My Experience in Using My Experience in Using CCE--Oral EnglishCCE--Oral English

Zhai ZhengZhai Zheng

Beijing Foreign Studies UniversityBeijing Foreign Studies University

August 11, 2006August 11, 2006

Who?Who?

• Basic grammar Basic grammar • 2,000 words2,000 words• Some difficulty in listening and/or oral Some difficulty in listening and/or oral

communicationcommunication• Uneven performanceUneven performance

Our GoalOur Goal

Students should have their own Students should have their own interpretation of events and could interpretation of events and could express themselves clearly and express themselves clearly and logically in plain and proper English.logically in plain and proper English.

Framework of Each Unit Framework of Each Unit (Books I & II)(Books I & II)

• Objectives BoxObjectives Box• Warm-upWarm-up• Texts (dialogs & passages)Texts (dialogs & passages)• Tasks (group work, pair work, role Tasks (group work, pair work, role

play, discussion, mini-talk, interview, play, discussion, mini-talk, interview, game, etc.)game, etc.)

• Language BankLanguage Bank• Supplementary ReadingSupplementary Reading

Classroom Arrangement (I)Classroom Arrangement (I)

TraditionalTraditional

Classroom Arrangement (II)Classroom Arrangement (II)

HorseshoeHorseshoe

Classroom Arrangement (III)Classroom Arrangement (III)

Modular Modular

Sample Unit—Unit One, Book ISample Unit—Unit One, Book I

First Day in CollegeFirst Day in College

Indicative Time DistributionIndicative Time Distribution

• 11stst Hour Hour– Warm-upWarm-up– Going over the Going over the

textstexts– Identify the major Identify the major

functions & useful functions & useful phrasesphrases

– Activity (5-10’)Activity (5-10’)– Homework: Role Homework: Role

playing (from the playing (from the textbook) & textbook) & Presentation topicPresentation topic

• 22ndnd/3/3rdrd Hour Hour– Check Check

homework, peer homework, peer review, review, instructor instructor commentscomments

– ActivitiesActivities– Sum-upSum-up– QuizQuiz

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Warm-upWarm-up– Ask the students to describe the pictures in the Ask the students to describe the pictures in the

own words. What to include? own words. What to include? – Play the recordingPlay the recording– Match the audio clips with the right picturesMatch the audio clips with the right pictures– Create a dialog by imitating the 3 short Create a dialog by imitating the 3 short

conversationsconversations

Or:Or:– Ask the students to perform all of the scenesAsk the students to perform all of the scenes– Play the recordingPlay the recording– Comments on the performanceComments on the performance

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Text One: a typical “getting-acquainted” Text One: a typical “getting-acquainted” session in a college setting; self-introductionsession in a college setting; self-introduction– Play the recording and ask the students to identify Play the recording and ask the students to identify

the information contained in each self-the information contained in each self-introductionintroduction

– Quick explanation on language pointsQuick explanation on language points– Summary of self-introduction: what to say? Summary of self-introduction: what to say?

Instructor Explanation: direct the students to the Instructor Explanation: direct the students to the Language Bank, explain how greetings are made Language Bank, explain how greetings are made in English-speaking countries, encourage the in English-speaking countries, encourage the students to compare the difference, offer more students to compare the difference, offer more expressions, explain the different levels of expressions, explain the different levels of formality, explain the basic etiquettes on formality, explain the basic etiquettes on introduction.introduction.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Text Two: consolidating the functional Text Two: consolidating the functional expressions just learned; conversation expressions just learned; conversation among friends (informal)among friends (informal)– Ask the students to identify the major Ask the students to identify the major

functional expressions.functional expressions.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Text Three: the address system; Text Three: the address system; conversation between strangers conversation between strangers (more formal)(more formal)– Explain the address system in English-Explain the address system in English-

speaking countries (varying levels of speaking countries (varying levels of formality)formality)

– Ask the students to think out a solution Ask the students to think out a solution for the reporter.for the reporter.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Text Four: focusing on content; Text Four: focusing on content; educational purposeeducational purpose– Ask a group of students to perform the Ask a group of students to perform the

scene by practicing Task 1 (Role Play).scene by practicing Task 1 (Role Play).– Ask the rest of the students to summarize Ask the rest of the students to summarize

the ideas of each panelist with their own the ideas of each panelist with their own words.words.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Task of Text 1: Group WorkTask of Text 1: Group Work– Examine the sample questions and ask Examine the sample questions and ask

the students to suggest more.the students to suggest more.– Practice in groups, ask the students to Practice in groups, ask the students to

follow the example of Text One and make follow the example of Text One and make use of the “getting-acquainted” use of the “getting-acquainted” questions, monitor each group and join questions, monitor each group and join the discussion.the discussion.

– Pick a couple of students to introduce Pick a couple of students to introduce otherother students in their groups. students in their groups.

– Making comments. Making comments.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Task 1, Text 2: Pair Work (summary Task 1, Text 2: Pair Work (summary skills)skills)– Ask SA to describe the experience. SB Ask SA to describe the experience. SB

should listen and ask follow-up questions.should listen and ask follow-up questions.– Monitor selected pairs and offer real-time Monitor selected pairs and offer real-time

comments.comments.– Comment on the overall performance and Comment on the overall performance and

identify their problems.identify their problems.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Task 2, Text 2: Role PlayTask 2, Text 2: Role Play– Pair work (Homework) for the first two Pair work (Homework) for the first two

situations; group work for the next two situations; group work for the next two situationssituations

– Ask one or two groups to perform before Ask one or two groups to perform before the class and commentthe class and comment

– Get all students to stand up in small Get all students to stand up in small circles for the last situation. (prepare circles for the last situation. (prepare some props if available)some props if available)

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Task 1, Text 3: Discussion (eliciting Task 1, Text 3: Discussion (eliciting the students’ awareness in cultural the students’ awareness in cultural difference)difference)– Encourage the students to brainstorm Encourage the students to brainstorm

these questions. Throw in ideas to keep these questions. Throw in ideas to keep the discussion going.the discussion going.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Task 2, Text 4: Discussion (Presentation Task 2, Text 4: Discussion (Presentation topic)topic)– The teacher should control the flow of the The teacher should control the flow of the

discussion while eliciting as many student discussion while eliciting as many student viewpoints as possible.viewpoints as possible.

Lesson PlanLesson Plan

• Sum-upSum-up– How to greet, introduce and address How to greet, introduce and address

people in a culturally acceptable waypeople in a culturally acceptable way– Recap the functional expressionsRecap the functional expressions

Evaluation & ExamEvaluation & Exam

• Real-time feedback Real-time feedback • Peer reviewPeer review• After-class quiz (role-play situations) & CommentsAfter-class quiz (role-play situations) & Comments• Final ExamFinal Exam

– Role-play situations (pair work)Role-play situations (pair work)• Student A: You are a native of Beijing, and B is your new classmate. Student A: You are a native of Beijing, and B is your new classmate.

B feels quite at a loss in Beijing, and wants to ask you some B feels quite at a loss in Beijing, and wants to ask you some questions about the city. Answer his/her questions and give your questions about the city. Answer his/her questions and give your suggestions. suggestions.

• Student B: You are a freshman and a new comer to Beijing. You feel Student B: You are a freshman and a new comer to Beijing. You feel uneasy being fresh in this huge city and want to know more about it. uneasy being fresh in this huge city and want to know more about it. A is your new classmate and a native of Beijing. Ask him/her A is your new classmate and a native of Beijing. Ask him/her questions about the city. Respond to his/her answers appropriately.questions about the city. Respond to his/her answers appropriately.

– Short oral presentations Short oral presentations • Talk about your hometown. Try to bring out the most striking Talk about your hometown. Try to bring out the most striking

features and include one or two personal impressions.features and include one or two personal impressions.

Student FeedbackStudent Feedback

• The topics and materials are close to The topics and materials are close to their life.their life.

• They could go beyond “parroting” mere They could go beyond “parroting” mere phrases. Gradually, they could talk phrases. Gradually, they could talk with some substance. with some substance.

• Despite early complaints of “Chinglish”, Despite early complaints of “Chinglish”, students came to like the textbook. students came to like the textbook.

• Students said they especially benefited Students said they especially benefited from to-the-point comments (on both from to-the-point comments (on both verbal and non-verbal communication).verbal and non-verbal communication).

Thank You!Thank You!