towards fluency: helping students become better speakers - 1st braz-tesol td sig seminar

Towards fluency: helping students become better

speakersBruna Caltabiano

September 25th, 20151st BRAZ-TESOL TD SIG SEMINARSão Paulo, Brazil

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

The importance...

Speaking seems intuitively to be the most important skill

(Ur, 1996) Speaking provides rehearsal opportunities Important source of feedback for both

teachers and students Opportunity to activate the various sources of

elements they have stored in their brains(Harmer, 2007)

DiscussRecall a successful activity in the classroom that you have either organized or participated in as student. What are the characteristics of this activity that make you judge it ‘successful’?

Characterists of a successful speaking activity

Learners talk a lotParticipation is evenMotivation is highLanguage is of an

acceptable level(Ur,

1996)

Discuss

Think back to your experiences as either a learner or a teacher. What are some of the problems in getting learners to talk in the classroom?

Common problems

Inhibition Nothing to say Low or uneven

participation Mother-tongue use

(Ur, 1996)

How to overcome these problems• Use group work

• Base the activity on easy language• Make a careful choice of topic and task to

stimulate interest• Give some instruction or training in

discussion skills• Keep students speaking the target language(Ur, 1996)

Fluency and Confidence

Put learners in ‘safe’ situations in class where they are inspired and encouraged to try using language

they already know(Scrivener,

2005)

Fluency or Accuracy?

(Scrivener, 2005)

FluencyAccuracy

1. Telling Stories – Sequence of Pictures

2.. Telling Stories – Humans of New York

Why do you think this picture received a ‘like’ byMark Zuckerberg and a ‘comment’ by Barack Obama?

3. Telling stories - words

It was a cold Saturday night...• brother• neighbor• TV• scream• street• crowd• police

4. Moral Dilemmas“In a department store a woman (Perdita) is seen taking some bread and cheese without paying for it. It is known that she is very poor and that if she is charged and taken to court, she will probably get sent to prision and her children will be taken into care. In the department store a meeting has been quickly arranged to decide what to do about Perdita.”

Security guard

manager

Perdita

cashier

5. Information Gap ActivityPerson's Name From Occupation Weekends Movies1. Jill (female) doctor romance2. professor go fishing 3. Jared (male) Cincinnati action4. Cleveland banker play cards 5. Janet (female) Dayton Person's Name From Occupation Weekends Movies

1. Toledo relax at home

2. Jason (male) Columbus horror3. mechanic play baseball 4. Jenny (female) drama5. lawyer read novels comedy

Student A

Student B

6. Guessing Games* Job Do you work indoors or outdoors? Do you work with your hands? Do you wear a uniform?

* Who am I? Are you alive? Are you a man or a woman?

(Thornbury, 2005)

The Akinator

Welcome to _________.

May I see your passport? Where are you coming from? What is the purpose of your visit? How long are you plan-ning to stay? Where will you be stay-ing? Is this your first time to ________? Enjoy your stay.

MarkFranceTourism7 daysHilton Hotel1st time

LucyGreeceBusiness12 daysHoliday Inn3rd time

7. Role-Play

8. Role CardsRole Card 1

Your company has designed a range of revolutionary new products, completely different from your usual ones.You are having a meeting with one of your best customers. Describe the new products to him/her.

Role Card 2

You are having a meeting to hear about some amazing new products from an important supplier.Ask lots of questions and find out as much as you can about the products.

(Scrivener, 2004)

9. Surveyso Crime is increasing because of violence

on television.o The police should be more heavily

armed.o Everybody is a potential murderer.o Prisions are ‘schools of crime’

Example: Which of these statements do you agree with?The main cause of crime is:( ) violence on TV ( ) poverty ( ) lack of discipline

(Thornbury, 2005)

towards fluency: helping students become better speakers - 1st braz-tesol td sig seminar

Education