1. Spoken Discourse Analysis: Awareness- Raising Activities for Higher Level Learners www.nile-elt.com Carole Anne Robinson

2. To begin with Look at the phrases below and think what different context(s) you might hear or say them in and why. Put it on. Take it off. www.nile-elt.com 3. The session Reasons Discourse Analysis and our Learners Activities www.nile-elt.com 4. Why discourse analysis? High level students Noticing activities Focus on intonation Language analysis Usefulness of context and knowledge www.nile-elt.com 5. What is discourse analysis? Language above the sentence. (Zellig, 1952) Hello. As listeners, we make assumptions about what we hear based on a) real world knowledge; b) intonation www.nile-elt.com 6. Consider The baby cried. The mommy picked it up. (Sacks, 1972). What is your immediate understanding of the word it? Why might it be wrong/right? www.nile-elt.com As listeners, we also make assumptions about what we hear based knowledge of language rules 7. Students can work out meaning from their knowledge of language They can also build their knowledge of language through analysis of (spoken) texts www.nile-elt.com 8. Activity One Who are the speakers? What is their relationship? What are they talking about? What do you need to know to be able to work this out? www.nile-elt.com 9. Activity One www.nile-elt.com Russell Brand, who are you to edit a political magazine? Well, I suppose like a person whos been politely asked by an attractive woman. I dont know what the typical criteria is, I dont know many people that edit political magazines..Boris, he used to do one, didnt he? So, Im a k.. person with crazy hair, quite good sense of humour, dont know much about politics, so I am ideal. But is it true that you dont even vote? Yeah, no, I dont vote. Well, how do you have any authority to talk about politics, then? Well, I dont get my authority from this pre-existing paradigm which is quite narrow and only serves a few people. I look elsewhere for alternatives that might of service to humanity. 10. Activity One www.nile-elt.com Knowledge of the speaker(s) Knowledge of the situations Knowledge of the cultural background CONTEXT Give students context to help them work out meaning Give students language to get them to work out context 11. Activity Two www.nile-elt.com Put it on. Its cold outside. Yeah, just put it on the table. Over there. Put it on the shelf. Youll need a headscarf. Put it on before we go in. Theres the CD. Put it on. That record over therecould you put it on, please? Dont worry. Ill put it on when I get back. Its only a 30- minute cycle. 12. www.nile-elt.com http://conc.lextutor.ca/concordancers/concord_e.html 13. Activity Two I dont want that on Facebook. Take it off. Whats that coffee doing on there? Take it off! No, you cant go to school dressed like that. Take it off. Take it off this instant! Take it off! Its boiling in here. Take it off or youll get a rash! Can you take it off the stove, please? www.nile-elt.com 14. Activity Three Whats the situation? Wow! Oh, sorry I didnt realize that was on there. Can you get by? I saw John. Okay Ill bring the wine round later. www.nile-elt.com 15. Activity Three Wow! Oh, sorry I didnt realize that was on there. Coffee on the table Photo on a screen/camera Play at a theatre Film at the cinema Light on a table Programme on the TV Brooch on a coat www.nile-elt.com 16. www.nile-elt.com 17. Activity Three Can you get by? Have you got room to get past? Is your salary enough to live on? Have you got enough (resources) to do something? www.nile-elt.com 18. Activity Three I saw John. Okay Ill bring the wine round later. John has been away on a trip for 6 months and two of his best friends, Mary and Dave, made him promise, before he went away, that, when he got back, they would spend an evening together talking about the trip and catching up. They know that he is back and that he is keen to meet up. This morning, Mary told Dave that if she saw John, she would invite him round that evening, feeling sure he would say yes. www.nile-elt.com 19. Activity Four Im going to a party on Saturday. Did I see you looking at the dress in the window? I think so, but Im not sure. Not sure if its a bit over the top. Youll want something nice then. Not at all! The red one. I might go and try it on later. Do it now! You could do with a treat. I guess so. www.nile-elt.com 20. Activity Four Im going to a party on Saturday. Did I see you looking at the dress in the window? I think so, but Im not sure. Not sure if its a bit over the top. Youll want something nice then. Not at all! The red one. I might go and try it on later. Do it now! You could do with a treat. I guess so. www.nile-elt.com 21. Activity Four Did I see you looking at the dress in the window? The red one. Im going to a party on Saturday. Youll want something nice then. I think so, but Im not sure. Not sure if its a bit over the top. Not at all! You could do with a treat. I guess so. I might go and try it on later. Do it now! www.nile-elt.com 22. Activity Five Listen to the teacher giving instructions How many times does she use the word okay? What is they main use of this word and how do you know this? www.nile-elt.com 23. Activity Five Okay, guys, (claps)..Okay, right first of all Id like you to read the questions hereOkay, yeah? And when youve finished reading the questions you have about a minute to think about your answers , okay, yeah? And then you will discuss them in pairs okay or with your partner. Okay? Is that clear? www.nile-elt.com 24. Resources and Ideas Concordancers e.g. http://www.lextutor.ca Youtube clips Record your voice Record other peoples conversations (with permission!) Keep a diary of what you and your students notice Allow students to record you in class Cameron, D. (2001) Working with Spoken Discourse, SAGE Publications McCarthy, M. (1991) Discourse Analysis Activities for Language Teachers, CUP Widdowson, H. G (1983) Learning Purpose and Language Use, OUP www.nile-elt.com 25. www.nile-elt.com Thank you for coming! Carole Anne Robinson, Senior Trainer, NILE (Norwich Institute for Language Education) carole@nile-elt.com Email me for this powerpoint