Teaching Speaking

Accuracy vs. Fluency Pendulum has swung from side to side in the modern history of language teaching (compare grammar-translation method with communicative language learning) They are both important goals to pursue Fluency is message oriented Accuracy is language oriented Learners may have a large amount of “passive” knowledge of English – gaining fluency translates this into “active” use

Typical features of a speaking or communications class A focus on activities that promote fluency in speaking Pronunciation/intonation activities Topical/thematic discussions Listening passages (if not a separate class) Lots of pair work/group work

Evaluation of a speaking activity What factors should be weighed in evaluating the effectiveness of a speaking activity? Do the students seem engaged and interested in it? Does it promote lots of dialogue? Is there a focus on spoken English (as opposed to grammar, reading, etc) If there is a focus on accuracy, does the activity promote/generate the use of the target language structure or vocabulary?

Hindrances to student participation in a speaking class Brainstorm as many obstacles to student participation in a speaking class that you can come up with What ideas do you have for overcoming these obstacles?

Possible obstacles… Monolingual class – use of mother tongue Topic is boring Inhibition – worried about making mistakes No background knowledge of the subject Insufficient language to express meaning “I don’t have anything to say” Personality factors – “shy” students Uneven participation – tendency of some speakers to dominate the conversation

Choosing discussion topics Which of the following “controversial” topics could be discussed in an intermediate class without much preparation? Topics: - compare the use of fossil fuels with renewable energy resources - which is better, living in residence or with a homestay family? - should high school students wear uniforms? - should the Canadian government shut down Vancouver’s safe injection site? - has the widespread use of technology improved the quality of our lives? - drilling for fossil fuels in the arctic by large oil companies is destroying the habitat of endangered species. What is your opinion of this? - what do you think about the BC government decision to ban smoking in outdoor places (beaches, parks)

How to frame the discussion well Students need time to prepare themselves, both mentally and “linguistically” before contributing to a group discussion Ways to lead up to a discussion can be as simple as showing 1-2 pictures, or more elaborate… - introduce relevant vocabulary - provide a reading text related to the topic - provide some background information about the topic - recount a story related to the topic - watch a short video clip related to the topic

Teaching speaking “skills” Asking for clarification “What was that?” “I didn’t understand your last point” Asking for something to be repeated Disagreeing/agreeing Re-wording/clarifying Requesting information Interrupting