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DEVELOPING CLASSROOM SPEAKING ACTIVITIES: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE JACK C. RICHARDS Article Presentation by Carinne Karlick ESL 501

Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

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Page 1: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

DEVELOPING CLASSROOM SPEAKING ACTIVITIES: FROM

THEORY TO PRACTICEJACK C. RICHARDS

Article Presentation byCarinne Karlick

ESL 501

Page 2: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

According to Richards,• The mastery of speaking English is a

priority for most second language learners.• The question that has long been debated: What is the best approach to teaching oral

language skills?• A variety of approaches have been

implemented by teachers and have been the focus of textbooks.

Page 3: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Direct Approaches focus on specific features of oral interaction. Examples: topic management, questioning

strategies and turn-taking Indirect approaches create conditions for

oral interactions through group work, task work and other strategies (Richards, 1990).

Page 4: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Research reveals complex spoken interaction in L1 or L2.

Louma (2004) cites some features of spoken discourse.

Composed of idea units (conjoined short phrases) Planned (ex: lecture) or unplanned (ex:

conversation) Employs more generic words than written

language Contains slips and errors reflecting on-line

processing Involved reciprocity (ex: interactions are jointly

constructed) Shows variation (ex: between formal and casual

speech) reflecting speaker roles, speaking purpose, and the context

Page 5: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Functions of Speaking According to Richards (2010), designing

speaking activities and instruction materials for L2 learners it is important to recognize the different functions speaking performs and the different purposes our students need speaking skills.

Brown and Yule (1983) distinguish between interactional (social) functions of speaking and transactional functions (exchange of information).

Page 6: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

• After designing his own materials and collaborating with teachers in workshops, Richards uses an expanded three part version of Brown& Yule’s framework (after Jones, 1996 and Burns, 1998)– Talk as interaction– Talk as transaction– Talk as performance

Page 7: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

1.Talk as Interaction

FEATURES

• Primarily social function• Reflects role

relationships• Reflects speaker’s

identity• May be formal or casual• Uses conversational

conventions and register• Reflects politeness• Employs generic words• Is jointly constructed

SKILLS

• Open and close conversations

• Choosing topics• Turn-taking• Recounting recent

experiences• Interrupting• Reacting to others• Making small talk• Using adjacency-pairs

Page 8: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Talk as Interaction…cont’d Commonly referred to as “conversation” According to Richards, mastering the art

of talk as interaction is difficult and may not be important to all learners.

Some students may feel awkward and at a loss for words in interactional situations.

They may avoid such situations. It puts students at a disadvantage when

conversation is important.

Page 9: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Teaching Talk as Interaction Most difficult to teach because it is

complex and has “unspoken rules”Best Taught

Naturalistic dialogues Modeling opening and closing conversation Recounting personal experience Practice reacting to what others say.

For example: Students are given dialogue and work in pairs adding reactions that have been omitted. Or students practice conversation starters and have to respond by asking 2 follow up questions.

Page 10: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

2. Talk as Transaction

FEATURES

• It has an informational focus• The main focus is the

message & not the participants

• Participants make use of communication strategies to make themselves understood

• Frequent questions, repetitions, and comprehension checks

• Language accuracy is not always important

SKILLS

• Explaining an intention or need

• Describing something• Asking questions• Confirming information• Justifying an opinion• Making suggestions• Clarifying understanding• Making comparisons• Agreeing and

disagreeing

Page 11: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Talk as Transaction…cont’d The focus on what is said or done The message is the central focus and

ensuring that the speaker is understood clearly.

Burns identifies 2 types:- One focuses on giving/receiving info and on

what is said or achieved.- The second focuses on getting goods or services.

Page 12: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Teaching Talk as Transaction

More easily planned with use of current materials, role play and real-world transactions.

Best Taught Ranking activities Brainstorming Group discussion

For example: Students prepare a list of controversial statements, exchange and discuss them.

Simulation or Role Play For example: Students act out real world transactions in

three stages: preparation, modeling, practice/review

Page 13: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

3.Talk as Performance

FEATURES

• Focus on both message and audience

• Reflects organization and sequence

• Form and accuracy are important

• More like written language

• It is often monologic

SKILLS

• Using appropriate format• Info presented in

appropriate sequence• Maintain engagement

with audience• Use proper punctuation

and grammar• Use appropriate

vocabulary• Use appropriate opening

and closing

Page 14: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Talk as Performance…cont’d

Refers to talk that transmits information before an audience like performances, public announcements and speeches.

In a school setting this type of talk could be presenting an oral report, conducting a

class debate or giving a speech. It is usually evaluated according to its impact on the listener.

Page 15: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Teaching Talk as Performance This requires a different teaching strategy. According to Jones

(1996), talk as performance need to be prepared for and scaffold the same way as written text and strategies used to make text accessible applied to formal uses of spoken language.

Best Taught Providing examples: Speeches, oral presentations, stories though video/audio. Examples are then analyzed to understand how

texts work and what their linguistic features are. Questions to guide the process are:

What is the speaker’s purpose? Who is the audience? What info does the audience expect? How does the talk

begin/develop/end? What strategies are involved? What language is used?

Students then work together on planning their own text to present.

Page 16: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Implications for TeachingWhen planning speaking activities: Determine what kinds of speaking skills will the

course focus on (interaction, transaction, performance.)

Perform an informal needs analysis through questionnaires, interviews, communicative tasks etc.

Then identify the teaching strategies for learners to acquire each kind of talk.

Determine the expected level of performance and the criteria used to assess.

Page 17: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

AssessmentTeachers need to consider what the completion

of the activity involves according to the type (interaction, transaction or performance)

of talk and classroom activity. Teachers should ask themselves:

How will the activity be modeled? What language support will be needed? What resources will be used? What learning arrangements will be needed? What level of performance is expected? How will the feedback be given?

Page 18: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Assessment According to type It is suggested to assign one student be an

observer during a discussion Talk as Interaction

Introduces new topics effectively, contributes equally by taking turns, interrupting appropriately

Talk as Transaction The speaker’s need is expressed effectively, a description

is clear.

Talk as performance Clarity of presentation (is it organized and

comprehensible?) Use of discourse markers, repetition, stress to emphasize

important points. Audience engaged when appropriate

Page 19: Article presentation esl 501 developing classroom speaking activities

Richards, J. (n.d.). Developing Classroom Speaking Activities: From theory to practice. professorjackrichards. Retrieved November 14, 2010, from http://www.professorjackrichards.com/pdfs/developing-classroom-speaking-activities.pdf