Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id OAA04494; Tue, 17 Aug 1999 14:00:45 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 14:00:45 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <19990726190054.62824.qmail@hotmail.com> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Jennifer Pour" <pjenn00@hotmail.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:3367] Re: circumlocution X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Status: OR Gerry--- I have a few suggestions for your students' troubles with speaking. One is encouraging students to assist each other with vocab. Another is doing a pre-discussion vocab activity to get their brains wrapped around the idea of the topic you'll be discussing---brainstorming vocab on the board, moving from pictures to words (ie, having your students describe the pictures in words), or giving them vocab sheets. If you're having troubles more with informal conversation, perhaps breaking the class into small groups and switching between the two groups can lower the old affective filter for your students. Finally, doing a correction game ( I think it's from Index Card Activities) in which students correct one speaker and note the mistakes can, surprisingly, take the focus off performance and onto the game. The more, too, you can model sentences for the students (question forms review, tense and mood review), the more you can give them something to latch onto as they speak so they are not having to think about all levels of speech: syntactical, lexical, phonological, semantic, pragmatic... In the Conversation Hour I started at my university (University of Kentucky), students who are less proficient (or more nervous) really latch onto the introduction format the first speakers set up. (Hi my name is... I'm from... etc). By providing a similar format yourself and then gradually varying it, you can help your students relax about speaking. So many students, it seems, are much more proficient in writing and reading than they are in speaking and what I know about the Korean system, those skills are emphasized over listening/speaking. By starting with the skills they may be more comfortable with and writing up a model sentence on the board, you can move away from the sometimes scary exercise of totally free speech and towards a slightly more controlled activity. I just finished an MA thesis on speaking and the subject interests me a great deal. Reply privately if you want to discuss my ideas in one detail or get some examples. Jennifer Pour >From: "Gerry Lassche" <baccachew@hotmail.com> >Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> >Subject: [NIFL-ESL:3330] Re: circumlocution >Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 03:41:51 -0400 (EDT) > >July 19 > >Dear All: > >I have noticed with my adult EFL students a hesitancy to speak at times >because they are searching on the "exactly" correct term before they speak. >Instead of describing the concept simply, and negotiating fuller meaning >with the listener, they concentrate on form. > >Does anyone out there have exercises/techniques which focus specifically on >the skill of using simple words to describe or express concepts whose >terminology are beyond their current range? > >I don't want to simply show them pictures, aka brainstorming, in the sense >that I want to build up their confidence in making complete sentences, not >loosely connected single words or phrases. > >Yours, > >Gerry Lassche >____________________________________________________________ >Work Address: work (+82) 0662 680 1542 >c/o HRD Team fax (+82) 0662 680 6012 >LG Chemical >70-1 Hwachi-dong email baccachew@hotmail.com >Yosu, Chunranam-do >South Korea >555 280 > > > > > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
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