dog
Grammar OK
Appropriacy he/she
Fluency GOOD!
Non-verbal communication
What are the advantages of tracking mistakes this
way?
A4 T2 P251-252
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Observation sheets.
Action Number of times
Encouraged others by smiling, nodding or agreeing. XX
Helped others to find the right words. X
Ignored the person talking. X

• Teachers can also design forms for students to
  monitor each other.
• Observers can be assigned in each group.
• How effective do you think this would be with
  your own students?

A4 T3 P252-254
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Other evaluation schemes.

• Audio tape recorders or video recorders can give
  both teacher and students a chance to hear a
  performance again and evaluate it.
• Allowing students to compare current and past
  performance can help them to see improvement and
  motivate them.
• Self-assessment cards (see page 255) can also be
  designed to help students monitor themselves.
• Keeping your evaluation criteria simple and
  specific will make assessment easier.

A4 T3 P254-255
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The Junior needs your help.

• Although she is good at getting students to talk,
  the Junior is literally hopeless at evaluating
  them. Her most frequent comment after a student
  activity is Very good. Thanks!
• Can you help her by designing an activity along
  with evaluation criteria?

A4 P256
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Design exercises for each stage.
Unit 9 Saving the earth Jackie is talking to
Yang Pei about a conference which Jackie has just
been to. YANG PEI What was the conference
like? JACKIE Very interesting. It was called
Saving the earth and it was all about the
damage that is being caused to the world. YANG
PEI What did you do at the meeting? JACKIE
Well, we listened to lectures about pollution,
agriculture, nuclear waste, radiation and so
on. YANG PEI Its a good idea to hold such
conferences. JACKIE Yes. If we go on polluting
the world, it wont be fit for us to live
in. YANG PEI I agree with you. Weve got to do
something about pollution. Its getting
worse. JACKIE Yes, it certainly is. If people
dont stop polluting the seas and rivers, there
will be no fish left. YANG PEI Thats quite
true. Weve got to think of ways of changing
peoples habits...
Lesson Plan Using If and If... then
Presentation stage
Practice stage
Production stage
A4 P255-256
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Very good. Thanks!
Lesson Plan Using If... then
Presentation Play the tape. Have students circle all the statements using if. Compare to Chinese. Explain if...then statements.
Practice Drill students on use of if and if/then for expressing possibility. Change sentences into if or if/then statements.
Production Role-play a situation in which a teenagers room is an environmental disaster area. Father, mother and cousin try to persuade teenage to clean up using at least 5 if and if/then statements. Place a check next to each students name for every correct if or if/then statement.
A4 P255-256
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Key Concepts
A positive and encouraging classroom atmosphere is vital to learning to speak in ESL. When teaching oral communication skills, one of the best things teachers can do is set up effective activities for students to practice and learn. Understanding and thinking about the reasons behind each teaching method is key to a successful implementation. When using the PPP method, dont forget to give feedback. Try to include something positive along with an area in which students can improve.
A4 P255
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5Appendix Focus on Pronunciation
A1-3 P260-281
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Key Terms

• intelligible
• accurate
• near-native
• favoritism
• attainable
• phonetic alphabet
• discrimination

• ...speech that is easily understood
• ...correct pronunciation
• ...similar to a native speaker
• ...favoring one above another
• ...sth. that can be achieved
• ...system of pronunciation symbols
• ...(ability to) recognize the differences between
  two or more things

A1-3 P260-281
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Goals for ESL pronunciation.

• Although accurate, near-native pronunciation is
  the ideal, being intelligible is a more realistic
  and attainable goal.
• Regularly incorporating a few minutes of explicit
  pronunciation practice into speaking classes can
  help to minimize certain pronunciation problems.
• Try not to get caught up in favoritism toward a
  particular language variety, such as American vs.
  British. (How many people do you know that speak
  standard putonghua?)

A1 T1-3 P260-266
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Suggestions for teachers.

• Although pinyin is occasionally useful, its
  better to use the International Phonetic Alphabet
  from the beginning.
• Students need to learn to make discriminations
  between sounds that are not found or are not
  meaningful in Chinese (e.g. v and w).
• Find pairs of words that are commonly confused
  and show the difference between these
  sound-alikes (e.g. walk and work).

A2 T1-2 P267-274
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Aspects to include.

• Sounds and sound combinations.
• Word stress and shifts of stress within a word.
• When to emphasize words in a sentence, such as
  using strong and weak forms.

• Rhyme and rhythm.
• Pitch and intonation and how they are used to
  convey meaning.
• Filler words that can be used when hesitating
  (e.g. uh, um, oh, well).

A2 T1 P268
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Ways to learn pronunciation.

1. Repeat and imitate either the teachers
   pronunciation or the recordings.
2. Practice speaking during natural conversation.
3. Compare and practice pairs of words in which one
   sound is different (e.g. thick and sick).
4. Learn about the articulatory organs and proper
   positions for each sound.
5. Practice reading poems, tongue twisters or texts
   out loud.

Which of these methods helped you? Which do
you think would help your students?
A3 T1-2 P275-280
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Key Concepts
Think about what helped you to learn more correct pronunciation and use some of these techniques with your students. Identify problem sounds and words and focus attention on them during brief periods in class. Resist the urge to over-correct. Pronunciation becomes worse when a person is nervous. Remember that intelligible pronunciation is the primary goal.
A3 P280
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Unit 5 Evaluation Questions

• What was the most useful thing you learned in
  this unit?
• How has learning about a three-stage approach to
  teaching speaking changed your ideas about ELT?
• What points should you keep in mind when
  designing speaking activities?
• How can you apply what you learned in this unit
  in your teaching?

P280
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Additional Reading

• Activities for teaching speaking skills... How to
  Teach English (Jeremy Harmer) 88-94
• How to correct speaking errors... How to Teach
  English (Jeremy Harmer) 94-95

P280
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Its time for YOUR questions.

• Are there still any areas of difficulty?
• Do you have questions about any points in the
  presentation?
• Thank you for your participation.

P280