Workshop 2Understanding How We Use

Language for Different Purposes

Workshop 2 Supporting Student’s Literacy learningSlide 1

Interactions

• Include interactions you had with a family member or friend, with people at work, or with a stranger

• Was it speaking by phone or face-to-face; or writing using email, text letter, note etc?

Who? How? About what?

E.g. Andrea Met her in the staffroom before school – face to face.

Discussed the film festival.

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 2

Field, tenor and mode

• The field:– What the communication is about - the field.– What is the content matter or topic of the

communication?

• The tenor: – Who you are communicating with - the tenor.– Who are the people taking part in the communication?

• The mode: – How you are communicating - The mode. – Is it spoken or written communication and what media

are used?Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 3

Using language for different purposes Language Continuum

. •  •  •  •  

Informal Formal

Text 1“It’s Bill’s 50th on Saturday. How about coming to our place for lunch? About midday?”

Text 2 “Hello Fred. I was wondering if you received the invitation to Bill’s 50th birthday party? It’s at our place on Saturday and will start at midday. I hope you can come.”

Text 3 You are cordially invited to attend a luncheon party in celebration of William Smith’s 50th birthday. The luncheon will commence at 12.00pm on Saturday 16 November 2010 at 2 River St. Pretty Bay.

Spoken Written

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 4

Field Tenor and Mode

Context Text 1 Text 2 Text 3Field – What was the text about?Tenor – Who was taking part?Mode – Was the communication written or spoken?Typical language patterns

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 5

Activity OneOral interaction

• Two volunteer participants do an activity while others sit in a circle around them.

• Using the available materials volunteers jointly construct an object that could be used to do something in the kitchen.

• Observers note down the language being used. Workshop 2

Session 2Slide 6

Activity twoOral interaction

• ‘Teacher’ comes into group and asks questions about what they made.

• Volunteers show their construction and explain to the ‘teacher’ what it is and how they made it.

• Observers note down the language being used. Workshop 2

Session 2Slide 7

Activity threeOral presentation• ‘Volunteers’ imagine they are reporting

back to a class.

• Describe and explain what they made as well as the decisions made in its construction.

• They may choose to do this as a group selecting one or two people to deliver the presentation.

• Volunteers prepare their oral presentation .Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 8

Activity FourGroup negotiated text

• Volunteers are preparing their oral presentation

• Observers contribute to a group

negotiated oral text. – written prompts– diagrams etc.

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 9

Independent Practice

• Volunteers present their report to the rest of the group (Text 3).

• Add the typical patterns of language to the table

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 10

Typical patterns of language used

1. Constructing an object

• Frequent commands

• Contractions

• Pronouns rather than names– that one

• Idioms – back to the drawing board

• Present /future tense

• Conversational / dialogicWorkshop 2 Session 2Slide 11

Typical patterns of language used

2. Talking to the teacher

• Questions/ statements

• Evaluations - good work

• Less taken for granted

• Fewer idioms

• Present/ past tense

• DialogicWorkshop 2 Session 2Slide 12

Typical patterns of language used

3. Oral presentation

• Longer stretches of language• Statements• Fewer pronouns• Mainly past tense• Generalisations• monologic

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 13

Typical patterns of language used

4. Group negotiated oral presentation• Longer stretches of language

• Statements

• Fewer pronouns

• Mainly past tense

• Generalisations

• Monologic Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 14

Reflection• What did you learn from this session?• What skills/help/understandings did

you need to be able to participate in the activities?

• How did you feel while doing and / after completing the session?

• Have you ever observed the language used by students before? If so how did it help you to find out more about your students?

• Will you use/adapt the fishbowl activity in the work you do with students?

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 15

Homework Task

Read and be prepared to comment at the next workshop on the professional reading on Register at the end of your workbook.

OR Observe the use of register in

the classroom Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 16

Glossary

• Words on the poster?

• Any words you want to note to find out more about (Google, ask a colleague)

• Add to the Glossary page at the end of your workbook

Workshop 2 Session 2Slide 17

ConclusionDevelop understandings of the

role of oral language in learning

Explore how language use is determined by its context,

purpose and audience

The Strong Literacy and Numeracy in Communities Pilot was funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations as part of the Education Revolution – Improving Our Schools – National Action Plan for Literacy and Numeracy