Hello again~~
When I was a
teacher, I always observed that some of my students did not know how to talk
properly to their teachers and even with their friends. Maybe you have
encountered this situation also how common it is nowadays for students to not
know how to have a proper conversation. A conversation is about speaking and
listening. Maybe it is due to changed habits where more families are eating on
the go rather than sitting down together (I always found my students having
their breakfast in McD before they go to school) or it could be about
whatsapp-ing or tweeting now trump the talking and listening as today's
preferred forms of communication.
The four
tips below can be used regularly to help your students learn good
conversational skills.
1. Be a good
model
You can pick
a student, make a point of having one to one interaction within one or two
minutes at least a few times each week. Share a story about yourself as
you might when meeting a friend or acquaintance and show interest in the
student by asking questions about his or her interests. You can enhance the
conversation by using the enhancers like:
"Wow?"
"Really"
"That's
interesting!"
2. Non-verbal
behaviors
Use
appropriate body language when having a conversation. For example, you might teach a strategy like
S.L.A.N.T. (Sit up straight. Listen. Answer and ask questions. Nod to show
interest. Track the speaker).
3. I don't know
Do not accept "I don't know" as an answer. Tell students
that you do not require them to "know" but you do expect them to
"think." Teach them how to wonder aloud, speculate, guess or give the
best answer they can. ("I'm not sure about that, but I think _____ ").
4. Make eye contact
When a
student is speaking in the class you are listening and give eye contact to him
or her. However, gradually scan away from
the speaker and direct your gaze towards other students. This will often get
the speaker to redirect his or her talk toward the other students and invites
them to get and stay involved with what's being said.
How do you help your students become better speakers and listeners?