Teaching language copy

dave hopkins (c) 2014

Teaching LanguageTechnemes for Practice and Communication

By Dave Hopkins © 2014


Acknowledgement

This presentation of Teaching Languages: Technemes for Practice and Communication is founded on the model of Teaching Languages for Communication and Accuracy by Raymond Clark and Janie Duncan. I am indebted many times over to Ray Clark who was the Director of my MA program in Teaching Languages at the School for International Training; the director of the Peace Corps materials development project in which I took part; and, an on going mentor and guru in creative and practical ways to influence language learning.


Intro

The critical factor in the learning and teaching of language is what the students DO in the classroom. It is through their “doing” that teachers might influence what the students learn. The technemes for practice and communication described here cover at least 40 years of professional language teaching and owe everything to colleagues and students.

The ‘technemes’ are presented in minimal thumbnail fashion. It is expected that teachers and students will exercise their creativity to adapt and expand these activities to make them their own. I hope that teachers and students will enjoy them and join in the “language play.”


Technemes

“Technemes” is a term employed by Earl Stevick to describe, “…even the slightest alteration in a technique (that) can potentially make for an ‘emic’ difference, a meaningful difference in how the activity is perceived by the students in a classroom community.” (Larsen-Freeman 2013) What follows are variations of practices that a teacher might use to motivate their students. In themselves, these techniques are not all that different, but they are embedded in technemes that make a change in how the learners might ‘feel’ about the activity, and in that way help to engage students who feel unattended, and engage those who might feel bored.


Basic Exchanges Teacher-teacher. The teacher models the language

to be spoken by acting out the roles of the dialogue participants.

Teacher-student. The teacher initiates the language exchange with a single student.

Student-teacher. The student initiates the interaction with the teacher.

Student-student. Two students stand and act out the dialogue interaction.

Student-student-student. Students stand and practice the language interaction, and then switch to another student.


Board Review

Small groups of students come to the board to write the dialogue or other language being practiced

Students write on board one word for each student

Students should be encouraged to make their own corrections

Vocabulary words can be re-collected this way

Remodeling of language form and meaning with words and pictures

Instructions can be checked in the same fashion


Multiple Student Interactions

Double lines. Students count off “1,” “2” and then get into two lines facing each other. They complete the conversation, and then all switch to another student in the line by moving sideways.

Double circles. Students count off as above, but then form two circles facing each other. They complete the dialogue and then move in one direction to interaction with another student.

Horseshoe. Count off as above, then one group makes a semi circle with the other facing them.

Free Association. Students stand and choose their own partners. Then they switch partners.


Vocabulary Hand Off

Vocab preview. Students line up in front of class holding vocabulary cue cards. Teacher models the target language for each card.

Student-teacher model. Student initiates the dialogue with the teacher.

Teacher-student model. Teacher initiates the dialogue with the student.

Student to student. Student with the card has conversation with another student.

Hand off. The student then hands off the card for the other student to find a new partner.


Grid Activities

Saturday Sunday

Sara

Ahmed

What did they do last weekend?


Listening GridWho? What? Where?

What do they do for exercise? Where do they exercise?


Partial Dictations

Debby: What do you do for exercise Nevien?

Nevien: I __________for _______minutes. What about you Debby?

Debby: I ____________ for ______minutes. What about you Khaled?

Khaled: I __________ for ______ minutes at the gym. What about you Tarek?

Tarek: I ___________at the beach for __________.


X/O Game

chicken & rice pizza fish

steak noodles desert

vegetables fruit yogurt

What do you like to eat?


Completions

Experts say_____________________________________

People think_____________________________________

One idea______________________________________

It is common____________________________________

Usually________________________________________

In my opinion___________________________________

Complete the sentences with ideas of from the lesson.


Elaborations

I’m going fishing.

I’m going fishing with my friends next weekend.

Abdul has a new mobile.

Abdul has a new IPhone he bought yesterday at the mall.

We played football.

We played football last weekend at the camp with our friends.

I like chocolate.

I like chocolate éclairs from the shop at the mall.

One student makes a statement; the partner has to add something.


RitualsWhat does ….mean?It means …How do you say it?You say it like this…

See you tommorowHave a great dayYou tooBye

How much is this one?It’s …How much is that one?It’s….

How is it going?It’s going greatWhat’re you going to do?I’m going for coffee.


Rhythmic RepsWhere’re you going to go?I’m going to the market.What’re you going to do?I’m going to buy some fruit

Have you got some time?Maybe a little.Have you got some money?Not too muchHave got any questions?I’ve got a lot.

I like this oneI like that oneWe like some of theseThey like all of them

What do you do?I play football.What do you do?I do yoga.What does she do?She does aerobics

Repeat the reps to rhythm; do with pairs or large groups


Dialogues

Lets eat breakfast at my house tomorrow?

That sounds good. What do you have?

We usually have rice with chicken or fish?

Fish for breakfast?

Yes. And usually a salad too.

Sounds healthy.

Write your own dialogue. Make it as real as you can.


Spiel

My friend’ name is Arif.

My friend is 15 years old.

He likes to eat chicken and rice.

Sometimes we text each other.

He likes to watch videos on YouTube

We play volleyball at school

Make up a 30 second spiel about someone you know or imagine.


Survey– What’s/Who’s Your Favorite?

Person #1 #2 #3 #4

Food

Person

Activity

Day


Line Up

Who is the tallest? Shortest?

What’s the oldest city? The newest?

What country has the most people? The Least?

What nation has the highest income? The lowest?

Which is the most expensive? The least?

How long does it take to decompose?

What country has the most water? The least?

Pass out slips of paper. Students research as needed.


Information Gap

New York Tokyo Bangkok

coffee $5.50

bus $.08

hotel $250 $350

Student B

New York Tokyo Bangkok

coffee $8.00 $0.27

bus $150 $150

hotel $30

Student A


Dictagloss

Dictogloss is a classroom dictation activity where learners are required to reconstruct a short text by listening and noting down key words, which are then used as a base for reconstruction.

Example Learners discuss the sea. The teacher then explains the task, and reads a short text on the sea to the class, who just listen. The teacher reads the text again, and the learners take notes. In groups, the learners then reconstruct the text.

In the classroom Dictogloss is often regarded as a multiple skills and systems activity. Learners practice listening, writing and speaking (by working in groups) and use vocabulary, grammar and discourse systems in order to complete the task.

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/dictogloss


Sequences

Making tea

Getting money from an ATM

Making rice

CMaking “kalbsa”

Sending an SMS

Finding something on the web

Making a goal1)Define the steps; 2) Practice: What do you do 1st? Next? And then? Next? Etc


Comparison 1

Which is bigger? What color are they? What do they taste like?


Comparison 2

Compare the water resources of the three countries.


Interviews

Thanks for speaking with us.

Where are you from?

How long will you be in …?

How do you like…?

What do you think about…?

Can you tell us about your family?

Write interview questions. Practice in pairs. Present to class or groups.


Giving Instructions

Players can’t see each other

Instructor has paper & pencil or blocks

“Instructor” makes/draws something and tells “student”

“Student” follows as best they can

Variations can allow questions and crowd suggestions

Can be done with groups of instructors and students


Grab Bag Role Plays

Pass out items from a ‘grab bag.’ The items should be ordinary ‘stuff’ that can be imagined to be symbolic of others things – e.g. a pencil, rubber band, ruler, paper clip, plastic bottle, string, ball, etc.

Each group member takes one item Groups are then instructed to create a story

and a dialogue using their “items.” Groups practice and then present their role

plays to the class.


Proverbial Mini Drama

Put proverbs on board

Groups choose one

Explore meaning in L1 and English

Write a story

Act out in mime for group

Write a mini drama script

Present the drama to the class


Death in the Afternoon

Narrator1: Ladies and Gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to present to you, "Death in the Afternoon.”

Maid2: (Enter, dusting the room)

Mr. Brown3: (Enter) I feel faint. (Faint)

Maid2: (Scream)

Mrs. Brown4: (Enter) What's the matter? (Maid points) Call the doctor.

Maid2: (On the phone) Doctor, come quick!

Doctor5: (Enter) I'm sorry he's dead.

Narrator1: This is the end of the story. Thank you.


TV Ad

Each group is given one item

Group then develops a TV commercial around the item to be “sold”

The commercial should include both song jingle and dance

Group presents the commercial to the class.


Follow That Tune* Pairs or small groups study a prepared script

Pairs or groups practice among themselves.

Teacher narrates as the students present role plays using the written script

Teacher or pair narrates as the students act out role plays without words

Teacher, or another group narrates and students act out plays speaking and without script

Teacher, or another group, narrates variations or expansions on the prepared script as appropriate.

Roles switch as the actors change the script and the narrators have to describe what the actors are doing.

Other students act as the audience for different “actor” and “narrator” groups perform.*Thanks to John Morango.


Jump Emotions* Small groups (3-5) use pictures, drawings, tapes or other to

develop the names, personalities, dress and other characteristics of two or more persons in the role-play.

Groups develop a script of a length and complexity appropriate to the students level with the help of the teacher.

Students practice the script

Changing roles occasionally

Starting with miming the dialogue

Experimenting with different emotions and modes

Director brings each group on the “stage” and then calls out different emotions, modes or styles for the group to act out as they go through the dialogue.

*Thanks to John Morango


Run & Read

Reading texts are put up at eye level

Students in pairs study questions

One student runs to board

Runs back and tells answer to partner

Partner writes the answer

Pairs switch runners and repeat


Chain Practice

Teacher reads one sentence, or chunk of words

Selects student to read next

Student selects the next reader…etc

Can be done with story creation

Each student or group adds a line

Lines are written on board or E screen


Gisting

Teacher reads aloud an appropriate text to class

Students ask questions

Teacher reads again, as many as 3-4 times

Students ask clarifying questions after each reading

Students take notes

Students recreate the reading in their own words

A variety of inputs are possible


Characters in Search of an Author

Students in pairs or groups are given a picture of a person

Pairs or groups invent:

Name

Age

Resident of

Occupation

Present their “character” to the class


Constructalog

Students in pairs or groups are given a list of words

Teacher goes over lists to make sure of understanding

Groups create a dialogue using the words

Teacher checks and suggests

Groups practice the dialogue

Groups present their dialogue to the class


Story Telling

Teacher tells a story – Aesop’s Fables or Tales of Nasreddin Hodja* are helpful here, but any story will do

Students ask questions and take notes

Teacher retells as needed

Students tell the story to partners

Students create a story in group

Group presents story to class or another group

*ProLingua Associates


My Neighborhood

Groups make maps of neighborhood, mall or other location, and a list of questions.


Valuations

Students and teacher explore possible topics for valuation/favorites – e.g. food, YouTube, destinations, shopping, TV programs, etc.

Groups choose a topic and expand list

Teacher models a list their ‘valuations’

Students present list and their favorites

Class asks questions


Writing-Thinking Tool - Problem Solving Model

Values &

Beliefs

Problem

Alternatives

Choice

Projection

Start with defining the problem, and then proceed clockwise.


Values Clarification

What would you want with you if you were lost in the desert?

Groups of 5 make a list of items, at least 25 things

The list must be only things that 5 people could carry in backpacks

Prioritize the list to determine what get rid of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.

This can also be done to choose who you would want with you, or other variables


Community Building

Imagine a community that you and your group would like to live in.

Create a street map

Locate and name government buildings

Locate a name places to eat

Locate and name stores

Show public places

Recreational facilities

What makes the community special

Groups survey other groups to describe and take notes comparing communities


Critical IncidentsYou and your friends are coming home from a an outing and the car breaks down. You all check your mobile phones and none of them are working. One of your friends ate something bad, and is feeling very sick. It’s almost dark and there are few cars and mostly trucks on the road. A car stops and two men in rough clothes approach. What will you do?

1. Discuss situation

2. Write a script for a dialogue

3. Act out the scene

4. Other groups comment on

1. Reality

2. Language usage

5. Write a new critical incident


Impromptu Skits

Trying to convince someone to do something they don’t want to.

Someone you haven’t seen in a long time comes to your door

You get a call from your friend and he is really angry with you

You cut your finger and need help

Make up your own situations


Creating Minimal Pairs

Give examples:

Groups make their own lists and practice the sounds

Vowels Consonants

/i/ /ee/Bit beetLive leaveShip sheepRich reachSit seatIs he easy

/U/ /OO/Pull poolStood stewedLook LukeWood wooedFull foolShould shooed


Categorize the Words

Put the words in categories. Use in a sentence.


Activating the Inner Eye*

Write a word or short sentence on the board

Ss repeat the word/sentence “inside” several times

Ss translate to L1 or visualize the word

Remove the word from the external board

Ss imagine the word on internal board

Ss think the colors of board and writing

Ss erase the inner board and write again

*See Marc Helgesen, http://www.mgu.ac.jp/~ic/helgesen2/paper2.htm


Write Your Dream Bio

Rolf is a mountain climber. He has climbed some of the highest peaks in the world, and is still looking challenges. He comes from a small town in Colorado, USA, and has been trekking in the mountains since he was young. He finished university as a geologist in Denver, and spent all his spare time climbing in the Rocky Mountains. He exercises by running and climbing very day, and is very careful about what he eats. His favorite meal is steak and potatoes, but he doesn’t indulge very often. When he is in the mountains, he lives on noodles and protein bars. Next year he will go to the Karakorum in Pakistan, and make an attempt on K2.

You can customize this bio to fit yourself, or create a new one.


Picture Story

What’s the story? Groups work up their own stories and then compare.


Snakes & Ladders

Work in groups. Roll dice. Numbers are questions to be answered.


Transformations

Make the sentence into a question.

I’m going to the market.

The teacher went to the office.

I have been in this school for 3 years.

etc.

Make the sentence negative.

Add a relative clause

Change the sentence to future

Add a modal to the sentence


Story Sequence

What happens?


Question & Answer + 1

How would you like to play ping pong?

Sounds great. I love to play

How about coffee?

That would be great. Lets go to Costa.

Do you like Ice cream?

Love it. Especially chocolate.

I don’t like tea.

Me neither. I’ll have a coke.

Can you lend me some money?

Sorry. I’m broke today.

Ritual Q&A practiced as repetitions in pairs or groups.


Scrambled Sentences

He me he afternoon wanted to to the with this go said mall

can’t longer raining too much wait or it We will start

play School volleyball She afternoons to in the atlikes

languages lots isn’t easy can be of fun but Learning it

Groups make up their own and trade with other groups to solve.


What’s this? What’s that?


Chain Practice

Where are you going?

I’m going to the market.

What are you going to do there?

I’m going to buy some fruit.

What fruit are you going to buy?

I think I’ll get some oranges.

How much are you going to pay?

Probably about …

Keep the chain going spontaneously, and then start a new one.


Phone Pictures

In the book Activities for Teaching Positive Psychology, Jamie L. Kurtz and Sonja Lyubomirsky suggest a simple activity to encourage savoring. Students take five photos of important things in their lives. Then they share them with classmates, explaining each picture and why it is important. The small number (5) is important. They really are supposed to take 5 pictures -- not 200 and then edit. Savoring isn't supposed to be a burden. http://www.eltandhappiness.com/5-photos-a-savoring-task-with-student-projects.html


Word Maps

BEACH

WEAR

DO

EAT

SEE

Explore and write down the vocabulary for these things.


A Final WordI have long resisted the idea of a collection of classroom activities largely because of my belief that these, by themselves, do not make a meaningful language learning lesson. Including the technemes appropriately in the process below would do the trick.

Preview and engagement activities

Context and lexical modeling

Controlled practice – technemes Speaking activities Listening activities Reading activities Writing activities

Application – using the language to DO something real

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Education

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