Introduction: An Overview of Teaching Second Language Conversation Conversation Class from the Learner s Point of View Which Name? Conversation or Discussion or Oral Fluency or Speaking? Conversation Class from the Teacher s Point of View The Organization of This Book Chapter 1: Five Fundamental Factors in Planning and Teaching a Conversation Class Factor 1: The Learner, Especially the Learner s Age, Proficiency Level, and Factor 1: Goals Factor 2: The Curriculum, Program, or School Factor 3: The Topic Being Discussed Factor 4: The Two Languages IN the Task versus FOR the Task Factor 5: The Task that Serves as the Vehicle for Conversation 1 3 5 5 7 9 11 12 14 15 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 26 27 28 v
vi Contents Chapter 2: Research on the Teaching of Conversation Key Terms in Research on Second Language Speaking Fluency versus Accuracy Interlanguage Comprehensible Input Negotiation of Meaning Pushed Output Moving from General Topic to Specific Task Designing an Effective Task The Flow of Information: One-Way versus Two-Way Tasks Stretching Interlanguage: Planned versus Unplanned Tasks The Solution to the Task: Open versus Closed Tasks Examples of Effective Speaking Activities Annotated Bibliography of Selected Works Chapter 3: What Does a Conversation Class Look Like? Case #1 Teaching Conversation in Chile Adults; Language School Case #2 Conversation Class in Portugal Adults; Private Language School Case #3 Teaching Speaking in the United Arab Emirates Adults; Colleges Case #4 Teaching English in Mexico and China Case #5 Teaching Conversation in Canada Adults; Adult Education; College Case #6 Teaching Conversation in Qatar Adults; Bridge Program Case #7 Teaching Conversation in Japan Case #8 Teaching Conversation in Vietnam Case #9 Teaching Conversation in Brazil Adults; Language Schools Case #10 Teaching Speaking and Listening to Teachers in China Adults; Teacher Training for Public and Private School Teachers Case #11 Teaching Conversation to High-Intermediate Learners in the United States Adults; Intensive English Program 29 30 30 32 34 40 42 45 47 48 49 50 51 53 58 61 63 66 69 71 73 75 78 81 83 86
vii Case #12 Teaching Speaking to Low-Proficiency Learners in the United States Adult Education; College Case #13 Teaching English Conversation in Japan Adults; Language School Case #14 Teaching Conversation in Korea Children; Language School Case #15 Teaching ESL in Canada Adults; Community College Case #16 Teaching Conversation in Japan Young Case #17 Teaching Conversation in Germany Adults; Business English in a Private School Case #18 Teaching Conversation in China College; University Case #19 Teaching University English Classes in Korea Case #20 A Year in the Life of an ESL Teacher on the Canadian Prairies Adults; Various Settings Chapter 4: Twenty Successful Activities Activity 1. Find Someone Who Activity 2. Find the Differences Activity 3. Drawing a Picture Activity 4. Information Gap: Simple Completion Activity 5. Information Gap: Group Problem Solving Activity 6. Ranking Activity 7. True or False? Activity 8. Auction Activity 9. If You Were the Judge (Real Court Cases) Activity 10. Liar (Groups of Four) Activity 11. Pair Talking (Minimal Pairs and Difficult Sounds) Activity 12. Communication Crossword Puzzles Activity 13. Twenty Questions Activity 14. Solve the Mystery: Finish the Story Activity 15. Role Play (Pairs) Activity 16. Flexible Odd-Man Out (Groups of Three) Activity 17. English Language Question Task Cards 88 90 93 95 97 100 102 104 106 110 112 115 118 122 126 131 134 137 141 147 151 155 159 162 165 168 171
viii Contents Activity 18. Battle: Find It First Activity 19. Tell It Three Times: 3-2-1 Activity 20. Strip Story Chapter 5: Ten Unsuccessful Activities Unsuccessful Activity 1. Presenting a Discussion Topic without Any Tasks Unsuccessful Activity 2. Using a Task Inappropriate for Students Age Unsuccessful Activity 3. Using a Task Unsuitable for Students Proficiency Unsuccessful Activity 4. Using Discussion Prompts that Can t Generate Discussion Unsuccessful Activity 5. Using a One-Way Task Unsuccessful Activity 6. Using a Problem-Solving Task with a Difficult Solution Unsuccessful Activity 7. Using a Task with Overly Complicated Instructions Unsuccessful Activity 8. Pretending that Checking Answers Is the Same as Discussing Unsuccessful Activity 9. Choosing an Inappropriate Topic for the Students Unsuccessful Activity 10. Using Videos Incorrectly as a Speaking Task Chapter 6: Assessing Speaking Revisiting Students Speaking Needs Three Stages of Speaking Assessment Pre-Instruction During Instruction Post-Instruction Formal Assessment Achieving Assessment Direct versus Indirect Assessment Scoring Proficiency Assessment Summary Appendix A: Ten Things You Should Know about Teaching ESL/EFL Vocabulary 175 178 181 185 187 190 192 195 197 198 200 201 203 205 207 208 209 209 210 211 213 213 218 220 223 226 228 Appendix B: Twelve Things You Should Know about Teaching ESL/EFL Pronunciation 235 Appendix C: The Role of Grammar in Teaching ESL/EFL Speaking 245
ix Appendix D: Samples of Successful Lesson Plans Example Lesson Plan 1 Example Lesson Plan 2 Example Lesson Plan 3 Appendix E: List of Classroom Materials and Websites Conversation Textbooks and Resources for Teaching Conversation Websites References Index 252 255 259 263 266 267 272 275 281