1. Oxford House College Overseas Teachers
Speaking
Small & Big task design
Task ideas
What’s a good Task
Creative Methodology 2 Speaking

2. Small speaking task - stages
Introduce the topic
Give an example
Get an example
Pairs – monitor
Feedback

3. Who had the strictest parents?
In your groups, discuss the questions below and decide who had the strictest parents.
When you were a child:
Do you think your parents were strict or easy-going?
Did you sometimes have to eat things you didn’t like?
Did you always have to do your homework?
What jobs did they make you do?
___________________________?

4. would you rather stay in?
Which of these hotels
would you rather stay in?

5. Small speaking - ideas Slip it in/circles Games (e.g. Yes/no) Lying
Interrupting questions
Mingles
Picture dictation
Sentences in the hat

6. Big speaking - ideas Role plays Information gaps Group decisions
Debates
Questionnaires
Interviews
Anecdotes

7. Bring your musical to London
You have a successful musical from another country and you want to bring it to London
Name?
Story?
Music?
How can you sell your ideas to the theatres in London?
How did we do this?
What was the staging?
What was the interaction pattern?
What was the outcome of the task?

8. Students prepare in their teams 1234 abcd
Ss do the task – changing partners several times 1a 2b 3c 4d 1b 2c 3d 4a Do
Feedback on content
Feedback on form
Feedback

9. Alibi There’s been a robbery Separate detectives and suspects
Detectives prepare questions
Suspects prepare alibis
Interviews
Trail
Feedback

10. Alibi - Detective There’s been a robbery…
You are a Detective. You will interview the suspects and ask questions about their alibi - that they had lunch together. Work with the others to prepare your questions. Think about:
Where they had lunch?
What they had?
How much they paid?
What the restaurant was like? Etc…
Useful Language
What time did you…
While you were eating, what did you talk about…
How long were you…
Do you remember if…

11. Alibi - Suspect There’s been a robbery…
You are a suspect. Your alibi is that you had lunch together. Work with the others to prepare your story. Think about:
Where you had lunch?
What you had?
How much you paid?
What the restaurant was like? Etc…
Useful Language
We met at…
While we were eating, we talked about…
I think that…
If I remember rightly…

12. Focus on meaning Grammar & lexis
It wasn’t me. It’s impossible. I was with friend. I have an alibi; I was with (a) friend(s). Your story have the gap, the problem, because you say me that… There are a few holes in your story. You told me that…
What are they trying to say?
Focus on meaning
Grammar & lexis

13. What are they trying to say?
I lost my train
I made my homework
She gave me some advices
I am agree
You can’t have your barrel full of wine and your wife drunk
If I am to win the lottery…

14. Big speaking - ideas Role plays Information gaps Group decisions
Debates
Questionnaires
Interviews
Anecdotes

15. Excellent Speaking Skill Resources
A-Z Discussions - Wallwork
Taboos & Issues - Macandrew & Martinez
Instant Discussions - Macandrew & Martinez
Discussions that Work – Penny Ur
Speaking Extra – Gammidge
Communication Games - Hadfield
Keep Talking – Klippel
onestopenglish.com
eslcafe.com

16. Features of a good speaking task
learners talk a lot!
engaging & purposeful
task based or topic based?
personalised
Inclusive & appropriate
have thinking time and contexts
should be monitored
have feedback (on language and content)
have a language focus

17. The End