DEVELOPING SPEAKING SKILLS

FOCUS QUESTIONS FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Is the activity practical? How easy is it to set up and manage?

Is it purposeful? Do the learners have a purpose for doing the activity? Is there an outcome?

Is it productive? How much speaking does it generate?

Is it predictable? How easy is it to predict the language that the learners will need in order to do the activity, e.g. grammar, vocabulary?

Is it adaptable? Could you adapt it for a higher or lower level?

HOMEWORK RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What is a talk-talk loop? What is the aim for any conversation class? What do we mean by ‘up-in-the-head

knowledge’? Give a definition for and minimum 3 examples of

communicative activities. What’s the difference between accuracy and

fluency in the context of developing speaking skills?

How can you make a speaking activity successful? List minimum 3 important strategies.

What’s the difference between speaking as a means and speaking as an end?

HOW CAN THE TEACHER HELP?

Make a careful choice of topic. Match tasks with the students’ language

level. Give the task a meaningful purpose (goal or

outcome) and make sure learners are aware of this.

Train your learners and build their confidence.

Give feedback on how well the students achieved the purpose (communication) and the language

CLASSROOM APPLICATION

Have a look at a speaking skills task/activity in your course book. Can you identify if the main aim is accuracy or fluency and answer the focus questions?