MODULE 6: TEACHING LISTENING AND SPEAKING

Table of Contents
MODULE 6: TEACHING LISTENING AND SPEAKING........................................................................................................ 1
Module Overview ........................................................................................................................................................... 2
Module 6 Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 2
6.1 Warm up: Reflection on Accuracy vs. Fluency .................................................................................................... 3
6.2 Lecture: Teaching Listening and Speaking Skills ................................................................................................. 4
6.2.1 Listening Activities .......................................................................................................................................... 29
6.2.2 Speaking Activities .......................................................................................................................................... 35
6.2.3 Grammar and Vocabulary Support in Speaking and Listening....................................................................... 54
6.3 Video and Reflection Activity: Communicative Language Teaching Methods (Optional) ................................ 58
6.4 Readings: Tips and Activities for Teaching Listening and Speaking .................................................................. 62
6.4.1 Quiz: Listening and Speaking Methods .......................................................................................................... 93
6.5 Discussion: Cascading New Knowledge............................................................................................................. 93
6.6 Cultural Spotlight: Interaction in the EFL Classroom ........................................................................................ 95
6.7 Assignment: 5-minute Speaking Activity ........................................................................................................... 97
6.8 Upcoming Assignments ..................................................................................................................................... 99
6.9 CNK Resource Organizer.................................................................................................................................. 115

© 2020 by University of Maryland, Baltimore County.TESOL Methodology Module 6 Downloadable

Packet for the Online Professional English Network (OPEN), sponsored by the U.S. Department of
State with funding provided by the U.S. government and administered by FHI 360. This work is 1
licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except where noted. To view a copy
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Module Overview

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Welcome to Module 6: Teaching Listening and Speaking

Module 6 Overview
This week we will explore the importance of teaching speaking and listening skills to students. Then we will review
different techniques that instructors can use to teach speaking and listening. We will also investigate specific
communicative language teaching methods and share our own teaching methods with each other. Finally, we will
prepare for upcoming assignments in future modules.

Module 6 Task List:

The module should take 5-10 hours to complete. Complete the following tasks by the end of the week (Monday,
November 4, 11:59 p.m. EST).

1. Complete the Warm Up Reflection on Accuracy vs. Fluency.

2. Read the Teaching Listening and Speaking Skills lecture.
3. View different examples of classroom activities to practice listening, speaking and grammar and
vocabulary.
4. Read about different ways to support grammar and vocabulary.
5. As an optional activity, watch the video "Five Communicative Language Teaching Methods" and complete
the graphic organizer.
6. Complete the readings about listening and speaking teaching techniques.
7. Take the quiz about the readings.
8. Complete the Cascading New Knowledge activity.
9. Read Cultural Spotlight: Interaction in the EFL Classroom
10. Participate in the discussion Preparing to Teach Listening and Speaking.
11. Complete the 5-minute speaking activity.
12. Review the requirements for the upcoming Peer Observation assignment.
13. Review what we covered in this module.

The Module 6 Packet includes all materials you need for the module.

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6 . 1 WA R M U P : R E F L E C T I O N ON A C C U R A C Y V S . F L U E N C Y

This work is a derivative of “Untitled” by Gordon Johnson, used under CC0. This derivative is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by UMBC for use in the OPEN Program.

Accuracy is when learners can produce sentences correctly. This includes the correct use of grammar, vocabulary,
pronunciation, etc. Fluency is when learners can speak freely (without a lot of stops). Their sentences might have
some errors, but overall, they can share their message clearly.

Think and Write

1. Think about your experiences in different classroom environments and answer the following question:

Is it more important to be accurate (correct) or fluent (without frequent pauses to think about the right word) when
speaking a language?

2. On a piece a piece of paper or in a word doc, write some notes on your answers to these questions. Use this
opportunity to think about what you already know.

You do not have to submit this. This activity is not graded. This is a chance to activate your prior knowledge
(think about what you already know). Spend about 5-10 minutes on this activity.

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6 . 2 L E C T U R E : T E A C H IN G L IS T E N IN G A N D S P E A K IN G S K IL L S

“Untitled” by Gerd Altmannvia pixabayis licensed under CC0

Introduction
By engaging students in active listening and speaking activities, teachers allow learners to more effectively practice
the English language and also retain the information for later use. Listening and speaking both have their own
functional uses in daily language and it is important that teachers utilize these functions as goals in the classroom
in order to design the most appropriate activities for students.

The Three Modes of Listening

Students can engage in listening activities in three different ways. Look at the three modes of listening below and
various classroom activities that correlate with each mode.

Bidirectional: Exchanges of information include two or more people

• Have students engage in discussions where each student has to ask at least one question during the time
limit.
• Have students engage in Skype conversations with students in a class in a different country.
• Instruct students to interview people in their community about the class topic.
• Assign a presentation where learners have to interact with audience members throughout the
presentation.
• Read a question of the day and allow students to share their answers. Have students ask each other
follow-up questions about their answers.
• Have students engage in a Scavenger Hunt where they “Find someone who” has a certain quality in the
classroom.

Unidirectional: Input comes from other sources and is taken in by the listener
• Have students listen to a podcast and answer comprehension questions about it.
• Play a song or movie clip and have students fill-in-the-blanks with the missing words that they heard.
• Create a study guide for your lecture and have students fill in the notes (including titles, key words, dates,
names, etc.) by listening.
• Instruct students to listen to a news show and identify various parts of spoken language including fillers,
intonation, stress, etc.
• Give students a category (birthdays, height, shoe size, etc.). Students listen and arrange themselves from
highest to lowest by listening to their classmate’s answers.

Autodirectional: Our internal self-dialogue and self talk where the listener listens to his or her own thoughts.
• Have students sit in silence for a period of time. After they, write down all of their self talk thoughts. They
keep a self-talk journal.

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 • Play four corners: assign each corner of the room as an answer to a question. Have students move to
different corners based on their answers to the question.
• Have students brainstorm a topic by making a mind map individually.
• Instruct students to think about a topic for one minute. Students can draw out their thinking on a poster.

Types of Listening Skills

Teachers can also teach the six types of listening skills to students in different activities. These listening skills are:
• reactive (listen and repeat)
• intensive (listen for specific sounds and features of English)
• responsive (listen and respond briefly)
• selective (listen for particular items in a longer stretch of discourse)
• extensive (listen for global comprehension)
• interactive (authentic 2-way communication

For examples of classroom activities to practice the six listening skills, go to 6.2.1.

Conclusion
Teachers should take into account the goals of the lesson to teach speaking and listening. What do you want
students to focus on? What should they master by the end of the lesson? By understanding the objectives,
instructors can design activities to allow students to directly practice that speaking and listening skill.

References (Copyright)
This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of this course. It is not
Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use. Please do not save a copy for your
personal use, and do not use it after the course ends.

Brown, G., and Yule, G. (1983). Teaching the spoken language, Cambridge: CUP
Brown, H.D. (2007). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (3rd Ed.). White Plains,
NY: Pearson Education.
Davies, P. (2008). Success in English teaching. London: Oxford University Press.
Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach English. Edinburgh: Pearson Longman.
Krashen, S. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. Longman.
Morley, J. (2002). Aural comprehension Instruction: principles and practicies. In M. Celce-Murcia. Teaching English
as a second or foreign language, 3rd Edition. Boston, MA: Longman.
Mubarak A.T.Z. (n.d). Helping teaching increase student talk time, p. 73-80. Retrieved from the internet.
Nunan, D. (Ed.) (2003). Practical English language teaching. McGraw Hill.
Richards, J.C. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: From theory to practice. New York: Cambridge University
Press.
Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in
development. In Gass, S. and Madde, C. (Eds.), Input in SLA. Newbury House.

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Lecture: Teaching Listening and Speaking Skills (PowerPoint Slides)

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6 . 2 . 1 L IS T E N IN G A C T IV IT IE S

Teaching listening skills does not only happen while students are listening, but rather the learning process occurs
before, during and after any listening activity. Richards 2015 makes it clear that teachers should plan their listening
courses around the goals and levels of the students while also teaching students strategies for listening to English
both in class and in the real world. Let’s take a look at examples of classroom activities that teachers can
implement for students to practice listening.

Activity 1: Drawing Dictation

This activity allows learners to practice listening to their peers speak English and immediately engages them in an
activity to test their listening skills.

Step 1: Split the class into pairs.

Step 2: Give partner A a picture. Partner A describes the picture aloud in as much detail as possible to partner B.

Step 3: Partner B draws what they hear.

Step 4: The partners switch roles and practice with a different picture.

Example:

“Untitled” by Mohamed Hassan is licensed under CC0

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Partner A: "There is a man. He is wearing a white t-shirt, a burgundy jacket, blue pants, white socks and black
shoes. He is laying on the grass. He is in front of a house. There is a tree to the left of the house. The house is a tan
color with the green roof. In front of the house is a fence. There is a dog to the left of the man. The dog has a stick
in its mouth, etc..."

Drawing Dictation Alternatives:

• The instructor can give more advanced prompts and pictures based on the content of the lesson.
• The instructor can give specific criteria for stating the descriptions (ex. state the location of objects using
prepositions of place., etc.)

Activity 2: Listen and Point

This activity is for beginner learners who are listening for key vocabulary words or phrases.

Step 1: The instructor give students a picture with many objects, or several pictures.

Step 2: The instructor states a vocabulary word aloud and instructs the students to point to the object or picture
that matches the word.

Step 3: The students point to the object or picture

"Groceries" by Mittmac via Pixabay is licensed under CC0

Example:

Teacher: "Point to the carrots."

*Students point to the carrots in the bottom right corner*

Teacher: "Where are the bananas?"

*Students point to the bananas in the upper-right hand corner.*

The game continues until students have learned the vocabulary.

Listen and Point Alternatives:

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 • After identifying the fruits and vegetables, the teacher may ask students to practice "numbers" and the
language of "how many." For example, "how many mushrooms are there?" "Are there two or three
apples?"
• The instructor can put the vocabulary words or images on large posters on the board. The students can
come to the board and point to the pictures in a speed game.
• The students can get into groups using one handout. Students can practice asking each other to listen and
point.
• The instructor can put vocabulary pictures all around the room. The instructor calls out a vocabulary word
and the students have to run to the correct picture.

Activity 3: Simon Says

This activity is for to get students moving while also practicing listening skills for classroom instructions.

Step 1: The teacher gives the students instructions while also modeling the instructions (ex. touch your head,
touch your nose, look up, look down, sit down, stand up).

Step 2: Without speaking, the students listen to the instructions and complete the action.

Step 3: If students complete an incorrect action, they have to sit down and are out of the game.

Step 4: The last student to continue standing is the winner.

Simon Says Alternatives:

• Instead of the teacher giving instructions, the students can come to the front one-by-one and
give instructions.
• The class cane be divided into groups. Each group has a winner. The winners of each group complete
against each other until there is only one winner remaining for the class.
• The teacher can give directions without modeling to test students' listening and vocabulary skills.
• The instructor can assign different actions to different grammar points (i.e. touch your head for a verb,
touch your nose for a noun, touch your feet for an adjective). The teacher can call out different words and
students can categorize them by assigning them to actions as they hear them.

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Activities for Different Parts of a Listening Lesson
Teachers can also design activities to help student understand listening before, during and after listening to audio
sources.

It is important for teachers to choose between the use of

Choosing Audio Sources authentic sources and non-authentic sources of materials in
order for students to reach their learning goals. When
choosing the type of material your students will work with,
many factors need to be taken into account.

Skills learners use when listening to different Teachers can:

audio sources:

● Differentiating between various ● Create your own listening practices using their
accents and dialects within the own voices or the voices of others.
English language. ● Record your own voicemail message for
● Understanding the use of pauses and students to call to practice listening skills.
rhythm. ● Have advanced students record role-plays or
● Realizing the importance of pitch, videos for beginner level students.
intonation and stress with regard to ● Use extracts from the media including news
different contexts and situations. stories, radio, TV or the Internet.
● Understanding context and the ● Play movies excerpts which are suitable to the
nuances of English in different level of students.
situations.
● Invite guests who represent the diversity of
English to the class to deliver a presentation.
● Use audio books for practice.

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 In this phase, teachers should provide essential
Pre-Listening Activities background information such as, vocabulary or content
information that students wouldn't be able to guess from
context.

Skills learners use when engaging with the Teachers can:

listening before actually listening:

● Understand the context of the text . ● Group students to brainstorm as many words
● Reflecting on their experiences with as possible related to the topic.
the text. ● Help students predict the words that may be
● Familiarizing themselves with heard during a listening based on the topic.
unknown words and/or phrases that ● Discuss a picture that relates to a topic that
they might hear while listening. students will hear about.
● Generate a list of questions that could be
asked about a topic.
● Have students build a story from a list of
action verbs that they are given about a text.
● Allow students to choose a strategy to use
when they are listening to a text (i.e. Should
we listen for the main idea? Should we listen
for the details?, etc.)

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 This process is essential because it allows learners to
During Listening Activities engage with the actual listening. It is important that
teachers design activities that allow students to process the
meaning of the text as opposed to distract them with other
tasks.

Skills learners use when engaging with the Teachers can...

listening while listening to a text:

● Practicing intensive listening ● Have students listen to the first part of a story
● Developing strategies to improve and predict what happens next.
listening (i.e. listening for key words, ● Instruct students to number a series of events
guessing words from context, etc.) that occur.
● Processing the meaning of text ● Create true and false sentences for students
● Completing a series of tasks while to check while listening.
listening ● Tell students to match pictures to sentences
while listening.
● Stop the audio just before a key word and ask
students which word they think they will hear.
● Allow students to fill in a gap fill sheet with
the missing words that they hear during a
text.
● Have students listen and check the
predictions that they previously made to mark
if they were true or false.
● Ask students to complete a chart or graph as
they listen.

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 In this phase, teachers can check learners' comprehension
Post-Listening Activities and where they made mistakes. Now, teachers will help
students analyze the text on a much smaller level and
engage in follow-up activities.

Skills learners use when engaging with the Teachers can...

listening after listening to a text:

● Recognizing spoken features of the ● Replay the text to check comprehension

English language such as reductions, problems.
links, ellipses, etc. ● Design a follow up activity using another
● Responding to the context of the language skill to the content that they learned
text. about (i.e. write a letter to the character,
● Making links to other skills and/or make a public service announcement video
contexts. for the radio to address a problem they heard
about).
● Returning to the text to examine
other structures such as grammar, ● Have students examine a transcript of the
vocabulary, etc. listening to identify language structures
learned in class.
● Expanding overall language
awareness. ● Instruct students to read a text on the same
topic and compare information.
● Ask students to use words heard in the text to
in a gap-fill exercise.
● Allow for students to prepare a summary of
what they heard in the text.

6 . 2 . 2 S P E A K IN G A C T IV IT IE S

“Untitled” by mcmurryjulie is licensed under CC0

In our previous lectures we discussed Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) as a modern approach to teaching
languages. Communicative activities increase language use by making sure that all students participate and

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communicate. One way to think about teaching skills is to group them into different genres or categories and then
look at specific activities that can be used to teach a specific category of speaking skills. Richards (2015) discusses
the following categories of speaking skills: small talk, conversations, transactions, discussions, and
presentations. Let's examine how we can successfully teach small talk, conversations, and transactions by using
the CLT. Let's look at some specific examples of speaking activities that can be used to teach these speaking genres
and skills while providing students opportunities to interact and be socially active.

Information Gap Activities

These are partner activities where students try to complete a task or obtain answers when they are missing
information. Each student has only half of the information they need, and their partner has the other half.
Students must take turns asking questions to complete the activity.

Information Gap Activities:

• Require communication
• Maximize participation
• Scaffolds production
• Practice grammar patterns, (i.e. change a sentence into a question, Where is? How much is?)
• May focus on Speaking and Listening
• May integrate all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)

Here is a sample script for an information gap activity:

Student A Student B
1. Dolphins can live up to _____ years. 1. Dolphins can live up to 50 years.
(How many…?)
2. Dolphins never chew their food. 2. Dolphins (sometimes/often/never) chew their
own food. (Do dolphins…?)
3. There are more than _____ species of dolphins. 3. There are more than 40 species of dolphins.
(How many…?)
4. Some dolphins can swim at 20 miles per hour. 4. Some dolphins can swim at ____ per hour.
(How fast…?)
5. Dolphins can _______ if they do not have enough food. 5. Dolphins can migrate if they do not have
(What do dolphins do? enough food.
6. Dolphins are very intelligent animals.
6. Dolphins are very ___ animals.
(What kind…?)
"Dolphins Information Gap" by University of Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Fluency Circles
A fluency circle or “inside- outside” circle that allows all students to participate in speaking and listening activities
by positioning them in as seen in the photo below.

Fluency circles are organized this way:

• Students form a circle.
• They count off by 1’s and 2’s.
• 1's takes one step forward into the circle and turn around to face a partner (2's).
• Students speak and listen based on teacher prompts.
• Then the inside circle takes two steps to the right to say hello to a new partner (teacher may vary how
many steps they take).

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 • If there is an odd number of participants, the teacher participates.

“Fluency Circle" by University of the Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Here is a sample of a fluency circle activity:

• Students form an inside and an outside circle.
• Teacher says: '1’s you are going to be listeners, you will retell someone else what your partner said.
• 2’s tell your partner (use one prompt,) like: “one way to exercise” or “ask one question you have about
exercising” or “tell about a time you last exercised”.
• After a few minutes, teacher signals to stop (e.g., clap, call and response).
• 1’s move “2 steps” to the right to their new partner and retells them what their previous partner said and
adds to it.
• This continues using different questions related to the content. This activity can be used during the
introduction, throughout the lesson, and after the lesson.
• Students returning from this task may do some reflective writing based on questions or discussions with
their peers.

Why are fluency circles effective?

Often participation is limited to only a few students who raise their hand. This structure insures that all students
speak and listen.
• Students must use language authentically.
• If one partner's task is to listen, he or she has time to think.
• Students use different grammatical structures and active listening when engaging in fluency circles.

Cooperative Learning Structures

Cooperative Learning Structures provides opportunities for interactive learning that:
• Foster student engagement
• Maximize participating
• Allow for collaboration
• Can be used with ANY content
• Motivate learners by providing social interaction and the opportunity to be active
• Supports students at different levels

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Examples of Cooperative Learning structures include:
Think-Pair-Share: Think-pair-share is a collaborative learning strategy that requires students to work together to
answer a question or to solve a problem. During this activity, students:
• (Think) Students listen to a question about the text or topic and 'think' about what they know or what
they have learned about this topic.
• (Pair) Students form pairs or groups
• (Share) Students share their responses with their partner or groups. They can also share with the whole
class as part of a class discussion.
Jigsaw: (see Module 3)

Additional Resources:

Please review these short resource pages for additional ideas and examples of how to engage your learners in
speaking activities.

1. Making Speaking Fun

To view "Making Speaking Fun" view future pages.

Explore two types of activities (i.e., 'Mystery Box', and 'Find Someone Who..') that you can use to engage your
learners. American English. Teachers' Corner: Making Speaking Fun.
https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/week_2_activity.pdf

2. Scaffolding to Support Language Production

To view "Scaffolding to Support Language Production view future pages.

Explore three types of activities (i.e., 'Sentence Starters and Frames', 'Word Banks and Word Walls', 'Think-Pair-
Share') that you can use in your classroom to practice speaking. American English. Teacher's Corner: Supporting
Language Production.
https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/september_teachers_corner_week_4_final_1.pdf

3. Key Issues in Language Teaching Summary (From Richards, 2015).

To view the summary of Key Issues in Language Teaching view future pages.

Read a study guide that summarizes five types of speaking activities (small talk, conversations, transactions,
discussion, presentations) with sample activities for each category based on Chapter 13 of Richards’ (2015) book,
Key Issues in Language Teaching.

Reference (Copyrighted):

This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of this course. It is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore
not for public use. Please do not save a copy for your personal use, and do not use it after the course ends.

Richards, J. (2015). Key Issues in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.

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Additional Resource 1

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2. Explain to students that they will choose twenty-five items from the list of characteristics and

experiences and randomly write them in spaces on their bingo card. Tell them that during the

activity, everyone will mingle throughout the classroom and ask each other questions using the

bingo card. For example “Do you like to eat fish? Are you an only child? Do you play soccer? Are

you the youngest in your family?” The goal is to find one person who meets the criteria in each

space, write the person’s name, and be the first student to complete a row vertically, horizontally,

or diagonally. It is important to inform students that they may not tell other classmates in which

space to write their name. Instead, they must only respond to their classmates’ questions with yes

or no.

3. Tell students they must yell “Bingo!” to signal that they have completed a row. In order to win, a

student has to share with the class the information from the completed row on the card. For

instance, “Juana has flown on an airplane. Li likes to dance. Nur reads comic books.”

4. Give students time to fill their bingo cards with items from the list. If you choose, you allow

students to include a free space on their cards.

5. Once students have finished creating their bingo cards, instruct them to stand up and get ready to

mingle. Remind the class that they must ask each other questions in order to complete their

cards. Give students a signal to begin talking to each other. Circulate around the room and

monitor students’ discussions during the activity.

6. When the first student yells “Bingo!” ask the rest of the class to pause and listen. The student

with a completed row must explain which of their classmates met the criteria on his/her bingo

board. If the student has in fact completed a row, they are designated the first place winner. The

game can continue until there are second and third place winners, so that students can get more

practice speaking to each other.

7. To wrap up the activity, ask students to share something new that they learned about a

classmate. If needed, provide a sentence frame such as “I learned that ________ likes to eat

americanenglish.state.gov

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Additional Resource 2

SCAFFOLDING PART TWO : SUPPORTING LANGUAG E PRODUCTION

Sometimes the only opportunity our students have to use the language they are learning is when they are
in the language classroom. Therefore, it is important to provide many interactive practice activities during
class time. However, beginner-level students often require structured practice to help them build their
language confidence. With this need in mind, this week’s Teacher’s Corner will present scaffolding
techniques that are useful for giving beginner-level students the structured practice they need to produce
English in meaningful ways.

SENTENCE STARTERS AN D FRAMES

Sentence starters and frames provide structure for producing oral and written language. The structures
can be very simple (with one or two words missing) or more open-ended. In the chart below are some
examples of sentence starters and frames and the types of responses learners may give.

Topic/Vocabulary Sentence Starter/Frame Example Learner Response

Breakfast foods Today I had ______ for breakfast. Today I had eggs and toast for
breakfast.

After-school activities After school, I like to ______. After school, I like to play with my
friends.

Personal My name is ______. My name is Sarah.

characteristics I am ___ years old. I am 14 years old.
I have ______ hair and ______ eyes. I have brown hair and green eyes.

Ordering a meal I would like the ______, with ______ to I would like the soup, with water to
drink, please. drink, please.

Starters and frames can be used when posing questions for learners to answer. You can write the frame
on the board and model a response before asking students to form their own responses. When using
frames for writing, as students become more proficient, you can include additional sentence frames to
help students add more details.

WORD BANKS AND WORD WALLS

Word banks and word walls are excellent tools to use in conjunction with sentence frames because they
help students to connect vocabulary with language structures. As you teach a specific topic and related

americanenglish.state.gov

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sentence starters and frames, create a word list, or a “word bank,” on the board or a poster. Include
illustrations or pictures if possible. As students are asked to produce language using the sentence frames,
they can refer to the word bank to help them recall the necessary vocabulary. Below are examples of
word banks for the topics of the sentence frames discussed above.

Topic/Vocabulary Sentence Starter/Frame Example Word Bank

Breakfast foods Today I had ______ for breakfast. Eggs, toast, rice, cereal, fruit, coffee, milk,
juice

After school activities After school, I like to ______. Play, sleep, eat, read, watch TV, do homework

Personal My name is ______. Number and color words

characteristics I am ___ years old.
I have ______ hair and ______ eyes.

Ordering a meal I would like the ______, with ______ Restaurant foods: soup, hamburger, stew,
to drink, please. pizza, sandwich, pie, rice
Drinks: water, soda, juice, coffee, milk, tea

After a topic or lesson is completed, vocabulary can be displayed on posters on a “Word Wall,” organized
by topic. Alternatively, each vocabulary word can be written on an individual card (or strip of paper) and
then placed on the wall. (These vocabulary cards can be organized alphabetically, by topic, or by another
method). Students can also use a notebook as a personal vocabulary journal and record the words by
topic to use later during writing or speaking tasks.

THINK-PAIR-SHARE ACTIVITIES

Think-pair-share may be a familiar classroom strategy, but it is especially useful with beginners. This
strategy can also be used in conjunction with the other scaffolds discussed in the Teacher’s Corner for this
week and last week.

Basic Think-Pair-Share:
1. Think: The teacher poses a question and instructs students to think about their ideas or
responses. (A timer can be set if desired, or students can just be asked to think quietly for a
minute.)
2. Pair: The teacher pairs students (this can be done through pre-arranged assigned seats or
randomly) and gives pairs a set amount of time to discuss their ideas or responses.

americanenglish.state.gov

TM, Module 6, Page 48

 3. Share: Students stop talking and return their attention to the teacher and whole class. One at a
time, pairs are given a chance to briefly share with the whole class what they discussed.

This strategy is excellent to use with beginners for several reasons. First, the built-in “think time” helps
beginning students gather their thoughts and ideas before they have to articulate them. Second, the
“pair” portion allows beginners to process ideas and check their understanding with a peer before the
final “share” with the group. The sharing portion also allows multiple students to be responsible for the
information or idea being presented, which takes some of the pressure off of beginners.

The basic procedure for think-pair-share can also be adapted to include writing or to increase the number
of students interacting in the group. Two variations are discussed below.

Think-Pair-Write-Share:
This modification adds a writing step to the basic procedure. During the “pair” portion, students can work
together to write out their response. Sentence frames and word banks can be helpful during this step if
students need extra support. The teacher can move around to make sure students understand the task or
to assist as needed. Writing out responses also allows for students to learn with and from their peers.
Then, pairs can share their written response with the class.

Think-Pair-Share with Another Pair:

For this variation, follow the basic think-pair-share procedure, but instead of sharing with the whole class,
student pairs will share with another pair. When pairs are ready to share their ideas or responses, they
join with another pair to form a small group. The pairs present their responses to each other and share
ideas, and the teacher can move around the room to monitor students and to be sure everyone
understands the task.

americanenglish.state.gov

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Additional Resource 3

Summary of Richard’s Chapter 13. Speaking.

Study Guide by Yuliya Schmaltz

DESIGNING SPEAKING ACTIVITIES

It is easier to approach designing speaking activities if we think of them as falling into different categories or genres.
Richards (2015) describes different types of spoken genres and states that each of the genres is associated with
certain types of speaking activities. Each genre determines the kinds of spoken interactions that learners engage in,
and, therefore, suggests the kinds of teaching activities that teachers can select for their students. Depending on
students' learning goals (e.g., academic English, conversational English), some genres may be more relevant to
certain learners than others. Richards discusses small talk, conversations, transactions, discussions, and
presentations. Let's look at these in detail below.

Small talk: People use small talk to communicate with each other. Such interactions are usually simple and
short, and speakers talk about everyday topics such as school, work, and weather. Small talk normally starts and
ends with fixed expressions such as 'Hello', 'Hi', 'That is interesting', 'Thank you', 'See you later', 'Talk to you
soon'. Such interactions are simple, and they facilitate easy information exchange. They usually engage BICS
(i.e., Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills), and they help build confidence and promote positive
interactions.
Skills Learners Use During Small Talk: Teachers Can:
• Learning and using fixed expressions. • Model simple conversations and ask students
• Developing fluency in speaking on simple, to reproduce them, creating their own short
everyday topics. conversations.
• Using opening and closing expressions and • Provide 2-3 simple topics or conversation
strategies. starters and ask students to mingle and talk to
several classmates.
• Provide question sheets that contain 10
different questions. Students move around the
room, asking and responding to the questions.

Conversations: Conversations are longer and more meaningful dialogues that require higher order speaking
skills, as participants have to be able to respond, express, and exchange their ideas. Conversations usually have
a specific purpose. Speakers have a goal they want to achieve at the end of each conversation. Learners
engaging in conversations also rely on their BICS skills.
First, students can start conversing on familiar topics. As they increase their vocabulary and proficiency,
teachers can help students engage in conversations on unfamiliar topics.

©2018 by University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Summary of Richard’s Chapter 13. Speaking
for the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S Department of State and administered by FHI 360. This
1
work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except where noted. To view a copy of
this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This is a program of the U.S. Department of State administered by FHI 360
and delivered by University of Maryland Baltimore County

TM, Module 6, Page 50

Skills Learners Use During Conversations: Teachers Can:
• Initiating formal and informal conversation • Provide examples of conversations that
on particular topics. students can analyze. Such examples can help
• Using appropriate vocabulary. students learn to identify such features of
• Responding and providing feedback and conversations as openings, turn-taking,
comments. closing, and others.
• Taking turns. • Remove certain features in dialogues (e.g.,
• Clarifying and asking for repetition. openings, closings, clarification requests) and
• Opening and closing conversations. ask students to complete dialogues and fill in
• Selecting appropriate stress and intonation. missing information.
• Prepare conversation topics or conversation
outlines and ask students to improvise and
converse on those topics.

Transactions: Transactions are interactions that are focused on completing a certain task. They are different
from conversations, as they focus on getting something done, rather than just chatting and interacting.
Transactions can be centered around certain functions, such as requests, offers, orders, and suggestions.
Ordering food, calling a taxi, buying a newspaper are examples of such transactions. Again, learners employ
their BICS.
Skills Learners Use During Transactions: Teachers Can:

• Selecting relevant and appropriate • Raise awareness on how transactions occur.

vocabulary. The same transaction may happen differently
• Using fixed expressions. in different cultures. Teachers can model and
• Asking and answering questions. discuss different functions and transactions
• Following scripts. (e.g., ordering food, buying tickets, paying
• Clarifying, confirming, and repeating for an item).
information. • Model different ways of performing
• Engaging communication skills and transactions (e.g., formal and informal
strategies. settings).
• Help students plan transactions and anticipate
what grammar and vocabulary they may need
to use.
• Allow opportunities to practice transactions
in familiar and unfamiliar contexts, using
controlled and free formats.

TM, Module 6, Page 51

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State administered by FHI
Discussions: Discussions are particularly important for students who engage in academic studies or who need
English for professional purposes. Such learners need to engage their CALP (i.e., Cognitive Academic
Language Proficiency). Discussions are particular interactions that include exchanging ideas on topics and
expressing points of view.
It is important to approach using formal discussions as a teaching strategy in a systematic and planned manner.
Teachers should be careful not to allow discussions to turn into informal chats and conversations.
Skills Learners Use During Discussions: Teachers Can:

• Offering an opinion. • Form student groups and assign roles (i.e.,

• Presenting and supporting a point of view. group leader, time manager, note-taker, etc.).
• Taking and sustaining turns. • Help student prepare for
• Agreeing and disagreeing. discussions by researching background
• Summarizing own position and stance. information, teaching specific vocabulary
(e.g., how to agree, disagree, politely
interrupt, etc.).
• Provide formal guidelines and expectations.
• Evaluate discussions by engaging students in
reflection or by providing formal rubrics and
checklists.

Presentations: Presentations are a form of speaking that implies speaking to an audience. Presentations tend to
be structured more like monologues or speeches (vs. dialogues or conversations). They are formal, and similar
to discussions. They also engage speakers' CALP. Presentations are mostly used for academic and professional
purposes.
Skills Learners Use During Presentations: Teachers Can:
• Delivering information in a clear, coherent • Help learners build the context of the
manner. presentation (determining the components,
• Considering the audience when presenting. structure, sequence).
• Using appropriate and accurate grammar and • Deconstruct the presentation (i.e., help
pronunciation (being comprehensible). learners analyze the text for language,
• Choosing appropriate style, tone and register. grammar and discourse features).
• Construct jointly (i.e., guide learners to
develop new presentation focusing on
openings, transitions, and closings).
• Monitor independent construction (i.e.,
learners create new presentations individually
or in groups).
• Observe presentation and provide students
with feedback.

Richards (2015)

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State administered by FHI

TM, Module 6, Page 52

By identifying student learning needs and goals and by selecting the category or genre of speaking activities,
teachers can better help students select speaking activities and, therefore, develop better speaking skills.

Reference:

Richards, J. (2015). Key Issues in Language Teaching. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State administered by FHI

TM, Module 6, Page 53
6 . 2 . 3 GR A M MA R A N D V OC A B U L A R Y S U P P O R T IN S P E A K I N G
A N D L IS T E N IN G

“Untitled” by Manuel do Moucheiro via pixabay is licensed under CC0

Speaking activities are a great way to support students' vocabulary development and grammar skills. Students can
practice both vocabulary and grammar while engaging in various classroom speaking activities. Let's look at some
ways teachers can use speaking activities to help students advance their grammar and vocabulary skills.

Word Sorts

Students are presented with lists of words and are asked to sort them according to their common characteristics
(e.g., meaning, relationships to each other). Students can also sort sentences and parts of a paragraph and put it in
sequence to practice grammar, vocabulary and comprehension.

Spelling & Pronunciation Practice

Another example, when presented with the following list, students can sort the words into 3 categories: words
spelled with 'ow', words spelled with 'ou', and words spelled with 'au'.

TM, Module 6, Page 54

Plow, bounty, audio, crowd, mount, pause, blow, crow, know, applaud, loud, cloud, clown, laundry, route, daunting,
laurel, aura, grow.

Students need to say these words out loud and listen to each other to make sure the words are pronounced
correctly. To practice grammar skills, students can also be asked to identify parts of speech for every word. More
advanced students can write sentences using these words and practice grammar that they are studying at that
time (e.g., Write sentences in past simple tense using these words).

Word Walls
ESL students are asked to write the words on pieces of paper and pin them to the wall or poster paper. Such word
walls can be used as a learning tool for students to:
• Learn high frequency words.
• Learn words with complicated spelling.
• Learn groups of words on a similar topic (e.g., vegetables, sea animals, adjectives to describe people, etc.)
Students can:
• Pick two words and tell how they are related
• Identify word parts t help with meaning (prefixes, suffixes, root words)
• Find words with similar meanings

Word walls can be created as frequently as needed. Students can be asked to use these words when they engage
in controlled and free speaking activities that utilize new grammatical structures. Students should be encouraged
to create their own word walls at home.

Role Plays
Role play allow students to act out situations when interacting with each other. They provide a great way for
students to practice new vocabulary in different communicative situations and scenarios. Role plays can be
scripted and non-scripted.

Scripted Role Plays

Scripted role plays are controlled. They give students the exact language to produce. This can be used to help them
practice pronunciation, and for fluency.

Scripted role plays are easier because the vocabulary and grammar are provided, but students still need to use
their reading and pronunciation skills. The following dialogue can be used as a scripted role activity when students
are practicing new vocabulary at a restaurant.

Example: Scripted Role Play- At a Restaurant

TM, Module 6, Page 55
Target language structures and vocabulary:

● Food, sizes
● Greetings, giving/taking an order
● Would like
Hello and welcome! What would you like to drink?
Student A:

(Waiter)

I would like a coke please.

Student B:

(Customer)

What size would you like? Small or large?

Student A:

I would like a large please.

Student B:

What would you like to eat?

Student A:

I would like a hamburger please.

Student B:

Student A:
Ok, you would like a large coke and a hamburger, correct?
That will be ready soon.

Situational and Goal-Oriented Role Plays

Situational and goal-oriented role plays are unscripted, and less controlled, but supported by cues or a
goal. Students must create a dialogue with their partner and use new vocabulary related to specific prompts.
These role plays are harder because students need to produce vocabulary and grammar themselves. Students can
personalize their language use by being more creative and spontaneous. Situational and goal-oriented role plays
can be supported with sentence frames and students can rely on words walls. Various topics can be practiced:

Example: Situational Role Play- At a Restaurant

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Target language structures and vocabulary:

● Food, sizes
● Greetings, giving/taking an order
● Would like
Supports: Sentence Frames (I would like _______// Would you like _____ or____?)

You are a customer at a restaurant. You would like to order a coke and a hamburger.

Student A:

You are a waiter/waitress at a restaurant. Take the customer's order. Make sure you ask
what size drink they would like. If they order meat, ask how they want it cooked.
Student B:

Games
Games are a great way to introduce and practice new vocabulary and grammar. You can use games with children
and adult learners. Below are some examples of vocabulary games that can be used in your speaking classes.

“Untitled" by University of the Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Matching games
Ask students to match words or phrases to pictures or real objects (See above).

Describing games
Students work in pairs and sit with their backs to the board. 5-10 words are written on the board. Student A
describes words they see on the board using only English. They cannot say the word, they can only describe it.
Student B is not allowed to speak - they can only write what they think the word is. Once student B guesses the
word correctly, students can move to the next word. Once they finish, they change roles and a teacher provides a
new group of words. This game can be used when practicing categories of words, such as sports, jobs, plants,
animals, and so on. Students are practicing grammar when describing new words.

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Memory games
Students repeat a phrase that can be used with different vocabulary or different structures.
For example, 'I went to the forest and I saw____'. Students can insert names of animals (i.e., new words that they
just learned). Another example of a structure students can use to practice grammar and vocabulary is 'I am a
doctor and I treat patients with ___'. Students can fill in the blanks with the names of diseases that they just
learned. Teachers can ask students to use these structures with 3rd person singular (i.e., John is a doctor and he
treats patients with__', or use it with different tenses (e.g., Alice will be a doctor and she will treat patients
with___.')

6 . 3 V I D E O A N D R E F L E C T I ON A C T IV IT Y : C O M MU N IC A T IV E
L A N GU A GE T E A C H IN G ME T H OD S ( O P T I ON A L )
OPTIONAL: Now that you have learned about the various ways we can teach listening and speaking skills, let's
watch some short video excerpts and identify the methods instructors can use to teach these skills in the
classroom. For this activity, please do the following:

Watch the video clips from "Five Communicative Language Teaching Methods". Watch what the teacher does to
help facilitate learning speaking and listening. Also, watch what the students do in order to learn speaking and
listening skills. Record your thoughts on the graphic organizer.

1. Read each video clip. Each part has one activity to teach students listening and speaking skills.

Transcript for “Part 1: Running Dictation” Video

Female Teacher: One person at a time from each team has to run outside…

Narrator: The students will have to work together as a team in order to transcribe a letter correctly. The letter will
be attached outside the classroom. The letter is now in place. The race can begin. Each student must memorize
one sentence at a time to dictate to the rest of the team. If they can't remember it perfectly, they must run back to
read it again. The first team to finish scores one point, but that doesn't mean that they have won. Teams swap
their letters for correction and compare them with the original letter. each team scores one point for each
complete sentence without any mistakes. Total scored points are added up.

Female: Teacher: Team one got five.

Narrator: For homework, the students must write the reply written by the hotel manager in response to the letter.

Transcript for “Part 2: Proverbs” Video

Female Teacher: Today, we’re going to talk about proverbs…

Narrator: The students are going to learn some English proverbs. They talk about proverbs in their mother tongue
and discuss their meanings in English. In pairs, the students match the English proverbs with the explanations of
their meanings. The students check their answers.

Male Student: If you don't, it will get the worse.

Narrator: The students tell each other to see what they can remember.

Female Student: Actions speak louder than words.

Narrator: In groups, students choose a proverb to act out. They then work together to write a short script, which
they will then perform to the rest of the class.

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Male Student: Actions speak louder than words.

[Students clap]

Narrator: Students act out their scenes and the rest of the class must guess which proverb they are enacting.

Female Student: When the cat's away, the mice will play.

Male Student: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Female Student: Actions speak louder than words.

Female Student: The bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Male Student: A stitch in time saves nine.

Male Student: Every cloud has a silver line.

Transcript for “Part 3: Five Communicative Language Teaching Methods

(Simulation) Video
Narrator: The simulation is a class trip.

Teacher: You're going on a trip to Scotland together.

Student: You are flying with Scottish airway.

Teacher: Right now, the passport please. [Music]

Narrator: One girl has forgotten her passport. What's she going to do? Last call. The others have to leave without
her. [Music]

Narrator: After a pleasant flight, they arrive in Edinburgh where there's a problem with the baggage.

Student: Where is my baggage? Oh, thank you. Yes, but we go through lost baggage. [Music]

Narrator: They complete the lost package form and get a refund. How are they going to get to the hostel?

Student: Money for me is not a problem. Hey, we take a taxi. [Music]

Narrator: Finally at the hostel, the holiday can begin. [Music and students discussing their travels]

2. Choose a viewing role: view from the perspective of the teacher or from the perspective of the student. Record
your thoughts on the activities in the video in the graphic organizer. While you are watching, think about the
following ideas:

● What does the teacher do during each activity to support listening and speaking skills?
● What do the students do during each activity to practice listening and speaking skills?
● How does each activity relate to the concepts discussed in this module?

3. Please email your submission to your instructor for feedback.

View the video graphic organizer on the next page.

TM, Module 6, Page 59

Alternative Assignment
If you are unable to view the video, please do the following:

1. Read the transcript for only Part 1: Running Dictation.

2. Read what the teacher does in the classroom. What does the teacher do to create a learner-centered
classroom? How does this relate to the concepts we learned in this module?

3. Read what the students do in the video. What activities do the students do that make this classroom learner-
centered? How does this relate to the concepts we learned in this module?

4. Record your thoughts on the graphic organizer.

View the self-assessment graphic organizer rubric below:

Graphic Organizer
Five Communicative Language Teaching Methods Graphic Organizer

TM, Module 6, Page 60

 What did you see in the video? List any evidence How does this connect to best practices for English
here. teaching discussed in this module?

Example A [what the teacher was doing]: The Example A: The teacher role was to be a facilitator.
teacher moved from group to group and observed Students used English while the teacher was able to
their conversations, prompting them as necessary. assess their speaking and vocabulary informally.

Example B [what students were doing]: Students Example B: Small groups allowed for more student-
were seated in small to-student interaction.

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6 . 4 R E A D IN GS : T IP S A N D A C T IV IT I E S F OR T E A C H I N G
L I S T E N IN G A N D S P E A K I N G

Readings

Read the articles published by American English. A study guide is provided for each.

Article 1. "Practical Tips for Increasing Listening Practice Time"

For a study guide of the McCaughey article view future pages.
While it's often assumed that learners are effectively learning by using pre- and post-listening activities and
listening to the teacher talk, it is recommended that teacher dedicate time for students to practice simply listening
to text without answering comprehension questions before or after. By listening to short audio files, students can
better understand the many aspects of the English language and the teacher can also see if the students are
understanding what they are learning.

Please read and reflect on this article. Consider how it might connect to your own teaching context. You will
discuss these ideas and your own connections in the Module 6 discussion.

McCaughey, K. (2015). Practical Tips for Increasing Listening Practice Time. English Teaching Forum, 53(1),2-13.

Article 2. "Reciprocal Teaching: A useful tool for increasing student talking time"
For a study guide of the Vela Izquierdo article view future pages.

Reciprocal Teaching is an effective method that allows students to maximize their speaking time during class. This
method involves various techniques that teachers can implement in order to increase talk time between teachers
and students, and also students to students. Overall, by using this method, teachers are encouraging students to
not only practice language, but also master it fluently and communicatively.

Please read and reflect on this article. Consider how it might connect to your own teaching context. You will
discuss these ideas and your own connections in the Module 6 discussion.

Vela Izquierdo, Felipe A. (2004). Practical Tips for Increasing Listening Practice Time. English Teaching Forum, 42(2),
20-25. https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/english-teaching-forum-2004-volume-42-number-2#child-480

OPTIONAL: Article "Pragmatic Activities for the Speaking Classroom"

The goal of many EFL (English as a Foreign Language) speakers is to develop an ability to easily communicate in
English a variety of situations. Teachers can help students learn these skills by providing activities that will allow
learners to practice communication skills for everyday life. Such pragmatic activities include different everyday
speech acts, such as expressing apology, taking responsibility, getting attention, and others.

Please read and reflect on this article. Consider how it might connect to your own teaching context. You will
discuss these ideas and your own connections in the Module 6 discussion.

Siegel, J. (2016). Pragmatic Activities for the Speaking Classroom. English Teaching Forum, 54(1),12-
19. https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/english-teaching-forum-volume-54-number-1#child-2064
https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/english-teaching-forum-volume-54-number-1#child-2064

TM, Module 6, Page 62

Article 1

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Study Guide for Article 1

An OPEN Study Guide for:

Practical Tips for Increasing Listening Practice Time

Article by Kevin McCaughey

From English Language Teaching Forum, 2015, Volume 53, Number 1 Retrieved 28 January 2018 from:
https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/forum_article_-_mccaughey_-_listening.pdf

Overview
It is often assumed that students get listening practice when they listen to the teacher. However, it is important to
reconsider listening tasks and provide time specific for practicing listening. With particular tasks that help manage
the classroom and activities during listening activities, more learning can take place.

The Concept of ‘Not-Listening’

McCaughey recalls notes from a classroom observation where students engaged in more pre-listening and post-
listening activities instead of actual activities. Because these pre- and post- activities overtook the listening activity
itself with more practice on vocabulary, grammar and writing, there was very little listening practice. He notes that
scaffolding for more difficult listening activities is actually anti-listening because students can only be successful in
listening tasks if they complete activities where they are not listening. Neither vocabulary and grammar review,
nor games during the listening, count as a listening activity because students are more focused on skills other than
listening.

Listening-Specific Goals
The first goal of a listening activity should be listening just to practice listening. Usually, teachers play an audio and
have students answer comprehension questions after they listen. However, this method only acts as a memory
test for students and doesn’t address the listening process. With listening specific goals, teachers allow students to
understand various aspects of the speech including utterances, differences in speech patterns, pauses, speed,
accents, etc. Students are able to understand the reality of language as opposed to only understanding the
message. Practicing this way will ultimately lead to students’ ability to process the language automatically and
understand authentic English.

Five Tips for Increased Listening Practice

Here are five ways teachers can setup and conduct effective listening activities:

1.) Students Do During: students react immediately to audio.

a. Have students respond to the audio while it is playing instead of after. Pause the audio and have
students respond immediately.
b. Picture Dictation: Students draw a picture based on instructions. After each instruction, students
draw a part of the picture. They must listen to instructions correctly to draw the correct picture.
c. Sound-clip Dictation: Students write sentences as they listen to an audio or sentences from the
teacher. The sentences can be played again and again.
d. Single-sentence Gap Fill: To practice different features in speech such as reduction, students can
fill in the gaps to complete sentences that they hear.
2.) See It: build activities that allows teachers to see if students understand the material or not
a. Follow the Map: Teachers give students directions on a map. Students find the correct places on
the map based on the instructions.

TM, Module 6, Page 75

 b. Seeing Answers: Distribute “Yes/No” or “True/False” cards to students instead of asking them to
raise their hands. This was everyone takes part in the listening and teachers can see who
understands the question. The cards can be substituted for movements such as stand up, or
remain seated.
3.) Keep it Short: Work with short audio files to make short activities, which require little preparation and
allow students to pay more attention.
4.) Play It Again: Play audio as many times as learners need, despite the general rule of playing audio only
twice or three times. Learners can engage in fill-in-the-blank activities while listening.
5.) Change It Up: Use a variety of audio files for class.
a. Recorded audios from online sources and also the teacher’s recorded voice also work for
listening activities.
b. Use non-authentic texts for learners to understand audio files with limited vocabulary. Use
authentic texts for learners to practice natural communication. All levels can use authentic texts,
however, it is important to shorten the texts for lower-level students.
c. Use scripted (pre-written) texts such as TV shows or movies. Teachers can also use unscripted
(free speaking) texts to show examples of natural English.
d. Use audio files with both native and non-native speakers to introduce students to the various
dialects and accents around the world.
Conclusion
Implementing these tips does not have to be difficult. Overall, make the audio files small and short to be the most
effective. To overcome technical challenges, teachers can record their own voices or bring in a guest. Students can
even use their own cell phones to listen to audio. Of course, teachers can always practice other language skills
together with the listening activities, but no matter the technique, it is important to give students time to practice
simply listening.

References
Brown, J. D. 2006. Authentic communication: Whyzit importan’ ta teach reduced forms? In Authentic
communication: Proceedings of the 5th Annual JALT Pan-SIG Conference, Shizuoka, Japan, 13–24. jalt.org/
pansig/2006/HTML/Brown.htm

Brown, J.D., and K. Kondo-Brown. 2006. Introducing connected speech. In Perspectives on teaching connected
speech to second language speakers, ed. J. D. Brown and K. Kondo-Brown, 1-16. University of Hawai’i at Manoa:
National Foreign Language Research Center.

Buck, G. 2001. Assessing listening. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Cauldwell, R. 2014. Grasping the nettle: The importance of perception work in listening comprehension.
Developing Teachers.com. www. developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/ perception1_richard.htm

Field, J. 1998. Skills and strategies: Towards a new methodology for listening. ELT Journal 52 (2): 110–118. –––.
2002. Listening in language learning. In Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice, ed. J.
C. Richards and W. A. Renandya, 242–247. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Graddol, D. 2006. English Next. British Council. www. britishcouncil.org/learning-researchenglish-next.pdf

Lewis, M., and J. Hill. 1985. Practical techniques for language teaching. 2nd ed. Hove: Language Teaching
Publications.

McCaughey, K. 2010. What makes a great listening task. Shaping the way we teach English webinar 1.1. U.S.
Department of State: Office of English Language Programs.

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Nunan, D. 2002. The changing face of listening. In Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current
practice, ed. J. C. Richards and W. A. Renandya, 238–241. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Article 2

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Study Guide for Article 2

An OPEN Study Guide for:

Reciprocal Teaching: A Useful Tool for Increasing Student Talk Time

Article by A. Felipe Vela Izquierdo

From English Language Teaching Forum, 2004, Volume 42, Number 2 Retrieved 28 January 2018 from:
https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/04-42-2-h.pdf

Overview
Reciprocal teaching (RT) is a strategy that teachers can use to encourage students to actively speak. This method
decreases talk time for the teacher and maximizes talk time for students. The teacher acts as a facilitator of
conversation as opposed to a teacher. There are many procedures involved in reciprocal teaching which help
increase interaction in student - student conversations and student - teacher conversations. These methods
include:

• Vocabulary used
• Paraphrasing
• Reported speech
• Question formation
• Concept checking

The Vocabulary of RT
Teachers and students can use both short turn and long turn language to interact in the classroom. Language that
is short and only used for informational purposes in the classroom is referred to as short turn language. Language
that is used to exchange information in conversation is referred to as long turn language. It is recommended that
teachers encourage students to promote long turn language, or language where students are producing complete
sentences, in order to better communicate automatically in conversations. This can be done by gesturing or asking
the student in a few words to continue their explanation by using long-turn language.

Here is an example of a student being prompted to use long-turn language.

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Teacher: Did you have a good weekend?
Student: Yes.
Teacher: What did you do?
Student: Nothing
Teacher gestures to explain their answer more.
Student: Uh, I went to the movies with some friends. We saw a terrific movie and after the show we had
something to eat.
A teacher’s motion to further the conversation allows the student more talking time and encourages fluency and
language retention.

Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing means to say or write someone else’s ideas using your own words. By asking students to paraphrase
their classmates ideas or what their classmates say in class, students have more opportunities to speak and
participate. Students also have the ability to think of synonyms, or words that have similar meanings, further
increasing their vocabulary.

Reported Speech
Similar to paraphrasing, students can also practice reported speech to relay information that their classmates have
recently stated. In reported speech, language is changed from a direct statement or question to a reported on by
changing verb tenses. This might be difficult for students because it involves grammar, however, it can be seen as
good practice for speaking. In lower-level classes, teachers can write prompts on the board to help students with
reported speech.

Question Formation
Usually, teachers ask the majority of question during class. Teachers can also instruct students to ask their peers
questions during long turn conversations.

• Basic courses: the teacher asks the student a question. The student answers, chooses another student, and
asks another student the same question.
• Intermediate courses: the teacher instructs a student to ask a specific question to another student. After the
student responds, the teacher asks another student to ask a follow up question to the first student.

It is important to take into account the level of students in order to provide the appropriate scaffolding.

Concept Checking
Concept checking is when a teacher asks students to repeat the instructions for an assignment after they are given.
This method checks students’ comprehension and attention. Students can repeat, summarize or paraphrase the
information. Concept checking can not only be used to check comprehension of instructions, but also to ensure
understanding of grammar concepts and to summarize progress on an assignment.

How to Ensure Success with RT

For reciprocal teaching to work effectively, teachers must take the following steps in the classroom:
• Step back to give students control of speaking.
• Encourage students to say the whole sentence to ensure that students understand various language
elements.
• Teach the language of the classroom so that students understand what they are being asked to do. • Give
instructions by modeling the task.
• Instruct students to verbalize the instructions after they have heard them to ensure comprehension.
• Ask students to check the comprehension of their peers by asking peers about instructions and other course
concepts.

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Possible Reservations
Engaging in this type of discourse could present difficulties for both the teacher and the students. Teachers may
feel underwhelmed with the level of responses that the students give, thus making students feel less than
confident about speaking. It is also quite time consuming and could become repetitive. To avoid these challenges,
teachers should slowly introduce the technique to students. As students feel more comfortable, they will start to
get comfortable with the amount of speaking they are being asked to produce. Teachers can also utilize prompts
to help students with more complex language. These can also be slowly removed from the classroom once
students gain knowledge.

Conclusion
Student talk time should be increased in the classroom to provide students with enough opportunities to develop
fluency in the classroom. Reciprocal teaching allows students to practice language more in the classroom so that
they can perform with competence outside of the classroom.

References
Brown, G. and G. Yule. 1983. Teaching the spoken language: An approach based on the analysis of conversational
English. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Krashen, S. and T. D. Terrell. 1983. The natural approach. New York: Pergamon Press.

Palincsar, A. S. and A. Brown. 1984. Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-

monitoring activities. Cognition and Instruction, 1 (2):117–175.

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OPTIONAL: Article 3

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6 . 4 . 1 QU IZ : L IS T E N IN G A N D S P E A K IN G M E T H OD S

“Untitled” by Tumisu via Pixabay is licensed under CC0

Quiz Instructions

Now that you have had a chance to read and reflect on teaching listening and speaking skills, try and
match concepts with their meaning. Take the quiz to test yourself! You will get one point for each correct answer.
(Maximum 10 points.)

You can take this quiz as many times as you want. Your highest grade will count.

<<This diagnostic can only be completed online.>>

6 . 5 D I S C U S S I O N : C A S C A D IN G N E W K N O WL E D GE

“Cascading New Knowledge icon” by Tiera Day for University of Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Preparing to Teach Listening and Speaking

Listening in a foreign language can present difficulties because of the various speaking styles, rhythms, accents,
paces, etc. of English language speakers around the world. Speaking a foreign language can create anxiety for even

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the bravest of students. Not only must the speaker think in the foreign language, but s/he must also produce the
foreign language.

In order to successfully complete a speaking and listening activity, a teacher must develop various techniques to
assist with the learning process.

This discussion has two parts, please post both part A and part B in the same discussion thread.

Part A: Listening and Speaking Reflection

1. Think about your learners and various classroom techniques that can assist with their learning in listening and
speaking activities. Answer the following questions:

Based on your learning in the module, what are some supports and strategies you can use to engage learners in
active listening and speaking in your classes?
• How can you be sure they understand what they hear?
• How can we support both accuracy and fluency?

2. Post your responses to these questions in the discussion thread below.

B: Cascading New Knowledge

Now it is time to share our own strategies with each other!

Let's think of the fun strategies that we use in the classroom to teach our students speaking and listening. For this
activity, please do the following:

1. Share your favorite activities to promote speaking and listening in your classes or ones from your own language
learning experiences. Give at least one example of a speaking activity and one example of a listening activity.

2. Post your speaking and listening strategies to the discussion thread below. Be sure to include what age group
your activity is for, and any special directions or considerations.

3. Read the post of at least one of your colleagues. Respond with suggestions, ideas or comments.

OPTIONAL: If you have more time, read other posts to get ideas for your classes, and interact with as many
colleagues as you wish.

To view the rubric for this activity, see below:

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6 . 6 C U L T U R A L S P OT L I G H T : IN T E R A C T I ON IN T H E E F L
C LA S S R O O M

“Cultural Spotlight icon” by Tiera Day for University of Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Creating Classroom Communities and Interaction in the EFL Classroom

Directions: Read the introductions to creating classroom communities and interactions in the EFL classroom. As
you read, think about interactions in your own classrooms and how cultural norms affect your classroom
interactions. Try some of these suggestions in your next class.

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Introduction
Learning is a collaborative process; therefore, creating classroom communities that promote positive interactions
between students and teachers is very important. Such positive interactions promote our ESL or EFL students'
language development.
Classroom community implies students working together to achieve common learning goals. When students are a
part of a classroom community, they feel connected to their teacher and other students in their class. Additionally,
students need to feel safe to communicate and feel comfortable speaking in English. Therefore, facilitating ways
for students and teachers to interact becomes essential for students' success and learning.

Here are several ways how you can create classroom communities and promote interaction in your class.

Learn students' names

Knowing students' names will show them that you care about them and about their learning.

Know some facts about students' personal lives

Learn about students' families, hobbies, interests, origins, likes and dislikes. You can then refer to some of these
facts in your daily interactions, and make students feel noticed and important.

Share facts about yourself

Let students know about yourself, your hobbies, your experiences, your adventures. They will be able to relate to
you on a personal level.

Engage in small talk

At the beginning of class, ask students about something that's new or interesting. What they did on the weekend,
etc.

Create classroom rules and expectations together

Students can help create rules and expectations for classroom behavior. It will be easier for them to practice these
rules daily if they took part in creating them. Talk to students about these rules and how they help them learn,
communicate, show respect, and stay safe.

Conduct a daily meeting

Start a class by asking students to sit in a circle or in pairs, shake hands, greet each other by name, and share
something new or interesting that happened to them the day before. Everyone loves sharing important things.
Having such meetings will help your students feel connected.

Regularly change seating arrangements and partners

Change where your students sit regularly, even during the same class. This will allow students an opportunity to
work with many peers, and it will promote interaction and team building.

Display student work and success

Post students' work around the classroom to showcase and model their accomplishments. Students can ask each
other questions or comment on each other's work.

Create a class web page or a blog

Students can post about their learning and life experiences and share them with their friends and families abroad.

Create a class book

At the end of the course or semester students can create a book with their pictures and share about their
experiences in their class. You can make digital or print copies and share them with everyone. It is great for
students to keep something like this as a memory! They can write each other messages and memories in English.

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6 . 7 A S S I GN ME N T : 5 - M IN U T E S P E A K I N G A C T I V IT Y
1. Review Section 6.2. in this Module which discusses different spoken genres and types of activities associated
with each of those genres (i.e., small talk, conversations, transactions, discussions, presentations). Also, look at
specific examples of speaking activities presented in that section.

2. Think about your own classes and students.

3. Design a 5-minute speaking activity for your students. This can be an activity that is connected to what your
students are studying. Make this activity practical and use it with your students in the next class.

4. Name your activity and indicate what category of speaking activities it falls into (i.e., small talk, conversations,
transactions, discussions, presentations).

5. Provide an objective/goal (what language skills and functions will students use?) for your activity and outline the
steps your students need to take.

6. Briefly describe how you would assess this activity.

7. Upload your activity as an attachment or type it in the submission box.

View the speaking activity template below.

6.7 Assignment: 5-minute Speaking Activity

Directions:
1. Review Section 6.2. in this Module which discusses different spoken genres and types
of activities associated with each of those genres (i.e., small talk, conversations,
transactions, discussions, presentations). Also, look at specific examples of speaking
activities presented in that section.
2. Think about your own classes and students.
3. Design a 5-minute speaking activity for your students. This can be an activity that is
connected to what your students are studying. Make this activity practical and use it
with your students in the next class.
4. Name your activity and indicate what category of speaking activities it falls into (i.e.,
small talk, conversations, transactions, discussions, presentations).
5. Provide an objective/goal (what language skills and functions will students use?) for
your activity and outline the steps your students need to take.
6. Briefly describe how you would assess this activity.
7. Complete the graphic organizer below with your activity as an attachment or type it in
the submission box.

Name your
speaking activity

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Identify the
category of
speaking activities
your activity falls
into (i.e., small
talk,
conversations,
transactions,
discussions,
presentations).
Provide an
objective for your
activity.
Outline the steps
your students
need to take.

Briefly describe
how you would
assess this activity.

View the speaking activity rubric below.

<<This activity can only be completed online.>>

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6 . 8 U P C O M IN G A S S I GN ME N T S

Upcoming Assignments
The assignments below are due in upcoming modules. You cannot submit them until the module is open, and it is
best to complete the learning from the module before submitting your final assignment. However, the information
below can help you plan for these upcoming assignments.

Lesson Plan: Learner-Centered Activity (Due in Module 7, by November 11, 11:59 p.m. EST)
In Module 7, you will be asked to submit a lesson for a learner-centered activity. Begin thinking of a topic and a
plan that incorporates your learning from the course modules.

The traditional roles of the teacher include planner of content, deliverer of information, controller of the
classroom, and evaluator of achievement are very different in a learner-centered classroom. When the classroom
is collaborative, the teacher becomes a facilitator, moderator, group leader, coach, manager of processes and
procedures, giver of feedback, and partner in learning. Teachers in learner-centered classrooms need to carefully
plan for whole-class, small-group, paired, or individual activities as part of the learner-centered lesson plan.

Instructions:

Design a Learner-Centered Activity

Design a learner-centered communicative activity that is:

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 • interesting and engaging using graphic organizers
• relevant to learners' lives
• tailored to different learning styles and intelligence
• empowers critical thinking and problem solving
• promotes learner autonomy
• shows comprehension of course unit concepts through activity development

Remember to plan with the end in mind (what you want students to know and do) and use the scaffolded
sequence of a good lesson (warm-up, presentation, practice, evaluation (use).

Please use the Learner-Centered Activity Template below.

Please view a model activity below. Seeing another teacher's activity may be helpful to you when you create your
activity.

View the rubric for this assignment is below.

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Peer Observation & Reflection (Due in Module 8, by November 18, 11:59 p.m.)

Please arrange to observe a peer, and/or to have a peer observe you teaching a class. You will submit an
observation worksheet and a reflection on the observation in Module 8.

The most important question in an observation is,

"What are the students doing?"

For this assignment, you will observe your colleague teaching their class or ask a colleague to observe you teaching
a class. Consider the following:
• How does what you learned in the course connect to what you see or do not see in the class observation?
• Create one or two goals before the observation and look for evidence.
• When observing your colleague, consider what you would add or do differently based on your learning in
this course if you were teaching that class.

Directions:
Plan to observe a colleague and/or have your colleague observe you teaching a class. (You can do this in person, or
by sharing a video of yourself and/or by viewing a video of your colleague teaching.) If you cannot arrange an
observation, please complete the Alternate Assignment described below.
1. Meet with your colleague (in person or online) and review the observation worksheet and report
criteria.
2. Observe each other using the Peer Observation Sheet.
3. Complete the Worksheet section (Background and Lesson Plan stages) below.

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 4. Complete Parts A and B of the Report. In Part A, reflect on the observation and write a two-page
report on the experience and what you learned from this observation experience. In Part B, give
feedback to the teacher you observed using the P-Q-P feedback model.
5. Submit the Peer Observation Worksheet and Report as an attachment or typed in the text box.

Alternate Assignment:
Please do the following in case you cannot observe your colleague.
1. Watch the video below from Shaping the Way We Learn English: Unit 10 Teens.
2. Complete the Worksheet section (Background and Lesson Plan stages) below.
3. Complete Parts A and B of the Report. In Part A, reflect on the observation and write a two-page report
on the experience and what you learned from this observation. In Part B, give hypothetical feedback to
the teacher you observed using the P-Q-P feedback model.
4. Submit the Peer Observation Worksheet and Report as an attachment or typed in the text box.

(Note: The Peer Observation and the Alternate Assignment have the same requirements: Worksheet and Report
Parts A and B.)

View the worksheet and rubric below.

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© 2018 by University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Peer Observation Worksheet, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding
provided by the U.S. government and administered by FHI 360. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License,
except where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

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6 . 9 C N K R E S O U R C E OR G A N IZ E R

Now that you have completed Module 6, it is time to reflect on the ideas you have explored. Open your CNK
Resource Organizer and update it by adding new resources from this module.

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