bridging communication gaps: strategies for success a plenary presentation at the conference on...

Bridging Communication Bridging Communication Gaps: Strategies for Gaps: Strategies for

SuccessSuccessA Plenary Presentation A Plenary Presentation

at the conference onat the conference on

English for Communication: English for Communication:

Building Bridges for SuccessBuilding Bridges for Success

Quetzaltenango, GuatemalaQuetzaltenango, Guatemala

Kathleen M. BaileyKathleen M. Bailey

Monterey Institute of International Monterey Institute of International StudiesStudies


SuccessSuccess

Abriendo juntos un mundo Abriendo juntos un mundo

de opportunidadesde opportunidades


SuccessSuccessMany thanks toMany thanks to

Brenda, Cris and Tyler,Brenda, Cris and Tyler,

and all the conference organizersand all the conference organizers

at IGA XELAat IGA XELA

Father GuzmFather Guzmáán & the staff n & the staff

at Liceo Guatemalaat Liceo Guatemala

Ana Sylvia, Cynthia, German and Don Ana Sylvia, Cynthia, German and Don Luis Luis

at IGA GUATEMALAat IGA GUATEMALA

Accuracy, Fluency, Accuracy, Fluency, and Proficiencyand Proficiency

AccuracyAccuracy: speaking with “correct” : speaking with “correct” grammar, vocabulary, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.; applying the pronunciation, etc.; applying the rules of Englishrules of English

FluencyFluency: speaking fluidly, : speaking fluidly, confidently and at an appropriate confidently and at an appropriate pace, pausing at expected pointspace, pausing at expected points


ProficiencyProficiency: Speaking in a wide : Speaking in a wide range of contexts, combining range of contexts, combining accuracy and fluency while accuracy and fluency while speaking. speaking.

ProficiencyProficiency permits fluid, confident, permits fluid, confident, “correct” speech at an “correct” speech at an appropriate pace, with pauses at appropriate pace, with pauses at expected points.expected points.


AACCURACY + FLUENCYCCURACY + FLUENCY = =

PROFICIENCYPROFICIENCY


At beginning and At beginning and

intermediate levels,intermediate levels,

efforts to speak efforts to speak

accurately and accurately and

fluently often work fluently often work

against each another.against each another.

Risk-takingRisk-taking

Risk-takingRisk-taking: : Choosing a course of Choosing a course of actionaction

when the outcome is uncertain.when the outcome is uncertain.

The result may The result may

or may not or may not

be successful, sobe successful, so

we must choose…we must choose…


Choose to take the Choose to take the risk -- and risk -- and

maybe fail maybe fail somehow, or…somehow, or…

Choose Choose notnot to take the to take the

risk – and maybe missrisk – and maybe miss

an opportunity.an opportunity.


There are risks when we There are risks when we communicate in a second for communicate in a second for foreign language:foreign language:

Missed opportunitiesMissed opportunitiesEmbarrassment Embarrassment

and loss of faceand loss of faceOffending someoneOffending someoneMiscommunication Miscommunication

and misunderstandingand misunderstanding


English sayings English sayings that link water that link water

and risk-takingand risk-taking

Don’t change horses in the Don’t change horses in the middle middle

of the stream.of the stream.Don’t make waves. Don’t make waves. Don’t rock the boat.Don’t rock the boat.


You’re getting into muddy water.You’re getting into muddy water.Don’t get bogged down.Don’t get bogged down.I’m up a creek without a paddle.I’m up a creek without a paddle. You’re on thin ice.You’re on thin ice.

Communication Communication StrategiesStrategies

What are they?What are they?Procedures language learners Procedures language learners

use touse to

make up for gaps in their make up for gaps in their knowledgeknowledge

and skill with the second or and skill with the second or foreignforeign

language they are learning…language they are learning…


… …Learners’ efforts Learners’ efforts

to communicate to communicate successfully without successfully without

the linguistic tools the linguistic tools needed to do so. needed to do so.

Communication strategies help learnersCommunication strategies help learners

bridge the gap between what they bridge the gap between what they cancan saysay

and what they and what they wantwant to say. to say.


1. Paraphrase

2. Borrowing

3. Appeal for Assistance

4. Mime

5. Avoidance


1. PARAPHRASE1. PARAPHRASE

1-A. Approximation1-A. Approximation: Use of a single : Use of a single word which is not correct but word which is not correct but which shares semantic features which shares semantic features (for example, “The car is, uh, (for example, “The car is, uh, stopstop in the mud” – using “stop” instead in the mud” – using “stop” instead of “stuck”)of “stuck”)


1. PARAPHRASE1. PARAPHRASE

1-B. Word Coinage1-B. Word Coinage: Making up a new : Making up a new word (“air ball” for “balloon”) word (“air ball” for “balloon”)

1-C. Circumlocution1-C. Circumlocution: Description of : Description of an action, or of a thing’s function an action, or of a thing’s function or characteristics (for example, or characteristics (for example, “the thing that makes your hair “the thing that makes your hair hot” for “hair dryer”)hot” for “hair dryer”)


2. BORROWING2. BORROWING

2-A. Literal Translation2-A. Literal Translation: The learner: The learner

translates literally word for word translates literally word for word fromfrom

his first language (for example, “hehis first language (for example, “he

became smoke” for “he became smoke” for “he disappeared”)disappeared”)


2. BORROWING2. BORROWING

2-B. Language Switch2-B. Language Switch: The learner : The learner uses auses a

native language term while native language term while speaking thespeaking the

foreign language (for example, foreign language (for example, “The car“The car

is stop, uh, in the, in the, uh, is stop, uh, in the, in the, uh, lodolodo”)”)


3. APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE 3. APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE

The learner asks for the word, theThe learner asks for the word, the

spelling, or the structure that he spelling, or the structure that he doesn’tdoesn’t

know (“What is this? What know (“What is this? What

is it called? Can you spell is it called? Can you spell

it please?”)it please?”)


4. MIME 4. MIME

The learner uses nonverbal The learner uses nonverbal methodsmethods

to convey his meaning (for to convey his meaning (for example,example,

by clapping his hands to illustrateby clapping his hands to illustrate

the word “applaud”)the word “applaud”)


5. MESSAGE AVOIDANCE 5. MESSAGE AVOIDANCE

5-A. Topic Avoidance5-A. Topic Avoidance: The learner: The learner

doesn’t talk about doesn’t talk about

topics for which hetopics for which he

lacks the grammarlacks the grammar

or the vocabularyor the vocabulary


5. MESSAGE AVOIDANCE 5. MESSAGE AVOIDANCE

5-B. Message Abandonment5-B. Message Abandonment: The : The learnerlearnerstops talking if he lacks the stops talking if he lacks the vocabulary or the grammar.vocabulary or the grammar.

(Topic avoidance and message (Topic avoidance and message abandonment are really the abandonment are really the opposite of communicating. They opposite of communicating. They are decisions NOT to communicate.)are decisions NOT to communicate.)


Think about a time when you usedThink about a time when you used

communication strategies to communication strategies to continuecontinue

a conversation.a conversation.

What were you trying to say?What were you trying to say?What strategy did you use?What strategy did you use?What was the result?What was the result?


Communication strategies help Communication strategies help studentsstudents

Continue a conversation when they Continue a conversation when they don’t know the words and/or don’t know the words and/or structuresstructures

Convey their ideas and understand Convey their ideas and understand others people’s ideasothers people’s ideas

Get more input and have more Get more input and have more interaction with English speakersinteraction with English speakers


Communication strategies help Communication strategies help studentsstudents

Gain confidence in speakingGain confidence in speakingIncrease their fluencyIncrease their fluencyAppear interested in Appear interested in

communicatingcommunicatingLearn target language vocabulary Learn target language vocabulary

and structuresand structures

What Teachers Can DoWhat Teachers Can Do

Set up activities that involve Set up activities that involve students taking limited risks in a students taking limited risks in a safe and supportive classroom safe and supportive classroom environmentenvironment


Use pair work and group work Use pair work and group work withoutwithout pre-teaching unknown pre-teaching unknown vocabularyvocabulary


Do role plays with a “twist” Do role plays with a “twist” (where something unexpected (where something unexpected occurs)occurs)


Encourage learners to go further Encourage learners to go further

and say more during speaking and say more during speaking turnsturns


Help learners deal with anxiety Help learners deal with anxiety

and past frustrations,and past frustrations,

in order to build in order to build

confidence.confidence.

That’s water under the bridge. That’s water under the bridge. That’s all water over the dam. That’s all water over the dam. It’s like water off a duck’s back.It’s like water off a duck’s back.


Don’t penalize students for using Don’t penalize students for using theirtheir

first language. If they need to do so,first language. If they need to do so,

encourage themencourage them

to speak in theirto speak in their

mother tongue first, mother tongue first,

and then in English.and then in English.


Plan fluency-oriented activities.Plan fluency-oriented activities.

Limit correction during fluency Limit correction during fluency activities.activities.

What Teachers Can DoWhat Teachers Can DoHelp learners deal with barriers Help learners deal with barriers

toto

frustration so they won’t give frustration so they won’t give up. up.

Language Language

learninglearning

takes time….takes time….


……And the outcome is not And the outcome is not always certain – either in an always certain – either in an individual conversation or in individual conversation or in the long run.the long run.


Share your own language learningShare your own language learning

experiences and efforts to experiences and efforts to communicate communicate

with your learners.with your learners.

You are theirYou are their

role model. Yourrole model. Your

history can be history can be

helpful to them.helpful to them.


Encourage learners to try using

communication strategies .

Go on --- get your feet wet

Take the plunge


Give learners practice conveying Give learners practice conveying the same message in different the same message in different ways:ways:

ApproximationApproximation Word coinageWord coinage CircumlocutionCircumlocution


Literal translationLiteral translation Language switchLanguage switch Appeal for assistanceAppeal for assistance MimeMime


Help students to see language Help students to see language learning as a bridge to a possible learning as a bridge to a possible future…future…


……Whether that may be a future inWhether that may be a future inEducationEducationAgricultureAgricultureBusinessBusinessIndustryIndustryTourismTourismSocial work….Social work….

Parting ThoughtsParting ThoughtsFor reference lists For reference lists on teaching on teaching speaking andspeaking and pronunciation, pronunciation, and also on and also on professional professional development, development, visit my website:visit my website:

www.kathleenmbailey.comwww.kathleenmbailey.com(Click on “Resources” then (Click on “Resources” then

“References”)“References”)

http://www.kathleenmbailey.com/

Parting ThoughtsParting Thoughts

Thank you for your time Thank you for your time

and your attention.and your attention.

Enjoy this wonderful conference!Enjoy this wonderful conference!

bridging communication gaps: strategies for success a plenary presentation at the conference on...

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communication strategieswhat

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