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Understanding and Teaching Spoken English
金 利 民北京外国语大学英语学院
Outline
Features of the spoken language
Teaching spoken English: Principles and
practice
How to use A Speaking Course
Part One: Preview
Features of the spoken language
Prosodic features
Shortened forms
Features resulting from limited processing time
Organizational features
Accent and dialect
Functions of the spoken language
1. Features of the spoken language (1)
1.1 Prosodic features: stress rhythm
pitch tempo
intonation
e.g. She sells seashells on the seashore,
the shells she sells are seashells I’m sure.
1. Features of the spoken language (2)
1.2 Shortened forms
ContractionElisionEllipsis
Contraction:
a reduced form often marked by an apostrophe in writing
e.g. can’t = cannot
I’ll = I will
Elision:
the omission or slurring (eliding) of one or more sounds or syllables
e.g. gonna = going to
wanna be = want to be wassup = what’s up
Ellipsis:
the omission of part of a grammatical structure
e.g. “You bored?” “A bit”,
1. Features of the spoken language (3)
1.3 Features that result from the limited processing time
False start
Repairs
Fillers
False start:
when a speaker stops after beginning an utterance and then either repeats or reformulates it. e.g. right well let's er --= let's look at the applications -- erm - let me just ask initially this
(The CHRISTINE Project: http://www.grsampson.net/RChristine.html)
Repairs:
an alteration suggested or made by the speaker, the addressee or the audience to correct or clarify a previous conversational contribution.
Fillers:
- no particular meanings
- provides time to think,
to create a pause or to hold a turn
e.g. “er”, “uhm”, “ah”, “well”. Compare with the Chinese filler “neige”.
1. Features of the spoken language (4)
1.4 Organizational features
Back-channeling
Turn-taking
Back-channeling:
Feedback for a speaker, meaning “I understand you” or “I’m listening”.
e.g. “I see”, “really”, “uh huh” or “oh”
Turn-taking:
a typical, orderly arrangement in which participants speak with minimal overlap and gap between them.
Short-turns: one or two sentences; long turns: can be an hour’s lecture.
1. Features of the spoken language (5)
Accent: the ways in which words are pronounced. Factors: age, region or social class, e.g. RP
Dialect: The distinctive grammar and vocabulary associated with the regional or social use of a language, e.g. Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.
1. Features of the spoken language (6)
Different functions
Interactional talk: Conversational language for interpersonal reasons and/or socializing. E.g. chitchat. Primarily listener-oriented.
Transactional talk: Language to get things done or to transmit content or information. Primarily speaker-oriented.
Part Two: Preview
What should be taught and what can be taught?
The roles of a spoken English teacher
Basic principles in teaching spoken English
Some suggestions for the design of activities
2.1 What should be taught and what
can be taught? (1)
What are the possible aims of a spoken English course?Notions; Situations; Topics; etc.
Which spoken model should we present to our students?
RP or a standard American accent?
2.1 What should be taught and what
can be taught? (2)
What should be corrected and what should not be corrected?
What are the possible sideline productions?
Training of communication skills, public speaking skills, and skills to organize thoughts within a short time…
2.2 The roles of a spoken English
teacher
Three stages and respective teachers’ roles:
Presentation: an informant (+ a model provider?)
Practice: a conductor or a classroom manager
Production: a guide or a facilitator
Does teaching have to be in this order?
2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken
English (1)The importance of stress and rhythm
Difference between English and ChineseEnglish: stress-timed
Chinese: syllable-timed e.g. I saw a big tree on the top of the
mountain.The use of songs in the teaching of pronunciation: Do Re Mi (Unit 1)
2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken
English (2)
Communicative stress: the less the betterHow to reduce this stress? The listener: peers; one is better than manyThe situation: private; familiar; relaxingThe language: same for speaker and listenerStatus of knowledge: information about the
topic or issue and the vocabulary needed So: group and pair work are better than
individual and class work.
2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken
English (3)
Information gap: basic principle in the design of tasks
Always ask:
Is there a reasonable purpose for the speaker to perform the task?
Does the listener need that information?
2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken
English (4)
Correction: when and how?
Relaxed attitude towards mistakes, esp. at the beginning.
Beginning of a semester: establishing a good rapport with the students; help learners to build confidence in speaking in English
2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken
English (5)
Correction: when and how?
Relatively privately, e.g. in the process of pair or group work.
In class if necessary without mentioning names of students. Take notes while supervising pair or group work.
2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken
English (6)
The importance of encouragement: Pygmalion Effect - Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968), children aged six to twelve years, all drawn from the same school, given an IQ test. Children were then assigned to an experimental or control group. When teachers were told that the children in the experimental group were "high achievers", these children showed significant IQ gains over the course of one year, despite allocation to group having been in fact random.
2.4 Some suggestions for the design of
activities
The use of pictures
The use of jigsaw
The use of games
The use of drama
The use of role play and simulation
Part Three: Preview
Brief introduction to A Speaking CourseTeaching spoken English to big classesTeaching spoken English to mixed ability classesMotivating the students
3.1 A Speaking Course
An integrated syllabus:
Book 1: Pronunciation; Functions (I); Functions (II); Situations
Book 2: What will you say?
What will you do?
How to complete the project?
What is your opinion?
3.1 A Speaking Course
Principles in organization and design of content
1) Objectives, warming-up, activities, review, tips
2) Presentation, practice, production
Models are usually provided.
3) Situations and topics are close to the life and future needs of the students.
3.2 Teaching big classes
Big classes: 50-60 students in one classDifficult, but not mission impossible.
1) Carefully design tasks with clear learning goals2) Use pair work and group work3) Maintain discipline: Be firm and fair 4) Feedback: One or two groups or pair
3.3 Teaching mixed ability classes
Let the more competent students do some of the teaching.
Pair work and group work benefit the more capable students more.
Leave different types of assignments for the students to choose from.
3.4 Motivating the students
Involve the students in the design of tasks
Interesting tasks
Varied design of activities
Encouragement and some training of learning skills
Make learners aware of the sideline products of the training of spoken English.
Tell me and I'll forget;
Teach me and I'll remember;
Involve me and I'll learn.
Benjamin Franklin?
Thank You