Bernadette Maguire: Balancing the Skills - The vital nature of Speaking

Eaquals International Conference, Lisbon, 21 – 23 April 2016

Balancing the SkillsThe vital nature of Speaking

Bernadette MaguireBRITISH COUNCILSPAIN

www.eaquals.org

www.britishcouncil.org 2

Ladder?


Garden


B1 - Threshold


B2 - Vantage


Teaching and Research Group

• Group of 50 level-tested • Sciences principal academic discipline• Used English regularly (articles, e-mails, journals,

academic papers etc)• Completed questionnaire & needs analysis form

Number of years learning English?Level? Skills? Concerns? Needs?


General data questionnaires• 15+ years studying English• General levels A2 – C2• Anxiety about Speaking at all levels• Concern conversational English, even at C1+ (talking to

colleagues at conferences)• Concern informal register writing (emails)• Worry about presenting in English, even at C1+• Concern about answering questions at conferences

(Will I understand?)

• Most Speaking levels comparatively low (cluster at B1)


Mid- course teachers’ evaluation

• High level receptive skills, esp Reading

• Lower level productive skills

• Writing markedly higher than Speaking

Speaking a real problem


Language use - Speaking

Overall Oral ProductionOverall Oral Production

• Sustained Monologue: describing experience

• Sustained Monologue: putting a case

• Public Announcements

• Addressing Audiences(CEF 4.4.11. Language use & Language User. ‘Oral Production’)


Addressing audiences - presentationsC1•Can give a clear, well-structured presentation of a complex subject, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons and relevant examples.•Can handle interjections well, responding spontaneously and almost effortlessly.B1 •Can give a prepared straightforward presentation on a familiar topic within his/her field which is clear enough to be followed without difficulty most of the time and in which points are explained with reasonable precision.•Can take follow-up questions, but may have to ask for repetition if the speech is rapid.


Learner Skills

General Competences (CEF 5)

• 1 Declarative knowledge (savoir)

• 2 Skills and know-how (savoir-faire)

• 3 Existential competence (savoir- être)

• 4 Ability to learn (savoir-apprendre)

Communicative Language Competences


Speaking issues

• General comparatively low level Speaking

• Reticence to speak in class (esp. in front of group)

• Apparent difficulty to pronounce non-Spanish sounds: /ə/ /з:/

and /ı/ v /i:/

• ‘Normalized’ & collective version of key sounds & key words

(‘architecture’, ‘wo(/ɒ/)rld’, ‘scientific’ etc)


Affective filters

• Confidence in general EL ability (low)

• Fear of Speaking skill (high)

• Fear of mistakes – effect on motivation

• Resistance (conscious and sub-conscious) to production of

‘new’ sounds [/ə/ /з:/ & /ı/ v /i:/ ]


Students

However …

•Successful & motivated academics

•Professional interest

•High level general language control

•Hard workers – good at homework

•Interest in professional practice BC teachers


What to do?


Action

• ‘Autonomy is essentially the matter of the learner’s psychological reaction to the process and content of learning.’ David Little

• Presentations central to classroom activity (do & learn – heuristic skills)

• Personal & professional connection with central activity • Exploitation of group dynamic - trust


ZPD

B1/B2 C1

Zone of proximal development

Assistance provided by

more capable others:

teachers and peers

Assistance provided by

self – learner autonomy

Internalization – taking

possession of knowledge –

skill developed(ing)


Action

• Presentations used to focus on:

• Intense and active error-correction

• Introduction of phonemic chart & symbols

• Pronunciation & intonation (drill)

• Use of university intranet & Youtube


Phonemic chart


Results

• Increase in learner autonomy

• Heightened awareness of personal Speaking issues

• Increase in confidence across all skills

• Marked improvement in level of Speaking

• Identified need to prevent this situation across the board


[email protected]

Bernadette Maguire: Balancing the Skills - The vital nature of Speaking

Education

Transcript of Bernadette Maguire: Balancing the Skills - The vital nature of Speaking