Teaching Oral English

Donn Byrne

HUH

Longman

Contents

Preface Page v

1 Language learning in the classroom l

1.1 The task of the language teacher 1 1.2 The role of the teacher 1 1.3 The learners 3 1.4 The needs of the learners 3 1.5 Language learning in the classroom 5 Discussion 6 Exercises 7

2 Oral communication 8

2.1 The nature of oral communication 8 2.2 Pedagogical implications 8 2.3 Intelligibility 10 2.4 Oral ability and motivation 10 Discussion 11 Exercises 11

J Listening comprehension 13

3.1 Learning to understand 13 3.2 The nature of the programme 13 3.3 Guidelines for listening comprehension

practice 14 3.4 Activities and procedures 15 3.5 Dictation 17 Discussion 19 Exercises 19

4 The Presentation stage 20

4.1 The presentation of new material 20 4.2 The dialogue as an instrument for teaching

the spoken language 21 4.3 Presenting the dialogue: some approaches

contrasted 23

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4.4 Presenting the prose passage 26 Discussion 29 Exercises 30

5 The Practice stage ( I ) : The use of drills 32

5.1 The needs of the learners 32 5.2 Mechanical drills 33 5.3 Meaningful practice 36 Discussion 43 Exercises 44

6 The Practice stage ( 2 ) : The use of texts 45

6.1 The text as context 45 6.2 Using the prose passage for oral practice 48 6.3 Using the dialogue for oral practice 53 Discussion 58 Exercises 58

7 From Practice to Production 59

7.1 Transition 59 7.2 Sample exchanges and micro-dialogues "4 7.3 Guided production 70 Discussion 76 Exercises 76

8 The Production stage 78

8.1 General characteristics 78 8.2 Group work 80 8.3 Preparing for and organising discussion 82 8.4 The function of visual aids at the production stage 84 8.5 The ' t ex t ' a s a stimulus to discussion 92 8.6 Role-playing 93 Discussion 96 Exercises 97

9 Language games 99

9.1 The role of games in the learning process 99 9.2 Some examples of language games 101 Discussion 108 Exercises 108

10 Oral composition 109

10. i The nature and purpose of oral composition 109

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10.2 Oral narration 111 10.3 Oral preparation for written composition 113 Discussion 120 Exercises 121

Play reading 122 11.1 The use and purpose of play reading 122 11.2 Suggested procedure for play reading 123 11.3 An example of a short play: Let the Boy Speak 125 Discussion 126 Exercise 127

Audio-visual aids to language learning 128 12.1 The place of audio-visual aids 128 12.2 The textbook 128 12.3 The blackboard 129 12.4 The magnetboard 131 12.5 The flannelgraph 133 12.6 Wall pictures 133 12.7 Picture cards 135 12.8 The overhead projector 137 12.9 Filmstrips, slides and films 138 12.10 The tape recorder 139 12.11 The record player 140 Discussion 140 Exercises 141

Select Bibliography 142 A Books 142 В Articles 143

Index 145

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