CAN WE TALK? This training for adult ESOL instructors, volunteer tutors and administrators discusses the most effective and practical techniques for developing oral skills: the communicative approach in context relevant to students' lives encourages meaningful conversation.

1. The Art of Conversation Can We Talk?

2. Bill and Maria Koonce, presentersbillmar@cfl.rr.com

3. GENERAL GUIDELINES 1. Select a Competency/Topic: Conversation in Context 2. Make it Relevant/Meaningful 3. Integrate all Language Skills 4. Focus on Listening and Speaking 5. Model Correct Language: No Correction

4. FL. CURRICULUM COMPETENCIES 1. Communication 2. Civics, Family & Community Resources 3. Employment 4. Consumer Education 5. Health & Nutrition 6. Transportation & Travel 7. Safety & Security

5. ACTIVITIES 1. Telephone situations: conversation, message, call back (realia) 2. Use photos to talk about family members (visuals) 3. Interview (role-play) 4. Clothes, Advertisements (Language Experience Approach) 5. Parts of the Body (Total Physical Response) Symptoms (visuals, mimic, role-play 6. How did you come to the US? (experiential learning) 7. Newspaper articles: a crime, a weather threat (current events, relevancy)

6. OTHER ACTIVITIES Games Poetry, Songs Show-and-Tell Riddles and Jokes Exchange recipes Television shows and Movies

7. Assessment Self evaluations Checklists

8. RESOURCES Textbook Series? ______________ Cambridge University Press: Keep Talking by F. Klippel Five-Minute Activities by P. Ur and A. Wright Grammar Activities by P. Ur Just Listening and Speaking (with CD) by M. Cavendish Oxford University Press: The Oxford ESOL Handbook by P. Schellekens

9. RESOURCES (cont.) http://esl.about.com/ http://efl4u.com/ http://www.usingenglish.com/

10. CONTACT US! billmar@cfl.rr.comwww.mariaandbill.com

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