Korean Job Discussion Forums

[thegadfly]

Hello to anyone stopping by to help -- I appreciate your time and suggestions.... This is kinda long, but if you see what I already do, you may have an idea of what may work for me....

Background:

I have a number of routines that I follow in most of my classes, and one of the more successful has been a semi-formal speaking activity. It involves one or more students speaking in front of the class, while the class listens politely and takes notes. Usually, there is a one or two paragraph response based on the notes taken while listening, and there is an opportunity for students to interact with each other in a "formal" Q & A format....

I have a number of activities that I do in my annual cycle, and they are:

1. Interview -- Students prepare questions ahead of time -- repeated questions are not allowed (neither in the same class, nor from the same student). One student is selected to be interviewed (student is not informed ahead of time). The student calls on each member of the class, who ask a properly-phrased question, which the student then answers in one or more complete sentences. The audience takes notes. For homework, students write a paragraph about the student interviewed, based on the questions asked and answered . The student interviewed writes a paragraph about the experience of being interviewed. Takes 5-15 minutes per class. Each student is interviewed once, and we interview one student per class meeting.

2. Impromptu Speaking -- Students write topics on slips of paper. Each student comes up to speak and chooses a number. I pick the topic slip based on the number. The student must speak for the specified time (45 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on class, level, and ability). I pick the first person, each student picks the next student or a random number to determine the next student. There is no written homework, nor are notes required to be taken, but students must display "proper" listening -- show interest, look at the person speak, appear attentive, and so on. My classes are usually around 10 students, so this takes 10-20 minutes in a class. I usually do it one to four class meetings.

3. Anecdote -- Students are assigned a date on which to present an anecdote. Students are to tell one story from personal experience, with a focus on entertaining the class. Students are to prepare and practice their delivery at home. Anecdotes should take 3 minutes or more to present to the class. The audience takes notes on the anecdote and writes a two-paragraph response (1- summary of the story, 2- personal reaction to and evaluation of the delivery). One student per class meeting, 3-5 minutes. The student that presents gets a "break" from the homework, as extra time was spent preparing to speak.

4. Show and Tell -- Students are assigned a date on which to present. You all know how it goes -- show, and then tell. The speaker presenting should practice at home, and the "set" speech should take 3-5 minutes. After the set piece, there is a Q and A period where classmates ask questions (I require a minimum of 5 questions be posed by the class, and generally let it run until they are out of questions). The audience writes a two-paragraph response to the show and tell (1- physical description of the object, 2- explanation of the importance of the object to the presenter). The student that presents gets a "break" from the homework, as extra time was spent preparing to speak.

5. Twisted Tale -- Students are assigned a date on which to present. The speaker chooses a commonly-known story (fairy-tale or other traditional story), and tells it to the class, with the focus again being on entertaining the class. The student must change one or more elements of the "original" story, hence "twisting" it. The speaker presenting should practice at home, and the story should take 3-5 minutes. The audience takes notes, and writes a two-paragraph response to the twisted tale (1- a summary of the twists in this version of the story -- NOT a summary of the "original" story, 2- personal reaction to and evaluation of the delivery AND twists). The student that presents gets a "break" from the homework, as extra time was spent preparing to speak.


So...those 5 things work in my classes...but in my current gig, they are only 7-8 months of my annual cycle -- I would like 3 more activities to add to this annual routine...so please chime in with some ideas you may have for "formal" speeches that the students deliver.

Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated. Thank you.

[edwardcatflap]

How about a debate, for and against etc.?..Role plays with Sts taking on roles of committes deciding on how to spend money, tackle crime, plan holidays/parties etc....

Also there's a lot of scope if you think of some business situations. e.g

invent and present a new product
explain a business strategy
invent a new business and present it
invent an advertising campaign and present it


Another possibility is to find out what formal speaking they have done or might have to do in their own lives and tailor some activities for that

[thegadfly]

Thanks for the input, Edward.

The debate is a good idea that I should probably revisit -- I have tried it in classes at various times in my teaching life, and I have never quite made it work the way my other activities work.

The new product is a good idea -- I can see some ways to work that in, and it could even work with young kids (some sort of student-generated visual aid, and a 30-second or 1-minute spot...maybe 3 students in a row, with the class taking notes and writing a paragraph about the one product (of the three) they would buy, and why...).

I think the business strategies would be great if I had adult learners, but I teach kids at a hakwon mostly....

Thank you again for taking the time to reply!

Please, other folks chime in with your ideas....

[edwardcatflap]

You can adapt the product idea to suit young learners. I'd have them create something in groups/pairs as a project and then present it to the class. E.g. design an amusement park/treasure island/zoo/ideal school/house etc/.....Feed in some language, show them a model, get them to design it on visuals, and have them present it to the class. Class has to ask questions then vote on favourite one