Unit 2 Classroom Interaction

Lesson 2 Student Talk

Synopsis: One of the most difficult tasks for English teachers is to make students speak and to
help them to increase the time of their speaking. When students reach an advanced level they are,
by definition, highly proficient language users. As a result, they typically feel very positive about
the language and their classes, but it can be hard to make them feel they are actually improving
their English.
Lesson aims:
By the end of the lesson a student will have improved the following areas of language:
Reading: speculating, reading for detail, opinion; multiple matching.
Listening: listening for opinion, gist, detail; sentence completion
Speaking: commentaries on the ideas, discussions, presenting posters
Writing: informal letter, posters, letter providing solution to a problem
Vocabulary: expressions of hesitation, expressions for correcting yourself/ rephrasing, and
expressions to stop interruptions, word formation, synonyms, antonyms, dictionary entries
Grammar: ‘have someone do smth’,
Pronunciation: presentation skills

Key aspects:
1. About Language Learning
2. Interaction patterns
3. Talkative and/or Disruptive Students

About Language Learning

Activity 1. Spark

I don’t like the hearing I like to go to the I don’t like learning

the language – I realer foreign country and grammar – it’s boring and it
need to see. .it written talk, talk, talk – confuses me.
too. mistakes and all.
I just like to hear the foreign
I like to talk first with I hate it when people language for a long time
other students who are correct my mistakes. before I speak.
trying to learn like me.

Read the statements above and choose the best which reflects your own experience. Think about
two other statements about the way in which you like or dislike learning languages. Discuss your
ideas with a partner.
Activity 2. Reading
A. Emmah has written the article about how she learnt English. Read the article and make notes
in the chart below
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The ways of learning Does she like it? Does she dislike it? Why? / Why not?
English What are the results?

My experience in learning English (no link)

Hello my lovely blog's friends,
Hope you are well and glad of coming weekend!
Today I would like to discover you my experience in learning English. The first knowledge I
got at high school when was a child and then continued learning at the University. English
course took just 2 years at University and I had to learn English with some private teachers
and language schools. Here are working a lot of teachers who knows English well and may
teach students. They have a special education and have years of practice. But after 1-2
teachers I decided to try an native English speaking teacher. I found a school where taught
teachers from the UK, the USA and Canada. I was very happy with my first English
speaking teacher. He was from the USA and had a talent to teach language. He made
interesting, informative and fun lessons. So, we had a very good group of students there.
After a while (about 2-3 months) the teacher was changed on another teacher because a
special methodology. Schools does changes of teachers every 8-12 weeks for students
practice. It means students should understand not the only one English speaking person. You
must to have experience to speak and to understand English language at all. You know that
each country and often regions in one country have different language accent and some times
people from one region can't understand people from another. By the way both regions speak
English. So with the new teacher we lost our interest to learn English because she taught
very boring and was pretty strict to adults people as we were. The last 2-3 years my private
teacher was a girl who used to live in the USA for a long time. So she has a very good level
of English and is good in teaching.
The greatest experience I got last year when took English Course in Ireland for 8 weeks. It
was fantastic! I lived in one nice & friendly family near the city center. International classes.
There were students from Italy, Brazil, North Korea, China, Germany, Spain, Israel, France,
Chech Republic.I was lucky and met very professional teachers with a good sense of humor.
After lessons in the morning we had cultural programme and went to the historical places. It
was supported by a woman who is an professional gide and knows Irish history very well.
So, I spent a whole time spoke in English.The first two weeks were difficult for me. All
tenses and conditions mixed in me heard :) and I feel like a baby. Understood a lot but
couldn't speak right...:) I was very tired every day and went to bed at about 9 pm. After 3
weeks I started be more quieted and confident myself. After day's programme we went to the
cinema or to the pub or to the disco. And speak, speak, speak. Made mistakes and understood
that it was a mistake after a while.That is getting of some new experience! Never forget it!
I love to remember how my Irish adventure was because sure it was a great time in my life!
I improved my English I try do not forget my practice. Speak English at work and send you
my reports every day with pleasure!:)

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Thanks for your answers! I red all of them!
Have a great weekend!
With best wishes,
Emmah
Has Emmah learnt English?
B. Has Emmah made any mistakes? If there are some, correct them.
Activity 3. Vocabulary
A. Look at the expressions below. They are all expressions you can use to keep going while you
are talking. Put them into three groups: expressions of hesitation, expressions for correcting
yourself/ rephrasing, and expressions to stop interruptions. Add two more expressions of your
own to each group.
now, let me think what I mean is
What you mean is… Let me get this clear…
I just wanted to add hold on
I’ll have to think about that… What I’m saying is…
Let me get this straight,… The thing is…
It’s like this, you see… I mean
how can I put it? Can I stop you there for a moment?
sorry, what I meant to say was …. or rather
just a minute If I could just come in here. I think….

B. Share your experience of learning a language with a partner. Use at least 5 expressions each
Record you discussion and check if you used the expressions
Activity 4 Writing:
Read the last part of the letter you have recently received from an English teacher friend who is a
student of French.
I’m thinking of giving up my course – I don’t seem to be making any progress. I don’t understand
TV programmes and I can’t speak French fluently. I don’t know if I can wait eight months before
I go to France next year – I feel so discouraged now. What did you find helpful? If you’ve got
any tips, I’d be glad to have them! Anyway, take care!
Love,
Kate
Write a letter (180 – 200 words) replying to Kate.

Interaction patterns
Activity 5. Watching
Watch the video «Favourite word in English». What is your favourite English word?
From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3p0hsvmCCE
Activity 6. Speaking
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How would you label the different forms of interaction in each picture?
For each form of interaction, give two examples of activities that could be appropriately
organized in this way.

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From: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eldan/4929235993
https://fthmb.tqn.com/rbXCPp5nOCDYEvGkyDbAarw_6jE=/961x640/filters:no_upscale()/about/Girl-With-A-
Paper-138710514-56a370123df78cf7727d6012.jpg

http://bethebestteacher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Boy-working-at-desk-
Fotolia_17138153_XS2-300x267.jpg
http://calicospanish.com/smooth-transitions-effective-language-classroom/

http://sandrakohlerassign1.weebly.com/critical-thinking.html
Activity 7. Vocabulary
1. What is“collaboration”? Provide your explanation. Find synonyms and antonyms.
2. Look up the definitions for this word in online dictionaries and choose one that you agree
with. Give reasons.
3. Give your own definition of the word.
4. With the help of suffixes and prefixes make up different words from the word 'collaboration'.
Divide them into groups according to parts of speech.

Activity 8. Watching
A. Pre-watching
Do you like working in groups? Why?
B. Watching
Watch video Purposeful Grouping for Collaboration on Teaching channel. What strategy did the
teacher use? Does she help students feel comfortable? Do you use “tea party” protocol in your
classroom? Comment on its effectiveness.

From: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/purposeful-grouping-for-collaboration

Activity 9. Reading.

A. How can we group students? Read the text below ‘Creative Ways to Organize Students for
Small Group Activities’. Describe one way in detail.

Creative Ways to Organize Students for Small Group Activities

© BEST Foundation for a Drug-Free Tomorrow. All rights reserved. www.best.org
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By Kappie Bliss, M.Ed., LPC

Project ALERT trainer Kappie Bliss shares a wealth of innovative and practical experience
designed to stimulate group dynamics. Her 20-year history in prevention education includes
counseling and training affiliations with the Texas agency, the Southwest Regional Center, and
Education Service Centers, as well as school districts and professional associations.
1. Have students find three or four other kids who have about the same thumb size as they do.
2. Ask students if they would rather eat at McDonalds, Pizza Hut, or two or three
other local chains. Have students write answers on a piece of paper and hold it in front of them to
find matches.
3. Have students find three other classmates about the same height as them.
4. Let students find three or four other classmates who have the same favorite activity
(select four or five activities students have available). Examples: going to the mall, going to the
movies, playing sports, etc.
5. By hair - curly, straight, long, short. Have kids get into groups by curly and straight -
then divide into smaller groups with three or four others who have short, medium or long hair.
6. Before class determine how many groups you will need and the number in each
group. Get different colored candy, like Jolly Ranchers, and put them in a container that
represents the number of groups and the number of people in each group. For example, if you
need six groups with four people, you would have four pieces of six different colors of candy.
Students can eat their candy after they form the groups.
7. Use different types of stickers or colored stars or dots. Put the stickers on your
students as they enter the classroom or do it right before the activity. For example, if you want
five groups with five people per group, you would select five different types of stickers to put on
five sets of students.
8. Instead of using stickers, use squares or strips of colored paper in a bag and have
students reach inside the bag. Students holding the same colors would form the groups.
9. Have students get together with everybody born in the same month as they were.
Make adjustments to the groups as needed.
10. Have students close either their left eye or right eye and keep it closed. Find three other
people who have the same eye closed.
11. Ask students if they are wearing a belt. Then get together with three other people
who are, or are not, wearing a belt.
12. Have students get into groups of four or five with others who are wearing at least one item of
the same color as something they have on.
13. Ask students to count up the letters in their first name and determine if they have
an odd number of letters or an even number of letters. Find three or four others who also have an
even or odd number of letters in their name and form a group.
14. Ask students if they would rather be eating an apple, banana, peach, strawberry or
plum. Get together in small groups of four or five with people who picked the same fruit.
15. Number off.
16. Go around the room repeating one word of a school chant, like "Let's go, Cubs!" or

"We're Number One!" Everyone who said "Let's" on their turn is in one group. All the "go's" are
in another, and the "Cubs" are in the third group.
© BEST Foundation for a Drug-Free Tomorrow. All rights reserved. www.best.org

From: https://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/file/view/Creative-Ways.pdf
B. Grammar

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Find in the text examples of the construction 'have someone do smth' What is its meaning? Can
you find any similar construction? What is the difference?
If you have any difficulty follow the link
http://www.englishtenses.com/to_have_something_done_and_to_have_sb_do_sth

Talkative and/or Disruptive Students

Activity 10. Reading
A. Pre-reading

Why do students talk to each other in the lesson when the teacher is talking?
Make a list of reasons.
How can a teacher stop them?
Are there occasions when they should be allowed to talk to each other? Explain.

B. Reading.

Read Behaviour Problem Progression chart below. What points you would like to add? LINK

Activity 11. Watching

Watch the video about Classroom Management Strategies To Take Control Of Noisy Students.
Complete the table.

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From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u086rr7SRso

Two mistakes that this teacher made in his Strategies that the teacher described in his
early career video

Activity 12 Reading
A. Pre-reading
Some students may not simply be talkative, but may suffer from recognised conditions. One
example is ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ). Another example is oppositional
deficient disorder (ODD). Could you think about some other conditions? Surf the Internet and
find some information about mentioned problems. Report in the group.

B. Reading
Skim through the text below and see what ways to deal with the pupil are mentioned.
Now read the text more carefully and note the seven main ways of dealing with ODD

From: http://atenderteacherforspecialneeds.blogspot.ru/2013/12/students-with-oppositional-
defiant.html

Students with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Freebie

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Children with ODD frequently argue and throw tantrums. They get angry a lot and show their
anger through disruptive behaviors. These actions make it hard for children with ODD to
maintain positive relationships. They also do not like to comply with adult requests. Normally,
they become angry when an adult makes a request because they feel that the request is not
reasonable. I'm going to suggest a few things that may help manage a student that shows signs of
ODD. 

1. Avoid I statements. Examples: "I like the way you ______." or "I really wish you would
______." Instead give praise that makes them feel ownership over the task or choice they made.
Using I statements make the child feel like they've lost control. 

2. When providing directions during class instruction, be sure the student understands the
purpose of the assignment. This can be a challenge because the student may not agree with the
purpose. Try to connect it with something that they like personally. 

3. Students with ODD, a lot of times, do not like public attention. Praise them privately with a
thumbs up, post-it note, or even a brag note to the parents! 

4. Constructive criticism should only be given in private! Always start off with something
positive and, allow the student to express their concerns.

5. Give the student a personal schedule. This will allow the student to refer back to the schedule
at any time of the day. This will give them security and could easily eliminate some behavior
issues. 

6. Give the student breaks (5-10 minutes) and allow them to complete their work in chunks. To
provide a worksheet in chunks, fold half of the worksheet or cut the worksheet into separate
pieces. 

7. Know your student! Collect data and learn what triggers your student. Learn what they like
and do not like. Be watchful of signs that may appear before a student has an episode. This will
also help eliminate some of the defiant behaviors. 

I hope I've posted something that is helpful to someone! Go to myTPT store to download a free
weekly progress and behavior form that can be sent home to parents. I'd love to have your
feedback! If there is something you'd like added to this form, please let me know. I'll do my best
to assist you!

Activity 13. Writing. Here is a problem that was written by a teacher in her blog. Read it
carefully.

I teach 1st and 2nd grade (combined classes).  I am having trouble finding inventive ways to
control the chatter while I (or a student) am trying to talk.  Please help!

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Write your answer in the form of a response to the blog providing a solution to the problem (100-
150 words).

Activity 14 Speaking.
Have you ever had a student who wants to argue with you about everything? Here are some more
examples for you.

*Giving them a designated time to discuss the matter that is not class time such as recess or
after school.

*Katherine Kelley, who teaches gifted students, tells her students that this is a classroom not a
court room so there is no need to argue your case. (I need to remember that line!)

*Having a sense of humor is another tip to try.

From: http://community.practutor.com/discussion-boards/840-tips-to-use-with-students-who-
like-to-argue

Create a poster in which suggest more tips that will help teachers to calm down such students.

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