Literacy Continuum K-6 Literacy Teaching Ideas: Speakinghspsresources.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/9/8/20982916/... · 2019-08-06 · Uses simple sentences/phrases when speaking. ... •

Literacy Continuum K-6

Literacy Teaching Ideas:

Speaking

Page � © State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 20��

Teaching ideas for Aspects of speaking

2nd cluster

First cluster of markers:

• Listens and responds to simple oral questions, instructions and requests.

• Engages in simple conversations with peers and known adults.

• Recounts personal experiences to peers and known adults, e.g. visit to the zoo.

• Says some words correctly, speech is becoming fluent.

Favourite character

After reading a story to the whole class or a small group and discussing the characters, provide students with some thinking time to choose their favourite character from the story.

Ask students to turn to a partner and take turns to name their favourite character.

Follow up by asking students to indicate their favourite character and record class responses with tally marks for comparisons across the class.

Ask students to draw their favourite character and encourage them to talk about their drawings with a partner or a small group.

Describing time

Spend time modelling for students how to describe a familiar task or activity such as drawing a picture, building a model or recording some counting.

Provide opportunities for pairs of students to practise describing completed tasks to each other, e.g. explaining how they have recorded some counting, talking about a drawing they have completed in response to a book that has been read or describing how they built a model using classroom construction materials.

Tell your partner

After modelling how to listen and respond to simple instructions, provide students with opportunities to practise giving and following simple instructions.

Ask students to choose a partner and take turns to give simple instructions to each other, e.g. put your right hand on your left ear; touch your ear with your wrist.

Remind students to listen carefully and repeat an instruction if their partner does not understand it.

Aspects of speaking

Involves using oral language to communicate with others in a range of contexts, and listening actively and attentively when interacting with others.

While listening when ‘interacting orally’ with others is represented in this aspect, it is also an essential component in a number of other aspects.’Texts’ include oral, aural, written, visual, electronic and multimodal texts.

1st cluster

• Listens and responds to simple oral questions, instructions and requests.

• Engages in simple conversations with peers and known adults.

• Recounts personal experiences to peers and known adults, e.g. visit to the zoo.

• Says some words correctly, speech is becoming fluent.

Names a favourite character from a story that has been read.

• Shows some changes to pace and volume for emphasis when speaking.

Uses simple sentences/phrases when speaking.

• Talks to peers and known adults about personal experiences.

• Listens to and accurately relays simple messages.

• Participates in whole class discussions.

• Articulates most speech sounds (exceptions could be: /l/, /sh/, /z/, /r/, /v/, /th/).

Page 2 © State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 20��


Puppet talk

Organise a selection of finger puppets for students to use.

Spend some time modelling using puppets, talking about puppets and brainstorming questions students could ask a puppet.

Students to choose a partner and a finger puppet.

Ask students to take turns in asking questions of their partner’s puppet and also to be the puppeteer.

Who got a sticker from the teacher today?

Explain the Who got a sticker from the teacher today? game to the students.

Ask students to sit on the floor in a circle, close their eyes and open their hands behind their backs.

Say: One of you is going to get a sticker on your hand. When I say ‘Open your eyes’, you all close your hands. The person with the sticker must not tell anyone!

Students chant the following to the rhythm of Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

Students: Who got a sticker from the teacher today?

Teacher: (Anthony) got a sticker from the teacher today. (Don’t immediately choose the student who actually received the sticker).

Anthony: (opens his hands and shows the class) Not me!

Students: Then who got a sticker from the teacher today?

Continue playing, encouraging the students keep in time with the rhythm of the chant.

Cluster 1



Provides a simple justification for an opinion about a favourite character from a story that has been read.

Uses some extended sentences when speaking.

Consistently speaks in an audible, clear and confident way.

Uses pace and volume for emphasis when speaking.

• Listens and responds to literary and factual texts read and viewed.

• Begins to use active listening and turn-taking when engaging in more extended conversations and discussions with peers and known adults.

• Contributes ideas in small group and whole class discussions.

Provides a detailed justification for an opinion about a favourite character from a story that has been read.

• Asks relevant questions using correct word order and intonation.

• Makes brief oral presentations to the class.

• Begins to adjust register to suit audience and situation.

• Views and listens to gain information for a specific purpose.

• Contributes to structured group or pair activities involving discussion about familiar texts/topics.

• Articulates most speech sounds (exceptions could be: /r/, /v/, /th/).

3rd cluster 4th cluster

Second cluster of markers:


Shows some changes to pace and volume for emphasis when speaking.





• Articulates most speech sounds, (exceptions could be: /l/, /sh/, /z/, /r/, /v/, /th/).

Talking about favourite characters

Select a familiar picture story book to re-read with the students.

Use the cover of the book to remind students about the different characters in the story.

Revise words and sentences that can be used to explain why a character is a favourite, e.g. I like _____ because she looks funny/kind/brave/naughty. ____ is my favourite because he cares for animals.

Read the story aloud.

Ask students to think about who was their favourite character in the story.

Organise students into groups of four.

Ask students to take it in turns to explain why a character is their favourite.

Encourage students to listen attentively and to help each other with their explanations.

Character acting

Prepare sets of picture cards of characters from familiar books.

Explain to students that they will be working with a partner to act out their favourite characters.

Students choose a partner and a set of picture cards.

Ask one student to close their eyes while the other student selects a card from the set that has his/her favourite character.

2nd cluster


Shows some changes to pace and volume for emphasis when speaking.





• Articulates most speech sounds (exceptions could be: /l/, /sh/, /z/, /r/, /v/, /th/).



Then the student with the card ‘acts out’ the character (without speaking) for their partner.

Their partner has to guess who the character is and explain their reasoning.

Then the student has to explain why they chose to act out that character and why it is a favourite character.

Students then change roles.

Expressing feelings

Organise a selection of finger puppets for students to use.

After modelling how to use a puppet, demonstrate the use of stress and intonation for expressing feelings, e.g. anger, sadness, excitement, happiness, provide opportunities for students to practise using them with puppets.

Students choose a partner and a finger puppet.

Ask three students to sit together and take it in turns to express a feeling in words using the puppet.

Remind students to change their voice (that is, stress and intonation) to suit the words they are saying and the feeling they are trying to express.

Their group has to guess what feeling the puppet is trying to express.

Encourage students to change roles several times so that they have an opportunity to practise expressing a range of feelings.

Barrier games

Prepare sets of strings and sets of identically coloured beads for pairs of students to use for a barrier game threading activity.

Put a knot at the end of each string so beads stay on the string.

Model the activity for students.

Remind students that they will need to speak clearly when providing instructions and listen carefully to follow instructions.

Students choose a partner and sets of strings and bead.

Ask students to place a barrier between themselves or they can sit back to back.

One player is the instructor and the other the threader.

Instructors thread four beads onto their string without allowing their partner to see.

Instructors then tell their partners which bead to thread first, second, third and fourth to create the same pattern on their thread.

Encourage threaders to ask questions to be sure that they have selected the correct bead, e.g. Is it the large blue bead or the small blue bead?

When the threader has finished threading their beads, they remove the barrier to check their results and then swap roles.

Variation: The variation involves issuing both partners with the identical sets of building blocks.

The instructor uses all of the blocks to construct a model and then instructs the builder how to make the same model.

Cluster 2



Topic sharing

Provide simple sentence starters for pairs of students to use in conversations related to a class topic, e.g. A frog has …; One person who helps us is ….

Alternatively, students could share with a partner what they know about a current topic or some personal news.

Students can be encouraged to listen attentively and ask questions to each other.

Chatting about images

Organise sets of images (photo, drawing, picture) that will interest the students.

Select an image to use for modelling with the students.

After reminding students about how to make some simple statements about an image, revise with students how they could use questions to seek further information about the image.

Students choose a partner and a set of images.

Ask students to select one image from the set and make some statements about what they see.

Encourage students to ask and answer questions about the image, e.g. Where is it? What time of day? Is it hot or cold weather? What is he/she doing? What is her/his job? Why is she/he there? What do you think he/she is thinking?

Encourage students to add more detail to each other’s answers.

Remind students that the question Why do you think that? can be added to seek further information.

News presentations

Vary the formats for students to share news so that presentations remain interesting and engaging.

Organise students into groups of four or five. Ask one student to be the group leader who nominates each student in turn to present their news. After each student presents, the rest of the group can ask when/where/why questions.

Pairs of students listen to each others’ news and retell part of it back to their partner.

Provide a focus for news presentations. Inform students and their families of the selected topic the week before. Some suggested topics could be: my favourite toy/book, my favourite hobby, how I made this, my family, my favourite animal.

Cluster 2



• Provides elaboration to questions seeking further information.

• Recounts events and experiences in logical sequence.

• Consistently makes relevant contributions to class discussions and asks questions to clarify meaning.

• Uses register and tone according to purpose and audience.

• Listens and responds to instructions, information and peer opinions.

• Uses interactive skills to show respect for the contributions of others during discussions.

5th cluster








4th cluster

Third cluster of markers:








Justifying opinions

After listening to a familiar story, name a character and ask groups of students to consider whether they like the character or not.

Provide each small group of students with a like/dislike table.

really like X

like X X X X

dislike X

really dislike

Each student places a counter on the table to record their opinion of the character.

Students take turns to place their counter onto the table and explain to the group the reasons for their opinion.

Using conjunctions

Prepare sets of simple sentences about a current class topic, e.g. People who help us: Police officers keep us safe; Firemen put out fires.

Prepare sets of conjunction word cards with the words and, but and so on them.

Provide each group of students with a set of simple sentences and a set of conjunction cards.

Students take turns to select a sentence and conjunction card, then think of a clause to orally extend the simple sentence using the conjunction, e.g. Firemen put out fires and drive red fire engines.








3rd cluster



Performing poems

Provide opportunities for students to listen to, memorise and then perform a range of simple poems.

After modelling how to say the poem with expression and rhythm, provide students with the opportunity to practise memorising and performing them.

Remind students about using pitch, intonation and pace.

Students may practise performing poems individually, in pairs or in small groups.

Fun with embellishment

After discussing and modelling the use of embellishment with students, provide opportunities for them to practise using it.

Ask students to tell the class or a small group about dramatic fictional events or actual personal experiences.

Remind students to use expression and embellishment when speaking.

Encourage the class or group to encourage the drama with questions such as: What did he do then? What did she say? Oh no really? That’s incredible! You don’t say!

Acting out stories

After revisiting a variety of familiar stories that have used a range of dramatic effects, e.g. different voices for different characters, sound effects, gestures, puppets and props, provide opportunities for students to dramatise the story.

In small groups or with a partner, students can:

• act out all the parts of the story.

• use puppets or props to act out or retell the story

• record a story using different voices for different characters and sound effects.

Turn-taking

Remind students about the importance of turn-taking when participating in small group discussions.

Provide each group with an object for students to hold to signify speaking turns, e.g. ‘a magic talking ball ’.

Emphasise to students that the student who is holding the object is the only one able to speak at that time.

Students hold the object while they speak and then pass it on when it’s time for another student to talk.

The object is passed around so that all students have an opportunity to contribute ideas to a discussion.

Students can say I pass if they do not want to speak. But they can only do this once.

In small groups, students practise passing the object around and taking turns to speak, e.g. about some personal news, about a shared class experience or about a selected topic.

Cluster 3



• Expresses a point of view with supporting information about an expanding range of texts/topics.

• Speaks clearly and confidently in a variety of informal situations to a known/familiar audience.

• Plans and presents a brief oral presentation about a topic to a familiar audience.

• Adjusts register, tone and volume appropriate to situation.

• Demonstrates attentive listening across a range of school contexts, e.g. assemblies, performances.

6th cluster







5th cluster

Fourth cluster of markers:








Character study

After revisiting a familiar story with the students, discuss the traits of the main character.

Students choose a partner with whom to discuss a main character.

Explain to students that one student in each pair will choose a friend or a family member and explain to their partner how that person is similar or different from the main character in a familiar book. For example, a student might compare his/her mother to The Little Red Hen.

Encourage the student to talk about what might happen if his/her mother were The Little Red Hen in the story.

Remind the student to consider the questions:

Would your mother act the same way or differently in the same situation as the main character? Why or why not?

Then ask the other student in each pair to talk about how the story would be the same or different if their friend or relative were the character, e.g. The Little Red Hen. Students can then swap roles.

Guiding questions

Provide a set of focus questions to guide the students’ listening and viewing of a text, e.g. a short video.

Read and discuss the focus questions with the students.

Students each view a short video related to a current topic.

Remind students that, as they watch the video, they will need to think about the answers to the focus questions.








4th cluster



Encourage students to also listen for further information.

Provide the opportunity for students to watch the video a few times if they wish to clarify/recheck their answers.

Ask students to discuss and compare their answers to focus questions with a partner or with a small group.

Reporting back

Provide and model short prompts to guide students when reporting group responses to the class, e.g. My group was looking at …, We thought that ….

Set up tasks where students discuss specific aspects of class topics for reporting back to the whole class.

Set up times for groups to report on their responses.

Encourage the class to use active listening, to ask questions and to provide feedback following the reporting back process.

Asking questions to clarify

Prepare sets of small question prompt cards that contain the words: Where? Who? What? Why?

Review how students can use these words to ask questions in discussions.

Provide pairs of students with a set of question cards to guide listening and encourage questioning, e.g. sharing news, discussing class events, discussing a story that has been read.

Remind students to face their partner to listen and to refer to prompt cards to assist with forming questions for their partner.

Encourage students to reflect and comment on how well their partner listened and used questions to seek further information before students swap roles.

Sharing personal stories and events

Ask students to spend some time at home preparing a story about themselves to tell in front of the class.

Explain that the story will need to gain the interest of the audience, e.g. funny, sad, exciting or moving.

Remind students to think about how they will structure their story and encourage them to practise and memorise it.

Provide time for each student to tell their story to the class. They can tell a funny, embarrassing, tragic, moving, exciting or an interesting story about themselves.

Encourage the other students listening to the story to ask questions when the student sharing has finished.

K-W-L

Set up a class K-W-L chart.

Revise the concept of a K-W-L chart with the students.

Students watch a short video or listen to a factual text related to a current topic.

Under the K (what I know), ask students to say what they know about the topic.

Then together develop questions about the topic and record them under W (what I want to learn).

Cluster 4



Talk about how and where the answers to the questions might be found.

Together as a class or in groups, find out the information needed using various sources, e.g. books, websites, family members, teachers. Then together discuss the answers to questions and record them under the L (what I have learned).

Character on trial

Discuss the antagonists or ‘bad guys’ in familiar stories. Ask: How are they alike and different? Why do they go against the main character? What are they like?

Select one of these characters and review what happens in the story.

Then set up a mock trial in the classroom. Organise for students to act out the ‘bad guy’, the main character, supporting characters as ‘witnesses’ and jury members.

You may want to act as the judge so you can control the discussion.

Have each character come up and ask questions of the ‘bad guy’. Students should question the character’s reasons for his or her actions, how the character could have acted differently and how this might have changed in the course of the story.

Sounds out of a hat

Place cards of pictures that represent words that begin with different speech sounds into a hat which students know and also some that students are having difficulty with.

Ask individual students to pull pictures from the hat while pronouncing the pulled words correctly three times each.

After all speech sound pictures have been pulled from the hat, the students place the pictures on the dry erase board via magnets.

Using the speech stimulus pictures on the dry erase board as a stimulus, students say each word in alternating rapid succession.

Students begin creating their own individual “speech stimulus” booklet containing pictures used in the lesson today. This booklet will be used in future therapy sessions, as well as for home practice.

Cluster 4



• Expresses a point of view about a text/topic and listens to and accommodates the viewpoint of others.

• Plans and delivers short oral presentations on familiar topics for audiences beyond the immediate classroom, e.g. report or message.

• Automatically adjusts speech to suit different audiences, purposes and situations.

• Demonstrates attentive listening and viewing for extended periods of time.

• Stays on task and participates effectively in longer class and group discussions.

7th cluster






6th cluster

Fifth cluster of markers:







Sharing information

Form pairs of students to share knowledge about a class topic/theme.

Students take it in turns to share their knowledge about the topic while the pair student takes notes.

Students then review the notes together to see if more details need to be added.

A few students can share their notes with the class.

Effective listening

Prepare and display a list of suggestions for effective listening behaviours, e.g. listening attentively, making eye contact, nodding, asking relevant questions.

Form groups of three students. One student is an observer while two students talk to each other to practise effective listening.

The observer records a tally mark for each time effective listening is observed.

Students swap roles.

Shared events

Following a shared experience (e.g. visit to the local library, cooking in class), small groups of students take turns to recount what happened.

After a student states the first action or event, each student recounts the following action or event in correct order.

Encourage students to monitor, respond and provide appropriate feedback to the contributions of others.







5th cluster



• Expresses more detailed ideas and justifies a point of view about familiar texts/topics.

• Automatically adjusts speech to suit familiar audiences, purposes and situations.

• Communicates confidently with a range of less familiar audiences for a wider variety of purposes.

• Contributes to collaborative group problem solving to complete a task by questioning, listening and responding to the ideas of others and making suggestions.

• Listens and understands a series of instructions related to a task and successfully completes the task.

8th cluster






7th cluster

Sixth cluster of markers:


• Speaks clearly and confidently in a variety of formal and informal situations.




Expressing and justifying points of view

Display a list of discussion starters for students to use to express their opinion in a variety of ways, e.g. I believe … because …; I think … because …; My opinion is … because ….

Remind students of appropriate language for challenging opinions, e.g. Why do you think that? Can you say why you feel that way?

Display a statement about a current topic on the board.

In groups of four, students refer to the discussion starters to conduct a conversation giving reasons for their opinions about the topic and also challenging the opinions of others.

Ask some students to report the ideas discussed.

Tell me about it

Use a current topic, such as animals, as the basis for a game.

Provide a list of questions/tasks relevant to the topic and discuss with students. Possible questions/tasks related to a unit on animals could be:

• Describe the animal’s appearance.

• Is it a mammal, reptile, amphibian, marsupial?

• What does it eat?

• Describe the animal’s habitat.

Students form groups of four and take it in turns to provide three or four descriptive statements that answer some of the questions about the current topic.

Other students can suggest other relevant information, providing feedback after each student has had a turn to speak.






6th cluster



Paying attention

Following a class discussion, modelling and demonstrations, develop and record a set of suggestions for appropriate and attentive audience behaviour.

Display these suggestions for student reference.

Prior to small group/whole class discussions, class meetings, assemblies, etc. remind students to refer to the suggestions for ideas about how to listen effectively to others.

Cluster 6



• Plans and delivers oral presentations on an extended range of topics for audiences beyond the immediate classroom, e.g. assembly presentations.

• Enhances presentations by using some basic oral presentation strategies such as using notes as prompts, volume and change in emphasis.

• Discusses the features of different spoken texts, e.g. formal versus informal interactions; persuasive versus informative.

• Contributes relevant ideas to discussions, asks questions and re-phrases to clarify meaning.

• Listens attentively, makes appropriate responses to what others say and constructively builds on the ideas of others.

• Uses group discussion protocols, e.g. turn taking.

9th cluster






8th cluster

Seventh cluster of markers:


• Plans and delivers oral presentations on familiar topics for audiences beyond the immediate classroom, e.g. report or message to another class.




Question game

Prepare question prompt cards, e.g. where, what, when, why and who. Organise students into groups.

Tell students that they are going to take turns to tell the group about something that has happened to them and others may ask questions to find out more details.

Remind students to refer to the question prompt cards.

Tell students that they cannot answer yes or no in response to any questions, so the questions will need to ask for more detailed information.

Formal presentations

Revise the use of palm cards to assist in delivering oral presentations or for a specific purpose, e.g. introducing a guest speaker.

Ask students to work with a partner to plan and practise introductions using palm cards, e.g. inviting students to collect an award, introducing student(s) or a guest speaker, performing an item for the class, thanking speakers.

Group discussions

Revise effective listening behaviours and group interactions.

Provide opportunities for students to practise these behaviours in small group conversations about selected topics and issues.






7th cluster



• Provides detail and supporting evidence in a logical manner when speaking about opinions and ideas.

• Engages an audience when making oral presentations by using strategies such as facial expression, gesture, pause and repetition.

• Adjusts language used for a similar purpose but different, less familiar audiences, e.g. recount of same event to peer/teacher/principal, code-switching.

• Listens attentively and responds appropriately to spoken and multimodal texts that include unfamiliar ideas and information.

10th cluster







9th cluster

Eighth cluster of markers:


• Communicates confidently with a range of audiences for a variety of purposes.


• Contributes to collaborative group problem solving to complete a task by questioning and re-phrasing for clarification, listening and responding to the ideas of others and suggesting ideas.

Barrier games

Prepare a set of simple images which allow for effective descriptions, e.g. details about colour, size, shape, placement.

Pairs of students place barriers between themselves.

One player is the instructor and the other the recorder. Instructors provide instructions so that their partner can reproduce the image.

Encourage recorders to ask questions to be sure they have correct information, e.g. Is the fish under the bridge?

When the instructor has finished, students remove the barrier to check their results and then swap roles.

Audience match

Prepare a list of possible audiences for information about a current class topic.

Pairs of students select an audience and prepare brief information about the topic suitable for the selected audience.

Remind students to consider what the selected audience would already know and appropriate ways to speak to the selected audience.

Evaluating presentations

Prepare evaluation tables for students to use when planning oral presentations.

The tables should include a couple of key features which have been a teaching focus for oral presentations, e.g. speaking clearly, speaking with expression.

Ask students to use the table to evaluate their own presentation using the criteria provided.

The tables could also be used for students to evaluate the presentations of others.






8th cluster







• Appropriately questions the viewer idea put forward, and expresses disagreement with sensitivity to the perspective of others.

• Uses multimedia to enhance meaning when communicating ideas and information to others.

• Discusses the use of different registers for different purposes, audiences and contexts.

• Logically develops arguments and points of view when planning more formal oral texts such as speeches and debates.

• Uses active listening strategies such as rephrasing ideas and clarifying and repairing breakdowns in communication.

10th cluster 11th cluster9th cluster

Ninth cluster of markers:







Graphic stories

Prepare a graphic novel of five to seven boxes of a ‘cartoon’ story with the text removed.

Allocate one sheet to each small group of students.

The students should work together to decide on the text to fill in the speech bubbles. Encourage students to work collaboratively and attempt to reach consensus.

Alert students to the fact that they will be called on to discuss what strategies they used to: – break into the conversation– assert their point of view– encourage further discussion– ensure all ideas were considered.

NB: For electronic cartoon backgrounds, visit the Creaza website: http://www.creaza.com/cartoonist

Summer destinations

Model descriptions of places using photos from travel brochures.

Give each pair/group a selection of 5-6 photos of summer destinations. Ask them to take turns in describing the place in their picture to the group: the climate, the location, the activities that you could do there. Make sure you have a good contrast in climates/urban and rural/developed or very deserted places.









a. Each student in turn selects their favourite destination from the pictures provided and they explain to the group why they think it would make a great summer destination. The other group members can ask questions to develop a deeper understanding of the suitability.

Then another student selects a different destination and gives their opinion. The group should also come up with the most popular, suitable destination.

b. Give each group a different purpose for a summer holiday: for a honeymoon couple, a group of teenagers, a retired couple, etc. Each group could present their choice to the class explaining why they have chosen this holiday destination.

NB: You could play a holiday song to introduce the topic, e.g. Cliff Richard’s Summer holiday or Madonna’s Holiday.

Reciting

Enlarge a text on a familiar topic using an information report format, reader’s theatre or a poem*.

Annotate the text with colours and add a legend explaining what these colours represent, e.g. red underlining for louder voice, green underlining for quicker voice (word chunking).

Display the text, discuss the legend and direct students’ attention to the highlighted areas as the text is read out (students may echo the tone and sounds without repeating the actual words).

Photocopy subsequent pages or pages of another similar text for students.

Ask students to prepare their recitation, annotating the page with colours as presentation prompts.

Allow time for some students to deliver their recitations in small groups and some could volunteer to recite in front of the whole class.

NB: Check to see that students understand the vocabulary while they are planning their recitations.

* NB: The following site has a podcast of a poem read aloud which may be used as a model. Encourage students to rework the stanzas to reproduce a natural flow of speech. http://www.poetry4kids.com/podcast

Informal talk

As a clear example, discuss how we would wear different clothes to a wedding from what we would wear when we go to the beach or to play sport.

Then discuss how different talk can be according to the context in which it occurs, e.g. talk with a visitor to your home as compared to requests to joining in a playground activity or sporting event.

On the board, draw two large rectangles indicating inside (the classroom) language and outside (playground) language.

Cluster 9

Inside (the classroom) language Outside (in the playground) language

Work with the students to brainstorm some conversations that students might expect to hear in both places and make notes of these in the respective boxes.

Ask students to form small groups of three and role play a situation of their choice for informal talk and more formal talk.



Ask students to reflect on ways the voice, language choices and body language are modified to suit both settings and to build these into their role play.

Ask students to brainstorm and list activities that require a switch in speaking styles and group them under the headings Formal talk and Informal talk on a wall chart.

Considering audience

Ask students to work in pairs to compose a list of do’s and don’ts tips for speaking to an audience.

If possible have students view some examples of public speaking* and critique the performance.

They could produce a poster for the classroom to inform future class presentations.

* NB: Some examples can be found at: https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/curr_support/timetoteach/cogs_assmt/docs/Old%20Organisation/wksamples/glob_issues/Global4/Global4.html

Clarifying meaning

Provide a topic for discussion, such as Spring is the best season.

Ask students to discuss the topic in groups of three for 8–10 minutes to reach consensus as to they agree or disagree with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response.

Move around the groups during discussion gathering material for the feedback session.

Reconvene and write up some examples of polite language being used to seek clarification of ideas.

Ask the groups to combine with another group and repeat the task. Advise the students that this time an elected member of the group will be observing how well the students use polite language to clarify meaning.

Reconvene to share examples of these interactions.

Stealing ideas

Explain the activity with a diagram such as the one below.

Cluster 9

NB: Emphasise that students can make notes on their ideas in their AA or BB pairs during both the preparation times, but they cannot make notes during the discussion.

Divide the students into AA pairs and BB pairs and give them a controversial topic, such as No advertising should be allowed on television.

Tell students that they have five minutes to make notes of arguments agreeing and disagreeing with the statement.

Students should then get into opposing groups of four.

Advise students that while the AA pairs are presenting their arguments for and against, the BB pairs may not interrupt or question the other team.

NB: Warn students beforehand that they cannot restate any arguments that they have heard from the other pair.

AA pairs give arguments for and against the topic.

BB must not speak but must listen very

carefully.

BB pairs give arguments for and against the topic.

AA must not speak but must listen very

carefully.



Cluster 9

Pairs prepare arguments in 5 minutes.

First team (AA) speaks. BB pairs listen.

Second team (BB) speaks. AA pairs listen.

BB cannot repeat any of AA’s ideas.AA must listen very carefully to see if BB steals any of their ideas.

Ask students to discuss the topic in small groups for 3–5 minutes.

Students then return to their pairs to plan their arguments again. This time BB gets to speak first.

NB: This exercise encourages active listening. At first it appears that BB is disadvantaged, but when the exercise is repeated (using the same topic) if they have listened carefully, they can steal all of the ideas. This exercise, whilst it appears complicated at first, can be very effective.

Pairs prepare arguments in 5 minutes.

First team (BB) speaks. AA pairs listen.

Second team (AA) speaks. BB pairs listen.

AA cannot repeat any of BB’s ideas.BB must listen very carefully to see if AA steals any of their ideas.








11th cluster

• Effectively sustains a point of view throughout a discussion or debate, drawing on a range of sources to provide justification.

• Analyses, synthesises and evaluates the views and reasons put forward by others.

• Plans, rehearses and makes adjustments to oral presentations for specific purposes and audiences.

• Refines and expands active listening strategies to include strategies such as challenging others’ ideas, providing feedback and support for others.

• Listens attentively to more lengthy and challenging spoken and multimodal texts to gather and evaluate key information.

12th cluster

Tenth cluster of markers:





Scavenger hunt

Choose a fictional character from a recently read or viewed text and draw a travel suitcase on the board.

Model the task by writing the names of several items that you believe that the character might need with them on their travels.

Explain to the students your reasons for choosing these items.

Ask students to choose another character and draw a suitcase or back pack.

Students join with a partner to share the items in their suitcase and explain the reasons for the choices they have made.

Variation: Give students a similar task that involves making choices and justifying them, e.g. they are to pack for an expedition to an area they have studied.

Provide time for students to research a new location and encourage them to come up with evidence to support their choices.

Performing points

Students should view some examples of oral presentations such as the talk by Lesley in the link: http://arc.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/stage-2/english/stu-work/a/oral-presentations-lesley/ (A three minute speech on smoking)

Ask students to devise a rubric to use for rating:– use of repetition (i.e. for emphasis)– use of pausing – projection of the voice.





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Add to the simple rubric below after viewing some of the clips from the website: http://www.neok12.com/Public-Speaking.htm

View the clips on: Using hand gestures; and Stop saying ums and ahs.

Repetition 3 Uses repetition to stress a point and keep the audience engaged.

2 Uses repetition too often and too predictably.

1 Repeats the same words a lot e.g., like.

Pausing 3 Uses pauses to stress a point and keep the audience engaged.

2 Too fast, hardly pauses at all. Sentences run together.

1 Pauses too often at the end of every sentence; can’t remember what to say next.

Projection 3 Projects voice to stress a point and add variety to keep the audience engaged.

2 No difference in the volume at all.

1 Can’t hear the speech very well.

NB: Assign groups of students to make video presentations showing what a high and low ratings would look like.

This rubric could also be used as a Director’s Guide when rehearsing Readers’ Theatre scripts.

Tall tales

Select a story about a funny incident for students to view, e.g. brief excerpt from the Mr Bean series.

Model telling the Mr Bean story in the first person narrative in an animated way that amuses and entertains the students.

Repeat the story with gravitas, as if explaining it to a person in authority (such as police officer).

Discuss the difference between the two versions of the stories and if necessary make some notes on the board under two headings: Entertain, Explain.

Divide students into pairs and ask them to view or read a similar text.

Tell them to plan and practise:• one version that is told to their friends to amuse and entertain• another that is told as an explanation to a person in authority.

Students should practise telling their two versions to each other.*

Reconvene to discuss some of the differences they observed and add to the notes made earlier.

*Tip: Sound a chime to indicate role/audience/purpose switching.

Mapping speech

Develop a class chart outlining the purposes of spoken language.

Model how to represent slight differences between one purpose and another using a Venn diagram.*

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Cluster 10

Ask students to work in small groups to complete a Venn diagram which analyses the similarities and differences between two purposes.

* Venn diagrams use two overlapping circles where the shared components are written down in the area shared by both circles. For a printable copy, visit: http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/graphic-organizers.html

My partner said

Prior to this practice activity, prepare a guide sheet similar to the example below:

Name of reader: ....................................................................................... My partner is: ...............................................................................

We read: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... (title)

pages ....................................... to ......................................

Instructions:

Look through the text and decide on good stopping points. Place sticky notes on these points. Take time to think about what you have read.

When you are ready to talk, turn toward each other. Listen carefully to what your partner says.

Use the spaces below to make notes or sketch things that will remind you of your partner’s ideas.

After the last stopping place, you will use these notes to tell the class what your partner said.

My partner’s most important point was: ......................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

My partner helped me to understand that: ................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

To model this activity, project a passage on an interactive whiteboard or use a big book.

NB: Insert sticky notes or highlight every few paragraphs if it’s a dense passage.

Select a student to assist with the modelling process.

Model how the students must stop at the stopping points and turn toward each other and share ideas prompted by the text, offer points of view or questions.

NB: Explicitly model appropriate body language, making good eye contact, turn taking, etc.



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Assign pairs of students.

Issue a text of an appropriate length for this activity, the guide sheets (above) and sticky notes.

Active listening

Choose a text which provokes students to discuss the points below.

Write the bookmark points (below) on the board for discussion.

Briefly discuss the type of entries they might make under each heading.

Issue several sticky notes or ‘bookmarks’.

Assign partners and ask students to read the text and discuss with their partners the notes they made on their bookmarks.

The part they found the most interesting.

The part they found the most confusing.

The part that they would most like to discuss.

The part that helped them to understand what they were reading, e.g. a picture, map, diagram, etc.

Reconvene as a class and share reflections and what they had to do when listening to their partners.

Ask students to contribute ideas to making up an Active listening guidelines chart, for example:

Active listening

Looks like? Sounds like? We maintain eye contact. I see what you mean. We nod our heads. Great point. I am also wondering … Yes, I understand that.








12th cluster

Eleventh cluster of markers:


• Uses multimedia to enhance meaning when communicating ideas and information to others.• Discusses the use of different registers for different purposes, audiences and contexts.• Logically develops arguments and points of view when planning more formal oral texts such as

speeches and debates.• Uses active listening strategies such as rephrasing ideas and clarifying and repairing breakdowns

in communication.

Feedback sandwich

Prepare a large visual of a feedback sandwich, large enough to label the components, e.g.:






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Bread:saying something nice

Bread:encourage to continue discussion

Filling:expressing polite disagreement or questioning others’ opinions

Before commencing, ask the group to help you revise the communication and cooperation skills required to work successfully.

Write up some of the sentence starters that might apply when questioning other’s opinions, e.g.:

When questioning views in a group discussion When planning to disagree

• Can you tell us what you mean by that?

• Can you explain why you believe that?

• That’s an interesting idea, but …

• I understand your point, but …

Write up a discussion point on a familiar topic.*

Divide students into small groups.

Encourage students to try to keep the discussion going by using the Feedback sandwich process.



Once students have had sufficient time to discuss the topic, as a group they reflect on what was learnt.

Write up any additional sentence starters contributed by the group.

* Discussion topics: The dingoes on Fraser Island shouldn’t be culled.

See suggested text: Outrageous reactions taken from the article found in the back sleeve of the Classroom assessment resource – Stage 3, Commonwealth of Australia, 2002, from an article in Wildlife Australian magazine, Winter, 2001.

Rehearsing fiction scripts

Select a performance piece (or a short poem as in the example below*) and model pace, pitch and volume.

Display the text in a double-spaced enlarged format.

Draw attention to the words that need to be emphasised.

Draw up the table below on chart paper or an interactive whiteboard.

Show students how to use the third column in the table below to assist their presentation

NB: If using an interactive whiteboard, model how to use the last column to deal with unfamiliar pronunciation using the Review feature in Microsoft Word 2007.

Remind students of the format of Readers’ Theatre and perhaps allocate one line per group to perform the modelled text.

Order of speakers Text Word study/Notes

Allocate lines per speaker/group

Desmond Dragon claims to have destroyed seventeen villages.

Highlight words for emphasis.

He terrified whooooole countries, Pronunciation: terr-a-fied ooooo = stretch

reduced mighty warriors into gibbering fools,

Pronunciation: jib …

scorched numerous forests Research meaning and pronunciation.

and has eaten four hundred and twenty seven humans

427

– give or take a few. Loud whisper – humour.

Ask students to reproduce a blank copy of the above.

Arrange students into small groups and provide a selection of suitable length poems from which to choose.

Ask students to allocate lines to individuals in their group.

Encourage students to put presentation tips in the last column as they plan and rehearse their scripts.

*Desmond Dragon by Graham Baxter taken from Practically Primary, June 1, 2007.

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Cluster 11

Comparing registers

Reproduce and, if possible, record an informal version of a tale the students are very familiar with, such as the example below.

*Re-telling Little Red Riding Hood

Well, you know, everything turned out okay for Little Red Riding Hood in the end.

And her Granny too.

But for a little while there I was just sure that nasty old wolf was gonna have them both for his dinner.

That wicked old wolf with his big old sharp teeth and sneaky ways!!

Ooh! I sure would hate to have him chasin’ me.

When Red was walking through those woods and that old wolf came along and started talking to her, you know, I was wondering why her mother let her go out in those woods by herself in the first place. And didn’t anybody ever tell Red not to talk to strangers!

A cute little thing like her and all dressed up in that bright red cloak and hood and all, she’s bound to attract attention!

And then he gets to Granny’s house and just prances right in there. What was Granny thinking, not having her doors locked up tight.

But anyway, you know, that old lady must’ve been in pretty good shape ‘cause she got away from that old wolf and went right out and found that guy in the woods.

Imagine just running right out and finding him and him with a gun and all to scare away that wolf. How lucky can you be! I guess he must still be out there prowling around just looking for somebody else to gobble up. So you be careful out there, you hear?

Issue text and ask students work in pairs to make comparisons between the formal and informal registers.

* Little Red Riding Hood text taken from: http://slincs.coe.utk.edu/gtelab/learning_activities/30carc.html

Ask students to begin a ‘style guide’, noting down things they discover about the different spoken registers that they have been examining.

Encourage them to add to this after listening to debates and more formal conversations, such as the ones included in the link below.

Additional material: Explaining

The link below contains clips of students explaining processes using models they made: https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/curr_support/timetoteach/cogs_assmt/docs/Old%20Organisation/wksamples/glob_issues/global3/global3.html

Review the texts to select the most suitable one to use as a model.

Design a two column listening sheet for the students to use including:

Purpose Audience

Features to look for: Examples:

• a clear statement of purpose

• organisation of the speech

• language features appropriate to the purpose

Suggestions for improvement:



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Play the selected clip.

Model how to use the listening sheet by making notes in the right hand column.

Discuss any omissions or suggestions for improvement.

Divide students into groups of four and ask groups to rate another clip from the above link and fill in the listening sheets.

Students should add observations for this register to their style guide.

Interviewing

As a joint listening experience, view the video posted on this link by students called Interviews with the famous: http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/scan/index.htm

Ask students to script similar interviews based on their research of historical characters or events.

Students should work in pairs where one of the students assumes the role of the person they researched.

Several of these interviews may be performed before the class and/or recorded as podcasts.

Working together

Discuss community events, e.g. a local fete, a local agricultural show or a similar event with which students are familiar.

NB: The scenes that depict an agricultural show from the video Babe or the Mr Bean episode, Mind the baby, may also be shown.

Make a list of activities that relate to selling goods or services in this setting, e.g. fairy floss or ticket sellers, side show operators, etc.

Ask students to brainstorm some incidents which may happen and story map a short skit in small groups. This may be mimed, as in the Mr Bean example.

Inform students that they will be asked to reflect on group interactions during the planning stage.

Assign discussion roles and ask students to explain his/her role to the group.

Encourage students to report on the negotiating strategies they used when deciding on what story they were going to tell.

NB: This activity has been adapted from the Creative Arts Unit on play-building called At the Show from the Stage 2 products, services and systems COGS unit of work.

Circular talk

Write up the role of the group leader in point form (see below) and prepare individual handouts for the leaders.

NB: Provide an introduction to the topic on the leaders’ handout.

Revise the principles of active listening with the students.

Discuss how students can politely seek clarification or re-state what they believe they have heard.

After a shared experience, such as a science experiment, inform students that they are going to report on the event as a group.

Assign small groups and elect one member to be the group leader.

Outline the role of the group leaders.



Circular talk

The group leader:• introduces the topic• decides which direction the talk will go in• can suddenly stop the speaker in mid-sentence• can suddenly reverse the direction the talk goes in• can pick someone at random to re-phrase what the last speaker has said.

Re-group as a class to reflect on interactions.

Footnote: When students have become accustomed to this activity, students playing leaders’ roles can be encouraged to take responsibility for repairing breakdowns in communication.

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Twelfth cluster of markers:


• Analyses, synthesises and evaluates the views and reasons put forward by others.• Plans, rehearses and makes adjustments to oral presentations for specific purposes and

audiences.• Refines and expands active listening strategies to include strategies such as challenging others’

ideas, providing feedback and support for others.• Listens attentively to more lengthy and challenging spoken and multimodal texts to gather and

evaluate key information.

V.I.P.s (Very Important Points)

Select and preview a written text to determine the number of essential pieces of information.

Prepare copies for each student and an enlarged copy for display.

Remind students how to use the V.I.P. strategy by demonstrating with the first paragraph of the display text.

In this instance, students use a finite number of strips to mark significant pieces of information.

Issue sticky notes and ask students to divide the note into the pre-determined number of strips.

Inform students that they should decide on significant points in the text by themselves, using all the strips. Then they should work in pairs and write down the V.I.P.s that coincide.

Each member of the pair should then attempt to justify the inclusion of their other points.

If time permits and the text is sufficiently complex, pairs may combine and attempt to reach further consensus.

Evaluating speeches

Issue a copy of a speech on a controversial topic, such as the one included in the English classroom assessment classroom resource (Stage 3) on capital punishment.






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Identify and evaluate the persuasiveness and validity of claims made in the sample text using the following guidelines:

Features Example Evaluation How to improve

Emotive/technical/persuasive language

Commonly accepted Agree or questionable?

Provide evidence to support this

Structure: The general public would agree

Agree with what? Opinion should be re-stated

Things that were done well

Ask students to work in pairs to map out the arguments presented using the table as a guide.

Students should reconvene to discuss how effectively the speaker’s ideas have been elaborated and make suggestions for improvement.

NB: This activity can be used in peer reviewing spoken texts.

Planning and rehearsing

Prepare a demonstration PowerPoint with narration and a chart with the steps that students need to follow to do the same.

Ask students to sketch out a planning chart along the lines of the example below:

Title of presentation Group members Audience

Objectives:1. What (is it about?)2. How (is this conveyed and what is the time limit?)3. Why (is it important?)

Time What Why How Who

1

OPE

N

Opening (- allow about 15% of the time for this)

To establish rapport/ inform audience of direction

Extras like props or engaging visuals

Speakers

2

BOD

Y

Point 1

3 Point 2

4 Point 3

5

CLO

SE

Summary

6 Closing (- allow at least 10% of the time for this)

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Cluster 12

Form groups of three and allocate five of the six sections within the group. (The summary should be jointly composed by the group after the other slides have been written.)

Allow time for the students to scope the ‘what’ (the content) and the ‘how’ (in this case PowerPoint slides) and the time allocated to each section.

Encourage them to follow the opening and closing guidelines and to produce slides that cover these points. This will be closely linked to the agreed objectives.

Students who have access to a computer can use PowerPoint’s narration feature to record their narration. (Most computers come with the microphone and a place to connect it.)

Follow these steps:

1. Choose Slide show|Narration and click OK. PowerPoint automatically switches to Slide show.

2. The allocated students should start narrating the first slide.

When finished, click the mouse to continue to the next slide and continue taking turns to narrate the presentation to the end.

The program will then prompt the students to save the slide timings (which they should do).

The presentation will then be displayed in Slide sorter view, displaying the timings.

Students can then play the whole presentation through, listening for and noting down any areas that need improving.

Students should be encouraged to polish their presentation by revising the original narration.

This may mean returning to the exercise after re-writing and rehearsing to better fit the objectives and the time allocations.

NB: If equipment is available, the students can refine their narration using the features built into the slide show.

On the Slide show tab, select Rehearse timings in the Set up group. The Rehearsal toolbar will appear.

When selected, the Slide time feature begins timing this part of the narration.

The narration time on each slide is shown as well as the total time recorded for the whole presentation. Students can pause, replay and re-record their part.

Reversing viewpoints

Reproduce some of the sentence starters that students have used in previous lessons when practising active listening.

Active listening poster

Tell me more about your thinking on that … What led you to that line of thinking?

I have an idea that links up to that thought. Your comments make me wonder if …

What did you notice in the text that makes you think that?

Write up some topics to discuss using general topics, such as:

• Television is better than books. • Cats make better pets than dogs.

• Animals should not be kept in cages. • The Olympics are a waste of money.



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Establish some rules that facilitate participation of individuals in group discussions, such as allocating a token to be used to indicate whose turn it is to speak.

Remind the students:

– to look at and listen to the person who is speaking.

– no negative comments will be tolerated.

– it is okay to pass. *

At least one student should be allocated the role of reverser.

At an arranged signal, the ‘reverser’ will re-set the turn taking and send the speaking token in the opposite direction.

The students must now attempt to state an alternate viewpoint.

This may be one they have already heard stated by another student.

*Consider electing encouragers as well. They can encourage students who haven’t spoken in the first round. Encouragers can also help to keep the discussion going by using some of the statements displayed in the active listening poster.

Topics in the table above taken from: http://kiwiyert.tripod.com/ideas_for_debate_topics.htm

Jigsaw listening

Design an ‘information gap’ listening activity by pre-recording a presentation on Audacity (see link below) or using a tape recording.

The link below features the story behind the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme.

Make three separate recordings:

A:

Rather than literally referring to an egg as the nursery rhyme tells us, Humpty Dumpty was believed to be a large cannon.

The cannon was used during the English Civil War (1642–1649) in the Siege of Colchester (13 Jun 1648 –27 Aug 1648). The town of Colchester, protected by a city wall built by men loyal to the King known as the Royalists (or Cavaliers), was besieged by enemies to the King known as the Parliamentarians (or Roundheads) for about 11 weeks.

B:

Rather than literally referring to an egg as the nursery rhyme tells us, Humpty Dumpty was a large cannon.

Standing immediately adjacent the city wall, was St Mary’s Church. A huge cannon, colloquially called Humpty Dumpty, was strategically positioned on the wall beside St Mary’s Church. On either 14 July or 15 July 1648, a shot from a Parliamentary cannon succeeded in damaging the wall beneath Humpty Dumpty which, in turn, caused the cannon to tumble to the ground.

C:

Rather than literally referring to an egg as the nursery rhyme tells us, Humpty Dumpty was believed to be a large cannon.

The Royalists attempted to raise Humpty Dumpty onto another part of the wall. But the cannon was too heavy without the right equipment and with the pressures of the battle. So the nursery rhyme captures this image in: All the King’s horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again!

On 28 August 1648, the Royalists laid down their arms, opened the gates of Colchester and surrendered to the Parliamentarians.



This activity involves different groups of students listening to different parts of a text and then sharing the information to complete a task.

Join together in pairs to re-tell and illustrate the story.

Reconvene as a group, share and explain illustrations.

Tip: Students can plan their own jigsaws by recording on Audacity: http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/audacity1/index.html

Humpty Dumpty taken from: http://www.nlnw.nsw.edu.au/videos08/christopher_cheng/christopher_cheng_03.htm

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Documents

Literacy Continuum K-6 Literacy Teaching Ideas: Speakinghspsresources.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/9/8/20982916/... · 2019-08-06 · Uses simple sentences/phrases when speaking. ... •