Get Them Talking- Resources and Ideas for Use in The ELL Classroom

Brenda CanOsseo Adult Basic Education

CanB@district279.org

“Effective communication encompasses a variety of individual skills, including body language, clear speech, eye contact and active listening.”

http://www.ehow.com/about_5305266_effective-communication-activities.html

“Communication activities allow participants to focus on these skills and understand their impact on the effectiveness of communication.”

http://www.ehow.com/about_5305266_effective-communication-activities.html

1. Students are reluctant to use English for spontaneous interactions in the classroom.

2. When students encounter any problems they tend to abandon their effort to communicate in English and they resort to either their native language or silence.

3. Students appeal to the teacher to provide them with the “correct” lexical item or structure.

4. Students protest that they “can’t say it.” Their reasons are usually along the lines of: “We haven’t learned it.”

4. Students protest that they “can’t say it.” Their reasons are usually along the lines of: “We haven’t learned it.”“I don’t remember the word.”

4. Students protest that they “can’t say it.” Their reasons are usually along the lines of: “We haven’t learned it.”“I don’t remember the word.”“I don’t know how to say it correctly.”

Gabrielatos, C. (1993). Learning how to fish: Fostering fluency and independence. TESOL Greece Newsletter 38, 23-26. 

1.Students don’t see the “need” to speak to other students.

2. Students feel they have nothing to say.

3. The more verbal students dominate the conversation.

4. Some students are not “speakers.”

Reasons to Have Students Talk

Reasons to Have Students Talk 1. They need the practice.

Reasons to Have Students Talk 2. They need the time to speak in an

informal setting without a teacher listening to every word.

Reasons to Have Students Talk 3. They need a safe place to make mistakes

and be able to ask questions.

Reasons to Have Students Talk 4. They need to be able to speak English

with people who do not speak their language.

Reasons to Have Students Talk5. They need to be able to make “small talk”

in social situations.

Reasons to Have Students Talk6. They need to practice speaking, listening

to others, taking turns, asking questions for clarification, and making eye contact with the others in the group.

Reasons to Have Students Talk7. It’s a time for students to think about how

they relate to others and if it’s “American.”

Guided practice using communication activities:

Guided practice using communication activities:

Why?

Guided practice using communication activities:

Why? Students are given something to talk about.

Guided practice using communication activities:

Why? Students are given something to talk about. Students are given specific directions.

Guided practice using communication activities:

Why? Students are given something to talk about. Students are given specific directions. The time frame can be large or small.

The solution Guided practice using communication

activities:

Why? Students are given something to talk about. Students are given specific directions. The time frame can be large or small. Students have to work with other students.

The solution Guided practice using communication

activities:

Why? Students are given something to talk about. Students are given specific directions. The time frame can be large or small. Students have to work with other students. Each student can have “a turn.”

Guided practice using communication activities:

Resources:

Guided practice using communication activities:

Resources: Board Games

Guided practice using communication activities:

Resources: Board Games Conversation Questions

Guided practice using communication activities:

Resources: Board Games Conversation Questions Find Someone Who

Guided practice using communication activities:

Resources: Board Games Conversation Questions Find Someone Who One Question Survey

Ways to Use These Activities At the beginning of class

At the beginning of class At the end Of Class

At the beginning of class At the end Of Class Need to mix classes

At the beginning of class At the end Of Class Need to mix classes Emergency lesson plans

At the beginning of class At the end Of Class Need to mix classes Emergency lesson plans Unexpected Volunteer

Ways to Use These Activities At the beginning of class At the end Of Class Need to mix classes Emergency lesson plans Unexpected Volunteer Small class size

The Set Up: Make your own boards

The Set Up: Materials Needed:

The Set Up: Materials Needed:1. Box to hold things

The Set Up: Materials Needed:1. Box to hold things2. Dice (5-10)

The Set Up: Materials Needed:1. Box to hold things2. Dice (5-10)3. Board pieces

The Set Up: Materials Needed:1. Box to hold things2. Dice (5-10)3. Board pieces4. Game boards

Boards Games The Set Up:

Materials Needed:1. Box to hold things2. Dice (5-10)3. Board pieces4. Game boards5. Candy (for the free candy space)

Need cardstock

Need cardstock From the Internet:http://bogglesworldesl.com/esl_games.htm29 premade games and game board

templates

One person answers

One person answers Everyone answers the same question

One person answers Everyone answers the same question Everyone asks the player a question about

their answer

Manufactured games

Manufactured games

Just-A-Minute

Manufactured games

Outburst/ Outburst Junior

Manufactured games

Tribond

Manufactured games

Mindtrap

Different Things to Do Teacher reads questions to group at large

Different Things to Do Teacher reads questions to group at large Make groups and each student takes a turn

at reading the card

Printed sheets

Printed sheets

Books: It’s Time to Talk!

Printed sheets

Internet: Iteslj.org

Printed sheets

Internet: Iteslj.org

Cards

Questions and Prompts (from boggleswordesl.com)

Questions and Prompts

Questions and Prompts

Different Things to Do

Different Things to Do One person answers

Different Things to Do One person answers Everyone answers the question

Different Things to Do One person answers Everyone answers the question Everyone asks the player a question

One person answers Everyone answers the question Everyone asks the player a question Talk for (one) minute on a question

Different Things to Do One person answers Everyone answers the question Everyone asks the player a question Talk for (one) minute on a question In pairs, students alternate questions

http:bogglesworldesl.com/adultesl1.htmFind Someone Who Past Tense

Hint: Did you . . .?Find someone who:

drank coffee this morning.watched TV yesterday.grew up in the country.played soccer in the last week

Find Someone Who Shenanigames

◦ Find Someone Who◦ Canned Bingo◦ What Do We Have in Common?

Different Things to Do

Different Things to Do Find someone who says “yes”

Different Things to Do Find someone who says “yes” Find someone who says “no”

Find someone who says “yes” Find someone who says “no” 15 variations on Find Someone Who

and mingling games http://edition.tefl.net/ideas/games/find-someone-who-mingling-games

1. I’m uniqueStudents have to find out something that is true only of themselves in the class, e.g. an ability only they have (“can”). They go round asking the same question (e.g. “Have you eaten crocodile?”) until they have asked everyone. If at any time they find out that it is also true of someone else, they should quickly think of another thing and start again.

What have you learned at this Summer Institute?

The Interactive Tutorial

Basis for one question survey Survey questions ideas

Different Things to Do

After students find answers, they write full sentences about their answers.

Different Things to Do After students find answers, they write full

sentences about their answers. Students report back to the class about

other students’ answers.

Different Things to Do After students find answers, they write full

sentences about their answers. Students report back to the class about

other students’ answers. Students report to a small group about

other students’ answers

The main objective is to speak English– not finish the game/activity.

The main objective is to speak English– not finish the game/activity.

Making groups

Some Rules of Thumb The main objective is to speak English– not

finish the game/activity. Making groups

◦ Try to mix up the languages

Some Rules of Thumb The main objective is to speak English– not

finish the game/activity. Making groups

◦ Try to mix up the languages◦ Try to mix up the levels

Some Rules of Thumb The main objective is to speak English– not

finish the game/activity. Making groups

◦ Try to mix up the languages◦ Try to mix up the levels◦ Try to get different groups so they speak to

a lot of different people

Thank you for your

time