Working with learner language

The extended production of language by learners, whether spoken or written, is often viewed as the end-point of a lesson, but it can be placed at the centre of our planning and teaching     

How do we decide what to teach?

• we can stick to our syllabus;
• respond to learner output (spoken production, spoken interaction, writing - this is a learner driven approach. Here we need to improvise;

Working with learner language means:

• making it more sophisticated;
• make it sound more natural ;
• focus on style and nuance ;
• exploring related expressions ;
• acknowledging and sharing (to identify good language and to make sure that everybody in the class knows it) ;

How get learners to talk? 

• choose tasks and topics carefully. Get the learners a choice of tasks. What would they like to do in this lesson and in the next one;
• provide models;
• activate useful language;
• give them preparation time. They have to prepare content, ideas and language. It is possible to give them prompts what to prepare, it gives them some kind of shape;
• plan task repetition;
• consider group size. It can take more time of there groups of 3;

How to monitor? 

• tell learners what you're doing and why;
• tell them to speak up. To speak louder. Some teachers play music in order to make students speak louder;
• get in close;
•  listen, don't participate;
• write full utterances ;

 A teacher should ask questions himself while monitoring:

• What opportunities can I hear? (Not "what kind of mistakes they do?") 
• How would I say that? (not "is that correct?")
• How else could I say that?

What about practice? 

• to pick up the language at the next lesson

 Spontaneously:

• rub out and remember;
• question dictation; 
• sentence dictation. You dictate sentences with the language you have learnt with the students, they write them and then make them true for themselves;
• personalised sentences; 
• task repetition / variation ;

Links:

Based on the webinar "Working with Learner Language" – Alex Tilbury - http://www.cambridgeenglishteacher.org/eventdetail/2025/working-with-learner-language