Imaginary practice: Discourse strategies used in EFL episode teaching 虚实之间：高中英语片段教学话语策略

1. Imaginary practice: Discourse strategies used in EFL episode teaching虚实之间：高中英语片段教学话语策略 黄军生 福建教育学院 December 2, 2013 jshuang09@sina.com

2. Focus • 4Cs C – Create the episode through goal setting C – Create the whole through episodes C – Create dialogues through monologues C – Create authentic contexts through imaginary practice 以目标创设片段 以片段创设整体 以独白创设对话 以假想创设实境

3. Preview • Introduction • Episode teaching: What’s different? • Classroom discourse • Create the episode through goal setting • Create the whole through episodes • Create dialogues through monologues • Create authentic contexts through imaginary practice • Implications & limitations • Awareness & expertise (Conclusion) 4Cs

4. 1. Introduction • A philosophical distinction: the whole and its parts What about episode teaching? “The whole is more than the sum of its parts” (Aristotle)

5. Events in Fujian • The honour-teacher selection (August 15, 2010) • The expert/master teacher selection (October 17, 2010) • The teaching-skill contest 2010 (December 20, 2010) • The teaching-skill contest 2012 (November 16 – 25, 2012)

6. A pleasant surprise English was spoken in all the episode teaching sessions without exception. “Use English if possible, and use Chinese when necessary” “尽量使用英语，适当使用母语” 《高中英语大纲(实验修订版)》（2000） （刘道义，2006a：49）

7. What about “talking about lesson”? • The Research Team 卢 健、严淑琼、杨华娟、姜 蕴、陈文浩、朱玉、周大明、黄军生 7

8. Negotiating the meaning of episode teaching (June 4, 2011)

9. Questions • What is episode teaching situated in the community of teaching practice in Fujian? What are the key features? • How do EFL teachers do episode teaching in practice? • What are the implications for classroom instruction? • What are the potential limitations of episode teaching?

10. 2. Episode teaching: What’s different? • A working definition 片段教学，指教师根据教学设计，在缩短课堂教学时间、规定教学内容及操控课堂环境等条件下，上的“微课”，以展现相对完整的常规课堂教学过程，达到展示、训练或评价教师整体专业教学能力之目的的教学实践活动。(黄军生, 2012：65)

11. micro-lesson • Design features • Subject: Pre- or in-service teachers • Nature: An activity of teaching practice (A micro-lesson with a specific focus) • Purpose: To present, train & evaluate teaching expertise (As an approach to teachers’ professional development) • Prerequisite: Time, content, setting & behaviors under control

12. Mini-lesson, lesson section, or talking about the lesson? • A mini-lesson: the contracted version of a regular lesson (with the integrity in contents & procedures) • A section of a regular lesson: An integral part of a regular lesson (without the integrity in contents & procedures) • Talking about the lesson: (A brief introduction to a regular lesson – how & why) Introducing how & why

13. 5Ps （刘道义，2006a, b) （刘道义，2010）

14. Justifying “episode teaching” - Episode: an event that is distinctive and separate although part of a larger series (Merriam-Webster ) - Episode teaching can be viewed as a brief unit of action as well as an integral part of a larger series Preparation Production Presentation Progress Practice

15. Microteaching (Allen, 1967) • Stanford Teacher Training Programs • Stanford Teacher Training Programs • Mainly for pre-service teachers and later extended to in-service teachers • A short micro-lesson (5 – 20 minutes) • Two major elements: (1) teach-reteach cycle (2) focus on individual teaching skills • Two major limitations: (1) emphasis on individual skills and less attempt made to integrate these skills (2) gap between the “shallow water” of teaching and the “deep end” of the real classroom (Hargie et al, 1978)

16. 14 teaching skills (Allen, 1967) • Stimulus variation • Set induction • Closure • Silence and nonverbal cues • Reinforcement of student participation • Fluency in asking questions • Probing questions • Higher-order questions • Divergent questions • Recognizing attending behavior • Illustrating and use of examples • Lecturing • Planned repetition • Completeness of communication

17. 10 teaching skills (袁昌寰，1999) • Introduction • Presentation • Mechanical drills • Practice • Questioning • Variability • Designing and organizing activities • Visual aids • Reinforcement • Closure

18. Trial teaching • 12 teaching skills • Leading in (to the topic) • Goal-setting • Presenting the content (a group of words, a paragraph of the text, a text …) • Focusing on skills (teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, thinking, text, strategies, culture …) • Focusing on language use • Reading aloud • Retelling • Storytelling • Designing activities/tasks • Organizing activities/tasks • Handwriting • Summarizing

19. Four skills in the 2010 contest

20. Skills in the 2012 contest (Senior)

21. Skills in the 2012 contest (Junior)

22. Skills in the 2012 contest (Primary)

23. 3. Classroom discourse • Definition • the oral interaction between teachers and their students and between students themselves that takes place in a classroom context. (Thoms, 2012: S8)

24. Categories • Teacher-student interaction & student-student interaction • Verbal interaction & nonverbal interaction • Dialogue & monologue • Teacher talk

25. Local three-part sequence - Are you ready? - Okay, let’s go. - Over, check the key. (朱介文，2011, 《福建基础教育研究》)

26. IRF/IRE pattern T: Amy, what do we call words that describe? [I] S: Adjectives. [R] T: Adjectives, good. [F/E] I = Initiation R = Response F/E = Feedback/Evaluation (Sinclair & Coulthard, 1975)

27. 4. Creating the episode through goal setting • 2010 Topic (Senior) • Women of achievement (M4/U1, NSEC ) Using language: “Speaking & writing” • 2012 Topic (Senior) • Visiting Britain (M4/U12, SHE) Language Focus: “Reading”

28. Topic (2012)

30. The goal setting • A model of goal setting for episode teaching (M4/U1, NSEC) 片段教学目标设计模式

32. Focus on episode teaching • Persons: Lin Qiaozhi, or Madam Curie, Song Qingling, Song Zuying, Deng Yaping, English teacher … • Achievements & qualities • Initiate Ss into talking about the woman • Write a description of the woman you have talked about

33. Example 1: Opening remarks (1) 1) Well, boys and girls, just now we read a passage about women of achievement (Writing “Women of achievement” on the board), right? 2) Who did we talk about and read about? 3) Yes, Lin Qiaozhi, right? 4) Next, we’ll do some speaking and writing. 5) Before we do that, we’ll review and do some tasks. … (S1, 2010) • Analysis Cohesion & coherence Sequence: just now … next … Before … Contents: Reading Speaking Writing Goal of episode teaching: Speaking & writing

34. Example 2: Opening remarks (2) Well, Boys and girls, today we’re going to learn about an interesting place. Before that, I’d like you to enjoy a song. OK, let’s listen to it … Well, do you know it? Let’s sing together! Yes, along to the music, OK? “London Bridge is falling down, falling down …” [Singing, smiling and clapping] OK, is that a wonderful and beautiful song, isn’t it? OK, talking about the song … What’s the title? Yes, “London Bridge”. Where is London Bridge? Yes, of course, it’s in London, right? and London is the capital of Britain. Today, we’re going to take a trip to Britain. The title … (Writing the title, “Visiting Britain”, on the board) … (S1, 2012) • Analysis Sequence: Today Before that Today Relevance: London Bridge is in London. Goal-setting:

35. Example 3: Closure […] (After the presentation of 12 minutes) 1) So, today we’ve learned “Women of achievement”. 2) We’ve read about a passage about Lin Qiaozhi. 3) We’ve also talked about another woman of achievement. 4) And we also know how to write about a person, right? 5) … and also learn how to check with yourself and try to evaluate others. 6) Here, let’s see who is better … 7) Today’s topic is about women, maybe, today girls performed better. 8) I hope you (boys) will cooperate with each other very well later. • Analysis Cohesion & coherence Discourse markers: “So, right, here” Summary Result / Product Assessment

36. 9) Here is the assessment for you: … 10) Here is the homework for you: … - discussing your writing and checking it in pairs and in groups; - choosing the best one to put on the bulletin board; - searching the Internet www.women.com for further information about more famous women (S1, 2010) • Analysis Assessment Homework

37. 5. Creating the whole through episodes • Example 4: An interview (task) […] (Leading to speaking) 1) Let’s welcome S1 and S2, please come to the blackboard to have a dialogue. 2) OK! S1 and S2, who would like to do (an interview), for example, one is the interviewer and the other is the interviewee. 3) So, S1, you will act as the interviewer and S2 as the interviewee. 4) You’ll have a dialogue. 5) Please try to make all of your classmates understand what you are talking about. 6) (Turning to the class) Listen carefully … [Pause 5’’] • Analysis • Preparation (Activating) 2 students Purpose Roles Whole class • (Presentation) • (Practice)

38. 7) OK! S1 and S2, thank you very much, and go back to your seats. 8) Just now S1 and S2 talked about a woman you know. 9) They never mentioned her name in their dialogue, but from the information, you know she is … [Writing “Your English teacher”] 10) I’m sorry to write out the three words “Your English teacher” [Smiling modestly]. 11) Maybe I’m not that good enough to be a great woman, to be a woman of achievement. 12) Thank you very much for admiring me and I hope I can do better for you to set a good example for you to follow. 13) Now, let’s come to the second part. You’re required to write a passage: […] (S4, 2010) • Analysis • (Production) Comments Associating with T Affective elements • Progress (Moving on to writing)

39. The use of Metaphor • Analysis • Preparation (Activating) A task situated in class Initiate the task Analogize writing to hamburger • Example 5: Hamburger writing (task) […] (Leading in writing) 1) So(Clapping), today, I want to give you a task, a task (Writing “Task” on the board) to talk about a girl classmate. 2) Select one you think she is a girl of achievement. 3) …That is the task of today’s writing practice, writing practice. 4) Now, before you set down, get down (to) your business, what should you do first? 5) I want you to write down someone, someone, a girl in your class. 6) We’re talking about hamburger writing.

40. 7) Hamburger, have you ever eaten or seen a hamburger? 8) Yes (Smiling) or No (Frowning)? 9) So, it’s a pity. Look at the screen (Drawing a “hamburger” on the board). 10) On the screen, you can find … 11) What’s this? 12) Yes, the top bread (Writing “top bread” on the board). 13) What’s this? 14) Yes, the meat. 15) And what’s this? 16) Yes, the base bread. 17) Very good! 18) Oh yes, some students said it’s junk food. 19) Yes, I’m sorry. • Analysis • Presentation (Enabling task) Repetition (but not answer) A linking device

41. 20) If you eat too much hamburger, it will affect your shape. 21) You may gain weight, right? 22) I don’t want to gain weight and I want to keep slim, keep healthy, right? 23) OK, how to make a hamburger (a) healthy food? … [Pause 5’’] 24) OK, let’s look here. 25) I want you to use this kind of writing. 26) It’s called hamburger writing. 27) That means you can divide your writing passage into three parts: Paragraph 1 (is) just like the top bread, yes, your first paragraph is topic; • Analysis Pause: allowing time for Ss to think Repetition Defining by analogizing: Para. 1 – Top bread – Topic

42. 28) Paragraph 2, the body of your writing; Paragraph 3, you can write something else. 29) You know, that is the three layers of your hamburger writing. 30) Now is that junk food? 31) How to make it a healthy thing? 32) Yes, some students … yes! add some vegetables to make it healthy, very good! 33) So you can add some vegetables. 34) That means something, such as topic sentence or introduction, the vegetable. 35) How to make it (more) healthier? 36) Yes, we add some more, such as fruit. 37) You can cut it into slices and make it juicy. • Analysis Para 2 – Body; Para 3 – ? Solution 1: Add vegetable (Introduction or topic sentence) Solution 2: Add fruit (beautiful adjectives)

43. 38) How to make a passage juicy? 39) Yes, adjectives, use some beautiful adjectives to make it juicy and healthy. 40) OK, what about the last one? 41) Just like the base bread, mm … in case it falls apart, right? 42) Yes, you may draw a conclusion. 43) Yes, remember: we now talk about the hamburger writing before your task, hamburger writing. 44) So, now turn your book to Pages 8 and 7 […] (S2, 2010) • Analysis Para. 3 – Base bread – Conclusion • (Practice) • (Progress)

44. 6. Creating dialogues through monologues • Example 6: Questioning • Questioning with selective responses: 1) Hamburger, have you ever eaten or seen a hamburger? 2) Yes (Smiling) or No (Frowning)? 3) So, it’s a pity … (S2, 2010) • Questioning with self-response & repetition: 1) What’s this? 2) Yes, the top bread. 3) What’s this? 4) Yes, the meat. 5) And what’s this? 6) Yes, the base bread. (S2, 2010) • Analysis Question or responses? Affective elements Response & repetition?

45. Questioning with self-responses: 1) In this passage, we’ve learned how to describe people. 2) How to describe a person? 3) Use different adjectives to describe a person … (S7, 2010)

46. Example 7: Request • Asking for volunteering: […] (After introducing Lin Qiaozhi to Ss) Who would like to talk about, about another woman like Lin Qiaozhi, who has achieved …, who has made great achievements? Any volunteers? (S1, 2010) • Analysis Inviting Formulaic chunks: Who would like to…? Any volunteers? Self-correction

47. Inviting individuals: […] (Introducing to a group competition) 1) Let’s find out who will get most points. 2) Well, Mary, your group is talking about, about whom? 3) About Song Qingling … 4) Appearance? 5) She is beautiful (and) elegant. 6) Her childhood? 7) Well, Johnson? […] 8) What about her achievements here, Susanna? […] 9) Ah … Katherine, please come here. […] (S1, 2010) • Analysis Inviting & questioning Response & repetition Different ways of invitation: Mary … about whom? Well, Johnson? What about …Susanna? Katherine, please …

48. Example 8: Discourse markers “and, or, but”: discourse connectives “now, then”: temporal “Oh, Ah”: markers of information management “so, because”: markers of cause and result “Well”: marker of response “You know, I mean”: markers of information and participation “Right”: agreement: e.g. “Yeah, right!” attention: e.g. “Right! Open your books on page 7.” question: e.g. “So, all of the members should be speakers, right?” checking or confirming: “Lin Q. is a woman of achievement, right?” “OK”: starting a talk or question: e.g. “OK, let’s go on to item B.” “OK, any questions so far?” agreement, approval, understanding; emphasis: e.g. “OK, everybody, it’s time to do a speaking task …”

49. Discourse markers Schiffrin (1987) defines discourse markers as “sequentially dependent elements which bracket units of talk” (p. 31); Why analyze discourse markers? “The analysis of discourse markers is part of the more general analysis of discourse coherence.” (Schiffrin, 1987: 49)

50. Paraphrasing • Analysis Defining Defining & repeating Defining, repeating and focusing on form and meaning Defining the situated meaning • Example 9: Defining & repeating 1) Modest, she is a star, but she is always ready to help somebody else, right? 2) As we know, she was very energetic, energetic, even though she was very tired after work, she tried her best to help one who needed help, energetic … 3) … and modest, you know modest, m-o-d-e-s-t, modest means that even though a person is very great, she has made a very great achievement, she has never been too proud, so we say she is modest. 4) “Modest” is good for everyone in … in the classroom, good for you and for me … (S4, 2010)