Brenda Can Osseo Adult Basic Education

 “Effective communication encompasses a variety of individual skills, including body language, clear speech, eye contact and active listening.”  -communication-activities.html

 “Communication activities allow participants to focus on these skills and understand their impact on the effectiveness of communication.”  -communication-activities.html

1. Students are reluctant to use English for spontaneous interactions in the classroom.

2. When students encounter any problems they tend to abandon their effort to communicate in English and they resort to either their native language or silence.

3. Students appeal to the teacher to provide them with the “correct” lexical item or structure.

4. Students protest that they “can’t say it.” Their reasons are usually along the lines of: “We haven’t learned it.”

4. Students protest that they “can’t say it.” Their reasons are usually along the lines of: “We haven’t learned it.” “I don’t remember the word.”

4. Students protest that they “can’t say it.” Their reasons are usually along the lines of: “We haven’t learned it.” “I don’t remember the word.” “I don’t know how to say it correctly.”  Gabrielatos, C. (1993). Learning how to fish: Fostering fluency and independence. TESOL Greece Newsletter 38,

1.Students don’t see the “need” to speak to other students.

2. Students feel they have nothing to say.

3. The more verbal students dominate the conversation.

4. Some students are not “speakers.”

 1. They need the practice.

 2. They need the time to speak in an informal setting without a teacher listening to every word.

 3. They need a safe place to make mistakes and be able to ask questions.

 4. They need to be able to speak English with people who do not speak their language.

5. They need to be able to make “small talk” in social situations.

6. They need to practice speaking, listening to others, taking turns, asking questions for clarification, and making eye contact with the others in the group.

7. It’s a time for students to think about how they relate to others and if it’s “American.”

 Guided practice using communication activities:

Why?

 Guided practice using communication activities: Why?  Students are given something to talk about.

 Guided practice using communication activities: Why?  Students are given something to talk about.  Students are given specific directions.

 Guided practice using communication activities: Why?  Students are given something to talk about.  Students are given specific directions.  The time frame can be large or small.

 Guided practice using communication activities: Why?  Students are given something to talk about.  Students are given specific directions.  The time frame can be large or small.  Students have to work with other students.

 Guided practice using communication activities: Why?  Students are given something to talk about.  Students are given specific directions.  The time frame can be large or small.  Students have to work with other students.  Each student can have “a turn.”

 Guided practice using communication activities: Resources:

 Guided practice using communication activities: Resources:  Board Games

 Guided practice using communication activities: Resources:  Board Games  Conversation Questions

 Guided practice using communication activities: Resources:  Board Games  Conversation Questions  Find Someone Who

 Guided practice using communication activities: Resources:  Board Games  Conversation Questions  Find Someone Who  One Question Survey

 At the beginning of class

 At the end Of Class

 At the beginning of class  At the end Of Class  Need to mix classes

 At the beginning of class  At the end Of Class  Need to mix classes  Emergency lesson plans

 At the beginning of class  At the end Of Class  Need to mix classes  Emergency lesson plans  Unexpected Volunteer

 At the beginning of class  At the end Of Class  Need to mix classes  Emergency lesson plans  Unexpected Volunteer  Small class size

 The Set Up:  Make your own boards

 The Set Up:  Materials Needed:

 The Set Up:  Materials Needed: 1. Box to hold things

 The Set Up:  Materials Needed: 1. Box to hold things 2. Dice (5-10)

 The Set Up:  Materials Needed: 1. Box to hold things 2. Dice (5-10) 3. Board pieces

 The Set Up:  Materials Needed: 1. Box to hold things 2. Dice (5-10) 3. Board pieces 4. Game boards

 The Set Up:  Materials Needed: 1. Box to hold things 2. Dice (5-10) 3. Board pieces 4. Game boards 5. Candy (for the free candy space)

 Need cardstock

 From the Internet: 29 premade games and game board templates

 One person answers

 Everyone answers the same question

 One person answers  Everyone answers the same question  Everyone asks the player a question about their answer

 Manufactured games

 Just-A-Minute

 Manufactured games  Outburst/ Outburst Junior

 Manufactured games  Tribond

 Manufactured games  Mindtrap

 Teacher reads questions to group at large

 Make groups and each student takes a turn at reading the card

 Printed sheets

 Books:  It’s Time to Talk!

 Printed sheets  Internet:  Iteslj.org

 Printed sheets  Internet:  Iteslj.org

 Cards

 Questions and Prompts (from boggleswordesl.com)

 Questions and Prompts

 One person answers

 Everyone answers the question

 One person answers  Everyone answers the question  Everyone asks the player a question

 One person answers  Everyone answers the question  Everyone asks the player a question  Talk for (one) minute on a question

 One person answers  Everyone answers the question  Everyone asks the player a question  Talk for (one) minute on a question  In pairs, students alternate questions

 Find Someone Who Past Tense Hint: Did you...? Find someone who: drank coffee this morning. watched TV yesterday. grew up in the country. played soccer in the last week Find Someone Who

 Shenanigames ◦ Find Someone Who ◦ Canned Bingo ◦ What Do We Have in Common?

 Find someone who says “yes”

 Find someone who says “no”

 Find someone who says “yes”  Find someone who says “no”  15 variations on Find Someone Who and mingling games someone-who-mingling-games someone-who-mingling-games Different Things to Do

1. I’m unique Students have to find out something that is true only of themselves in the class, e.g. an ability only they have (“can”). They go round asking the same question (e.g. “Have you eaten crocodile?”) until they have asked everyone. If at any time they find out that it is also true of someone else, they should quickly think of another thing and start again. Different Things to Do

 What have you learned at this Summer Institute?

 The Interactive Tutorial  Basis for one question survey  Survey questions ideas One Question Survey

 After students find answers, they write full sentences about their answers.

 Students report back to the class about other students’ answers.

 After students find answers, they write full sentences about their answers.  Students report back to the class about other students’ answers.  Students report to a small group about other students’ answers

 The main objective is to speak English– not finish the game/activity.

 Making groups

 The main objective is to speak English– not finish the game/activity.  Making groups ◦ Try to mix up the languages

 The main objective is to speak English– not finish the game/activity.  Making groups ◦ Try to mix up the languages ◦ Try to mix up the levels

 The main objective is to speak English– not finish the game/activity.  Making groups ◦ Try to mix up the languages ◦ Try to mix up the levels ◦ Try to get different groups so they speak to a lot of different people

Thank you for your time