Chapter 5

ORAL COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION

1. INTRODUCTION2. ORAL COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION3. DEVELOPING LISTENING COMPREHENSION

3.1. From the listening skill to understanding oral messages3.2. Listening as a complex, active, and participative process3.3. Teaching listening with comprehension: Basic points

4. TEACHING ORAL SKILLS THROUGH SONGS4.1 Advantages 4.2. Research support4.3. Pedagogical recommendations for the

exploitation of songs5. THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SPELLING

2. ORAL COMMUNICATON AND INTERACTION2.1. Teaching oral communication within a curricular design for beginners Some basic principles:

The conversation mode of the FL implies use of syntactic features• Priority is given to lexical and textual elements.• Contents must be selected and sequenced following “real-life” FL.• Activities must allow contents to be practised within oral interaction tasks.

2.2. The basic communicative code built on lexical phrases

In graded readers, five hundred or one thousand words are enough to complete real collections of these easy-to-read books (West, 1927).

Primary school pupils need a fairly limited selection of lexical phrases and vocabulary items to participate in preliminary oral interactive tasks.

Let’s talk about town’s life. What happens in towns?

2.3. A generative communicative competence in FL acquisitionLots of activities that can develop both listening and speaking competence. Example:

2.4. From simple interactions to more complex dialogues for the development of the social and conative functions

• A simple greeting or a question and the respective verbal and physical answers are enough to make learners active participants in a simple conversation.

• Total Physical Response –TPR techniques- and questions and easy answers, are the initial interactive verbal tools for FL acquisition.

simple interactions more complex dialogues

2.5. Different roles according to different skills

A silent period is recommended for beginners, together with a great deal of listening activities (Palmer 1917, Postovsky 1974, Krashen & Terrell 1983).

Teachers will offer good models of FL when giving directions or asking questions.

The use of audiotape and video recordings will complete the comprehensible input provided by the teacher.

Main characteristics of audiotapes and video recordings (Brown and Yule 1983: 80-9):

1. A single speaker with a clear voice is recommended in early listening tasks.

2. When there are two or more speakers, their voices should be clearly distinguished.

3. Children must begin by getting involved in the listening task.

4. Following recorded directions with some descriptive clues is recommendable to improve the listening skill.

When performing roles and developing skills children may … reproduce TPR techniques, ask the questions they can already answer, direct symbol dictation or perform dialogues and role-plays according to the skill level achieved.

2.6. Visual context, gestures, drawings and body language

The use of gestures, drawings and body language is recommended to create an encouraging atmosphere in the classroom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKyUNWrGg5I&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGeCNpxgIHE

Some recommendations:

Background disturbing noise must be avoided. Sounds or acoustic references may encourage

comprehension. Visual support is sometimes necessary in early

listening exercises in order to create a context and assist the listening effort.

2.7. The use of the mother tongue as a compensating strategy

Some principlesprinciples about the use of the L1L1:

The first language can be used as a helping hand to maintain motivation.

The first language can also provide context. In this case it is the equivalent to a picture.

Some conclusive parts of the listening interactive task require the exclusive use of the FL. This recommendation is compulsory.

2.8. The expressive function: Here I am Colouring, drawing, acting, mime and music motivate

the students.

Name, family name, address, age, likes, possessions, phone number and nationality are one of the topics closest to the children’s interests. Example (Madrid & McLaren 1995:63):

2.9. Early descriptions and oral sentence structure.They may arise from the use of some commands as a simple

answer to the questions why or what for. Example: - Don’t walk. Stop.- Why? - Look, a bike! Yes. A bike’s coming.

How many or What colour can be the prompting keys to give number or colour references. This can be done in short or using a complete sentence structure:

- Draw some apples.- How many?-Three. Three apples. Draw three apples, please. See? There are three apples.- Let’s colour the apples.- What colour?- Red. Yes, red apples. Colour the apples red. Look. The apples are red.

EFFECTS OF THIS INTERACTIVE METHODOLOGY

The proposed interactive methodology implies that pupils will understand questions such as those in the following table before they are asked to provide an oral answer.

When children are ready to participate in these sorts of When children are ready to participate in these sorts of interactive situations, the moment to introduce grammar interactive situations, the moment to introduce grammar has come. has come. These examples demonstrate that beginners can These examples demonstrate that beginners can understand fragments of questions, linked to the concepts understand fragments of questions, linked to the concepts or a topic on which specific information is required or a topic on which specific information is required throughout the conversation. throughout the conversation.

Listening SpeakingQuestions Discursive

valuePre-syntax Syntactic production

What’s your name? PardonMe?Repeat, pleaseI don’t knowSorryMy name?What?

(Name) My name’s …How old are you? (Nine) … I’m nine Have you got a mobile? Yes/ No Yes, I have

No, I haven’tDo you like music? Yes/No Yes, I do

No, I don’tWhat colour’s …? Red/blue/… It’s red/blue …

How many …? (Number) There are …/Who’s …? Me, (name) …What’s this? A box It’s a boxWhere’s the box? On the table The box is on the tableStrategic questions:- Or-question- Yes/No question

Silent or meaningful response-Body, gesture and mime-Drawing-First language

3. DEVELOPING LISTENING COMPREHENSION3.1. From listening to understanding oral messagesWhy is listening important?

‑ It provides comprehensible input, essential for language acquisition in the classroom. (Krashen 1985, Ellis 1990).‑ It is needed in real life.‑ It is something the whole class can do. ‑ It allows pupils to distinguish sounds, stress, intonation patterns.

Listen and learn:

3.2. Listening as a complex, active, and participative process

Listening is completed by a series of strategies:

The listener needs a reason to understand an oral message. Sometimes just the main idea and some items of information will be enough.To cut up complete messages to decipher and interpret some meaning.To recognise that some gaps in information are not relevant and can be missed. To anticipate what is coming and remember what has been said before.The listener has a very limited control over the speed or tone of voice when the task comes from a recording, radio or TV.

3.3. Teaching listening with comprehension: Basic points

3.3.1. TPR and the social function of interactive listening

Total Physical Response –TPR techniques- are the most efficient tasks to make learners participate and feel involved from the first day of class. Examples:

Topics and scenarios

Actions

Everyday life Stand up, walk, stop, run, jump, come here, look, listenPoint to; Go to + (objects and places)

The classroom Open/ close the door/window.Take your pencil to the table.Write your name in the blackboard.Boys/Girls, be quiet.

My schoolbag Pass me the ruler, the sharpener, the rubberRub out, sharpen, draw, colour

Sports Bounce, kick, throw, put the ball. Walk and bounce the ball. Don’t touch the basket.

Water and nature

Drink, wash your hands. Sit on the grass. Smell the flower. Put the red apple in the basket. Fly and go to the pear tree.

Teaching listening with comprehension questions:

ACTING OUT ACTIONS AND UTTERANCES

3.3.2. From the first questions to an interview or passport controlPersonal identification, likes, possession and their own world can constitute topics for speaking.

Identity card Passport What’s your name? How old are you What’s your address? What’s your phone number? Boy or girl? _________…

What’s your family name? What’s your father’s name? What’s your mother’s name? Spanish or Italian? ________ Have you got your ticket?…

How many Euros have you got? Do you like …? Do you speak Italian? Where’s your boarding card? ….

Interview or passport control

3.3.3. Audiotape or video recordings - commands and questions: Take one, action!

The combination of commands and questions with their respective actions and short verbal responses permits the recording of stories.

Examples of scenes to be performed:

TitlesAn adventure where a genie appears (from a bottle) and does what is orderedA magician gets you whatever you likeAn intelligent robot is at your serviceA powerful hero defends you against a monster…DialogueGo to the castle and touch the wall.Open the gate. Stop. Have you got the key?Look, the key is in that old box.Open the box and take the key.But, listen, the gate is opening.Say the magic please. Please, stop!A dog is coming. It’s your pet.Come here.Are you happy?…

3.3.4. Listening with visual aspects: the symbol dictation

Pupils can express meanings with drawings: they create pictures of their own by drawing and

colouring. They can create the text with the help of questions:Grammar sentence structure: Example 1

Draw five apples in the basket and colour them red.Example 2:Pre-syntactic conversational structure

- Do you like apples?-Let’s draw apples-Apples.-Yes apples. Ok?-How many?-Seven?-No-Five-Five apples-Draw five apples-Ok-But, where?-In the basket!Have you got coloured pencils?-What colour?-Red or green?-Red-Yes, red apples-Colour the apples red....

In order to obtain more advantages from the symbol dictation a sequence must be followed:

1. Symbols must be easy to draw and familiar to the listener: bird, flower, kite….. 2. The frame must have clear areas and points of reference where symbols will be placed: sky, ground, tree, house, grass, etc. 3. Before the command is given, the topic must be clear. 4. Only the FL is permitted while doing the activity. 5. A second repetition to check complete comprehension is recommended.

4. TEACHING ORAL ENGLISH THROUGH SONGS

- Songs are a pleasurable, enjoyable experience which aids relaxation and group dynamics and increases attentiveness and receptiveness in the language classroom.- They bring variety to the lesson.- They are highly memorable and help internalise quite long chunks of language.- They are part of everyday life and constitute a natural opportunity for meaningful repetition.- They are personal and thus allow identification with the lyrics.- They provide authentic examples of everyday language.- They allow the target vocabulary, grammar, and patterns to be modelled in context.- They foster the development of grammatical, lexical, and sociocultural competence, as well as of the linguistic skills of speaking and listening.- They contribute to the improvement of pronunciation (in terms of both segmental and suprasegmental elements), of speed, and of fluency.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0nMKW0VbNE

4.2. Research support on the teaching of songs

Gardner’s (1993) Multiple Intelligence theory is consistent with the use of music as a vehicle for L2 learning.

Studies in the area of psychology have pointed to the potential of music to enhance rote memorisation. Medina (1993) found that the combination of music and illustrations has a decidedly beneficial effect on vocabulary acquisition.

4.3. Pedagogical recommendations for the exploitation of songsPerforming actions in line with the lyrics of the songs. According to the trace theory propounded by the TPR approach (Asher 1977), memory is increased if stimulated by motor activity. Dramatising the song’s lyrics can also contribute to make their meaning clear to the learner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta5HnYtWBIs&feature=fvsr

- The students are provided with a gapped version of the song, which they must complete - The students are provided with scrambled words or lines of the song, which they must then reorder. - The learners answer questions about the text of the song or create their own for other classmates to answer.- Other comprehension-checking activities involve the creation or completion of charts and diagrams about the text.- The students are asked to identify deliberately introduced mistakes in terms of vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation. - The children can also be encouraged to manipulate the text of a song, modifying grammatical elements within it (e.g. tenses or parts of speech), changing the final words of some lines with others that rhyme.- And, of course, the students should be urged to sing the song. Recording it and playing it to improve pronunciation can also prove a good idea.

Pedagogical recommendations for the exploitation of songs:

Exploit this song by using any of the techniques mentioned before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp_vkZkMQNU

____ night as I lay on my pillowLast night as I lay on my ____Last night as I lay ___ my pillowI dreamt that my Bonnie ___ ____.

My Bonnie lies over the oceanBring back my Bonnie to me.My Bonnie lies over the oceanBring back, bring back,Oh bring back my Bonnie to me!Bring back, bring back,Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.My Bonnie lies over the sea

My Bonnie lies over the oceanMy Bonnie lies over the ocean

My Bonnie lies over the ocean,My Bonnie lies over the sea.My Bonnie lies over the ocean,Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me! Bring back, bring back.Bring back my Bonnie to me.Bring back, bring back,Bring back my Bonnie to me. Last night as I lay on my pillow,Last night as I lay on my bed.Last night as I lay on my pillow,I dreamt that my Bonnie was dead.

5. THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ENGLISH SPELLING

Difficulty of English pronunciation: a)its phonological system does not resemble the students’ native one, b)lack of correspondence between pronunciation and the written code.

Explicit or implicit spelling instruction?Whole Language, top-down, or whole-to-part approaches favour implicit spelling instruction (simply free voluntary reading are more effective in aiding children to become proficient spellers than formal teaching). Traditional, bottom-up, or part-to-whole views uphold an explicit approach: spelling is not caught – it must be taught”. (Waller 2002:15)

Effects of explicit instruction:

-Providing direct instruction at the appropriate level is the key to improving poor spellers’ level -Reading and Whole Language approaches are not effective or sufficient means to learn or improve spelling -Systematic and explicit English spelling instruction has durable effects, impressively different from incidental spelling growth, on orthographic performance (Pérez Cañado 2003).‑ Intentional instruction has beneficial effects in terms of subsequent use of the skills acquired within reading and writing contexts (Pinnell and Fountas 1998).

Eclectic approach: combination of both explicit and implicit instructional methods.

5.3. Spelling instruction through awareness-raisingIt can be done by discussing about the importance and regularity of English spelling and the most effective means of being successful at it.

5.4. Rules, patterns, and spelling layers: towards a multidimensional approach to spelling instructionRules should have an appropriate level of difficulty for the pupils. It is recommendable to teach these rules by:

‑ working together with the students to discover the rule under study and apply it to other words;‑ stating it simply and providing plenty of examples;‑ avoiding teaching more than one rule at the same time;- repeating, practising, and cyclically revising them;- testing them regularly and keeping an ongoing record of their mastery,

5.4.1 Activity types(See examples in Handbook) Work on basic capitalisation and punctuation marks such as periods (full-stops) commas, exclamation and question marks, semicolons, colons, or apostrophes, we can resort to a proof-reading exercise:

ACTIVITY: Proof-readingPATTERN: Capitalisation and punctuation

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.Draw up a brief text from which several capitals and punctuation marks are missing and/or superfluous. Specify the exact number for further guidance.2.Ask the students to eliminate and/or supply them.

RATIONALE:

-Encourages students to inspect words visually to see if they look right.-Works on spelling visually and receptively.-Allows vocabulary revision (e.g. of school subjects, animals, hobbies, nationalities, countries, etc).-Integrates spelling in texts with a real communicative purpose.

5.5. The dual-route model to spelling acquisition

It postulates that there are two separate neural pathways, mechanisms, or processing systems that can be employed to spell, that operate in parallel, and that are linked but can be dissociated.The phonological or assembling

module or routeThe visual-orthographic or

assembling strategy or procedure-Is responsible for:

the spelling of consistent or regular wordsthe production of unfamiliar or pseudo-words

- Is responsible for the generation of familiar words, which are retrieved or addressed from the memory store as single units.

-Assembles or generates the spelling of words with the aid of phoneme – grapheme rules.

- Is the storehouse of words whose spellings have been memorised.

- Involves a direct lexical access without intermediate phonological processing.

So, instruction in phonics – instructional strategies that help learners connect sounds with written symbols – should be provided for adequate spelling acquisition to take place (Seymour 1992, Seymour, Bunce, and Evans 1992, Sterling and Seed 1992)

For the use of Phonics, See:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/magicpencil/index.shtml