Group Talk

1
Group Talk
We thought we were hallucinating when we
witnessed groups of teenage boys talking
animatedly in French about sport, cars and school
uniform. The conversations were organic and the
pupils were clearly not speaking from a script.
CILT EAL judges
2
Cuántos años tienen? / Quel âge ont-ils? / Wie
alt sind sie?
83
27
46
3
Was kostet das?
die Barbi- Puppe
der Wii
109
249
29,99
das Handy
69,95
der Laptop
das BMW Auto
63,000
499,99
das PS3 Spiel
4
Use the language of conjecture

• Give pupils opportunities to
• Think
• Suppose
• Estimate

5
It can be like this

• Opportunities for MFL pupil talk can be limiting
  in scope and inherently finite.
• The emphasis can often be misplaced on the
  completion of a mundane task where only specific
  language structures seem valid.
• Transactional role playing can build a false
  perception of language in pupils minds.

6
Group Talk in action!
7
Why is Group Talk different?

• Only the target language is spoken
• Interaction between a small group of pupils
• Tasks demand opinion, conjecture and debate
• Language is often colloquial
• Responses are spontaneous
• There is no set finishing line

8
The stages of Group Talk

• 1. Exchanging and responding to simple opinions
• 2. Taking part in a short discussion
• 3. Exchanging reasons and preferences
• Talking across time frames
• 4. Developing a line of thought
• Balancing an argument

9
Group Talk in action!
10
Launching and developing Group Talk

• Agree on Group Talk as departmental focus
• Build Group Talk objectives and opportunities
  into existing schemes of work
• Make Group Talk an integral part of short-term
  planning
• Offer regular enforcement of Group Talk scenarios
  (starters/plenaries)
• Build up and keep centrally Group Talk resources
  (cue cards / PP / props)
• Use support structures for pupils
• Display and update Group Talk phrases

11
Extending Group Talk (Stages 3/4)

• Incorporate more advanced language and structures
• Increasingly complex scenarios demanding more
  balanced views
• Use picture and text stimuli
• Allow preparation for task / note taking
• Use model dialogues / podcasts

12
The impact

• Pupils (particularly boys!) of all abilities and
  ages are motivated to speak
• Pupils talk more confidently and spontaneously
• Oracy skills are developed
• Questioning skills are improved
• Fulfils the Talking Together sub-strand of the
  new KS3 framework
• Improvement in GCSE Speaking Test results