Introductory Lesson #1

Goal: To review the attributes of a good speaker and a good listener.

Introducing Structured Partner Talk

The following 3 lessons can be used as an initial introduction to structured partner talk. They can be adapted to suit a number of grade levels. Good listening and speaking skills need to be rehearsed and practised on a daily basis for a number of weeks-until partner talk becomes smoothly integrated into the culture of the classroom. After the students have practised talking about the concrete and familiar objects used in the lessons you could move to using literature as a basis for discussion.

Materials

• criteria charts for good listeners and speakers (developed as a part of creating a safe and respectful environment)
• 1 paper plate for each student
• plasticine of various colours cut into small chunks

Before

• Post the criteria charts where they can be seen by all students.
• Call the students' attention to the charts. Review the criteria together. Add any new criteria that might come up during the discussion.
• Explain that today you will be modeling good speaking skills (refer to the chart). Explain that the students' job will be to model good listening skills.

During

• Explain that each student will receive a piece of plasticine and a paper plate.The plasticine rules are: It stays in your hand or on the plate.This is to prevent greasy marks on desk tops, plasticine being tracked around on the bottom of shoes, etc.
• Distribute the materials. Have students put their names on the plates.
• Have each student warm up the plasticine in their hands,
• Teach the students the meaning of the following words and demonstrate the appearance of the shapes with your plasticine: sphere, pancake, snake, cylinder, and raindrop.
• Have the students practise each of the shapes with their plasticine.
• Have the students roll their plasticine back into a sphere shape.
• Demonstrate how to make a snail with your plasticine (make a snake, roll it up on itself, use an extra little piece to make antennae).
• Have each students make a snail and stand it up on the plate.
• Invite a student to join you at the front of the classroom to help you model structured partner talk to the rest of the class.
• Sit facing the student (toe facing toe, knee facing knee, shoulder facing shoulder).
• Show the student your model snail, tell the student the snail's name and a number of interesting (and imaginary) facts about it.

After

• Compliment the volunteer for being a good listener.
• Have the students refer to the chart and invite 3 students to make a positive comment about the volunteer's listening skills.
• Ask 3 students to make a positive comment on the way you modeled the speaking skills.