The document outlines a teaching technique used by Stephanie Hanson at the University of Minnesota to improve English language fluency and grammar accuracy through sentence-per-minute exercises. It includes logistics for assignments, student recordings, and both positive and negative feedback from students regarding the effectiveness of the grammar recordings. Overall, the approach emphasizes practice, self-awareness, and structured feedback to aid language development.

1. Fluency or Accuracy?
Work on Both with
Spoken Grammar
Recordings
Stephanie Hanson
Teaching Specialist
University of Minnesota English Language Program

2. Agenda
• Sentences per Minute technique
• Demo
• Logistics of assignment
• Student example and feedback
• Topic ideas

3. Sentences per Minute
• Assign topic and time limit
• Partners count sentences
• Calculate sentences per minute
• Repeat and try to increase sentences per minute
Soresi, S. (2005). SPM: A new approach to achieving fluency. Modern
English Teacher, 14 (3), 39-43.

4. Demonstration
Partner A: talk for 1 minute - What did you do yesterday?
Partner B: count past tense verbs
Partner A: talk for 1 minute, same topic
Partner B: count past tense verbs
Partner B: talk for 1 minute – What are your plans for tomorrow?
Partner A: count future tense verbs
Partner B: talk for 1 minute, same topic
Partner A: count future tense verbs

5. Logistics
• Weekly assignment
• Record on phones or computers
• Submit recordings via course website
(or email)

6. Logistics
• Submit paper for each pair of recordings
• Grading: completed or not

7. Student Sample
Future
Recording 1
Future
Recording 2

8. Student Feedback
What kinds of positive and negative comments do
you think my students shared about grammar
recordings?

9. Student Feedback
Fall 2015 Intermediate Grammar class
9 positive comments
• I think the grammar records help me because I can
practice grammar and speaking too. (x 6)
• I think it is helping my grammar skill because when I
record it, I know my mistake and Stephanie gives a
little bit feedback. (when I had a wrong thing.)
• I like the grammar recoding because I can speak
fluency and when I have mistakes in the first
recording I didn't forget that.
• I like it, because it can help me organize my
language.

10. Student Feedback
Fall 2015 Intermediate Grammar class
2 negative comments
• It helps me, but I think 2 minutes is too long
• Sometimes I don't have any word to say about
the topic, because I didn't experience a lot about
that. So I think it's helps a little.

11. Topic Ideas
In small groups, brainstorm
some prompts you can assign
students to target specific
grammar structures.

12. Questions?
Stephanie Hanson
SLHANSON@umn.edu