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Controlling your language

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SueSwift

The document provides guidance for teachers on controlling language use with learners. Key points include: balancing learner talk time and teacher talk time; using comprehensible language at an appropriate level; considering quantity and quality of language; and grading language to learners' level using techniques like pausing and questioning. Specific examples are given of effective teacher language use with elementary learners, focusing on clear instructions, comprehension checks, and modeling language.

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Mind your language ¡ì*?!!@# Controlling your language to the level of the class
Aspects of teacher talk to consider.... ? Quantity - balance of LTT and TTT ? Quality ¨C comprehensible, caretaker speech, i+1, not always IRF, used for a specific objective See the handout from Module One : What is Quality Teacher Talk ?
What we say to learners¡­ ? What¡¯s the name of this strategy? It¡¯s a strategy, right? Because you are¡­turning around the word and¡­it is called ¡®circumlocution¡¯. It¡¯s very similar to paraphrasing, but I want to give you the technical term. The last time I had a lesson with you I said ¡®backchannel language¡¯ which is feedback, and now I¡¯m giving you another technical term, which is circumlocution¡­ and this is today¡¯s lesson.
? Remember: ¨C Do they need to know all the metalanguage? (Maybe yes, maybe they can find this term in another lesson / coursebook /reference) ¨C Grade your language to their level ¨C Use pauses ¨C Use questions ¨C Use the board
What we should say to learners¡­ ? T/Class set up : OK ++ think about the last time + + outside of class ++ when you spoke to someone in English +++ Where were you? +++ Who did you speak to? +++ What did you talk about? +++ Elisa + where were you?+ (L1 replies) + And Antonio? + Who did you speak to? (L2 replies) + OK + think about the situation ++ During the conversation ++ did you have any problems? + Did you understand the other person? ++ If not, why not? ++ Did you have problems saying the things that you wanted to say? ++ OK + everybody + (shows questions on board) tell your partner the answer to those questions. ? PW discussion : T monitors
? T/class follow up : T elicits the ¡®stories¡¯ of a couple of Ls. Then... OK + So sometimes + when you¡¯re talking in English + there are words you don¡¯t know ++ Look at this picture ++ (shows picture of a watering can) ++ Do you know what it¡¯s called in English? + No? OK ¨C how could you describe it? ++ (Elicits from stronger L) It¡¯s the thing which you use to put water on plants ++ OK (repeats and writes on board, underlining It¡¯s the thing which you use to... Choral repetition of sentence, backchaining) OK + now + with your partner + write a description of this object (shows picture of another object) ? PW discussion and T/class follow up as above ? T/class orientation : OK + so in the lesson today + we¡¯re going to practise this +++ describing words which you don¡¯t know in English
Working with an elementary group the teacher says the following. What are the problems? ? My name¡¯s XXX and I¡¯ll be teaching you today. ? What I¡¯d like you to do is to get into pairs. ? Today we¡¯re going to be looking at the present continuous. ? If you could just turn to page 4 ¡­. ? OK, we¡¯ve been looking at the present continuous. Now it¡¯s time to practise it. ? OK, you¡¯ll be A and you¡¯re gonna work with Maria Teresa. ? So, what do you have to do? ? I¡¯ll go into that a bit more later. ? So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with?
? What structures, functions and lexis can you be sure that all the group know? ? How could gesture, demonstration, speed of delivery and pausing help? ? When might the board be useful? ? How could you get across the ideas on the last page effectively with this group? Rephrase them.
Working with an elementary group the teacher says the following. What are the problems? ? My name¡¯s XXX and I¡¯ll be teaching you today. ? What I¡¯d like you to do is to get into pairs. ? Today we¡¯re going to be looking at the present continuous. ? If you could just turn to page 4 ¡­. ? OK, we¡¯ve been looking at the present continuous. Now it¡¯s time to practise it. ? OK, you¡¯ll be A and you¡¯re gonna work with Maria Teresa. ? So, what do you have to do? ? I¡¯ll go into that a bit more later. ? So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with?
Working with an elementary group the teacher says the following. What are the problems? ? My name¡¯s XXX and I¡¯ll be teaching you today. My name is XXX (name on board) ++ and I¡¯m your teacher today ? What I¡¯d like you to do is to get into pairs. OK + in pairs + you two (gesture) + you two (gesture)... ? Today we¡¯re going to be looking at the present continuous. .........
? If you could just turn to page 4 ¡­. OK, everybody ++ page 4 please ++ page 4 (T stresses 4 and opens the book to show the correct page) ? OK, we¡¯ve been looking at the present continuous. Now it¡¯s time to practise it. OK, so this verb is the present continuous++ the present continuous ++ (indicates name on the board) Now look at exercise 2 ++ exercise 2 (shows and indicates the exercise in the book) ? OK, you¡¯ll be A and you¡¯re gonna work with Maria Teresa. OK + Maurizio and Maria Teresa + together (gestures) Maurizio + you¡¯re A ++ Maria Teresa + you¡¯re B
? So, what do you have to do? So + Angela + which exercise is it? (L1: Exercise 4) + and Anna + what do you put into the sentences? + (L2 : The words in the box) ? I¡¯ll go into that a bit more later. ---- or : OK + wait until later (gestures) ? So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with? OK + Maurizio + tell me your and Michela¡¯s ideas.
? T : So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with? ? Elicits ideas from Maurizio ? OK + everybody + I asked Maurizio a question + What was my question? ? Ls attempt to answer ¨C eg What did you think of? ? T : OK + That¡¯s the meaning + Good + (Writes up Ls¡¯ question) But listen again + What did you come up with? ? T elicits what she said, boards the question under the Ls¡¯ version, with an = sign to check understanding and adds further examples ¨C eg They came up with 10 words)
You¡¯re teaching the present continuous in the context of phone conversations and you have the following marker sentences on the board. What exactly would you say/do to present the form and use? Script it out ? I¡¯m sorry, she¡¯s teaching at the moment. ? Just a minute, he¡¯s working in the garden. ? No, they¡¯re out. They¡¯re playing tennis.
Setting up activities What exactly would you say and do to set up the activity below with this group? Ls must put the words in each line of the conversation in the correct order. Script out your instructions A : work Where you do ? B : in work big I hospital a A: start work When you do B: morning in the eight At o¡¯clock A: when finish you And do? B: in seven At evening the in o¡¯clock

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Controlling your language

  • 1. Mind your language ¡ì*?!!@# Controlling your language to the level of the class
  • 2. Aspects of teacher talk to consider.... ? Quantity - balance of LTT and TTT ? Quality ¨C comprehensible, caretaker speech, i+1, not always IRF, used for a specific objective See the handout from Module One : What is Quality Teacher Talk ?
  • 3. What we say to learners¡­ ? What¡¯s the name of this strategy? It¡¯s a strategy, right? Because you are¡­turning around the word and¡­it is called ¡®circumlocution¡¯. It¡¯s very similar to paraphrasing, but I want to give you the technical term. The last time I had a lesson with you I said ¡®backchannel language¡¯ which is feedback, and now I¡¯m giving you another technical term, which is circumlocution¡­ and this is today¡¯s lesson.
  • 4. ? Remember: ¨C Do they need to know all the metalanguage? (Maybe yes, maybe they can find this term in another lesson / coursebook /reference) ¨C Grade your language to their level ¨C Use pauses ¨C Use questions ¨C Use the board
  • 5. What we should say to learners¡­ ? T/Class set up : OK ++ think about the last time + + outside of class ++ when you spoke to someone in English +++ Where were you? +++ Who did you speak to? +++ What did you talk about? +++ Elisa + where were you?+ (L1 replies) + And Antonio? + Who did you speak to? (L2 replies) + OK + think about the situation ++ During the conversation ++ did you have any problems? + Did you understand the other person? ++ If not, why not? ++ Did you have problems saying the things that you wanted to say? ++ OK + everybody + (shows questions on board) tell your partner the answer to those questions. ? PW discussion : T monitors
  • 6. ? T/class follow up : T elicits the ¡®stories¡¯ of a couple of Ls. Then... OK + So sometimes + when you¡¯re talking in English + there are words you don¡¯t know ++ Look at this picture ++ (shows picture of a watering can) ++ Do you know what it¡¯s called in English? + No? OK ¨C how could you describe it? ++ (Elicits from stronger L) It¡¯s the thing which you use to put water on plants ++ OK (repeats and writes on board, underlining It¡¯s the thing which you use to... Choral repetition of sentence, backchaining) OK + now + with your partner + write a description of this object (shows picture of another object) ? PW discussion and T/class follow up as above ? T/class orientation : OK + so in the lesson today + we¡¯re going to practise this +++ describing words which you don¡¯t know in English
  • 7. Working with an elementary group the teacher says the following. What are the problems? ? My name¡¯s XXX and I¡¯ll be teaching you today. ? What I¡¯d like you to do is to get into pairs. ? Today we¡¯re going to be looking at the present continuous. ? If you could just turn to page 4 ¡­. ? OK, we¡¯ve been looking at the present continuous. Now it¡¯s time to practise it. ? OK, you¡¯ll be A and you¡¯re gonna work with Maria Teresa. ? So, what do you have to do? ? I¡¯ll go into that a bit more later. ? So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with?
  • 8. ? What structures, functions and lexis can you be sure that all the group know? ? How could gesture, demonstration, speed of delivery and pausing help? ? When might the board be useful? ? How could you get across the ideas on the last page effectively with this group? Rephrase them.
  • 9. Working with an elementary group the teacher says the following. What are the problems? ? My name¡¯s XXX and I¡¯ll be teaching you today. ? What I¡¯d like you to do is to get into pairs. ? Today we¡¯re going to be looking at the present continuous. ? If you could just turn to page 4 ¡­. ? OK, we¡¯ve been looking at the present continuous. Now it¡¯s time to practise it. ? OK, you¡¯ll be A and you¡¯re gonna work with Maria Teresa. ? So, what do you have to do? ? I¡¯ll go into that a bit more later. ? So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with?
  • 10. Working with an elementary group the teacher says the following. What are the problems? ? My name¡¯s XXX and I¡¯ll be teaching you today. My name is XXX (name on board) ++ and I¡¯m your teacher today ? What I¡¯d like you to do is to get into pairs. OK + in pairs + you two (gesture) + you two (gesture)... ? Today we¡¯re going to be looking at the present continuous. .........
  • 11. ? If you could just turn to page 4 ¡­. OK, everybody ++ page 4 please ++ page 4 (T stresses 4 and opens the book to show the correct page) ? OK, we¡¯ve been looking at the present continuous. Now it¡¯s time to practise it. OK, so this verb is the present continuous++ the present continuous ++ (indicates name on the board) Now look at exercise 2 ++ exercise 2 (shows and indicates the exercise in the book) ? OK, you¡¯ll be A and you¡¯re gonna work with Maria Teresa. OK + Maurizio and Maria Teresa + together (gestures) Maurizio + you¡¯re A ++ Maria Teresa + you¡¯re B
  • 12. ? So, what do you have to do? So + Angela + which exercise is it? (L1: Exercise 4) + and Anna + what do you put into the sentences? + (L2 : The words in the box) ? I¡¯ll go into that a bit more later. ---- or : OK + wait until later (gestures) ? So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with? OK + Maurizio + tell me your and Michela¡¯s ideas.
  • 13. ? T : So, Maurizio ¨C what did you and Michela come up with? ? Elicits ideas from Maurizio ? OK + everybody + I asked Maurizio a question + What was my question? ? Ls attempt to answer ¨C eg What did you think of? ? T : OK + That¡¯s the meaning + Good + (Writes up Ls¡¯ question) But listen again + What did you come up with? ? T elicits what she said, boards the question under the Ls¡¯ version, with an = sign to check understanding and adds further examples ¨C eg They came up with 10 words)
  • 14. You¡¯re teaching the present continuous in the context of phone conversations and you have the following marker sentences on the board. What exactly would you say/do to present the form and use? Script it out ? I¡¯m sorry, she¡¯s teaching at the moment. ? Just a minute, he¡¯s working in the garden. ? No, they¡¯re out. They¡¯re playing tennis.
  • 15. Setting up activities What exactly would you say and do to set up the activity below with this group? Ls must put the words in each line of the conversation in the correct order. Script out your instructions A : work Where you do ? B : in work big I hospital a A: start work When you do B: morning in the eight At o¡¯clock A: when finish you And do? B: in seven At evening the in o¡¯clock