Brainstorming for my ASP Class: Skills for Good Discussions/Meetings

I'll be teaching ICU's Academic Speaking (ASP) class for first year students again this term from next week, and here goes some messy brainstorming to squeeze out some new ideas and make some vague images for new activities a little more concrete...

The goal of the course is to help students become more comfortable with using English in "on campus" situations, with an emphasis on group discussions. Other situations we cover are meeting people, carrying on a conversation, visiting a teacher's office, and giving peer feedback. I think that is a good list of situations, and we just need to teach functional language and concepts and do practices that will help students feel comfortable in those situations.

Lesson 1
Meeting people - We do this just for the first day. How to self-introduce, shake hands, ask a few polite questions, start, continue and leave a conversation...all in 70 minutes. We could do more...I guess...but one period usually does it for introducing the basics.

I'd like to assign a "meet a non-Japanese person on campus" activity like I did five years ago...Samples here. Possibly as a pair work, or in threes? Video would be cool, or at least a photo plus a short report students submit on a Moodle site or class blog.

I should make an example. Take the VADO out on campus or just within the ELP. 3 minutes should do it.

Lesson 2
Controlling a Conversation, Active Listening: Students should master 10 or 15 phrases that can really help students clarify things or avoid miscommunication. Phrases include "I'm sorry. Could you please speak a little slower?" and "Sorry, could I confirm? Do you mean...?"

What's the best way to assess this? The ultimate way would be to have students actually use the phrases when they interview or do discussions with a non-Japanese person.

Another good way is to ask students to create a skit that uses those phrases in a simulated way. They would write a short, 1 minute skit that uses one or more of the phrases, and act it out in front of the whole class. Or it could be homework--record the skit together and post it on the class site.

Last year I did a "oral quiz" with a partner saying "How do you ask for slower speaking?" and the other replying "I'm sorry, could you please speak a little slower?" and the first student trying to evaluate whether the response was good/OK/or not correct. It was a good activity, but messy from an evaluation point of view. I let the point thing go ambiguously.

One final idea is to ask students to record answers to quiz questions in a computer lab.
Q: What can you say if someone is speaking too fast?
A: I'm sorry, could you speak a little slower please?
But who is going to grade this? I don't want to have to listen to file after file of phrases...If it is just an assignment with no grading, then checking whether it is done or not is easy.

Overall, I think I like the skit approach best. Just do it in class. Not homework...unless I want them to write a skit draft before class to have some ideas to run with. Perhaps make a worksheet that asks for a skit (preview) and a recording (review) as homework.

How would that work in class? Just get into pairs (10 pairs for 10 phrases) and write a 5 line skit that uses one? two? phrases.

Teacher: Your group is in charge of *I'm sorry. Could you speak a little louder please?"*

Students: (After working together on a notebook) OK, we're ready! (Come up front)

A: (whispering) I am Professor White.
B: I am his student, Taro.
A: The place is Professor Suzuki's office and Taro has come to ask some questions. They have already exchanged greetings. (Both sit down on chairs)
A: (Normal voice) So, Taro, how can I help you today?
B: Yes, I have a question. Could you tell me why I got a C for my grade last term?
A: Uh.....(inaudible mumbling)...
B: I'm sorry, sir, could you speak a little louder please?
A: Yes, uhh...(inaudible mumbling)
B: I'm sorry, sir. I still can't hear you. Could you speak much LOUDER please?!

The End

They would act this out, and I would get it on video (final) or audio (practice), and then upload it to our class website along with the script. Classmates could add comments (if a blog or Moodle forum is used). The teacher could add some advice.

XtraNormal might be interesting for this too.

Embedding YouTube video in Blogger/Sites is easy, but students might not be comfortable with public video...so I just need to make it private by changing settings on Blogger.
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Lesson 3:
Visiting a teachers' office

Lesson 4:
Leading a discussion

Lesson 5:
Participating in a discussion

Lesson 6
First recording of P&D "short opinion + leading a discussion"
Do it in one period with four VADO cameras. 4 groups of 5, 7~10 min per student including a 2~3 min. opinion and 5~7 min. discussion.
Send YouTube links to all students.

Lesson 7
After GW, do a discussion based on their video self-analysis of speaking style points.

Lessons 8-9
P&D skills - learning SGW.

Lesson 10
Reporting on a discussion

Lesson 11
Strategies for fluency

Lesson 12
Giving peer feedback

Lesson 13:
Survival game

Lesson 14:
Kelly Mystery

Lesson 15:
Practice for 2nd recording

Lesson 16:
2nd recording -- very similar format and difficulty compared to the first one. Make comparison of analysis somewhat possible.

Lesson 17:
Discuss analysis of recordings, set goals

Lesson 18
Summary/class party

Something like that? How can this be more fun...
Include intro to iTalki, speech video imitation, music cloze, air band, interaction with other sections, interaction with international students on campus, integration with ARW, making funnier videos...PK20x20s? Just go to class and chat and relax...improv...ideas, ideas, ideas.

How about an oral journal to accompany their written journal?

Speech Exercises from Link

Do NOT spend time thinking about the topic before you speak.

1. Your favourite hobby and why it’s your favourite.
2. What you would do if you won five million dollars on the lottery?
3. If you had unlimited resources, what would you do to improve your business?
4. What do you like best about what you do? Why?
5. Which of the five senses is most important? Why?
6. What skill or talent would you most like to have? Why?
7. Why is the current federal government doing such a bad job?
8. What should your town do to create a better climate for business?
9. What are the best places to eat in your town or city? Why?
10. What are the best things to do to relax? Why?
11. What’s the worst fault a person can have? Why?
12. If you could be young again, would you? Why?
13. What are the four things you least like to do? Why?
14. Who do you most admire? Why?
15. If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go? Why?
16. What are your three best personality traits? Why?
17. What do you like most about living where you live? Why?
18. What was the worst job you ever had? Why?
19. What was the best workshop or conference you’ve ever attended? Why?

Improv ideas: I like the Question game. Good for question grammar practice.

http://plays.about.com/od/improvgames/a/competeImprov.htm

Alphabet looks challenging but interesting too.

Alphabet:

This game is ideal for performers with a knack for alphabetization. The actors create a scene in which each line of dialogue begins with a certain letter of the alphabet. Traditionally, the game starts off with an “A” line.

Example:

Actor #1: All right, our first annual comic book club meeting is called to order.

Actor #2: But I’m the only one wearing a costume.

Actor #1: Cool.

Actor #2: Does it make me look fat?

Actor #1: Excuse me, but what’s the name of your character?

Actor #2: Fat man.

Actor #1: Good, then it suits you.

Anything that helps students gain confidence with speaking expressively is going to valuable in Japanese college classes. Need to get students away from flat, mechanical speaking. Drama/acting in skits may be the best way!