Listening and Speaking Part 1 😃
Research surrounding listening for ELLs
Trouble ELLs may have in listening ❓
In oral speech, words sound as if they are all fused together
In oral speech, words sound as if they are all fused together
Oral speech is not as clean or concise as written
When people talk, their sentences can be fragmented, contain embedded clauses, etc.
Oral language is invisible
Words and sentences in spoken language are not tangible in the same way that written language is. If the listener does not understand what the speaker said, they will ask it to be repeated or for clarification
Methods of Instruction to Assist ELLs
The silent period and wait time
If a student is not talking, it does not mean that they are not listening. They could be developing receptive skills. It is important to create a welcoming environment so the ELLs feel more comfortable to speak out loud
Teachers should be patient when assessing a student's listening skills. The student could be thinking of what to say and how to say it.
Class Discussion/Activities
The teacher can ask open-ended questions rather than a simple "yes/no" question
This can elicit the student to pay closer attention to what the teacher is saying
Productive Talk Moves
A range of strategies that teachers use to scaffold effective classroom discussions
Typically involves activities in which students have to engage in some sort of dialogue or conversation with either the teacher or each other
Vocabulary Development
This is an important aspect of language development
Imperative to give students enough vocabulary knowledge so that they can better listen to spoken English.
Slow develop for oral English proficiency
Research has established that ELLs tend to make slower progress as they move beyond Level 3. Thus, as teachers, we must be patient with students' progress
Consistent instruction
Dedicated time to oral English proficiency
An ELL may be successful in word recognition, spelling, and decoding skills, but if oral English skills are not also focused on, they may fall behind in listening and speaking.
It is beneficial to dedicate chunks of class time to focus on oral English proficiency. This further establishes that one skill in language acquisition is not more important than any other.