Speaking

Using Vocabulary to Identify and Describe

Students need to have developed a variety of topic-related labels, names and describing words through a range of experiences, to have stored these in their memory bank and be able to quickly retrieve them as required.

Student Example

Ella has difficulty finding the right word to use. She uses the wrong words or words like them, that, there to name or describe items. She tries hard to use words from her experience.

During a unit on recipes, the teacher named the ingredients, measurements, tools, and looked for opportunities to use the new terms many times over in a meaningful situation, to link them into Ella's current knowledge.

Strategies

• Incorporate vocabulary learning into all classroom activities
• Teach new vocabulary
• Revisit the new words at intervals through the day and ensure students take them home to share and generalise
• Base naming activities on a current theme or topic and get the class to brainstorm as many related words as possible
• Use memory or Twenty Questions type games, rhymes and stories
• Provide opportunities for each student to use the new vocabulary, using small groups if possible.

Expressing Ideas and Feelings

This activity requires students to have an understanding of themselves, the concept of emotions, the confidence to express these, and the vocabulary with which to do so. Students require regular and frequent opportunities to talk about personal experiences.

Student Example

Mioko doesn't contribute much in class and requires prompting to participate, even in small groups. She writes and talks about the same topic during story writing or sharing time.

Mioko talks about going to the beach.

Strategies

• Structure sharing times so all students have a turn
• Provide language models to help students to build their stories. Did you swim in the water? Oh, you swam in the water
• Use `forced alternatives' such as: Was the water cold or warm?
• Use small groups to encourage role play
• Set up an oral language group using a resource such as Talk to Learn or Hauraki Early Language Programme (HELP)
• Provide a basket of topics for students to select from eg, items, pictures or titles
• Help students express ideas more fully using prompting and cueing
• Include a topic on emotions within your programme.

Participation in the Classroom

Students need to understand the importance of questions, and the rules that underpin starting a new topic and taking turns within the classroom. They need to know how to make a contribution, when it is appropriate to interrupt and how to do so.

Student Example

Kate does not listen to what other students say. She struggles to stay on the topic and interrupts others. Class discussion following Anzac day:

Strategies

• Encourage students to take turns in groups
• Use question games such as Twenty Questions, What's My Name and riddles
• Focus on conversation skills and what is required, using a resource such as Resource Activities for Peer Pragmatics (RAPP) and Socially Speaking
• Use role-play conversations and interruptions
• Use co-operative learning strategies eg, members of the group taking roles such as speaker, listener, note taker
• Use peer mentoring programmes.

Sharing and Taking Part in Conversations

The student needs to recognise and interpret non-verbal language and the particular social rules of that setting (for example on the football field, in the classroom). Students need to know how to stay on a topic, when it is appropriate to move off a topic and how to keep a conversation going. They need to understand the subtleties of body language and non-literal language. The ability to make friends relies on these skills.

Student Example

Hemi sometimes has difficulty staying on a topic he has not introduced. In the playground, John is telling Hemi about his Robocar but doesn't get past the first sentence because Hemi keeps interrupting with his own thoughts.

Strategies

• Discuss the partnership of communication eg, speaker and listener
• Role-play social situations eg, in the class, in the playground, on the football field
• Discuss feelings, facial expressions and voice differences that give clues to the communication partner
• Rehearse using fillers (mmm and uhuh) that show interest and keep conversation flowing
• Practise talking on a topic
• Use prompts such as when things happened, where it happened, who was involved, and the basics of story telling eg, the beginning, middle and end
• Give students a chance to rehearse asking questions about the topic. Put a chart up on the wall with the examples
• Use pictures to reinforce verbal ideas eg, a pictorial sequence of expected events to accompany the verbal explanation
• Use resources such as Socially Speaking and First Steps.

Retelling Past Events

Students need to be able to retell events in which they have been involved and texts to which they have listened. To do this effectively, they must have recall of the event or story, use full sentences that use the correct tense and put the elements in chronological order.

Student Example

Sam often wants to contribute at news sharing times but the information he provides is difficult to follow.

You may also notice quiet students who are reluctant to participate and difficult to prompt.

Strategies

• Teach sequencing skills to aid retelling of stories eg, mindmapping, a series of pictures drawn by the student to capture key points
• Help students focus on a few key ideas
• Praise attempts and remodel to provide clarity for others eg, your mum has a new car
• Encourage use of visual prompts such as an item from home, photo or newspaper clipping
• Implement a home/school diary to assist with clarification - get parents to note something students could be encouraged to share
• Model use of correct tense and use of complete sentences eg, you drove back.

Presenting

A student needs to be able to use the appropriate language convention for the event or setting. For example giving a mihi, reciting a rhyme, presenting at assembly or in a speech competition, sharing news, giving a thank you speech or making introductions.

Student Example

Wiremu chats freely with his classmates. However, Wiremu is unable to give a mihi without considerable support and input from his teacher and the rest of the class. He struggles to say more than one word at a time and only says that after a long pause.

Strategies

Use teacher modelling and peer modelling eg, tuakana/teina

Practise opportunities at other times

Practise the conventions for each of the formal speaking occasions.