“Developing Oral and Written Interpersonal Communication”

ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines Proficiency – The ability to use language to perform global tasks or language functions within a variety of contexts/content areas, with a given degree of accuracy, and by means of specific text types (i.e., extended discourse, paragraphs, discrete sentences, individual words and phrases). ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines – Guidelines used to provide detailed information about the performance characterized for listening, speaking, reading and writing at each major level – novice, intermediate, advanced, superior – and sublevel – low, mid, high.

ACTFL Guidelines – Assessment Criteria (Speaking) Superior – Can support opinion, hypothesize, discuss topics concretely and abstractly, and handle a linguistically unfamiliar situation. Advanced – Can narrate and describe in all major time frames, and handle a situation with a complication; understood without difficulty by speakers unaccustomed to dealing with nonnative speakers. Intermediate – Can create with language, ask and answer simple questions on familiar topics, and handle a simple situation or transaction; understood with some repitition. Novice – Can communicate minimally with formulaic and rote utterances, lists and phrases; may be difficult to understand even for speakers accustomed to dealing with nonnative speakers.

Practice Students Need for Proficiency at Certain Levels Novice – Acquiring concrete vocabulary in context through activities such as TPR to acquire and retain it well; using contextualized vocabulary in short conversations and oral presentations; developing a personalized vocabulary. Intermediate – Engage in spontaneous conversations on familiar topics related to self and personal environment, as well as work and/or school; asking questions; speaking in complex sentences; participating in simple survival situations; negotiation of meaning in conversations.

Practice Students Need for Proficiency at Certain Levels Advanced – Conversing in a participatory manner; speaking in paragraphs using connector words such as adverbial expressions; narrating and describing in present, past, future; participating in situations with unanticipated complications. Superior – Discussing topics concretely and abstractly; supporting and defending an opinion through development of a logical argument, hypotheses, and extended discourse; circumlocution in the absence of specific words/expressions; conversing linguistically unfamiliar situations.

Instructional vs. Natural Discourse (Ellis, 1994) Instructional discourse – arises when the teacher and the students act out institutional roles, the tasks concerned with the transmission and reception of information and are controlled by the teacher, and there is a focus on knowledge as a product and on accuracy. Natural discourse – characterized by more fluid roles established through interaction, tasks that encourage equal participation in the negotiation of meaning, and a focus on the interactional process itself and on meaning. According to Ellis, “natural” discourse fosters the development of oral proficiency.

Natural Instruction Through natural instruction, teachers must modify their traditional ways of interacting with students through strategies such as listening and responding to the content of students’ messages, rather than listening exclusively for accuracy, and not interrupting while students are speaking in order to correct errors. In addition, current research highlights the importance of providing opportunities for students to hear a great deal of comprehensible and authentic language, to use the language in meaningful interaction with others, to negotiate meaning in cooperation with others, and to participate in an environment that encourages and motivates self-expression in a nonthreatening way.

Oral Interpersonal Communication Interpersonal Communication – Two or more speakers are engaged in conversation and there is an exchange of information, either face to face, or a phone discussion; it is spontaneous, not scripted and read or performed as a skit; it is meaningful. Working in pairs to do mechanical grammatical exercises out of the textbook does not constitute interpersonal communication. Information Gap activities does not constitute as an interpersonal activity either since students will know in advance what the other students will respond.

Oral Interpersonal Communication For interpersonal communication, conversation partners must listen to and interpret what the other speakers says. It is necessary to negotiate meaning with one another in order to interpret meaning. It is often necessary to use gestures to make their message clear and to express a thought in an alternative way when specific words or expressions are unknown. Although Interpersonal communication is often related to the spoken language, it can also be written whenever a printed message is intended to prompt a response on the part of the recipient and/or engage two individuals.

Willingness to Communicate According to MacIntyre (2007), a learner’s willingness to communicate (WTC) is defined as the “probability of speaking when free to do so.” Figure 8.6 on page 256 illustrates “The Pyramid Model of Willingness to Communicate” (1998). The pyramid depicts a range of potential influences on WTC in the L2 in terms of “situational” and “enduring” influences. Situational – those that are unique to the immediate situation; include the desire to communicate with a specific person and knowledge of the topic. Enduring – those that represent long-term characteristics of the environment or person that apply to almost any situation; pertain to intergroup relations, learner personality, and communicate competence.

Teacher interaction with Students Teacher provides maximum use of the TL that is both comprehensible and contributes to a larger topic or goal-directed agenda. Teacher uses a maximum amount of Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) activities to stimulate meaningful conversations and push learners to perform at higher levels. Teacher integrates authentic oral and printed texts that reflect natural language use and bring context and interest to the classroom. Teacher incorporates subject-matter content into the language learning experience in order to provide interesting context to explore and discuss.

Instructional Conversations Hall (1999) suggests “instructional conversations” (ICs) as a way to facilitate a conversation with students on a topic or theme that is interesting to them and intellectually challenging, while providing them with assisted performance. They are discussion-based lessons geared toward creating opportunities for students’ conceptual and linguistic development. They focus on an idea or a concept that has educational value and that has meaning and relevance for students.

More on “ICs” They often occur in spontaneous communication in the classroom, between activities, as digressions from homework checking, vocabulary review, or grammar practice; and during management activities such as distributing papers. ICs can be used as the teacher: Engages students in “warm up” discussions of a personalized topic of interest to them. Leads a discussion as learners interpret an authentic oral, printed, or video text. Sparks a discussion or the creation of a story based on a visual or cultural artifact Elicits opinions about a topic of high interest to learners Acquires new information with learners on a content-based or cultural theme Explores with learners the relationship among specific products, practices, and perspectives Guides learners through the process of designing a presentation or creating a product for an audience.

ICs in the Classroom Teachers should: give students opportunities to take multiple turns in a given conversational exchange. give students opportunities to take the floor in conversations give students time to respond as participants in conversations accept a variety of responses.

Cooperative Learning Students work in pairs or in small groups of four or five to help one another complete a given task, attain a goal, converse, or learn subject matter. Each student has a responsibility Students depend on one another to complete the task Students learn together and respect each other Produces higher achievement, increases retention, and develops interpersonal skills. Also promotes higher self esteem and acceptance of differences, and fosters responsibility.

Information Gap Activities (IGAs) Activities where one student has information that another student does not have but needs. These activities provide good opportunities for students to learn how to ask for clarification, how to request information, and how to negotiate when faced with misunderstandings.

Tasks or a Task Sequence They involve a sequence of tasks that relate to one another. Typically begins with teacher-led introduction that prepares students. Engages students, activating their background information. Students then conduct the target tasks or tasks and share their products or information with the teacher and/or the class.

Tasks or Task Sequences May include (p. 274): Problem solving Sharing personal experiences: Storytelling, anecdotes, reminiscences Movement activities Paired interviews Role-plays Discussions tasks Imaginative activities

Structuring Group Tasks Guidelines for structuring cooperative learning and interactive activities: Students need to cooperate in order to complete the task Keep group small Set the stage, motivate the activity Set clear goals and describe outcomes Make sure students have the TL in order to accomplish the activity Set a time limit Circulate among the students throughout the activity Establish system for directing attention back to teacher Elicit responses at random from each group after the activity, holding students accountable