Teaching Speaking Many language learners regard speaking ability as the measure of knowing a language. These learners define fluency as the ability to converse with others, much more than the ability to read, write, or comprehend oral language. They regard speaking as the most important skill they can acquire, and they assess their progress in terms of their accomplishments in spoken communication. Language learners need to recognize that speaking involves three areas of knowledge: Mechanics (pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary): Using the right words in the right order with the correct pronunciation Functions (transaction and interaction): Knowing when clarity of message is essential (transaction/information exchange) and when precise understanding is not required (interaction/relationship building) Social and cultural rules and norms (turn-taking, rate of speech, length of pauses between speakers, relative roles of participants): Understanding how to take into account who is speaking to whom, in what circumstances, about what, and for what reason. In the communicative model of language teaching, instructors help their students develop this body of knowledge by providing authentic practice that prepares students for real-life communication situations. They help their students develop the ability to produce grammatically correct, logically connected sentences that are appropriate to specific contexts, and to do so using acceptable (that is, comprehensible) pronunciation. Language Objectives What is a language objective? Language objectives are lesson objectives that specifically outline the type of language that students will need to learn and use in order to accomplish the goals of the lesson. Quality language objectives complement the content knowledge and skills identified in content area standards and address the aspects of academic language that will be developed or reinforced during the teaching of grade-level content concepts (Echevarria & Short, 2010). These objectives involve the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), but they can also include: the language functions related to the topic of the lesson (e.g., justify, hypothesize) vocabulary essential to a student being able to fully participate in the lesson (e.g., axis, locate, graph) language learning strategies to aid in comprehension (e.g, questioning, making predictions). module covers the material in the first of a two-part series on public speaking for teachers. You will find discussion about the psychology and mechanics of speaking which should be useful for future lectures, job talks, discussion leading, etc. Many of the skills of expert public speakers require practice and perfecting the “core competencies” of speaking: organization, eye contact, voice, posture, among others. Developing these competencies requires doing practice exercises so that when one has to do a formal speech, these skills are fully integrated into normal practice. In this module, you will find some basic tips for each competency and where applicable, examples of how to practice each. However, you can go to this link to find more practice exercises in addition to the ones listed in the module. You can also use this speech rubric for practicing a full speech with a partner. I. Speech Organization Organization and structure are among the most important components of any form of public speaking. Structure helps keep the audience engaged, and helps a speaker remain focused and on message. A general, and well stated rule for maintaining effective structure in public speaking is to: “Say what you are going to say, say it, then say what you just said.” Although this seems repetitive, this is a useful model because it makes transparent, what your message is, the method of how you will communicate that message and then reminds the reader that what they have just heard has a purpose. This especially helps in a teaching context: it gives the teacher three different ways to ensure that a student captures what is being taught in case they were lost along the way. One basic way a speech can be organized is the following model: Quick attention capturing opening (controversy or puzzle) State the key point or thesis State objective and roadmap Give analysis (Make sure to use transition statements!) Sum up what you have said / wrap up. Practice tips: practice structuring everything–structure the speeches/talks others make (you’ll often find out how seldom people have effective speaking organization); use clustering, outlines, etc. in order to get your thoughts together. II. Tool 1: Speaking Clearly One reason why speakers may lack effective delivery is because they are not moving their mouths sufficiently so that each sound can be heard clearly. Try to over-enunciate when speaking; this will ensure that you will move your mouth more and your words will come out clearly. Method of practice: Use Dr. Seuss rhymes to practice enunciation and clarity. III. Tool 2: Improving Fluency In casual speech most people use “clutch” or “filler” words in order to fill the silence while they are trying to excogitate what they will say next. As a result, they use sounds and words which are common, but distracting in formal speech. These words include, but are not limited to: like, um (and its variants, uh and eh), well, hmmm, at that point, remember, so, etc. Ways to diagnose: Use audio recording, video recording or have a partner listen to you speak and use a signal (a sign, or yelling STOP!) whenever you use a filler word. Over time, as you become aware of how/how often you use them, you will stop using filler words. You may even retain your friendship with your partner. Also, consider using literal pauses in instead of using a filler word. This gives you time to think and let your brain catch up with your rate of speech. IV. Tool 3: Effective Use of Voice Inexperienced public speakers often betray one or both of following two speech flaws: A. They speak too softly/they speak too quietly. It is always important that others hear what what a public speaker is saying. This can become problematic in a large room. Speech that is difficult to hear can never persuade or keep the attention of the audience. Public speakers often speak too softly due to their core fear of speaking, or they do not want to seem to “impose” on their audience. In point of fact, the audience members are there precisely to be “imposed on,” i.e., they came to hear what you have to say. Remedy: Work on projecting your voice, erring on the side of being too loud rather than too quiet. Drills that can help you learn to project include using a partner to listen to you speak in a room when giving a practice talk. Ask your partner to move to different parts of the room. Let them signal when, or if, you are not speaking up sufficiently. B. They speak in a monotone. Many speakers fall into a monotone when they get in a speaking rhythm. This happens is common when reading from a script (e.g., during a job talk or a conference presentation). Speaking in a monotone loses your audience’s attention and makes it impossible for you to get across key points. Remedy: Use your cell phone to record yourself speaking or ask a partner to let you know when you lapse into a monotone. If you are going to use a script, mark it up with underlines, bold type, or highlighting as visual cues to modulate your voice. Focus on using your voice to add punch to your speech, make words stand out, and grab and maintain your audience’s attention. You should notice a significant change in speed and/or voice inflection if you modulate properly. A further suggestion is to consider using text from a play, a nursery rhyme, or your favorite author and reading it out loud so as to emphasize the key words or express a particular emotion. Speech Organization Organization and structure are among the most important components of any form of public speaking. Structure helps keep the audience engaged, and helps a speaker remain focused and on message. A general, and well stated rule for maintaining effective structure in public speaking is to: “Say what you are going to say, say it, then say what you just said.” Although this seems repetitive, this is a useful model because it makes transparent, what your message is, the method of how you will communicate that message and then reminds the reader that what they have just heard has a purpose. This especially helps in a teaching context: it gives the teacher three different ways to ensure that a student captures what is being taught in case they were lost along the way. Teaching Speaking Many language learners regard speaking ability as the measure of knowing a language. These learners define fluency as the ability to converse with others, much more than the ability to read, write, or comprehend oral language. They regard speaking as the most important skill they can acquire, and they assess their progress in terms of their accomplishments in spoken communication. Language learners need to recognize that speaking involves three areas of knowledge: Mechanics (pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary): Using the right words in the right order with the correct pronunciation Functions (transaction and interaction): Knowing when clarity of message is essential (transaction/information exchange) and when precise understanding is not required (interaction/relationship building) Social and cultural rules and norms (turn-taking, rate of speech, length of pauses between speakers, relative roles of participants): Understanding how to take into account who is speaking to whom, in what circumstances, about what, and for what reason. In the communicative model of language teaching, instructors help their students develop this body of knowledge by providing authentic practice that prepares students for real-life communication situations. They help their students develop the ability to produce grammatically correct, logically connected sentences that are appropriate to specific contexts, and to do so using acceptable (that is, comprehensible) pronunciation.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 09:30:47 +0000
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