Converstation Workouts - Sweating your way towards speaking fitness. Presented during the first BrazTesol Teacher Development Special Interest Group One-day Seminar, September 25, 2015

1. ConversationConversation
workoutsworkouts
- Sweating your way- Sweating your way
towards speaking fitnesstowards speaking fitness
What areWhat are
CWOs?CWOs?

2. CConversationonversation WWorkorkOOututss
- idea came from app- idea came from app
- based on HIIT (HIIE / SIT)- based on HIIT (HIIE / SIT)
Impetu
s
- OK. Got it.
But what’s the
connection??

3. Adapt it to HIISP:
High Intensity Interval Speaking Practice!
Nagato
Suzuki
Yoshida
Yamada
Ikeda
Fujita

4. Why do it?
Speaking
Competence
Sociolinguistic
Competence
Linguistic
Competence
Discourse
Competence
Strategic
Competence
Grammar
Syntax
Vocabulary
Coherence
Cohesiveness
Ability to vary
speech (register,
tone, attitude)
Ability to repair
communication
breakdowns

5. Some Ins and outs of CWOS
PRE-SESSION
Pre-teach vocabulary
Pre-teach/Review discourse markers
Give clear instructions
Don’t overdo it

6. Some Ins and outs of CWOS
WHILE
Circulate
Take notes
Help with vocabulary
Correct Ss

7. Some Ins and outs of CWOS
POST
Do follow-up
Give feedback
Ask for feedback
Give out prizes

8. REMEMBER:
Start talking AFTER you hear the fight bell (FB)
Some activities will have a limited number of rounds
Some activities are more challenging. Adapt them according
to your students’ needs
Keep an eye on the board to keep track of time
Let’s have a look?

9. WORKOUTS
1 The story behind yourThe story behind your
namename
Named after? Chosen by? Anything interesting? Meaning?
REMEMBER:
One person only at a time
Stuck? Eavesdrop!

10. WORKOUTS
2 The gear systemThe gear system
Kinaesthetic speaking practice based on prompt cards
REMEMBER:
Works with larger, even-numbered classes.
Inner circleInner circle: When you hear the 1st
FB, ask the question. When you
hear the 1st
rest buzz (RBz), STAY PUT
Outer circleOuter circle: After you hear the 1st
RBz, rotate to your right and stand
opposite the first person you see. When you hear the FB, ask the
question.
Summing up:
Outer circleOuter circle rotates counterclockwise
Inner circleInner circle rotates clockwise

11. WORKOUTS
3 Speak well and winSpeak well and win
Speaking practice competition
REMEMBER:
ContestantContestant: Say your name, choose a picture, describe it, name it, and
do the task for one minute non-stop.
JudgesJudges: Write down the contestant’s name, grade him/her (0 – 10) on
1)Description
2)Name of object
3)Speaking task

12. If you were a
beverage, what
would you be?
Why?
dental floss
Describe an orange
fly swatter
(dish) sponge
Describe the sun
colander
Complete the saying
and explain the
meaning of: Water
dripping day by
day...
padlock
Describe the
digestive
process
nail file
What’s an
egg?
(box) grater
How long is it
since The Titanic
sank? What
caused it to go
down?
chopsticks
Who was
Marilyn
Monroe?
rubber bands
How are butterflies
born?

13. WORKOUTS
4 Fishbowl discussionFishbowl discussion
Debate
REMEMBER:
SpeakerSpeaker: Make sure you have at least one say during the 90 seconds.
ListenerListener: Pay close attention to what your parnter is saying so that
you are able to continue his her line of thought. You can also
introduce new points to make your case.
Topic for discussion: Experiments on animalsExperiments on animals
A’s are for. BA’s are for. B’s are against. Preparation time: 2 minutes

14. WORKOUTS
5 The art dealerThe art dealer
Collaborative presentation
REMEMBER:
All the representatives of each group need to speakAll the representatives of each group need to speak during the 90
seconds.
ListenersListeners: Listen to each group and decide which one has the most
convincing arguments
““Painting” to be sold:Painting” to be sold: The chef’s touchThe chef’s touch

16. Thank you!
References:
Scarcela, Robin; Oxford, Rebecca: The Tapestry of Language
Learning – The Individual in the Communicative Classroom, Heinle
Cambridge English First Handbook 2015
Cambridge English Advanced Handbook 2015
Edmilson Chagas
edmilsonchagas@hotmail.com
edmilsonchagas@gmail.com
http://pt.slideshare.net/edmilsonchagas