Oral Communication Task
- A task designed to promote and encourage conversational interaction in the foreign language classroom.
- For Upper Intermediate / Advanced students of English:
Identifying, mixing and analyzing informal and formal authentic speech
Ideas to keep in mind:
Like other activities in the FL classroom, it is important to discuss that it’s okay to make errors because that is part of learning a second language. No one is immune to making errors. In fact, doing so helps us better retain the “correct” form and/or meaning of the word, phrase and/or sentence. This activity asks students to speak as authentically as they can and to recognize, imitate and spontaneously produce the utterance. A true conversation is unpredictable; people go off in tangents, stray off subject, interrupt one another, etc.
Provision of oral/corrective feedback during this activtity is done to help my students understand that speaking (in the L2) is not translating (from the L1), and to encourage them to ask for a repetition, confirmation, etc.
The Focus of Authentic Informal / Formal Communicative Competence:
Normally, language classes treat informal speech as separate from formal speech. For this activity, the purpose is to show what happens when the two registers clash unexpectedly. Up until this point, your students may feel comfortable speaking in one register or the other and as such may treat them as separate entities, but do they feel comfortable switching between the two on a whim?
Pre-Task:
I provide an anecdote you’ve had that involves a clash between formal /informal register. I discuss what signs led me to believe the individual was going to speak with me in one way, but actually spoke in a different manner or perhaps interchanged the two (maybe even mixing the two). If the classroom permits, I can demonstrate the activity with a fellow (native speaker), online over Skype or I act as both roles (a cardboard cut-out or a drawing on the board may come in handy). I also note that attire is not the only thing we should as a cue. Intonation, body language and context play a role as well perhaps, just like in the students' own repsective culture.
During the pre-task, I let the class know they should be taking notes and asking questions about formal and informal register from my model example.
Task:
- Have two volunteers come to the front of the classroom. Hand each student a note card that explicitly state “Formal Speech.” At this point, ask the class to close their eyes and only rely on what they hear to gives them cues as to what register is being used. Ask them to communicate [and act/ react] with [to] each other in the register.
- After half a minute to a minute of communication (and the class’ eyes are still closed), hand one of the students [Student A] a card that states “Informal Speech.” Ask the two to continue their conversation, which at this point may be adequately developed beyond the “Greeting” phase. After another half a minute or so, ask the two to stop.
- Ask the class what register the communication began in? What cues led them to believe as such? Did Student B continue speaking in formal speech or did he/she automatically change to informal speech?
- This time the class will have their eyes open. Have the class prepared to take written notes of the cues that give away the type of register that is being used (this can be cues of body language, intonation and actual words, phrases /and or sentences they feel displays the respective register). It’s their job to figure whether informal or formal speech is being used.
- Have two other volunteers come to the front of the classroom. Hand each student a note card that explicitly state “Informal Speech.” Ask them to communicate [and act/ react] with [to] each other in the register.
- After half a minute to a minute of communication, hand one of the students [Student A] a card that states “Formal Speech.” Ask the two to continue their conversation, which at this point may be adequately developed beyond the “Greeting” phase. After another half a minute or so, ask the two to stop.
- Ask the class what register the communication began in? What cues led them to believe as such? Did Student B continue speaking in formal speech or did he/she automatically change to informal speech?
- Ask the class how/why/if the conversation changed once you handed on the note card midway through the conversation. Also, ask if intonation/ body language changed or if it remained the same? In either case, how does that add/ subtract from the register?
