This document provides ideas for enhancing English language lessons with a focus on listening and speaking. It includes 11 topics: 1) using YouTube videos, 2) practicing TOEFL tasks, 3) finding phrases for speeches, 4) formal vs. informal vocabulary, 5) pronunciation analysis, 6) finding idioms, 7) creating expert listening groups, 8) performing as American characters, 9) paired American dialogue performances, 10) final student video projects, and 11) discussing conditionals and modal verbs. For each topic, it provides detailed instructions and examples for classroom activities.

1. 10 Listening/Speaking Lessons Simple ideas for enhancing your lessons

2. Top 10 List + 1 1. Getting YouTube videos to work for you 2. TOEFL Practice 3. Finding phrases for (argumentative) speeches 4. Formal vs. Informal Vocabulary (writing) 5. Pronunciation Analysis 6 Find the Idiom/Share the Idiom 7. Expert/Interest Listening Groups with Channels 8. American Character Performance 9. American Dialogue Performance 10. Student Final Projects ~ Video Goodbyes 11. Conditionals and Modal Verbs

3. 1. Downloading Youtube Videos Install Real Player on your computer Play with real player, there is a button on the top for you to download Use an extension program to convert the videos if necessary Don’t be click phobic, be click fearless Create your own private channel for student work

4. 2. TOEFL Practice Goal: To practice integrated TOEFL task 1. Find a reading (newspaper) 2. Find a related listening but hopefully with a different purpose 3. students read the reading while taking notes 4. students listen to the video while taking notes 5. with a partner, student summarize each story and discuss the differences 6. Focus on differences, not your opinion 7. teacher may provide vocabulary

5. TOEFL listening Reading: Daily Texan 6/10/2009 p. 3 http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=105218256&m=105218240 Vocabulary An uproar – a large, negative reaction To dance to China’s tune – to do what China wants To drag their feet – to find ways not to obey the law or to obey it very slowly Another turn of the screw – a way to make more restrictions

6. What are the differences?

7. 3. Making an argumentative speech 1. Find an argumentative speech 2. Listen to the speech without taking notes 3. Listen trying to make an outline 4. Listen, writing down specific words and phrases from the speech 5. Plan your own speech, roughly following your model’s outline 6. Use a minimum of 10 phrases in your speech 7. Practice with a partner. Partner checks off each phrase you use,

8. Making an Argumentative Speech (twilight) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqSF694ZvQc

10. What I’m going to try to do here is

11. First of all

12. So anyways

13. Now let’s talk about Twighlight specifically

14. Now I’m going to start …

15. But in some ways that’s precisely the point.

16. I mean, look. …

17. And then there’s …

18. And at first …

19. And this is not just any ….

20. Now this is (pretty much) the …

21. Of course …. But ….

22. And despite ….

23. So that’s what I have to say on the topic

25. Formal vs. Informal Language http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sister+salad+wack&search_type=&aq=f

26. Points of difference Punctuation and run-ons – it is difficult to understand if thought groups are not separated in some way Capitalization CAPSLOCK = screaming Capitalize proper nouns Spelling –hose U guys r hose Letters that stand for words – R, Y, U Pluralize with ‘z’ – spelling Spelling – what/wut, our/are/, know/no Your vs. you’re There, their, and they’re

27. 5. Pronunciation: Analysis of American Pronunciation 1. Find a one-two minute monologue 2. Choose someone who is somewhat similar to you, but not necessarily completely similar to you Same sex and basically the same age Someone whose speaking you admire 3. Make a transcript of the monologue. As spoken, not “correct” English 4. Upload video to class website 5. Go through video carefully, marking linking and glides 6. …. Reductions and deletions 7. …. Intonation, pausing, rhythm, specific sounds, voicing, others …

28. Pronunciation Analysis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHsfHkcFmc

29. linking I know you have a choice I know you ha va choice When it comes to your Whe nit comes to your There’s lots of choices out there There’s lo tsof choice zout there cooking shows are very popular Cooking show zar very popular

30. Glides (insert y or w between vowel sounds) That you are gonna thank me for That you ware gonna thank me for It makes me a wizard in the kitchen It makes me ya wizard in the kitchen It turns me into a wizard It turns me yinto a wizard

31. Reductions There’s a lot of shows There z^ lot ^(f) shows But I’ve discovered But I’ve d^scovered So I’m gonna amaze you So I’m g^nna ^maze you

32. Other things to do with the analysis: Mark stressed word Mark stressed syllables Mark intonation Mark voicing changes Have students memorize and perform or record the selection after analysis

33. 6. Finding the idiom Goal: To reinforce idioms. To show idioms used outside of the textbook. 1. Students find and bring videos to class that contain an idiom 2. Play video 3. Students listen for the idiom(s)

34. Example: The Big Picture Chapter 8 Pin him down Get carried away Up in the air Fly off the handle Get a grip Out of my hands Be a soft touch Get a hold of yourself Get out of hand Hit me up for Pull strings At the end of my rope Rein in String me along Cut me some slack Tied to your mother’s apron strings

35. Find the idiom (student project?) SNL http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=31821026

36. Which idiom did you hear? Sue, get a hold of yourself! What other idioms might be used here? Get a grip Get carried away Get out of hand

37. 7. Creating (expert) listening groups 1. Students divide up depending on interests or majors 2. Students search for and select 1+ channels ELP: conversation, drama, romance … EAP: discipline specific or interest related: biology, TESOL, second language acquisition, chaos theory 3. Student listen to different videos or the same videos, and discuss together 4. Students take notes on videos Include technical terms & vocabulary 5. In class (or outside) students meet and discuss the videos they have listened to discuss what they’ve listened to 6. You may wish to tie this into reading or writing activities.

38. 8. American Character Performance Goal: Imitate exactly the intonation, rhythm, patters of American speaking in a monologue 1. Select a well-known American personality whose communication style you would like to study. Politician, movie star, TV-personality 2. Select someone who is the same sex and approximately the same gender. Do you select a child if you are an adult 3. Select someone who is different from you

39. 4. Prepare 2 full minutes of imitation. 5. Provide a video of your performer 6. Turn in a ½ page detailed description of who your character is, and the details about the way they talk and their body language 7. Have fun. Exaggerate! Stretch yourself. 8. Imitate their voice pattern, kind of talk, body movements, gestures, pitch, intonation, rate of speech, etc.

40. 9. Paired American Performances Goal: Imitate exactly the intonation, rhythm, patters of American speaking with a partner in a conversation. 1. Find a partner 2. Find a short (45 seconds – 1 minute) segment of English conversation by native speakers 3. Make a transcript to hand in. This should be an exact transcript with pauses, overlaps, linking, etc. Use Conversational Analysis transcription system

41. 4. Listen at home repeatedly. 5. Memorize very small bits at a time – like learning a song. 6. Work alone on your part OUT LOUD for at least 20 minutes per day. 7. Work with your partner for at least 1 hour on two separate occasions.

42. Memorization of Small Chunks Procedure: 1. Listen to the tape (just one “chunk”) and read the script. Repeat. 2. Listen to the tape and read along out loud from your script. 3. Without the tape, read out loud from your script. 4. Without the script, talk along with the tape. 5. Talk through the chunk together (no script, no tape).

43. Other tips on working together: Help your partner correct timing, rhythm, pronunciation, intonation, emphasis, pauses, volume, and laughter Make sure to work on pauses Change roles and see if you can do your partner’s role. It will help you do your own role better.

44. 10. Final video project Mostly for ELP programs Students divide into groups Students should record their experiences in and around their school Students can put background music to videos Videos can be shown at final receptions/parties, or in class

45. 10. Final Video Projects (no links available)

46. 11 (honorable mention): recognize and discuss conditionals and modals Find a video with modals and conditionals Play the video with a cloze exercise, leaving blanks for all verbs Repeat playing if necessary Check answers Discuss uses of modals and conditionals in real speech

47. Life After People (History) http://www.thehistorychannel.com.au/tv-shows/lap-default.aspx

48. The End curtreese@hotmail.com