Conversation Skills In The Language Classroom2008 Sept15

Simply Conversations TM Teaching communication skills to adult language learners Karenne Sylvester www.kalinago-english.com

Approximately 75% of the time we spend communicating we are listening or speaking

What is conversation ?

Small talk

Conversation GENERAL * football * parties * people * food * drink * animals * weather * holidays

Chatting & gossiping

Conversation PERSONAL GENERAL * lovers * health * friends * hobbies+interests * family * problems * football * food * weather

Business discussions

Conversation PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL GENERAL * family * friends * lovers * projects * tasks * the boss * colleagues * meetings * presentations * customers * football * food * weather

Going deep: sharing ideas,thoughts, opinions

Conversation PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL GENERAL + TABOO! * family * friends * lovers * money * sex * politics * death * religion * customers * projects * colleagues * football * food * weather

What impedes communication in a language classroom?

Low motivation , low self-esteem and debilitating anxiety can combine to “raise” the affective filter and form a mental block that prevents comprehensible input from being used for acquisition. In other words, when the filter is ‛up’ it impedes language acquisition. Krashen, 1985

Low motivation , low self-esteem and debilitating anxiety can combine to “raise” the affective filter and form a mental block that prevents comprehensible input from being used for acquisition. In other words, when the filter is ‛ up ’ it impedes language acquisition. Krashen, 1985

Educational psychologists point to three

major sources of motivation in learning:

Learners’ natural interests =intrinsic satisfaction

Teacher/institute/employer’s approval = extrinsic satisfaction

Success in the task = satisfaction and reward

Fisher, 1990

How can we achieve active conversations in the language learning environment?

TALK PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL GENERAL + exposure to some cultural taboos?!

Find out what is interesting to your students.

Ask them about their… opinions experiences hypotheses needs wishes desires ideas emotions

Obama is so cool, Mom. He hears the people My boss wants me to fly to Milan, again – it’s so annoying Hmm… I’m hungry: pasta or a salad…or cake… Jan, I’m just not sure what to do about Daniel, he…

Obama is so cool, Mom. He hears the people My boss wants me to fly to Milan, again – it’s so annoying Hmm… I’m hungry: pasta or a salad…or cake… Jan, I’m just not sure what to do about Daniel, he… Talk to people about themselves and they will listen for hours. Benjamin Disraeli

(cc) www.wordle.net KarenneSylvester High Frequency Words3 The word “ I ” is the 18th most frequently used word in the English language!

Teach them what they need to learn in the way that they want it

Speak more

Simply Conversations TM

Looks like a game - Sounds like a game - Works like a charm. Why?

Although it looks like a game… it’s a highly developed pedagogical tool.

Learning by doing

The following factors are listed as important principles in learning:

Comprehension precedes production,

Production emerges (i.e. learners are not forced to respond),

Activities which promote subconscious acquisition rather than

conscious learning are central.

Krashen & Terrel, 1983

Learning by doing

Comprehension precedes production ,

Learning by doing

Comprehension precedes production ,

Learning by doing

Comprehension precedes production,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages SimplyConversations TM follows the guidelines laid out by the CEF

Standard info on each card More pedagogical information available on Website . www.kalinago-english.com Simply ConversationsTM Card # Title of the lexical set design

Standard info on each card More pedagogical information available on Website . www.kalinago-english.com Simply ConversationsTM The grammatical structure generally being prompted for by the question. You can also use this field to personalize/ select specific cards at a later date when reviewing a particular sentence structure. Card # Title of the lexical set design

Standard info on each card More pedagogical information available on Website . www.kalinago-english.com Simply ConversationsTM The grammatical structure generally being prompted for by the question. You can also use this field to personalize/ select specific cards at a later date when reviewing a particular sentence structure. Card # Title of the lexical set design The prompts are varied and interesting.

Standard info on each card More pedagogical information available on Website . www.kalinago-english.com Simply ConversationsTM They ask for real information about real events in your students‘ lives. The prompts are varied and interesting. The grammatical structure generally being prompted for by the question. You can also use this field to personalize/ select specific cards at a later date when reviewing a particular sentence structure. Card # Title of the lexical set design

Maintaining a focus on form is good for learners in the long run. Scott Thornbury, 2005

Simply Conversations TM is the only speaking skills activity developed for language learners that comes with a tangible method of providing measurable feedback. Maintaining a focus on form is good for learners in the long run. Scott Thornbury, 2005

Conversation Control TM

Download .pdfs free of charge: www.kalinago-english.com . Also see an example sheet/ watch video explanation

Self-monitoring of progress provides reliable feedback which enhances self-efficacy when linked with the student‘s accomplishments. This conveys to them that they have made progress . As students improve they learn which actions result in positive outcome. Such information guides future actions. Anticipation of desirable outcomes motivate students to persist. Schunk, 1983

Self-monitoring of progress provides reliable feedback which enhances self-efficacy when linked with the student‘s accomplishments . This conveys to them that they have made progress . As students improve they learn which actions result in positive outcome. Such information guides future actions . Anticipation of desirable outcomes motivate students to persist . Schunk, 1983

Simply Quests TM

People must possess eight factors to be considered ready to pursue self-directed learning: Guilielmino, 1977

1. openness to learning 2. self-concept as an effective learner 3. initiative and independence in learning 4. informed acceptance of responsibility 5. love of learning

6. creativity 7. future orientation and 8. the ability to use problem-solving skills. Guilielmino, 1977

The post-task activity: Students search through the web, visiting English speaking websites in order to find answers to the questions they are curious about… ...then they bring their results into class and present it – in any way they like – including using multi-media!

Engage students in authentic tasks , assist students with producing knowledge bases that promote the application of information and diversity of thought ; build learning communities linking students and promote substantial, applicable learning. Brandt, 1992

“ I couldn‘t answer or participate in class before because, although I wanted to speak in English, I wasn‘t interested. I didn‘t know what to say, I had no relationship to the topic presented.” Beatrix Weisgerber, Mercedes Bank.

As human beings, we generally like what we do well and are therefore likely to do it again, and put in more effort. Littlejohn, 2001

What teachers say… (from website guestbook)

With SimplyConversations, Karenne Sylvester has provided TEFL teachers with an invaluable, long-awaited resource. Congratulations and many thanks. Sara Meissner

I have purchased many of the sheets for use with adult students at our language school in Germany. The feedback from teachers has been enthusiastic: the consensus is that conversations have more purpose, are more engaging, and with the use of the control sheets, it's easier to "get results" - real improvements in vocabulary, accuracy and confidence. Andrina Rout, DOS, Fokus Sprachen & Seminaire

I just tried out the SimplyConversations cards with a group of students and the results were great. The students were really engaged and extremely fluent. I will definitely use the cards again! Clare Simister

If you don’t use the spoken language, you won’t learn English. Christian Schnabel, student Porsche Germany