Learning a language means speaking it!

You can only learn a language by speaking it!

By Enric Calvet. Manresa, July, 2013

We will look at...

• Some common problems encountered in the language classroom

• Possible causes

• Effective classroom management

• Developing speaking skills:– Structured Output Activities– Communicative Output Activities

Think&Share

• Think about some problems that you yourselves have come across.

• Why do you think that is?

• What solutions have you

Found?

Possible causes for lack of FL fluency:

• Very little practice of interactive speaking• Pushing grammar and accuracy at

expense of fluency and communication• Poor classroom management• Embarrassment• Lack of confidence• Sense of anxiety• ...

Some time ago I’ve got this feelings...

• “This is the problem, I have been learning English long, but I can’t speak, I understand the conversation but I can’t answer immediately as I like”.

• “The problem is to speak English with other people face to face. I can’t find words. I always use the same sentences”.

• “I know I need to practice my speaking a lot. During all my life, I have been doing grammar and reading, but nobody has taught me how to speak English. I think that this skill is always forgotten when someone teaches English.”

Think&Share

Efficient Classroom Management

• What do you think this involves?

Efficient Classroom Management

• Re-arrange seats to your advantage

• Mix students up regularly

• Be present as a resource: effective monitoring/correction techniques

• Keep up a good pace offer variety and set time limits

Think&Share

• How much time do you spend on speaking activities in class?

Think&Share

• Are there any activities which you have used that works particularly well in getting ss to speak?

• Give examples

Getting children to talk

• Children best learn through play by focusing on the activity itself, therefore they need:

• To have fun

• To pretend

• To feel they can speak the language quickly.

Breaking the ice

• Sometimes to create the right conditions for students to “share and discuss experiences”, it is worth to start with a more structured activity which incorporates an element of personalization.

Developing speaking

• We are going to look at 2 types of activities which help develop the skill of speaking:

• Structured Output Activities

• Communicative Output Activities

Structured Output Activities-1

IF WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO SPEAK, THEY …

•Need to have something to say.

•Need to know how to organise what they are going to say.

•Need to know the language to use.

•Need to feel comfortable.

•Should perceive the purpose, reason of the activity.

•The activity should be a real-life task.


HOW TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN IN THEIR FIRST EFFORTS TO SPEAK ENGLISH:

•By using English as caretaker talk

•By praising all the efforts children make to speak English , no matter how small.

•By listening carefully when they speak and not interrupting to correct small errors.

•By encouraging the use of set classroom phrases.

•By saying rhymes and singing songs to practice pronunciation,

stress and intonation.


TEACHING TIPS…

•Make sure children generally understand what they are saying.

•Use songs and rhymes to play with sounds: speaking softly, shouting loudly.

•Encourage your pupils to “show and tell” family and friends outside school.

•Make your instructions very clear.

•Show the children first what you want them to do.

•Help them to acquire phrases to use when talking to each other.

•Give children planning time to think of what to say.

•Let them rehearse if they are going to speak to all the class.


CHILDREN SPEAKING IN GROUPS OR PAIRS

When children work in pairs or groups they:

Get more opportunities to speak

Ask and answer questions

Learn a lot from each other

Gain confidence because they are speaking in private rather than to the whole class.


DO YOU LIKE? SANDWICH LEMON PIZZA CARROT CHEESE BANANA APPLES


0

5

10

15

Serie1

Sports we like the most

Footbal

Basketball

Tennis

Swimming


• Communicative Output Activities

STARTING TO SPEAK FREELY-ELICITING PERSONAL TALK Support children’s efforts by :

•Waiting for their responses ( don’t be afraid of silence)

•Repeating what they say in your response (recasting and

rephrasing)

•Frequently summarizing what different pupils say.

•Displaying pictures and other memory aids to support new vocabulary and grammar structures.

•Teaching new words and phrases in a meaningful way by linking with a topic they are familiar with.

•Giving children lots of opportunities to speak,

But:

•Do not put pressure on children to speak if they are not ready.

•Remember silent children are still likely to be listening and

learning. Communicative Output Activities-1

Jigsaw activities


AUTHOR’S CHAIR


THE CASINO WHEEL ACTIVITY Structured Output Activities-4

ROLE PLAY ANDREAL SITUATIONS


InterviewsFrm Escola Andersen English Blog. Vic

Pau, Sira, Àlex, Ariadna and Júlia interviewed Rachael Todt.http://www.goear.com/listen/72df9c3/interview-rachael-todt

Rachael is our conversation assistant. She helps children and teachers with their vocabulary, speaking skills and pronuntiation. She also has brought some knowledge about American culture traditions and customs. We are all very grateful for her contributions and help.


AUDACITY VOKI

DIGITAL VOICE

RECORDER


MOBILES

SPEAKING AIDS

POST IT NOTES SMALL OBJECTS TO CONTROL TURN-TAKING


CONVERSATION CUBES

http://paradiseforeducators.com/ C/Mallorca, 321http://www.learningresources.com/ On line shop


USING PORTFOLIOS,COLLECTING REAL MATERIALS,

USING REALIA...

TO SPEAK!


“The ability to hold a conversation is a vital part of the human experience”.

busyteacher.org

Some slides have been adapted from Stephanie Williams “Learning a language means

Speaking it”. EOI Girona, November 2008

You can only learn a language by speaking it!

Enric Calvet. Manresa, July, 2013

Learning a language means speaking it!

Education

onspeaking activities

speaking skills

efforts children

tospeak english

thereforethey need

use of set classroom

use songs

reason ofthe activity