Encouraging your ELT learners to speak in class

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Jo Gakonga jo.gakonga@elt-training.com

Encouraging your learners to speak in class

Jo Gakonga

Why it is important

Oh no, it’s me!

What can you do?

Are you doing all the talking?

This could be the result!

Establish the right atmosphere

Make it easy

• Scaffold• Provide vocabulary and structures• Pitch it slightly below their current level

Try using music

Movement

Dictation ideas

• Running dictation• Shouting dictation

Personalisation

• What do I know most about?• Who can I talk about most easily?

• Who is most interesting to my classmate?

Example tasks:

• My house• My family• My best friend• My first / best/ worst job/ holiday• My pet• My hobbies• My last/ best/ worst birthday• Last year I…. Next year I’m going to ….

It’s a long list!!

Setting a clear task

• Clear instructions• A specific endpoint

Repetition is good!

• Don’t be afraid to do it again…and again…

HOTS or ‘Higher Order Thinking Skills’

• Bloom’s taxonomy

• Ordering, ranking, analysing etc.

Giving opinions

Controversial Topics

Don’t give up