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Speaking Personally
Using Tasks in the Language Classroom
Rob Dean
Talk to your partner...
…and describe what is in the room using lots of prepositions of place
…and describe one of your friends. Make sure you use at least five
adjectives of personality
…about something interesting or amusing that has happened to you
in your work as a teacher
Overview
1. What is a task?
2. Tasks vs. Spoken Practice
3. Elements of successful communication
4. Structuring a task-based speaking lesson
• before• during• after
5. Troubleshooting
What is a task?
“In TBL, tasks are always activities where the target language is used by
the learner for a communicative purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome in which the emphasis is on exchanging meanings not producing specific language forms.”
(Willis 1996:23).
Spoken Practice
Tasks
Controlled Practice of Specific Grammar /
Structures / Lexis
‘Everyday Life’ Communication
Why do we Communicate in Everyday Life?
•For entertainment•To give and find out information•To share opinions•To solve problems•For survival•For social / emotional reasons
Talk to your partner...
…and describe what is in the room using lots of prepositions of place
…and describe one of your friends. Make sure you use at least five
adjectives of personality
…about something interesting or amusing that has happened to you
in your work as a teacher
What do we Need to Communicate Effectively?
Linguistic competenceGrammar, lexis, phonology
Communicative CompetenceInteractional Skills
ParalinguisticsInterest in / knowledge of topic
A Goal / Reason for speakingPreparation time
Decide together on a short tour for a foreign visitor (like Rob, for example) in EITHER your area of Serbia OR a another place you like. Justify your choice of places to include.
•For entertainment•To give and find out information•To share opinions•To solve problems•For survival•For social / emotional reasons
A task based approach to speaking and listening
What else will our learners need to succeed?
A model of the task (listening)
Welcome to Wrocław!
Welcome to Wrocław!
Welcome to Wrocław!
Welcome to Wrocław!
• Interactive / communicative• Speed of delivery can be tailored to
the group’s needs.• Comprehension can be checked
during the activity• Paralinguistic features present• Less stressful than using
recordings• Good for mixed levels
Live Listening: What’s good about it?
Wroclaw is famous
The fountain was built to
You should definitely
Jatki, with its animal statues, is
You really must visit
To get there by tram takes
The Japanese garden
For those into skiing,
At the end of the day, you can
celebrate the millennium
the Renoma shopping mall
is simply stunning
relax with a cold beer at Spiz
there are some great slopes nearby.
well worth seeing
for its old town square
stop at Jatki
about 20 minutes
Wroclaw is famous
The fountain was built to
You should definitely
Jatki, with its animal statues, is
You really must visit
To get there by tram takes
The Japanese garden
For those into skiing,
At the end of the day, you can
for its old town square
celebrate the millennium
stop at Jatki
well worth seeing
the Renoma shopping mall
about 20 minutes
is simply stunning
there are some great slopes nearby.
relax with a cold beer at Spiz
________ is famous
The ________ was built
You should definitely
________________________ is
You really must visit
To get there by _____/ on foot takes
______________
For those into ________
At the end of the day, you can
for its _________
_________________
stop at ________
well worth seeing
_______________________
about ____________
is simply stunning
there is / are _____________.
__________________.
Why Use tasks in Class?
•Builds confidence / sense of achievement
•Preparation for the world beyond the ELT classroom
•Lack of opportunities outside the ELT classroom
•Caters for different learner styles
•Personalisation of topic and of language
•Diagnostic tool
Language Feedback:Things students say...
• She likes talking to the phone• The worm is coming • I spent Christmas in the Turkey• In the summer I tripped on the mountains• I like my coffee cremated• I’m reading Harry Potter. I like read nowhere. • My sister is having three cats.• Scottish people speak English with a funny accident
Language Feedback – Planning a Tour
Well done!!!
•The city is mindblowing.
•To see it all, it would take a few days.
•Maybe you’ve heard of Nis
????
•You should to go there in summer
•There is fine place
•If you will go to the top of the hill, you will see a great view
•There is much snow in winter.
Communicative Activities:
…some possible issues
Some issues
Students have no interest in the topic
Some students dominate; others are quiet
Students speak in their own language
Students work at different rates – some finish very quickly
Find out what your students are i__________ in - and don’t make the topic area too n______.
Students have no Interest in the Topic
nterestedarrow
G_____ students carefully. Try putting all the quiet students in o___ group.
Some Students Dominate; others are quiet
roupne
Provide a clear r_______ for group speaking activities.
Ensure the students have the l_______ to complete the task. Preparation is everything!
Don’t expect m______!
Students speak in their own language
anguage
ationale
iracles
Set a t____ l____ to give a clear idea of how long the task should take.Have a_________ activities ready for early finishers
Some finish more quickly than others
ime imit
dditional
COMMUNICATION in ACTION!
