module 6
during the lesson
45 minutes
Objectives
-
Identify best practices for L2 Teacher Talk
-
Modify a lesson plan when a student is not yet prepared to move on
-
Modify goal dates on LSP to align with new goal trajectory
introduction
The way we speak with English Language Learners (ELLs) matters, especially when we are filling the role of a teacher. You need to be aware of your speech and modify it to help students learn, without making them feel like they are a child or like you are impatient with them. We call this L2 (2nd Language) Teacher Talk.
​
Watch the video below to learn more about L2 Teacher Talk.
Write down two tips from the video that you think will be most helpful to you during your time as a volunteer. Why did you select them?
lesson
read
This document from the University of Utah provides a more in-depth look at things to do and things to avoid in your L2 Teacher Talk.
​
As you read, consider your own speaking tendencies (do you normally speak fast? With a lot of slang? etc.). Identify three points in the reading that you feel you need to work on as you volunteer. Try to identify points that are different from those pointed out in the video.
when things don't go as planned
As mentioned previously, sometimes due to various reasons, students do not complete their homework or reach their goals as scheduled on the LSP. This is okay! The goal dates are intended to be merely that: goals. They are not fixed, and the student does not fail just because they didn't accomplish their goal by the date. Progress is the purpose of the class, not meeting deadlines.
​
When things don't go as planned, keep being positive and encouraging to the student. Implement L2 Teacher Talk techniques to make sure they feel supported and understood.
​
Because the classes are so individualized, they require adaptability and flexibility on your part. This is not a class where you just move on whether or not the student is keeping up. So what do we do?
​
During the warm-up, you can evaluate whether the student is ready to move on or not. Instead of doing your originally planned lesson, save it for next week and come up with an activity to practice the skill they are struggling with. Sometimes people just need more time.
​
Modify the goal dates on the LSP with your student so they feel comfortable with the new goal and are assured that they can keep moving forward.
example
Karina is studying to take the TOEFL exam before she begins classes in the fall. Last week, she was hoping to practice the listening section, her weakest subject, each day for 30 minutes. Due to a family emergency, she only practiced one of the days. She is discouraged because her test date is coming up and she worries that she will be unprepared.
​
Tanya, the volunteer, assures Karina that the test is still four weeks away and that she has a lot of time to practice. Together, the look at the LSP. Tanya suggests that Karina double up on listening and speaking sections this week, both by doing practice questions on her TOEFL study app, and by speaking with a native speaker on a TOEFL topic each day for 10 minutes. Speaking with someone in real time will allow her to practice both skills at once. Karina agrees. Tanya writes the new goal date for the listening section and keeps the speaking section goal date the same. For the lesson today, instead of doing speaking practices, they complete several listening activities from her app.
practice
Listen to the following audio clips and identify some of the ways that a) the volunteer could improve their L2 Teacher Talk, or b) they are succeeding in their L2 Teacher Talk. Compare your responses to the "Answer" box below.
answers
Track 1: Volunteer is speaking too fast and not giving the student time to respond.
Track 2: Volunteer speaks more slowly, but uses slang like "shot me a message" and "up my alley" that the student may not understand.
Track 3: Volunteer uses words like "inflation" and "fluctuates" without providing definitions.
Track 4: Volunteer gives instructions simply and clearly, and not too quickly.
Track 5: Volunteer defines what the art festival is.
Track 6: Volunteer explains what a thesis statement before moving on.
In the following scenarios, write about what you would do to modify the lesson plan and LSP. Justify your decisions as part of your response.
scenario 1
Lara's goal for this week was to read a news article each day and write a summary about it. When she arrives, you learn she never completed the activity. Your lesson plan for today was to talk about her summaries to practice speaking about current topics that interest her.
scenario 2
Jomel wants to be able to join the conversation with his American wife's family when they visit for Sunday dinners. His assignment last week was to write a list of interesting things that happened to him this week and to practice telling about them to his wife once a day. He only did it two times, and when he arrived to class he said he still felt very uncomfortable accomplishing it and thinks he needs more time.
assessment
After reading the scenario, evaluate the L2 Teacher Talk by identifying two elements that the volunteer did well and why, and two elements the volunteer could improve on and why. Additionally, note any modifications the volunteer made/should make to the lesson plan and the LSP. Compare your response to the "Answer" box.
​
Student: I really struggle this week to complete my homework. I only read an article only one time.
Volunteer: Oh, really? That’s okay. You’re pretty good at reading, so I think we can manage both topics this week.
Student: Okay
Volunteer: We’re going to cover a few things today, it might be difficult but we can move fast--you’re smart, I know it. So we’re going to talk about writing introductions. You probably read an introduction in the article you read?
Student: I think, maybe I did.
Volunteer: Great, so let’s try an example. So if I am writing a paper about dogs, maybe I will say, “Everyone loves dogs. They are man’s best friend.”
Student:
Volunteer: So you see it tells the reader I’m going to talk about dogs in my article.
Student: Okay. So it tells what you will going to say? Wait - what is introduction mean?
Volunteer: Oh, um, well it doesn’t tell the main point yet. That will come later. Let’s look at the article you read as an example and we can talk about what it is and what it is used for.
ANSWER
The volunteer should have asked the student how they felt about moving on. They probably should have delayed the next goal one week and focused on the reading section before moving on.
​
The volunteer also didn't check to make sure the student knew what an introduction was. But, the volunteer did a good job backtracking and going back to define it later. The volunteer also sounds like they are trying to be encouraging to the student.