Developing effective teaching of speaking and listening

The grammar of talk

Activity

Watch the attached video clips of the teacher at School C addressing the grammar of talk with her Year 9 pupils.

What do you think could be the benefits to the pupils in the videos of being taught grammar for talk? Jot down your ideas and then compare them with those given by QCA and teachers in the document Benefits of teaching the grammar of talk (attached).

A language for talk

Teaching the grammar of talk requires you to actively investigate the spoken word with your pupils and to reflect on talk. To aid that reflection and to be able to talk about the features of talk, to make it 'visible', an explicit terminology (such as 'discourse markers', 'ellipsis' and 'deixis') for spoken language can be helpful.

Objective-led teaching

Many of the objectives for speaking and listening in the Framework for teaching English can be used to direct teaching grammar of talk but in particular you might consider the following:

Year 7

• S&L 2 recount a story, anecdote or experience, and consider how this differs from written narrative.
  S&L 8 identify the main methods used by presenters to explain, persuade, amuse, etc.

Year 8

• S&L 1 reflect on the development of their abilities as speakers in a range of different contexts and identify areas for improvement.
  S&L 8 recognise the range of ways in which messages are conveyed.

Year 9

• S&L 1 reflect on the development of their abilities as speakers in a range of different contexts and identify areas for improvement.
  S&L 5 compare different points of view that have been expressed, identifying and evaluating differences and similarities.

Activity

For further ideas on teaching the grammar of talk you might wish to read the following:

• Introducing the grammar of talk (QCA 2004)
• Teaching the grammar of talk (Durant, R. Gillow, T. Heffernan-Smith, S. 2006)