Wheres The Meat? Adding Value To Speaking Fluency Activities
Alan Marsh
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Two-Minute Interview Who Where How long Hobbies and pastimes
Favourite author / film genre / music genre Anything else?
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The Accuracy-Fluency Continuum
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Speaking fluency in real life 1REAL TIME: no practice time
SPONTANEOUS 2CHOICE: you choose what to say and how to say it
3RECALL vocabulary QUICKLY 4UNPREDICTABLE FEEDBACK 5KEEP GOING: It
usually involves more than one sentence. 6MESSY: Full of
hesitations, false starts, repetitions, fillers, vague language
7UNGRAMMATICAL: often doesnt follow the rules of written
grammar
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Speaking fluency in class: some issues Fluency activities
result in . improved fluency. Right? I like that we do much
speaking in class but sometimes I think: wheres the meat? The
Fluency Fizzle
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Keep it going 1: Ideas
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Speed meetings Choose a number 20-45 Choose an English boys
name or girls name Top 20 UK Boys Names 2014 Oliver Jack Harry
Jacob Charlie Thomas Oscar William James George Alfie Joshua Noah
Ethen Muhammed Archie Leo Henry Mohammed Joseph Samuel Top 20 UK
Girls Names 2014 Amelia Olivia Emily Ava Isla Jessica Poppy
Isabella Sophie Mia Ruby Lily Grace Evie Sophia Ella Scarlet Chloe
Isabelle Freya Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Choose an English surname: Top 20 Most common UK surnames 2014
Smith Jones Taylor Williams Brown Davies Evans Wilson Roberts
Johnson Lewis Walker Robinson Wood Thompson White Watson Jackson
Wright Choose a job fitness instructor primary teacher beautician
secondary school teacher florist train driver nurse chef
paediatrician vet accountant IT specialist taxi driver dentist
gardener social worker carpenter plumber electrician hairdresser
farm worker librarian accountant police officer engineer sales and
marketing Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Choose your home Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Youve now chosen an alter ego Your age Your first name Your
surname Your job Your home Take a minute or two to think about your
new identity and personality. Make it your own. Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do for a living?
Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What are your best characteristics? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What is your favourite thing to do on holiday? Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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Name something healthy you think tastes really good. Alan Marsh
FELSI 2015
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What do you want your life to look like in three or ten years?
Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What was your favourite subject at school? Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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Name a word that you think is funny Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Describe a real WOW!-moment Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What do you prefer: winter, spring, summer or autumn/fall? Alan
Marsh FELSI 2015
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Describe a crazy experience youve had Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do for a living?
Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Name a book or film that you want to read or watch over and
over again Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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In what type of situations do you feel not so clever? Alan
Marsh FELSI 2015
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What do you greatly value in others? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Where do you/would you like to travel? Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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What do you think is embarrassing? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What scares you? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What do you think is the most important thing to teach
children? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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To whose home would you like to be invited, and why? Alan Marsh
FELSI 2015
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What worries you about the future? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do for a living?
Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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How do you cheer yourself up when you feel down? Alan Marsh
FELSI 2015
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What are your hopes for the future? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What is/was your best subject at school? Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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Describe a tasty meal youve had Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Whats your favourite fashion style? Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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What kind of music do you like listening to? Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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Whats your favourite sport to play or watch? Alan Marsh FELSI
2015
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What are your favourite websites? OR What are your favourite
videogames Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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If there was an earthquake, name three things at home youd try
and save Alan Marsh FELSI 2015
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Keep it going 2: Strategies
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A:Hello, whats your name? B:My name is Juan. A:Whats your
nationality? B:I am Venezuelan. A:Whats your job? B:I am a student.
A:When did you start studying English? B:I started studying English
five years ago. A:You speak English very well. B:Thank you.
etc.
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A:Hello, whats your name? B:My name is Juan. A:Hi Juan. Thats a
nice name. Im Kim. Whats your nationality? B:I am Venezuelan. Im
from Caracas. A:Are you? Venezuelan! Thats interesting. Whats your
job? B:I am a student. What about you? A:Im a teacher. I teach
English as a Foreign Language. When did you start studying English?
B:I started studying English two years ago. When I was at school.
A:Really? Only two years ago! You speak English very well. B:Thank
you, but I would like to improve it. etc.
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Some strategies in conversational tennis: 1.Show interest,
surprise, etc. E.g. Are you? Really? Echo the last key word.
2.Return the question: What about you? When did you start? 3. After
showing interest, ask a new question: Whats your job? 4. Supply
extra information: Im Venezuelan. Im from Caracas.
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Small talk You:Greet a colleague and say. You know, and read
out your sentence. + Add a little more about the experience. Your
colleague:Express interest (e.g. Really? Venezuela?! ) and make a
comment (e.g. That sounds interesting/great/awful etc.) + Add a
question (e.g. why/what/where/when/who etc.) YouAnswer and expand
Your Colleague:Express interest (e.g. Really? Wow! Chinese?!That
sounds interesting/great/awful etc.) + Add a question (e.g.
why/what/where/when/who etc.) YouAnswer and expand When youve been
talking for a few moments, reverse roles Then exit the
conversation
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Ending the small talk Well, its been nice talking to you. I
hope you enjoy the rest of the (seminar / conference / party etc)
Oh, Ive just spotted (someones name). Would you excuse me for a
moment I really need to have a word with them / I must go and say
hello to someone. Oh, is that the time already? Well, its been nice
talking to you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the (seminar /
conference / party etc) Can I get you something from the
buffet/bar? Er.. do you know where the bathroom is, by any chance?
Would you excuse me I have to make a phone call.
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Pre-speaking fluency: focus on accuracy a.a sentence or
question with been [do]-ing (present/past perfect continuous) b a
sentence or question with (ever) since ca question with why did /
why didnt d.a question with a preposition at the end e.a sentence
or question with if
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Post speaking fluency: exploring language 1Whats the
difference: get married v be married v marry? 2Two people get
married: whats the woman called? And the man? And the person who
looks after the rings (and the drinks)? 3Whats the difference?
Marriage v wedding. Which is often uncountable? Why? 4Is this
right? You said me you love me. 5Is this right? Explain me what you
mean. 6Is this right? If youd have told me before, I would never
have married you. 7What do we call the party after a wedding? 8Is
this right? We are married since ten years now. What are the
grammar rules? 9How do you pronounce these words (and wheres the
stress)? marriage reception ceremony uninhibited independent union
separated divorced 10What do you think? Is marriage out of date?
Should it be possible to be married to two different people at the
same time? A woman without a man is like a fish without a
bicycle.
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Post-speaking fluency: focus on accuracy
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Little Miss Picasso
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Pre-speaking fluency: practising accuracy Youre a journalist
and youre going to interview Little Miss Picasso. Prepare the
following (the answers dont have to be in the text): a. a question
with when b.a question with why c.a question with who d.a question
with what e.a question with do or does or did e.a question about
future plans f. at least two more questions where the answer isnt
in the text
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Post-speaking fluency: focus on accuracy How do you pronounce .
Picture? Los Angeles ? She doesnt spend her money. What else can we
spend? Whats the difference? She lives in Los Angeles v Shes living
in Los Angeles Do or make? She ____ her homework She ______ some
mistakes She _____ her best Homework v housework: what the
difference? How can you ask about a persons job? For example:
__________? Im a teacher.
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A last thought Many people think that students learn grammar,
vocabulary and pronunciation and then they can speak. It doesnt
work like that. Its the other way round: language development grows
out of trying to communicate and converse. Its the need to
negotiate meaning that pushes language. No speaking, no progress.
But, extending our wheres the meat? metaphor .. We can beef up the
speaking fluency activity!
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Thank you Slides available from: www.alanmarshelt.com Email me
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