Teaching Speaking Finding the balance With beginners Finding

Teaching Speaking

Finding the balance With beginners, Finding the balance between providing language through controlled and guided activities and at the same time letting them enjoy natural talk is a crucial factor Most of our pupils have little opportunity to practice speaking English outside the classroom and so need lots of practice when they are in class.

Correction Inmediate correction (at once) during controlled and guided activities (we want them to produce correct language. When learners are working on free oral activities (expressing what they want to say or expressisng themselves and their own personality) correction should be done later in the class.

Free practice Guided practice Controlled practice Presentation of language

Presenting new language orally Children Need some language before they can produce some ü Through students. ü Using a mascot. ü Drawings

Cotrolled Practice Controlled practice goes hand in hand with presentation. It is important that Learners try the new language as soon as they hear it.

Guided Practice Guided practice folows on from controled practice and it is done usually in pairs or small groups. Guided practice gives the learners some kind of choice (though it is limited). To be continued ….

Some Examples of guided Pr üWhar’s the time üChain work üDialogues and role play work üUsing objects.

Free practice activities üThey focus on the message (the language is limited by the activity itself) üThere is genuine communication (the situation may be artificial) üThey really show what the students can or cannot do with the language. üConcentrate in meaning more than in correctness. üTeacher control is minimal during the activity. üThe atmosphere should be informal and non-competitive. üThere is often a game element in the activity

Most of the activities are based on the Information gap principle. “A” knows something that “B” doesn’t know, and “B” wants that information. Pairwork

Sources Scott, W and Ytreberg, L (2009). Teaching English to Children. Pearson Education Limited.