Understanding and Teaching Spoken English

金 利 民北京外国语大学英语学院

Outline

Features of the spoken language

Teaching spoken English: Principles and

practice

How to use A Speaking Course

Part One: Preview

Features of the spoken language

Prosodic features

Shortened forms

Features resulting from limited processing time

Organizational features

Accent and dialect

Functions of the spoken language

1. Features of the spoken language (1)

1.1 Prosodic features: stress rhythm

pitch tempo

intonation

e.g. She sells seashells on the seashore,

the shells she sells are seashells I’m sure.

1. Features of the spoken language (2)

1.2 Shortened forms

ContractionElisionEllipsis

Contraction:

a reduced form often marked by an apostrophe in writing

e.g. can’t = cannot

I’ll = I will

Elision:

the omission or slurring (eliding) of one or more sounds or syllables

e.g. gonna = going to

wanna be = want to be wassup = what’s up

Ellipsis:

the omission of part of a grammatical structure

e.g. “You bored?” “A bit”,

1. Features of the spoken language (3)

1.3 Features that result from the limited processing time

False start

Repairs

Fillers

False start:

when a speaker stops after beginning an utterance and then either repeats or reformulates it. e.g. right well let's er --= let's look at the applications -- erm - let me just ask initially this

(The CHRISTINE Project: http://www.grsampson.net/RChristine.html)

Repairs:

an alteration suggested or made by the speaker, the addressee or the audience to correct or clarify a previous conversational contribution.

Fillers:

- no particular meanings

- provides time to think,

to create a pause or to hold a turn

e.g. “er”, “uhm”, “ah”, “well”. Compare with the Chinese filler “neige”.

1. Features of the spoken language (4)

1.4 Organizational features

Back-channeling

Turn-taking

Back-channeling:

Feedback for a speaker, meaning “I understand you” or “I’m listening”.

e.g. “I see”, “really”, “uh huh” or “oh”

Turn-taking:

a typical, orderly arrangement in which participants speak with minimal overlap and gap between them.

Short-turns: one or two sentences; long turns: can be an hour’s lecture.

1. Features of the spoken language (5)

Accent: the ways in which words are pronounced. Factors: age, region or social class, e.g. RP

Dialect: The distinctive grammar and vocabulary associated with the regional or social use of a language, e.g. Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.

1. Features of the spoken language (6)

Different functions

Interactional talk: Conversational language for interpersonal reasons and/or socializing. E.g. chitchat. Primarily listener-oriented.

Transactional talk: Language to get things done or to transmit content or information. Primarily speaker-oriented.

Part Two: Preview

What should be taught and what can be taught?

The roles of a spoken English teacher

Basic principles in teaching spoken English

Some suggestions for the design of activities

2.1 What should be taught and what

can be taught? (1)

What are the possible aims of a spoken English course?Notions; Situations; Topics; etc.

Which spoken model should we present to our students?

RP or a standard American accent?

2.1 What should be taught and what

can be taught? (2)

What should be corrected and what should not be corrected?

What are the possible sideline productions?

Training of communication skills, public speaking skills, and skills to organize thoughts within a short time…

2.2 The roles of a spoken English

teacher

Three stages and respective teachers’ roles:

Presentation: an informant (+ a model provider?)

Practice: a conductor or a classroom manager

Production: a guide or a facilitator

Does teaching have to be in this order?

2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken

English (1)The importance of stress and rhythm

Difference between English and ChineseEnglish: stress-timed

Chinese: syllable-timed e.g. I saw a big tree on the top of the

mountain.The use of songs in the teaching of pronunciation: Do Re Mi (Unit 1)

2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken

English (2)

Communicative stress: the less the betterHow to reduce this stress? The listener: peers; one is better than manyThe situation: private; familiar; relaxingThe language: same for speaker and listenerStatus of knowledge: information about the

topic or issue and the vocabulary needed So: group and pair work are better than

individual and class work.

2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken

English (3)

Information gap: basic principle in the design of tasks

Always ask:

Is there a reasonable purpose for the speaker to perform the task?

Does the listener need that information?

2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken

English (4)

Correction: when and how?

Relaxed attitude towards mistakes, esp. at the beginning.

Beginning of a semester: establishing a good rapport with the students; help learners to build confidence in speaking in English

2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken

English (5)

Correction: when and how?

Relatively privately, e.g. in the process of pair or group work.

In class if necessary without mentioning names of students. Take notes while supervising pair or group work.

2.3 Basic principles in teaching spoken

English (6)

The importance of encouragement: Pygmalion Effect - Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968), children aged six to twelve years, all drawn from the same school, given an IQ test. Children were then assigned to an experimental or control group. When teachers were told that the children in the experimental group were "high achievers", these children showed significant IQ gains over the course of one year, despite allocation to group having been in fact random.

2.4 Some suggestions for the design of

activities

The use of pictures

The use of jigsaw

The use of games

The use of drama

The use of role play and simulation

Part Three: Preview

Brief introduction to A Speaking CourseTeaching spoken English to big classesTeaching spoken English to mixed ability classesMotivating the students

3.1 A Speaking Course

An integrated syllabus:

Book 1: Pronunciation; Functions (I); Functions (II); Situations

Book 2: What will you say?

What will you do?

How to complete the project?

What is your opinion?

3.1 A Speaking Course

Principles in organization and design of content

1) Objectives, warming-up, activities, review, tips

2) Presentation, practice, production

Models are usually provided.

3) Situations and topics are close to the life and future needs of the students.

3.2 Teaching big classes

Big classes: 50-60 students in one classDifficult, but not mission impossible.

1) Carefully design tasks with clear learning goals2) Use pair work and group work3) Maintain discipline: Be firm and fair 4) Feedback: One or two groups or pair

3.3 Teaching mixed ability classes

Let the more competent students do some of the teaching.

Pair work and group work benefit the more capable students more.

Leave different types of assignments for the students to choose from.

3.4 Motivating the students

Involve the students in the design of tasks

Interesting tasks

Varied design of activities

Encouragement and some training of learning skills

Make learners aware of the sideline products of the training of spoken English.

Tell me and I'll forget;

Teach me and I'll remember;

Involve me and I'll learn.

Benjamin Franklin?

Thank You