T eac hi ngSpeak i ng:Ac t i v i t i est oPr omot eSpeak i ngi n aSec ondLanguage Hayriye Kayi http://unr.edu/homepage/hayriyek kayih[at]unr.nevada.edu University of Nevada (Nevada,US!
I nt r oduct i on Speaking is "the pro#ess of $ui%ding and sharing meaning through the use of ver$a% and non&ver$a% sym$o%s, in a variety of #onte'ts" (haney, (haney, )**+, p. )!. Speaking is a #ru#ia% part of se#ond %anguage %earning and tea#hing. -espite its0123N4 its0123N4 , for many years, tea#hing speaking has $een underva%ued and 4ng%ish %anguage tea#hers have #ontinued to tea#h speaking 5ust as a repetition of dri%%s or memori6ation of dia%ogues. Ho7ever, today8s today8s 7or%d re9uires that the goa% of tea#hing speaking shou%d improve students8 #ommuni#ative ski%%s, $e#ause, on% y in that 7ay, 7ay, students #an e'press themse%ves and %earn ho7 to fo%%o7 the so#ia% and #u%tura% ru%es appropriate in ea#h #ommuni#ative #ir#umstan#e. n order to tea#h se#ond %anguage %earners ho7 to speak in the $est 7ay possi$%e, some speaking a#tivities are provided $e%o7, that #an $e app%ied to 4S and 4; #%assroom settings, together 7ith suggestions for tea#hers 7ho tea#h ora% %anguage.
WhatI s" Teachi ngSpeaki ng" ?
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0rodu#e the 4ng%ish spee#h sounds and sound patterns Use 7ord and senten#e stress, intonation patterns and the r hythm of the se#ond %anguage. Se%e#t appropriate 7ords and senten#es a##ording to the proper so#ia% setting, audien#e, situation and su$5e#t matter. 1rgani6e their thoughts in a meaningfu% and %ogi#a% % ogi#a% se9uen#e. Use %anguage as a means of e'pressing va%ues and 5udgments. Use the %anguage 9ui#k%y and #onfident%y 7ith fe7 unnatura% pauses, 7hi#h is #a%%ed as f%uen#y. (Nunan, =>>!
How ToTeachSpeaki ng No7 many %inguisti#s and 4S tea#hers agree on that students %earn to speak in the se#ond %anguage $y "intera#ting". ommuni#ative %anguage tea#hing and #o%%a$orative %earning serve $est for this aim. ommuni#ative %anguage %anguage tea#hing is $ased on rea%&%ife situations that re9uire #ommuni#ation. ?y using this method in 4S #%asses, students 7i%% have the opportunity of #ommuni#ating 7ith ea#h other in the
target %anguage. n?24; , 4S tea#hers shou%d #reate a #%assroom environment 7here students have rea%&%ife #ommuni#ation, authenti# a#tivities, and meaningfu% tasks that promote ora% %anguage. 3his #an o##ur 7hen students #o%%a$orate in groups to a#hieve a goa% or to #omp%ete a task.
Ac t i v i t i e sT oPr omot eSpe ak i ng Di scussi ons fter a #ontent&$ased %esson, a dis#ussion #an $e he%d for various reasons. 3he students may aim to arrive at a #on#%usion, share ideas a$out an event, or find so%utions in their dis#ussion groups. ?efore the dis#ussion, it is essentia% that the purpose of the dis#ussion a#tivity is set $y the tea#her. n this 7ay, the dis#ussion points are re%evant to this purpose, so that students do not spend their time #hatting 7ith ea#h other a$out irre%evant things. ;or e'amp%e, students #an $e#ome invo%ved in agree/disagree dis#ussions. n this type of dis#ussions, the tea#her #an form groups of students, prefera$%y @ or A in ea#h group, and provide #ontroversia% senten#es %ike Bpeop%e %earn $est 7hen they read vs. peop%e %earn $est 7hen they trave%C. 3hen ea#h group 7orks on their topi# for a given time period, and presents their opinions to the #%ass. t is essentia% that the speaking shou%d $e e9ua%%y divided among group mem$ers. t the end, the #%ass de#ides on the 7inning group 7ho defended the idea in the $est 7ay. 3his a#tivity fosters #riti#a% thinking and 9ui#k de#ision making, and students %earn ho7 to e'press and 5ustify themse%ves in po%ite 7ays 7hi%e disagreeing 7ith the others. ;or effi#ient group dis#ussions, it is a%7ays $etter not to form %arge groups, $e#ause 9uiet students may avoid #ontri$uting in %arge groups. 3he group mem$ers #an $e either assigned $y the tea#her or the students may determine it $y themse%ves, $ut groups shou%d $e rearranged in every dis#ussion a#tivity so that students #an 7ork 7ith various peop%e and %earn to $e open to different ideas. ast%y, in #%ass or group dis#ussions, 7hatever the aim is, the students shou%d a%7ays $e en#ouraged to ask 9uestions, paraphrase ideas, e'press support, #he#k for #%arifi#ation, and so on.
Rol ePl a y 1ne other 7ay of getting students to speak is ro%e&p%aying. Students pretend they are in various so#ia% #onte'ts and have a variety of so#ia% ro%es. n ro%e&p%ay a#tivities, the tea#her gives information to the %earners su#h as 7ho they are and 7hat they think or fee%. 3hus, the tea#her #an te%% the student that "Dou are -avid, you go to the do#tor and te%% him 7hat happened %ast night, andE" (Harmer, )*+@!
Si mul a t i ons Simu%ations are very simi%ar to ro%e&p%ays $ut 7hat makes simu%ations different than ro%e p%ays is that they are more e%a$orate. n simu%ations, students #an $ring items to the #%ass to #reate a rea%isti# environment. ;or instan#e, if a student is a#ting as a singer, she $rings a mi#rophone to sing and so on. 2o%e p%ays and simu%ations have
many advantages. ;irst, sin#e they are entertaining, they motivate the students. Se#ond, as Harmer ()*+@! suggests, they in#rease the se%f&#onfiden#e of hesitant students, $e#ause in ro%e p%ay and simu%ation a#tivities, they 7i%% have a different ro%e and do not have to speak for themse%ves, 7hi#h means they do not have to take the same responsi$i%ity.
I nf or mat i onGap n this a#tivity, students are supposed to $e 7orking in pairs. 1ne student 7i%% have the information that other partner does not have and the partners 7i%% share their information. nformation gap a#tivities serve many purposes su#h as so%ving a pro$%em or #o%%e#ting information. %so, ea#h partner p%ays an0123N3 ro%e $e#ause the task #annot $e #omp%eted if the partners do not provide the information the others need. 3hese a#tivities are effe#tive $e#ause every$ody has the opportunity to ta%k e'tensive%y in the target %anguage. F $y -NSUn%o#ker
Br a i ns t or mi ng 1n a given topi#, students #an produ#e ideas in a %imited time. -epending on the #onte't, either individua% or group $rainstorming is effe#tive and %earnersG4N4234 ideas 9ui#k%y and free%y. 3he good #hara#teristi#s of $rainstorming is that the students are not #riti#i6ed for their ideas so students 7i%% $e open to sharing ne7 ideas.
St or yt el l i ng Students #an $rief%y summari6e a ta%e or story they heard from some$ody $eforehand, or they may #reate their o7n stories to te%% their #%assmates. Story te%%ing fosters #reative thinking. t a%so he%ps students e'press ideas in the format of $eginning, deve%opment, and ending, in#%uding the #hara#ters and setting a story has to have. Students a%so #an te%% ridd%es or 5okes. ;or instan#e, at the very $eginning of ea#h #%ass session, the tea#her may #a%% a fe7 students to te%%SH123 ridd%es or 5okes as an opening. n this 7ay, not on%y 7i%% the tea#her address students speaking a$i%ity, $ut a%so get the attention of the #%ass.
I nt er vi ews Students #an #ondu#t intervie7s on se%e#ted topi#s 7ith various peop%e. t is a good idea that the tea#her provides a ru$ri# to students so that they kno7 7hat type of 9uestions they #an ask or 7hat path to fo%%o7, $ut students shou%d prepare their o7n intervie7 9uestions. ondu#ting intervie7s 7ith peop%e gives students a #han#e to pra#ti#e their speaking a$i%ity not on%y in #%ass $ut a%so outside and he%ps them $e#oming so#ia%i6ed. fter intervie7s, ea#h student #an present his or her study to
the #%ass. oreover, students #an intervie7 ea#h other and "introdu#e" his or her partner to the #%ass.
St or yCompl et i on 3his is a very en5oya$%e, 7ho%e&#%ass, free&speaking a#tivity for 7hi#h students sit in a #ir#%e. ;or this a#tivity, a tea#her starts to te%% a story, $ut after a fe7 senten#es he or she stops narrating. 3hen, ea#h student starts to narrate from the point 7here the previous one stopped. 4a#h student is supposed to add from four to ten senten#es. Students #an add ne7 #hara#ters, events, des#riptions and so on.
Re por t i ng ?efore #oming to #%ass, students are asked to read a ne7spaper or maga6ine and, in #%ass, they report to their friends 7hat they find as the most interesting ne7s. Students #an a%so ta%k a$out 7hether they have e'perien#ed anything 7orth te%%ing their friends in their dai%y %ives $efore #%ass.
Pl ayi ngCar ds n this game, students shou%d form groups of four. 4a#hSU3 7i%% represent a topi#. ;or instan#e: Diamonds:42NNG 1N4D Hearts: ove and re%ationships Spades: n unforgetta$%e memory Clubs: ?est tea#her 4a#h student in a group 7i%% #hoose a #ard. 3hen, ea#h student 7i%% 7rite @&A 9uestions a$out that topi# to ask the other peop%e in the group. ;or e'amp%e: • • • •
f the topi# "-iamonds:42NNG 1N4D " is se%e#ted, here are some possi$%e 9uestions: s money important in your %ifeI
Pi ct ur eNar r at i ng 3his a#tivity is $ased on severa% se9uentia% pi#tures. Students are asked to te%% the story taking p%a#e in the se9uentia% pi#tures $y paying attention to the #riteria
provided $y the tea#her as a ru$ri#. 2u$ri#s #an in#%ude the vo#a$u%ary or stru#tures they need to use 7hi%e narrating.
Pi ct ur eDes cr i bi ng nother 7ay to make use of pi#tures in a speaking a#tivity is to give students 5ust one pi#ture and having them des#ri$e 7hat it is in the pi#ture. ;or this a#tivity students #an form groups and ea#h group is given a different pi#ture. Students dis#uss the pi#ture 7ith their groups, then a spokesperson for ea#h group des#ri$es the pi#ture to the 7ho%e #%ass. 3his a#tivity fosters the #reativity and imagination of the %earners as 7e%% as their pu$%i# speaking ski%%s.
Fi ndt heDi ffer ence ;or this a#tivity students #an 7ork in pairs and ea#h #oup%e is given t7o different pi#tures, for e'amp%e, pi#ture of $oys p%aying foot$a%% and another pi#ture of gir%s p%aying tennis. Students in pairs dis#uss the simi%arities and/or differen#es in the pi#tures.
Suggest i ons ForTeacher si nTeachi ngSpeaki ng Here are some suggestions for 4ng%ish %anguage tea#hers 7hi%e tea#hing ora% %anguage: •
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0rovide ma'imum opportunity to students to speak the target %anguage $y providing a ri#h environment that #ontains #o%%a$orative 7ork, authenti# materia%s and tasks, and shared kno7%edge. 3ry to invo%ve ea#h student in every speaking a#tivityJ for this aim, pra#ti#e different 7ays of student parti#ipation. 2edu#e tea#her speaking time in #%ass 7hi%e in#reasing student speaking time. Step $a#k and o$serve students. ndi#ate positive signs 7hen #ommenting on a student8s response. sk e%i#iting 9uestions su#h as "
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-iagnose pro$%ems fa#ed $y students 7ho have diffi#u%ty in e'pressing themse%ves in the target %anguage and provide more opportunities to pra#ti#e the spoken %anguage.
Concl usi on 3ea#hing speaking is a very0123N3 part of se#ond %anguage %earning. 3he a$i%ity to #ommuni#ate in a se#ond %anguage #%ear%y and effi#ient%y #ontri$utes to the su##ess of the %earner in s#hoo% and su##ess %ater in every phase of %ife. 3herefore, it is essentia% that %anguage tea#hers pay great attention to tea#hing speaking. 2ather than %eading students to pure memori6ation, providing a ri #h environment 7here meaningfu% #ommuni#ation takes p%a#e is desired.
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e%#e&ur#ia. . =>>). 3ea#hing 4ng%ish as a Se#ond or ;oreign anguage (rd ed!. US: Hein%eHein%e. haney, .., and 3.. ?urk. )**+. 3ea#hing 1ra% ommuni#ation in Grades K&+. ?oston: %%yn?a#on. ?aruah, 3.. )**). 3he 4ng%ish 3ea#her8s Hand$ook. -e%hi: Ster%ing 0u$%ishing House. ?ro7n, G. and G. Du%e. )*+. 3ea#hing the Spoken anguage. am$ridge: am$ridge University 0ress. Harmer, L. )*+@. 3he 0ra#ti#e of 4ng%ish anguage 3ea#hing. ondon: ongman. #-onough, L. and . Sha7. =>>. ateria%s and ethods in 43: a tea#hers guide. a%den, J 1'ford: ?%a#k7e%%. Nunan, -., =>>. 0ra#ti#a% 4ng%ish anguage 3ea#hing. ND:#Gra7&Hi%%. Staa$, . )**=. 1ra% %anguage for today8s #%assroom. arkham, 1N: 0ippin 0u$%ishing. 3he nternet 34S Lourna%, Mo%. F, No. )), Novem$er =>> http://ites%5.org/ http://ites%5.org/rti#%es/Kayi&3ea#hing Speaking.htm%
SPEAKING 1. Defnition o Speaking Speaking is a part o productive skill in English anguage !eaching. It consists o producing s"ste#atic ver$al utterance to conve" #eaning. Speaking is an interactive process o constructing #eaning that involves
producing and receiving and processing inor#ation. %&aile"' ())*+(,. Speaking activities #a" -ell or# one part o a #uch longer seuence -hich includes reading or listening and' ater the activit"' stud" -ork. /e -ill oten use such activities si#pl" to provide -elco#e relie ro# #ore or#al -ork. %0ar#er' 12+ *,
