It is a pair work. I can choose on them of three(movie, travel and restaurant) and share our best restaurant, best travel or best movie. I can't choose the same theme in one pair. When one person share her review, the partner should ask questions more than two about the review. I can refer question list below the page. It is not necessary to refer to it, but it was helpful to specify my question. We have some structures and options below the picture. There are some vocabularies according to the categories. Host said that is is appropriate for anyone who needs vocabularies when someone need help in reviewing. Also, there are some vocabularies and expressions according to the categories. Host explained that it is suitable for anyone who need to refer to approximate categories to tell and some keywords with useful expressions. Additionally, there are some useful expressions according to the categories. Host suggested that it is appropriate for anyone who need some expressions according to the categories.
I was frustrated because I did not get an immediate response to my new topic in English, and I was often confronted by the barrier that I could not embody my thoughts in English, but I could talk in English more easily because there are categories I would like to talk about and the words and expressions in advance. Pair work also helped me to speak English without being nervous and get lots of interactions with my partner.
Story Cubes
Firstly, we talked about words reminiscent of a picture. Six group members shared words each in one painting. In the process of sharing words, we shared various words and ideas which helped me think of diverse stories. After sharing the words that came up to our mind about some pictures, we did the same thing before the revision by throwing a story cube to make a story. Our group members added their ideas on the other member's words and short stories and it was fun interaction.
However, there was no connection between the preceding word-sharing activity and making story with cubes. The word we shared earlier were not used at all to actually compose the story. Word sharing clearly has an advantage in that it increases accessibility to a variety of words. But if I use the words I shared with our group members earlier when I make the story, it will be a good group activity with the ideas of the group members in addition to making my story. Also, some group members seemed to have difficulty creating a story with the cubes so, if the group members help with them suggesting some idea to one or two paintings or some vocabularies, it will be a highly interactive group activity.
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Anonymous
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RE: teaching Listening and Speaking (Spring 2019) - Week 7 Reflections for Super
In this activity, two people share their experiences. The material host explained the instruction and even we read it together. But there was too much things to do. So it seems that everyone did not understand what they should do. We have to use at least 3 words, 3 in the expressions given by the material host, and ask 2 or more questions about the shared experience. I asked what should do but still cannot understand right away. So I read the instruction again with my partner after we started the activity.
Compared to activity, it was much more enjoyable than last time. We had to pick one of the theme between a movie, a restaurant, or a trip.
I picked restaurant. When I introduced it, there was the lists, such as atmosphere, food, service, price. Material host also wrote dozens of usable words on each list. So I can speak based on them But everyone seemed to have comfortable conversation rather than keeping the rules.
There was a rule saying "In last 10 minutes, 6 group members had to share their review with three things attached to each theme." However, rather than repeating one self's story again, I think it would be better to give a summary of one's partner's story.
2. story cubes
I did not change much compared to the last activity, there were some modifications to the process and the rules by reflecting the reflection.
After the last activity, one student wrote in reflection that it is difficult to think of other words than the word that a person speaks. So I picked out a few pictures that students had difficulty thinking about other words and handed out the paper with the planar figures. We had a brain storming time.
Prior to this, I emphasized several times that just look at the picture and say the words that come to your mind, and that there is no such thing as "wrong." A lot of novel words came out. For example, there was a picture of a person reaching out to the other person lying down. Various words came out from genesis to giving help, picnic, and flirting.
Through this activity, students could have time to learn the word. In the process of making a story by throwing a dice, at least one student who hesitated last time because she could not come up with the story used the words from brain storming.
And besides that, there are too many pictures about pills, so I changed a few pictures into other s. I added 'at least two sentences per picture' to the rule for equal distribution of the students' speaking time.
After each turn, we talked about key words in the stories we created and brought them to mind such as, 'the brain remains', 'rainbow creation', and 'Blue Marbles." Then we had time to tell each other what stories they liked most.
It seems that everyone has practiced speaking at a similar level than last time. But the other day, the students focused on the students when they listed the cubes. This time, however, there was a situation where the students were talking to each other freely while ordering the cubes. So I have to say, "I think she's ready to talk."
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Anonymous
Date:
RE: teaching Listening and Speaking (Spring 2019) - Week 7 Reflections for Super
This activity helped students develop the ability to think creatively. By brainstroming the words and making up stories looking at pictures, students were able to think about the pictures in the various and creative perspectives. Through this, students were able to immediately react to what was presented, so I think students could improve their capability of the prompt reaction to the presented situation.
Overall, in this aspect, this activity was effective to increase students ability to think in creative and various perspectives in the unfamiliar situation. However, there was something that I can point out : It was difficult to both look at what was brainstormed and dices at the same time. It seemed to me that no one was aware of what we had brainstormed. I think it was because the pictures we brainstormed were not marked on the dice, so I think thats the reason why everyone was not referring to the words that we brainstormed.
To develop this activity, you can provide some speaking template and pictures that are closely related to each other, and let students make a well-constructed story. In this activity, it was nice that students can work out this activity with their creativity. However, the fact that students have to be creative can also mean that its not easy to find the correlation between the pictures. This means that students cannot make well-organized story and the flow of the story cannot be that natural. Therefore, I think it would be also nice to provide pictures which have stronger relations to each other.
If you provide a speaking template and pictures with this way, students will be able to get the ability to make well-organized speech in English. For example, there are introduction, body, conclusion parts in speech. Students can be provided with pictures which fit for each parts and after that can make up a well-organized story.
2. Story Cubes
Through this activity, I think students can learn new vocabularies and sentence structures within the real-world context. In the worksheet of this activity, there were some vocabulary lists that we could refer to, and some sentence forms that we could use in a specific situations like advicing and offering.
Moreover, this activity can form rapport between students. This was getting to know each other by talking on a topics such as movie, travel, and restaurant. By introducing the real-world context to the activity, students can get to know each other and be close. Since student-student rapport is important in the educational achievement of students, I think doing this kind of activity in the class frequently would be nice for language learning of ESL students.
The instruction was too detailed that it was hard for me to follow. Considering the language level of the students in our group, this activity was not difficult. It seemed to me that other students were catching up with the instruction and had no trouble doing the activity. I was the only person who was not able to following the instruction of this activity well. Therefore, within our group, the activity worked well. It was nice in that you wanted students to practice a variety of things in this activity. You added a lot of requirements in this activity like using some vocabularies, asking some questions in certain forms.
However, if you are want to work this activity out with students who have lower level or are younger, I think you should modify this activity to be simpler than this. I had worked on some activities with younger groups. They were in their elementary school, and it was hard for me to make them concentrated on the activity. The problem was that the worksheet I provided was so lengthy that students were not willing to participate actively in doing the activity. They thought that I provided them with some heavy study task. Overall, I felt that your activity let the students learn a lot of things, but sometimes it can be burdensome for some students with different level. If you have opportunity to teach other group, you can consider their level and modify the amount of information you provide to them in this activity.
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Anonymous
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RE: teaching Listening and Speaking (Spring 2019) - Week 7 Reflections for Super
This exercise was the modification of role play. It was actually very similar to it. Basically, from three different themes the students are expected in pair to give each other reviews on either travel, movie, or restaurant.
The handout was pretty well done: the students were offered many expressions and vocabulary on each theme. The abundance of vocabulary and expressions seemed at first a very good idea so the students dont get stuck in their conversation but on second thoughts, I am wondering if it wouldnt be good to let the students look for their own vocabulary because through the process of looking for, they might remember it better than if its just given to them. I think the difference that I am making now also depends on the level of the students and the purpose of the activity. If the activity is meant to practise fluency then giving vocabulary and expressions is the best for the reason we mentioned before. But if the activity is meant to practise language in terms of gaining grammar, and vocabulary then I think the work on what is written on the paper should be done beforehand in class and then they do the activity as a practise. As for the level of students if it is what we consider I think the intermediate low would need all the help provided but for high intermediate they should probably know all of that for a long time.
The activity is based on a real-life situation since it asks from the students to give their opinions, to recommend, to situate. For that I think it is very interesting because it is based on every day conversations.
The negative point would be the presentation of the activity: just from listening to the host I couldnt understand very distinctly what she was saying and also because she was reading the instructions, I didnt get exactly what we were supposed to do. I didnt get how long were supposed to be the review, I heard something about writing but couldnt understand what. I also think that students should have some time to prepare their review to show pictures and make it livelier for their partner. Maybe the research time could replace the review in front of everyone because making shorter a review which is already small condense of an opinion about something seems a bit over summarize.
Overall the activity is very interesting, and it was fun!
Story cubes:
I really enjoyed this activity since the first time. The modifications were minimal but very interesting. The main change was the brainstorming that we did about some faces on the dice. That part of the activity was interesting because it faces the problem that was pointed out last time that many students keep repeating the same thing for the same symbol. By brainstorming, the host avoid the problem and also make the group come together.
The host also added a rule to make more than one sentence by dice because the length of the story last time was too different from one student to another.
I think the host did a great job at fixing the problems we pointed out last time.
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Anonymous
Date:
RE: teaching Listening and Speaking (Spring 2019) - Week 7 Reflections for Super
I was surprised at first when I was given this activity because it was a completely new activity, not a revision of the first activity the host had brought. The first activity was a role play aimed to let students practice resolving conflicts in realistic but also somewhat rare situations. This activity, however, was focused on the usage of vocabulary in specific fields. Unlike the previous activity that was more a two-way interaction, this one was more of a one-way for the most of the time. In that sense, the speaker was given more time to speak, which made the activity feel more like practicing presentation skills.
There were three categories you could choose from: travel, food, movie. Once youve chosen one from the choices above, you have to tell your partner one experience of yours related to the category. For example, if you chose travel, you have to tell your partner about your favorite trip and if you chose food, then tell them about your favorite restaurant. Something similar applies to the movie as well. In my partner and my case, my partner chose movie and I chose travel. I started first by telling my partner about the most recent trip I had taken which is a seven-day trip to Singapore. There were topics the speaker could talk about for each category. For travel, there were topics like accommodations, food, transportation, etc. A list of vocabulary/useful phrases were also given. The rule was that the speaker has to either talk about the topics given or talk in whatever structure you want but using the vocabulary or phrases given. I tried to talk about the given topics to stay on topic, since a lot of freedom and choice was given this activity. Furthermore, I also tried to use some of the words and phrases given to get as much practice I can.
Reviews was a good activity for getting to know another classmate in a fun way. Since it requires one person to speak for a long time about just one certain topic, the level of the activity is probably intermediate. Its advantageous in that it allows a lot of speaking practice. On the other side, when the speaker is speaking, not a lot of work is required for the listen to do. Even though they have to has at least two questions to the speaker after theyre done talking, the listener doesnt necessarily have to listen carefully to the speaker to do that, so its not a good activity for listening practice. Overall, I enjoyed doing this activity because I got to know my partner better, and we were able to have a long and fun conversation at the end of the activity with some time we had left.
StoryCubes
If Reviews was a completely different activity from the same hosts previous activity, Story Cubes had just slight changes made from the version we played prior to this time. One thing that was different from the last activity was the fact that there was time for brainstorming. Apparently, the host had received some feedbacks saying that it was hard to tell a story because it was hard to come up with words for each picture on the cubes, so this time, the whole group brainstormed words for some of the pictures on the cubes all together before getting into the actual activity.
In my opinion, there is a good side and a bad side to this change. First, the good part about is that it was a good warm up to get students prepared for the actually storytelling. Spitting out words for each picture got us to think and gain confidence that we can say any word and it can make sense. However, the other side of me wonders if this was effective enough to spend more than ten minutes into doing it. What made me think this way is the frequency of the appearance of pictures that we brainstormed. During the actual activity, the the words we had brainstormed didnt come out that often, so I didnt really get the point of having to do it.
