Language is best taught when it is being used to transmit messages, not when it is explicitly taught for conscious learning. (Terrell)
Research on second language acquisition (SLA) suggests that more learning takes place when students are engaged in relevant tasks within a dynamic learning environment rather than in traditional teacher-led classes (Moss & Ross-Feldman, 2003)
Reflection: What can we expect students at each level of language study to be able to communicate orally in the foreign language? What should the student know and be able to do? What classroom strategies might enable students to develop oral proficiency?
Inner/Outer Circles(Low - Mid - I have used this strategy for beginners - Kindergarten)
1. Students think silently about a question posed by the instructor.
2. Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange thoughts.
3. In the third step, the pairs share their responses with other pairs, other teams, or the entire group
Four Corners
1. Teacher announces the corners. It is helpful to have visuals--either pictures or text--posted in each corner.
2. Give students time to think about which corner they would like to go to and why
3. Students go to corners
4. Students pair up to share.
5. Students paraphrase in pairs (Students tell what the people they have interviewed have said)
6. Results are shared with class.
1. Students form groups and count off so each student has a number
2. A question is posed to students by the teacher
3. Students "put their heads together" to assure that everyone knows the answer
4. Teacher calls out a number at random and students with that number raise their hands or stand up to respond
Speaking Activities Using Visuals
1. One student orally describes a picture to a second student who then draws a copy of it. 2. One student orally describes a picture to another student who then is given a choice of pictures and must choose the one described.
Circumlocution
Use vocabulary that you already know
Try to think of another way to convey the message
Describe the concept. Explain who uses it, why it’s used or where
1. Make sure the questions are appropriate for the class.
2. It is important to do something with the survey.
3..Each student receives a different question.
4.The student asks the question to other classmates.
5. The student records the responses and creates a graph showing the results.
Talking Tokens
This small group discussion strategy will protect against one person dominating the discussion and against one or more persons not participating at all. Since it is sequentially structured, it works well when there are several different questions for discussion.
1. The rules for small group discussion are the same.
2. Whenever a person wants to talk, he/she must put his/her “Talking Token” in the center of the table.
Index Cards: Set of index cards (same number of cards as there are students); put matching stickers or symbols on index cards. For students working in pairs, make sets of index cards where every two cards have a matching sticker or symbol. To begin paired work, have students choose an index card (stickers are facing down). Students find the other student in the room who has the matching sticker or symbol. For work in groups, make matching index cards for the number of students you want per group.
Popsicle Sticks: Put student's name on popsicle stick and store them in a box or bin. For totally random pairings, choose two sticks at a time. Popsicle sticks can also work at dividing sticks into small groups
Short-term pairings - The students work in pairs or threes. After doing the activity the first time, they change places and do it again. Many of these activities can also be done with the entire class.)
Suggestions:
Give the person next to you a complement. That person reacts to the complement. Students complement each other over and over again and again.
Ask the person next to you for a favor. That person agrees to do it or comes up with excuses.
Describe the person next to you in great detail to a third person.
Give something you have with as a gift to the person next to you.
One person talks for as long as possible, the other urge one on with statements of encouragement and surprise;
then they reverse.
Clothing
Partner Practice - Suitcase Activity
Each student has a "folder" suitcase and pictures of clothing. Each partner "packs" suitcase with a determined number of clothing items. The partners than take turns guessing what each other have packed.
Food
Partner Practice - Make a Sandwich
Each student has a folder in which they "make a sandwich" with a specific number of items. After each has made a sandwich, they interview each other to find out how many are the same and how many are different. "¿Tienes ?" House
Partner Practice - Hide and Seek
Each student is given a large picture of a house with the various rooms and a picture of a person. Each partner has the same visual.
Partner A places his/her person in one of the rooms of the house. Partner B asks questions to find out where the person is hidden. After Partner B has found the hidden person, Partner A "seeks" and Partner B "hides."
Variation: The person can be hiding "next to, under, etc." to practice prepositions or "objects in the room" vocabulary.
Questions
Opinion Poll - Teacher chooses 5 students to be the interviewers. Each interviewer is given a card with a question on it. The interviewers go around to each student, ask their questions, record the responses and then report the results to the class.
Identity - Signs of famous people are placed on the backs of the students. The students try to find out their identities by asking only yes/no questions.
Interviews
The student speaks with another student, records his/her partner's answers and then reports in the target language. Examples of tasks: Ex. Subjects - Find out the partner's name, address, favorite class, the easiest class and the most difficult. Ex. - Activities - Find out from another student five things that they do on the weekend that they do different from what they do during the week.
Weather
Half of the students receive a Partner Practice A while the other half of the class receives Partner Practice B. Each Partner Practice paper
Language is best taught when it is being used to transmit messages, not when it is explicitly taught for conscious learning. (Terrell)
Research on second language acquisition (SLA) suggests that more learning takes place when students are engaged in relevant tasks within a dynamic learning environment rather than in traditional teacher-led classes (Moss & Ross-Feldman, 2003)
Reflection: What can we expect students at each level of language study to be able to communicate orally in the foreign language? What should the student know and be able to do? What classroom strategies might enable students to develop oral proficiency?
Stephen Sadow, Northeastern University)
- Think-Pair-Share Think Pair Share Activity Explanation
1. Students think silently about a question posed by the instructor.2. Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange thoughts.
3. In the third step, the pairs share their responses with other pairs, other teams, or the entire group
- Four Corners
1. Teacher announces the corners. It is helpful to have visuals--either pictures or text--posted in each corner.2. Give students time to think about which corner they would like to go to and why
3. Students go to corners
4. Students pair up to share.
5. Students paraphrase in pairs (Students tell what the people they have interviewed have said)
6. Results are shared with class.
- Numbered-Heads Together Numbered Heads Explanation
1. Students form groups and count off so each student has a number2. A question is posed to students by the teacher
3. Students "put their heads together" to assure that everyone knows the answer
4. Teacher calls out a number at random and students with that number raise their hands or stand up to respond
- Speaking Activities Using Visuals
1. One student orally describes a picture to a second student who then draws a copy of it.2. One student orally describes a picture to another student who then is given a choice of pictures and must choose the one described.
- Class Surveys
1. Make sure the questions are appropriate for the class.2. It is important to do something with the survey.
3..Each student receives a different question.
4.The student asks the question to other classmates.
5. The student records the responses and creates a graph showing the results.
- Talking Tokens
This small group discussion strategy will protect against one person dominating the discussion and against one or more persons not participating at all. Since it is sequentially structured, it works well when there are several different questions for discussion.1. The rules for small group discussion are the same.
2. Whenever a person wants to talk, he/she must put his/her “Talking Token” in the center of the table.
3. Whenever all group members’ tokens are in the center of the table, everyone retrieves his/her token and the process begins again.
Source of idea: http://digitalsandbox.weebly.com/uploads/5/5/8/8/5588196/talking_tokens.pdf
- Index Cards: Set of index cards (same number of cards as there are students); put matching stickers or symbols on index cards. For students working in pairs, make sets of index cards where every two cards have a matching sticker or symbol. To begin paired work, have students choose an index card (stickers are facing down). Students find the other student in the room who has the matching sticker or symbol. For work in groups, make matching index cards for the number of students you want per group.
- Popsicle Sticks: Put student's name on popsicle stick and store them in a box or bin. For totally random pairings, choose two sticks at a time. Popsicle sticks can also work at dividing sticks into small groups
- Short-term pairings - The students work in pairs or threes. After doing the activity the first time, they change places and do it again. Many of these activities can also be done with the entire class.)
Suggestions:then they reverse.
Clothing
- Partner Practice - Suitcase Activity
Each student has a "folder" suitcase and pictures of clothing. Each partner "packs" suitcase with a determined number of clothing items. The partners than take turns guessing what each other have packed.Food
- Partner Practice - Make a Sandwich
Each student has a folder in which they "make a sandwich" with a specific number of items. After each has made a sandwich, they interview each other to find out how many are the same and how many are different. "¿Tienes ?"House
- Partner Practice - Hide and Seek
Each student is given a large picture of a house with the various rooms and a picture of a person. Each partner has the same visual.Partner A places his/her person in one of the rooms of the house. Partner B asks questions to find out where the person is hidden. After Partner B has found the hidden person, Partner A "seeks" and Partner B "hides."
Variation: The person can be hiding "next to, under, etc." to practice prepositions or "objects in the room" vocabulary.
Questions
- Opinion Poll - Teacher chooses 5 students to be the interviewers. Each interviewer is given a card with a question on it. The interviewers go around to each student, ask their questions, record the responses and then report the results to the class.
- Identity - Signs of famous people are placed on the backs of the students. The students try to find out their identities by asking only yes/no questions.
Interviews- The student speaks with another student, records his/her partner's answers and then reports in the target language. Examples of tasks: Ex. Subjects - Find out the partner's name, address, favorite class, the easiest class and the most difficult. Ex. - Activities - Find out from another student five things that they do on the weekend that they do different from what they do during the week.
Weather- Half of the students receive a Partner Practice A while the other half of the class receives Partner Practice B. Each Partner Practice paper
Active Communicationhttp://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/two_circles.jpg
http://assets.pearsonpd.com/prodImages/worldlanguages_1551.jpg