Teacher Discussion Forums

"(...) radio announcers are expected “to produce the effect of a spontaneous, fluent flow of words – if not a forceful, pleasing personality – under conditions that lay speakers would be unable to manage”

Using uh and um in spontaneous speaking. Herbert H. Clark and Jean E. Fox Tree.

Do we expect the same of our students?

If by "...produce the effect of a spontaneous, fluent flow of words..." you mean to produce natural conversation, then yes. If you mean to produce a stream of drivil designed to fill up air time, like radio announcers, then no.

If by "...produce the effect of a spontaneous, fluent flow of words..." you mean to produce natural conversation, then yes.

Would your idea of natural conversation include or exclude interjections such as "uh" and "um (uhm)?

Would your idea of natural conversation include or exclude interjections such as "uh" and "um (uhm)?

Interjections are part of natural conversation and should be encouraged in our students, at least up to a point. However, I'm not convinced yet that it is absolutely necessary to teach interjections. (I'm still thinking about this, but so far have not decided that I must teach them.) Teachers unconsciously model these interjections and students pick them up. At least, that has been my experience. However, I live in a place where English has a very high exposure, and most people hear it every day, even if they do not usually use it. It may be quite different in another setting, like Egypt or Spain.

It may be quite different in another setting, like Egypt or Spain.

It is indeed.

metal56 wrote:

It may be quite different in another setting, like Egypt or Spain.

It is indeed.

Ah, I expected as much. So, would you please tell us your take on this issue? Do you find it necessary to teach interjections, or is modeling enough? If you must teach them, how do you go about doing it? How do you make students understand the difference between a legitimate use of interjections and stalling?

Do you find it necessary to teach interjections, or is modeling enough?

I think you have to bring them to the students attention explicitly, yes. How to do that is another thing.

What do you guys think of students using L1 fillers?

fluffyhamster wrote:What do you guys think of students using L1 fillers?

From which language/s?

My Spanish students of English fill their English utterances with "pues" much of the time. I put a stop to it asap.

metal56 wrote:

fluffyhamster wrote:What do you guys think of students using L1 fillers?

From which language/s?

My Spanish students of English fill their English utterances with "pues" much of the time. I put a stop to it asap.

I agree with Metal. When my students use their L1 for filler, I always tell them the correct English filler. They pick it up rather quickly.