From Lesson Planning to the Managing of Teaching & Learning: Teacher Talk

1. From Lesson Planning to the Managing of Teaching & Learning: Teacher Talk Desmond Thomas, MA TESOL ELLT1

2. Do we plan classroom management? “The concept of lesson planning has as many interpretations as there are teachers. It can range from a rather hasty decision on which bit of a textbook to do next, to a careful choosing of language items and activities on the basis of a set of language-teaching principles…. Classroom management similarly means different things to different people. Some regard it ‘simply’ as a matter of on-the-spot common sense and charisma. For others it is an important aspect of planning and anticipation” Susan Maclennan, Integrating lesson planning and class management, ELT Journal 41/3 July 1987

3. Elements of EFL Classroom Management • Teacher talk: explanations, instructions, asking questions, eliciting, giving feedback, modifying language • Motivating and building rapport with students • Management of interaction patterns • Organizing the classroom layout • Monitoring of learning: group & individual • Managing technology • Managing learner behaviour (discipline)

4. Teacher talk 1: Asking questions • What’s this made of? ….. Anyone? • What’s this made of, Ben? • Ben. What’s this made of? • Ben. Stand up. What’s this made of? • What’s this made of? ……. Yes, Maria? • What’s this made of? It’s made of Ww …. Elements: Control, attention, participation. Adapted from Adrian Doff’s ‘Teach English’.

5. Teacher Talk 2: Instructions and Explanations Decisions in regard to the administration of medication despite the inability of irrational patients voluntarily appearing in Trauma Centres to provide legal consent rest with a physician alone. (Hospital notice quoted in ‘Style: Towards Clarity and Grace’ by Joseph Williams)

6. Teacher Talk 3: Giving feedback • Praising • Encouraging and prompting • Echoing • Summarizing • Indicating errors • Correcting errors

7. Teacher Talk 4: Modifying Language • You. Give me a pen • Can you give me a pen, please? • Would you mind giving me a pen or a pencil? • I hope you mind my disturbing you, but I just wanted to ask you for the loan of a pen • What I really need at this moment is some sort of writing instrument and I’m wondering if anyone can provide me with one, if it’s not too much trouble

8. Richard Cullen’s Features of Teacher Talk • Referential questions vs display questions (‘Why are you late?’ vs ‘Am I a girl?’) • Feedback on contentvs feedback on form. • Echoing of responses (for the benefit of an individual or the whole class) • Use of speech modifications (eg rephrasing) • Typical sequences such as IRF (Teacher initiation – student response – teacher feedback on response)

9. Cullen’s Teacher Talk Categories • Questioning & eliciting • Responding to students’ contributions • Presenting & explaining • Organizing & giving instructions • Evaluating & correcting • ‘Sociating’ or establishing rapport Are there equivalent Student Talk categories?

10. DT’s breakdown of ‘sociating’ skills • Use of eye contact and body language • Use of the voice • Use of techniques to gain, keep and spread attention such as – movement around the class, visual aids, drama and mime, humour • Use of students as learning resources • Use of varied patterns of communication (Examples: ‘reverse listening ‘, student talks)