BILC 2011 Monterey

Successful Speaking Activities Validation, Evaluation, Inspiration, Operation!

Jean MeakinSenior Lecturer, English Language Wing

Defence School of Languages, UK

Outline

• Our Courses• Validation Findings• Speaking Activities and Evaluation – Individual Oral Practice (IOP)–Discussions

• Inspiring Instructors• Benefits

English Language Wing Courses• SLP3 and SLP4 Preparation and Exam Courses• English for Advanced Command and Staff

College• Pre-Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst• Pre-Technical and Technical Language

Training• Train the Trainer• Bespoke Courses in UK and abroad

Staff Course Validation 2009 All 32 Students RespondedSessions Score for ‘How Useful’

1. Presentations 294

2. Discussions 2913. Individual Oral Practice 2794. Course Visits 271

5. Writing 263

6. Seminars 262

7. News 262

8. Progress Tests 258

9. Reading and Writing based on Textbook 248

10. Military Lectures 227

11. Pronunciation 221

12. Language Skills based on Textbook 219

13. Grammar 193

14. Fluency 193

15. Military Textbook (Commercially Produced) 165

General Trend for all Courses: Top Three

• 1. Individual Oral Practice• 2. Discussions• 3. Course Visits

General Trend for all Courses: Bottom Three

• Private Study• Military Textbook• Computer Assisted Language Learning

Individual Oral Practice:• 1-1 • Students prepare• Students speak with instructor for 10-15

minutes. Instructor may add unfamiliar ideas / language.

• Language feedback and a grade • All wings, for all languages, 2-3 times a week

IOP Techniques Checklist

√ Put student at ease√ Allow time for response√ Reword questions appropriately√ Grade the difficulty of the questions√ Ask open questions√ Encourage with short responses√ Be aware of cultural sensitivities√ Let student speak. Minimal interruption.

Evaluation

• Graded according to SLPComments made on:• Vocabulary• Fluency• Coherence• Grammatical structures• Pronunciation• Errors

Larger Classes

• Concurrent activities• Occasionally, two students attend together• Have IOPs after normal classes• Once a week• Involve all the instructors. Swap classes

sometimes. Invite external people to help.

Benefits of IOPs

For Students•Confidence •Fluency•Cope in new situations•New expressions•Error correction

For Instructors•Know students better•Assessment / diagnostic tool•Relatively easy preparation

LeastLearnt

MostLearnt

Active LearningAdapted from Active Learning Works by Geoff Petty 2004

InstructorCentred

StudentCentred

Discussions• Groups of 3-6• Students prepare topic, receive questions,

learn vocabulary in advance• Student chairman• Discuss 30-60 minutes• Language feedback

Larger Classes

• Several discussions concurrently, feedback from each chairman to whole class afterwards

• If necessary, instructor can monitor more than one group.

Benefits of Discussions

For Students

•Functional Language: interrupt, correct information, clarify, question•Share ideas / experiences

For Instructors

•Share ideas / experiences

Inspiration: IOPs / Discussions• Instructors can cope with the language! Instructors share ideas: • Classroom management• Language feedback techniques• Materials

General Benefits of the Speaking Activities

• Active, autonomous learning• Remember more

Operational Benefits

• Communication• Cope with familiar and new situations• Confidence to cope with joint operations in

different cultures

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