Let’s go over that one once again: Teacher Talk

Let’s go over that one once again:Teacher Talk Roger Hunt IH Barcelona Conference February 6th & 7th 2009

Parent talking time (PTT) • Johnny want a banana? • Get the banana Johnny. • No, not the orange, the banana Johnny • Johnny not the cat, the banana • Johnny leave the catalone! • Johnny DON’T EAT the bloody cat!

Nicholas Clennard Nicholas Clennard (1638) described his teaching methodology as follows: “I caused their (the students) ears to be assailed by Latin and nothing but Latin whilst I stood by and made the thing more apparent with gesticulations.….after about a month each of them babbled it fluently after his fashion.”

Some things we say • Ok. Jot that down and let me know when you’re done • Getcha books out please • /aɪmdʒəs/ /əmgenə/ /wɒtʃə/ /wɒtʃəgɒʔ/ • Just have a look at number 6 again • I’m just popping out for a sec • Anyone know what the answer is? • You done? • Uh hu..well, you got me there!

Teacher talk purposes and rephrasing • I’m just gonna give you a sheet of paper, then we’ll… • What do you think life would be like now if computers hadn’t been developed? • When you’ve finished that swap with someone else and we’ll go over them together • Who’s managed to figure out the answer to number 6? • Well, we’ve just done number 7 so I think we’ll move on to number 9 now as number 8 really isn’t necessary. • Let’s go over number 10 together • Once you’ve got through that we’ll have a quick look at the next page. Tell me when you’ve finished.

questions • Socrates maintained that asking the right questions guided a learner to the formulation of 'right' answers - answers that worked for the learner at that time. • Vygotskysuggested that asking the right questions enabled the learner to progress in terms of his/her zone of proximal development (ZPD) ie: the next rung on his/her personal ladder of understanding and development. • Levinson said: "The force of a question is, on the whole, an attempt to elicit a particular kind of answer." • Benjamin Franklin said: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

What is the purpose of and likely interpretation of the following questions and statements? How useful are these? • Do you understand? • Why do you think that is the correct answer? • There is a mistake in your answer. Can you see what it is? Look at the fourth word in the second line of what you wrote. Can you see the mistake now? • Where did you get that idea? • How are you today? • Discuss this with your partner then ask any questions you would both like clarifying. • What is your opinion on the Levinson quote above? Please discuss this in pairs first. • To what extent do you agree with Benjamin Franklin? • To what extent do you tell as opposed to involve your students in your classes? • Do you believe a Socratic approach is valid?

Display, reference and procedural questions • Did you have a nice weekend? • He has a headache. What advice can you give? • What are the rules about voting in your country? • What colour is my hair? • Did she do it? Was it easy or difficult? So she…..managed to do it? • Have you got an answer for number eight?

Initiation, response, feedback (IRF) T: What did you do last night? S: I goed to the cinema. T: Is that right? S: Yes. T: What did you do last night? S: I went to the cinema. T: Good. S: No

Waiting time • How are you? • Do you smoke? • Why do/don’t you smoke? • What would you be doing if you hadn’t come here today? • What is the difference between a procedural and a display question?

Other things, in the staffroom • We did furniture vocab, it was a great lesson • I taught them the present perfect today • None of them knew a thing about Kylie Minogue! • Tell them to read the questions out loud • So Maria, does Juan like going to the supermarket? • I did the reading on page 17 • This is a good activity: it takes ages • They like games • We’re playing Monopoly tomorrow

Some analysis: ‘just’http://www.lextutor.ca • this is not just a passing interest or a matter of concern on • the gunfire, which was so near that it seemed just a piece up the road now, stopped for long • are scared off by cannon, from City Hall. Just a preliminary measure. If any are left • no one who can touch her. If the voice is just a shade less glorious than it used to be • Landesco thought him "just a superior sort of plug ugly" • the universe is also made of atoms, it is just a supermachine. And this would mean that • but she seemed just a trace uncertain; while Jones, on the other • getting ready for her first communion. It just about blew us both out of the water when • Then I calculated that a million peas would just about fill a household refrigerator • and more serious brother, Morris, who was just about her own age and whom she had got to know

Some more analysis: ‘just about’http://www.lextutor.ca • It justabout blew us both out of the water when • And I've been told that justabout every town, no matter what its size, • Then I calculated that a million peas would justabout fill a household refrigerator; • Morris, who was justabout her own age • travel in Laos was justabout impossible. • a few hundred yards wide with justabout room enough for • interest rates during the past 15 years justabout run its course • Justabout the most enthralling real-life example • I'm all set. Justabout to call a taxi". • seemed justabout to charge him, the stupidest bastards around. • Justabout to get their asses kicked • The car was justabout to us, its driver's fat, solemn face

Summaryrecap on these with a partner: any questions or comments? • PTT • Comprehensible (?) input • Purpose and rephrasing (or teaching everyday phrases?) • A Socratic approach • Display, reference and procedural questions • IRF • Waiting time • Concordancing • Those ‘other things in the staffroom’

Thank you for you kind attention! Enjoy the conference! Roger Hunt rhunt@bcn.ihes.com

Let’s go over that one once again: Teacher Talk