Jireh Soten, BEED-II

Content and Pedagogy for Mother Tongue

LESSON 1

Learning Activities:

I. ACTIVATE

Your task is to identify the six macro skills mentioned earlier as productive or receptive.

PRODUCTIVE SKILLS RECEPTIVE SKILLS

 Speaking  Reading
 Writing  Listening
 Representing  Viewing

Why are certain skills considered as productive while others are receptive?

Speaking, writing and representing are productive as these skills enable the learners to produce
language in written or spoken forms. These are skills that we use to show what we want others to know.
Productive skills are a means of measuring a person’s proficiency in a language. Moreover, they are
known as the productive skills because they involve producing words, phrases, sentences and
paragraphs. We are in productive control of the words that you use to express yourself, in speech or in
writing. Reading, listening and viewing, on the other hand, are considered receptive as these involve
receiving information and so they are called the receptive skills. Receptive skills are skills we use to
understand a language. It is meant to put together the language into something that we could
understand. Additionally, they involve receiving information and so they are called the receptive skills.
We are in receptive control of the words that you understand when you hear them or read them.

II. ANALYZE

1. I was able to arrive at the dominant skill for each activity by understanding first the
classifications and differences on each of the macro skill. As a result, I can easily identify what
skill is being needed or required on the specific activity. Reading, listening and viewing involve
receiving information and so they are called the receptive skills. Reading skill is the ability to
 decode meaning from a text. The skills include phonics, word recognition, vocabulary, decoding
and fluency. Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the
communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication. Viewing helps students
to slow down, reflect and think about the images they are seeing, and develop the knowledge
and skills to analyze and evaluate visual texts and multimedia texts that use visuals. Viewing also
helps students acquire information and appreciate ideas and experiences visually communicated
by others. Speaking, writing and representing are known as the productive skills because they
involve producing words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs. Speaking skills are defined as the
skills which allow us to communicate effectively. They give us the ability to convey information
verbally and, in a way, that the listener can understand. Writing skills include all the knowledge
and abilities related to expressing ideas through the written word. Lastly, representing is
involved in understanding people, objects, and events in terms of mental representation,
including the use of images and words.

2. These macro skills are utilized by essentially all languages. Children develop language skills by
first listening and then speaking, followed by reading and writing. When learning a new
language, the best way to do so is by engaging in a balance of each of these areas, as they are all
interconnected. When we learn a language, there are four skills that we need for complete
communication. When we learn our native language, we usually learn to listen first, then to
speak, then to read, and finally to write. These are called the four "language skills" which is now
being added with two more skills known as representing and viewing. As with any skill, the
more you practice or exercise, the stronger and you become. The same is true with improving
communication skills.

3. In my opinion, it is not possible that a single activity will only tap one macro skill. When we learn
a language, there are macro skills that we need for success communication. We need to learn
these skills in order for us to communicate with other people. We usually listen first, then we
will learn to speak, then we will learn how to read then write. It is a communicative technique
that is necessary for the learner to understand, interpret and evaluate what he/she hears.
Second, it is necessary to understand what the instructions are on how to do the activity. For
example, the teacher gave a sheet of paper with a paragraph to the students; students read it
until they understand how to do the activity. The student reads it later and will have to answer
some questions about the paragraph. Next, the writing which focuses on student’s phonics,
comprehension, mechanics, developing their voice or perspective, and communicating this
perspective to others. Other macro skills can also be used based on the activity provided by the
teacher.
III. ABSTRACT

Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4

Language Macro Skills Keywords Description of the Skills Possible Lesson Topics

Listening “understand, interpret Listening is the ability to  Ex. Listening for

and evaluate” accurately receive and details
interpret messages in the  Music
communication process.

Speaking “building and sharing Speaking skills are the  To learned more
meaning” action of conveying on Speaking for
information or details
expressing one's  Debates
thoughts and feelings in
spoken language.

Reading “drawing meaning” and Reading skill is the ability  To know about
“interpret information” to decode meaning from Reading for
a text. The skills include details
phonics, word  Literature
recognition, vocabulary,
decoding and fluency.

Writing “use symbols” Writing skills include all  To know more

the knowledge and about Writing
abilities related to details
expressing ideas through  Essay Writing
the written word.

Viewing “perceiving, examining, An active process of  To have an idea

interpreting and attending and of Viewing for
constructing meaning” comprehending visual details
media, such as television,  Arts
advertising images, films,
diagrams, symbols,
photographs, videos,
drama, drawings,
sculpture and paintings.
APPLY

1)

a. Exemplars potentially provide a means of making complex marking criteria more

comprehensible to students. Exposing students to examples of “real students’ work” of
different standards has been shown to assist students in recognizing writing-quality for
themselves. The present study shows that: (a) the use of exemplars can help students
demonstrate greater understanding of both marking criteria and subject standards; (b) the
use of exemplars can help students learning so that higher quality outcomes are produced;
(c) the use of exemplars forms a focus for meaningful formative.
b. Exemplars are provided examples of best or worst practice in the educational environment,
which are designed to assist students to increase their understanding of particular skills,
content or knowledge in any given situation and articulate established criteria and
standards. These macro skills are needed in order for us to communicate and understands
with each other. Mastering these skills will help a learner become more competent in
speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and spelling. Macro skills refer to the
primary, key, main, largest etc. Macro skills are most commonly referred to listening,
speaking, reading and writing in English language.

LESSON SYNTHESIS:

1. From this lesson, I learned that there are skills that everyone needs to acquire and master
for us to communicate effectively which are the “macro skills”. Moreover, I gained the
knowledge that there aren’t just four macro skills namely speaking, reading, writing and
listening; there are also two more skills which are representing and viewing. They are now
commonly called as the Six Macro Skills of Communication. Additionally, I learned from this
lesson about the two types of language macro skills which are productive and receptive.
When we learn a language, there are macro skills that we need for success communication.
We need to learn these skills in order for us to communicate with other people.

2. These macro skills are needed in order for us to communicate and understands with each
other. Mastering these skills will help a learner become more competent in speaking,
pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and spelling. In relation to my responsibility of
teaching Mother Tongue as a subject, it helps a child develop their critical thinking and
literacy skills. It supports the ability of the child to communicate, and express and
understand feelings. It also supports learner’s thinking ability and helps them develop and
maintain relationships. Language development lays the foundation for the reading and
writing skills in children as they enter and progress through school. These macro skills are
needed in order for us to communicate and understands with each other. Mastering these
 skills will help a learner become more competent in speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary,
grammar and spelling. Learning and consistently seeking to improve these macro skills are
important for effective communication and to be successful in many different perspectives.
Ideas, emotions, opinions and feelings need to be conveyed in different manners and in a
variety of ways especially in teaching and learning Mother tongue as a subject.

LESSON 2

TEACHING FOR MEANING AND ACCURACY

Learning Activities:

I. ACTIVATE

1. TA

2. TM

3. TA

4. TM

5. TA

II. ANALYZE

ACTIVITY ANSWER

1 b. Interactive read aloud

2 c. Guided reading

3 e. Shared writing
 III. ABSTRACT

Describe a specific part Describe a specific part Why did you consider
of the activity that of the activity that the activity as an
shows whole-to-part shows part-to-whole example of balance
instruction. instruction method?

Activity 1 Teachers select a Big The teacher can cover The activity is the
Book that is slightly up certain parts of the combination of Part-to-
above the level of most text to have students Whole and Whole-to-
students in the class. predict what makes Part teaching method.
sense based on the skill
being covered.

Activity 2 The students will read Then the students will The activity is the
the same book have to read the book combination of Part-to-
appropriate to their on their own, at their Whole and Whole-to-
reading level. own pace while the Part teaching method.
teacher listens and
assists.

Activity 3 The teacher models a The teacher models the The activity is the
range of skills like writing and the combination of Part-to-
grammar, phonics, students help in Whole and Whole-to-
punctuation, spelling, composing it. Part teaching method.
and the writing process
itself.

What does balanced literacy method mean? Write 2-3 sentences for your definition and place it inside
the box.

Balanced literacy is about balancing explicit language instruction with independent learning and
language exploration. It aims to strike a balance between both whole language and phonics when
learning to read as it is the combination of Part-to-Whole and Whole-to-Part teaching method.
 IV. APPLY

Learning Teaching me to Title of the Description of the

competencies the used (whole- activity activity
(should be lifted to-part, part-to-
from the CG) whole or balanced
literacy)
Learning Whole-part-whole Phenomenologica The activity
competencies are is an approach l analysis of the description also
the main ideas or where learners data, the findings should, when
skills you expect are presented showed that the possible, be
students. with an overall teachers used provided forth in
Competencies are picture of the skill strategies such as a clear, concise,
critical for or task they are translation of and easy to
equipping trying to learn (in target language to understand
Activity 1 students with the any of the skills), mother tongue, manner.
knowledge, skills then focus on the utilization
and attitudes that individual aspects
they will need to or “parts” of that
successfully skill or task, and
navigate their then return to the
personal journeys “whole” task and
in learning, living attempt to
and working integrate both an
overall
understanding
Learning Teaching reading Multilingual Activity
competencies with a balanced teaching, description can
Activity 2 students use and literacy approach utilization of also consist of a
develop is the perfect lingua-franca, specific statement
competencies combination improvisation of or label specifying
when they between whole instructional what must be
encounter language and materials written done to achieve a
unfamiliar or phonics. In a in mother tongue, desired result in
challenging balanced literacy remediation of completion of this
situations. program, students instruction schedule activity.
Competencies see reading and
help students writing modeled,
draw and build share in the
upon what they reading and
know, how they writing with the
think and what teacher, are
they can do. coached, practice
independently.

LESSON SYNTHESIS:

As a teacher, I would prefer to prioritize both teaching for meaning or accuracy. All of the research and
experts across all commonly taught languages conclude that both accuracy and meaning are vital
components for student success and language competency. Yet the practical challenge for educators is
all about balance, particularly given that the skills are effectively at the opposite ends of the teaching
spectrum. Skillful teachers use their knowledge of literacy development and processes to decide where
to go next. We should understand when to intervene and when not to; when to draw children’s
attention to specific features of the text; and how to model and explain strategies in ways that children
can make their own connections. Thus, the teacher’s role in the Balanced Literacy Approach is to
scaffold literacy learning, that is, to actively enhance students’ understanding.

LESSON 3

Learning Activities:

I. ACTIVATE

Where do you get the instructional materials in teaching Mother Tongue?

Songs

Poems

Essays

Books

Magazines

Handouts

Study Guide
ANALYZE

Instructional Material #1

1. What do you think is the learning goal of the instructional material?

The Instructional material provides the core information that students will experience, learn,
and apply during a course. They hold the power to either engage or demotivate students.
Instructional materials, also known as teaching/learning materials (TLM), are any collection of
materials including animate and inanimate objects and human and non-human resources that a
teacher may use in teaching and learning situations to help achieve desired learning objectives. The
ultimate goal of teaching is to promote learning. For the most part, learning takes place in many
different circumstances and contexts. Although everyone is capable of learning, a student’s desire to
learn is a vital to mastering new concepts, principles and skills.

2. Characterize the material. What is its purpose? What are its distinctive features? What format
was used? What is it about?

There are many kinds of instructional materials, but some of the most used ones are traditional
resources, graphic organizers, and teacher-made resources. Traditional resources include textbooks and
workbooks. These are useful tools for introducing new concepts that might be difficult for your students.
These include the lectures, readings, textbooks, multimedia components, and other resources in a
course. These materials can be used in both face-to-face and online classrooms; however, some must be
modified or redesigned to be effective for the online environment. Instructional materials are those
materials used by a teacher to simplify their teaching. They include both visual and audio-visual aids and
could either be concrete non-concrete. These instructional materials bring life to learning by stimulating
students.

3. What grade level do you think this material can be used?

I think this material can be used for Grade 3 to 4 learners.

Instructional Material #2

1. What do you think is the learning goal of the instructional material?

The learning goal of this instructional material is to let students understand and remember
important details in a story.

2. Characterize the material. What is its purpose? What are its distinctive features? What format
was used? What is it about?
 The material used is sequencing of events. Its purpose is to let students understand and
remember important details in a story.

3. What grade level do you think this material can be used?

I think this material can be used for Grade 4 to 6 learners.

Instructional Material #3

1. What do you think is the learning goal of the instructional material?

The learning goal of this instructional material is to use a song as a mean of teaching and
learning Mother Tongue.

2. Characterize the material. What is its purpose? What are its distinctive features? What format
was used? What is it about?

The material is a song which is to allow students in engaging and exploring a lesson through the use
of the song.

3. What grade level do you think this material can be used?

I think this material can be used for Grade 5 to 6 learners.

II. ABSTRACT

1. Reading for new readers

2. Reading for learners who are gaining fluency

3. Reading for learners who are gaining fluency

4. Reading for new readers

5. Reading for learners who have become life-long readers and learners

6. Reading for learners who want to read in another language that they understand and speak

7. Reading for learners who want to read in another language that they understand and speak

8. Reading for learners who have become life-long readers and learners

LESSON SYNTHESIS:
Instructional materials (IMs) play a very important role for successful teaching and learning. As such,
they must be culturally relevant; that is, they reflect and accommodate cultural plurality in order to
support student learning in diverse classrooms. Therefore, such materials must be carefully planned,
selected, organized, refined, and used in a course for the maximum effect. The planning and selection of
instructional materials should take into consideration both the breadth and depth of content so that
student learning is optimized. Instructional materials are essential since they help the teacher and
learners avoid overemphasis on recitation and rote learning that can easily dominate a lesson. Resource
materials allow learners to have practical experiences which help them to develop skills and concepts
and to work in a variety of ways. To conclude, instructional materials are essential tools in learning every
subject in the school curriculum. They allow the students to interact with words, symbols and ideas in
ways that develop their abilities in reading, listening, solving, viewing, thinking, speaking, writing, using
media and technology.

LESSON 4

Learning Activities:

II. ANALYZE

1. Reading interests refers variously to the following: an individual’s interest in doing reading itself,
as. Demonstrated by the amount of actual reading done; what a reader wants to read “about”
as expressed. Mother tongue is the language that a child gets to hear after birth and helps give a
definite shape to our feelings and thoughts. Learning in the mother tongue is also crucial for
improving other critical thinking skills, second language learning, and literacy skills. The MTB-
MLE is implemented in two modules: 1) as a learning/subject area and 2) as medium of
instruction. As a subject, mother tongue education focuses on the development of speaking,
reading, and writing from Grades 1 to 3 in the mother tongue. Monroe, that we should be
educated in our mother tongue
2. The purpose of Amy Tan’s essay, “Mother Tongue,” is to show how challenging it can be if an
individual is raised by a parent who speaks “limited English” (36) as Tan’s mother does, partially
because it can result in people being judged poorly by others. The primary purpose of Tan’s
“Mother Tongue” is to orient the readers about the author’s interpretation of differentiating
Standard English and broken English. Another purpose of writing such book is the fact that Amy
Tan has spent much of her time in America, but she was born in China.
 3. Tan relates her story of her mother talking about a gangster that wanted her family in China to
adopt him because her family had more status. She tells us the story using her mother’s
language so we can see how expressive her mother’s broken English. Arrange for copies of the
essay “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan. The essay is widely anthologized. It was originally published
in The Three penny Review in 1990.

LESSON 5

LANGUAGE TEACHING STRATGIES FOR MOTHER TONGUE

LESSON 5.1 Language Teaching and Learning Strategies for Listening and Viewing

I. ACTIVATE

Name his five practical steps to improve our listening skills.

1. Be silent. Spend three minutes a day in silence. This “is a wonderful exercise to reset your ears
and to recalibrate so that you can hear the quiet again.”
2. Hear. Listen to the individual sounds that contribute to the mix of sounds in a noisy place. Ask
yourself “how many channels of sound can I hear? How many individual channels in that mix am
I listening to? You can do it in a beautiful place as well, like in a lake. How many birds am I
hearing? Where are they? Where are those ripples? It's a great exercise for improving the
quality of your listening.”
3. Savor. Find the joy in mundane sounds; they can be really interesting. For example, listen to the
rhythm of the dryer or coffee grinder. He calls the mundane sounds “the hidden choir. It's
around us all the time.”
4. Adjust. Change “your listening position to what's appropriate to what you're listening to.” Be
conscious of the filters (culture, language, values, beliefs, attitudes, expectations and intentions)
through which you are listening and make adjustments.
5. RASA. “Receive, which means pay attention to the person; Appreciate, making little noises like
"hmm," "oh," "okay"; Summarize, the word "so" is very important in communication; and Ask,
ask questions afterward.”

Explain also why he said that individuals in the contemporary times lose their listening skills.

We are losing our listening because of the following:

 1. We invented ways of recording – careful listening is no longer as important as in the past;
2. The world is very noisy – it’s difficult and tiring to listen;
3. People wear headphones to escape the overwhelming noisiness of the world;
4. We are impatient – we want information to be short and direct;
5. Conversation is being replaced by ‘personal broadcasting’ (talking without listening or receiving
feedback);
6. We are becoming desensitised to information- headlines are sensationalised, so we no longer
pay attention to subtle information

II. ANALYZE

Activity 1
1. TD

2. TD

3. BU

4. BU

5. BU

6. TD

7. TD

8. TD

9. TD

10. TD

III. ABSTRACT

TEACHING STRATEGY USEFULNESS/EFFECTIVENESS

 Students will identify challenges and

solutions when communicating about
and describing visual imagery.
Listen and draw  Students will improve their ability to be
thoughtful active listeners and effective
communicators

 Helps students to think out loud.

Facilitates learning through active
Asking questions to help students listen
discussion.
 Empowers students to feel confident
about their ideas. Improves speaking
and listening skills.
  Listening is an active process. It is the
process of making meaning from what is
heard, and as such, has a critical
Purposeful Listening function for learning.
 Although students spend a large portion
of their class time listening, it is a skill
that might not be explicitly taught.

 Peer interaction serves as the

foundation for many important aspects
of emotional development such as the
Listening with peer interaction development of self-concept, self-
esteem and identity.
 Children learn about themselves during
interactions with each other and use this
information to form a sense of their own
selves – who they are.

Reaction and interpretation:

Color symbolism in art and anthropology refers to the use of color as a symbol in various
cultures. There is great diversity in the use of colors and their associations between cultures and even
within the same culture in different time periods. A character is any person, animal, or figure
represented in a literary work. Characters are essential to a good story, and it is the main characters
that have the greatest effect on the plot or are the most affected by the events of the story. Sound is
a type of energy made by vibrations. When an object vibrates, it causes movement in surrounding air
molecules. These molecules bump into the molecules close to them, causing them to vibrate as well.
Setting, in literature, the location and time frame in which the action of a narrative takes place.
 IV. APPLY

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY – LISTENING AND SPEAKING

Activity Title: How to Make Doughnut

Target Level: 2 Time Required: 60 minutes

Type of Student Work: Group Work

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the activity, the students are expected to:

1. Listen and understand the sequence of the instruction.

2. Match the instructions with the pictures.
3. Answer at least 4 out of 6 questions of the worksheet’s tasks given.

Activity Description:

Procedures:

1. Teacher distributes jumbled up pictures to each group.

2. Teacher reads the procedure on how to make doughnut.

3. While listening to the procedure, pupils arrange the pictures.

4. Pupils paste the arranged pictures on the paper provided.

5. Each group present their group works.

6. Teacher checks the answer together.

Procedure on how to make doughnut:

1) In a mixer on a low speed, mix together yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2
cups of the flour.
2) Knead the dough with your hands and knuckles for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth but elastic.

3) Set the dough into a greased bowl to rise. Cover with a towel and let stand until dough doubles in
volume, about 1 hour. Dough will be ready when you can press a finger into it and the indentation
stays.

4) On a floured surface, roll the dough out until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a floured doughnut
cutter, or cut into doughnut shapes by hand.

5) Let the doughnuts rise again until double their size, about 30 - 60 minutes. Lay them out on a tray
and cover them with a large, clean towel.

6) While doughnuts are rising, prepare the glaze. This is a classic butter glaze, not unlike the Krispy
Kreme glaze that is popular in America.

7) Slide the donuts into the oil carefully, with metal tongs or a spatula. Tum the doughnuts over when
they float up to the surface. Fry evenly on both sides until golden brown.

8) Remove doughnuts from oil and let drain on a wire rack. Make sure any excess oil drips off the
doughnut before you glaze it.

9) While doughnuts are still warm, dip doughnuts into the glaze, coating evenly. Set to dry on a wire
rack and enjoy immediately.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:

1. Yes, the learning objectives are clearly defined.

2. Yes, the instructional activity is well-aligned with the learning objectives.

3. Yes, the activity encourages active student engagement.

4. Yes, the teacher can determine whether or not the student has met stated learning objectives once
the student completes the activity.
LESSON 5.2 Language Teaching and Learning Strategies for Speaking

I. ACTIVATE

 Recall a TED speaker you heard recently. How about an effective speaker you heard recently?
Who is she/he? What was the speech about?
The TED speaker I heard recently was Simon Sinek. He is a British-American author and
inspirational speaker. He is the author of five book, including Start With Why and The Infinite
Game. His speech was entitled “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.” A true leader is someone we
follow not because we have to but because we want to, says Sinek. Leaders who start with what
they believe are the ones who inspire those around them, because in the end, we all follow
those who lead not for themselves, but for others, says Sinek.

 What makes an effective speaker?

Becoming an effective public speaker is not an easy task to accomplish. Being an
effective public speaker encompasses a lot more than people might assume. An effective
speaker needs to be able to get his or her information across while also keeping the audience
entertained and engaged. This is not as easy as it may sound! How can you get an audience
interested in what you have to say and keep them interested? How can you connect to the
audience in a way that allows them to relate to you and understand your story? In order to be
an effective speaker, these are the five qualities that are a must.

Confidence. Confidence is huge when it comes to public speaking. Being confident in

your delivery will allow you to be seen as an expert on your topic. Your audience will be more
likely to trust you and therefore, trust the material that you are putting out there. Confidence
makes you credible, knowledgeable, and believable. In order to truly show confidence, you have
to be confident enough to be yourself during your presentation. If you can be yourself in front of
an audience, they are going to be more likely to feel like they can relate to you. If you try to act
differently than you usually do, you may come off as insincere, and the audience will be less
likely to feel connected to you or your information.

Passion. Why would an audience want to hear about your story if you yourself don’t
seem passionate about it? Let your audience know why you do what you do. Why do you love
what you do and why do you want to share your message? If an audience can see and feel your
passion, they will be more interested in hearing what you have to say.
 Ability to be succinct. Even if you’re one of the most entertaining and engaging public
speakers, it’s important to keep your presentation short and to the point. The attention span of
your audience isn’t long. You have to get their attention fast and keep their attention by moving
through your presentation smoothly and effectively. If your presentation is longer than twenty
minutes, you may want to consider breaking the presentation into smaller segments. Each
segment can be a little different or involve audience interaction so that you are keeping them on
their feet.

Ability to tell a story. A presentation is more effective and engaging when it doesn’t feel
like a presentation. Know how to tell your story to your audience. Give them the context for all
of the information you are sharing. Rather than simply sharing facts and formal pieces of
information, share your experiences and your stories that have lead you to where you are. If it
isn’t your own story, share other stories or experiences from history or from people that you
know. Stories help people retain more information because they are more engaged with your
presentation.

Audience awareness. Make sure before going into your presentation that you know the
audience that you’re presenting to. You should know who they are and what they do. By
knowing this information, you’ll be better able to connect to them and present to them in a way
that you feel they would respond to and learn from best.

Demonstrating these qualities as a public speaker can make or break a presentation.

When planning a presentation, think about what you would respond to. Think about if you
would be excited about and engaged with your presentation and the information you’re
providing. In order to be an effective speaker, you have to be willing to step out of the box in
order to connect, relate to, and engage with your audience. Make sure your story is one that
your audience will want to hear and will remember long after the presentation is over.

 How should we teach young children effective speaking skills?

1. Teach Kids Empathy
When you’re teaching students to communicate, it’s essential for them to develop
empathy and a sense of what the other person is thinking and feeling. For some students, we
must teach this explicitly. When students start to see that their viewpoint isn’t the only one,
they become better listeners, and tend to speak more respectfully to others.
2. Teach Conversation Skills
Explicitly teach how to have good conversations. All the activities in the world won’t
help students develop skills they don’t have. It’s important to model how to have a productive
conversation. Puppets can be an excellent tool, as can role-playing. But the preferred method is
through Video Modeling, where professional actors model examples and non-examples of
communication skills.
3. Establish Listening and Speaking Procedures
Develop and post these throughout the classroom. Dr. Allen Mendler of Edutopia
suggests “identify procedures for having a conversation that includes appropriate non-verbal
behavior. For example, you might teach a strategy like S.L.A.N.T. (Sit up straight. Listen. Answer
and ask questions. Nod to show interest. Track the speaker.)”
4. Teach Respectful Vocabulary
Teach respectful alternatives for heated conversations. Remind students that being
COLD (passive), or being HOT (blowing up), often makes matters worse. The best solution is to
be cool. For example, telling someone, ‘you’re stupid’ may have a more inflammatory effect
than ‘I disagree with you.’ While it’s obvious to adults, it may be less obvious to children.
5. Teach the Power of Pausing
Teach students to pause, think and ask questions. This will help them both to begin to
see another’s viewpoint and slow them down a bit to listen more effectively. Teach them
questions such as ‘So, do you mean?’ or ‘Why?’
6. Practice Speaking and Listening in Natural Settings
While speaking and listening are vital in the classroom, they are useful in all areas of
students’ lives. Start by having students talk about their interests, then role play situations they
might encounter, such as an argument with a friend or how to respectfully disagree with
someone in a position of authority.
7. Encourage Introspection
Students can begin to learn where their feelings and thoughts come from. It is a skill
that may take some work, but understanding themselves is just as important in communication
as understanding those around them.
8. Turn Taking
One of the most basic building blocks of a good conversation is learning to take turns.
Mendler suggests: “Use an object, such as a talking stick as a signal for turn-taking. Teach your
students that when they have the object, it is their turn to talk or pass while others are expected
to listen.” It is a good idea to involve students in other activities that practice the skill of turn-
taking, such as board games.
Identify the domain to which the selected competencies belong.
Write OL for Oral Language and PA for Phonological Awareness.
1. OL
2. PA
3. OL
4. PA
5. OL
6. OL
7. PA
8. OL
9. OL
10. PA