Teacher development

Training ideas - bringing speaking activities from

the ELT classroom into the training session
Julie Tice

The how of teacher training is as important as the

what - in other words the methodology or
processes that we use in training sessions or
courses need to be as carefully planned and
thought about as the content itself.
Many of the activities that we regularly use in the ELT classroom
can easily be adapted for using with teachers in training courses
or training sessions. By using these kinds of activities, teachers in
training get to experience some of the kinds of activities that
they may use with their own students. This can be useful
reinforcement of different techniques or even a source of new
ideas. Doing activities like this means that the training course
provides a range of opportunities for experiential learning which
in turn should make learning more memorable.
Here I am going to look at how some speaking activities that we
often use in the ELT classroom can be adapted for training
purposes. The trainees themselves are active participants in the
training process and much is learned through the sharing and
exchange of ideas in these kinds of activities.
Although here the content is the main focus rather than the
language used to carry out the activity (which may be the case in
the ELT classroom) it is clearly desirable that the trainees use
English to carry out the activities. This way, they get to use their
English and also to experience how an activity feels in a foreign
language which may give further insights into student responses
and feelings. Teachers who attend training courses run by British
Council trainers often point to the use of English as an
added bonus, even when language improvement is not
the prime objective of courses or sessions.

Each trainee is given a sheet with about 10 or 15 find someone

who questions. They have to stand up and move around the
room asking the questions (which need forming from the
prompts given) until they find someone who says yes. They write
down the name of the person next to the question. They should
try and find a different person for each question. You can
encourage them to continue their conversations by expanding
on their replies, by asking why etc.
Here are some examples of the type of questions you can use.
Find someone who....
almost never uses L1 in the classroom
uses a correction code for written work
doesn't like choral drilling
usually stands up when teaching
etc
Find someone who
always pre teaches vocabulary before reading
asks students to read aloud
uses authentic reading texts
uses multiple choice questions to test
comprehension
etc

A role-play about role-play

This is based on a training strategy known as loop input.
(Woodward, T. Models and Metaphors, CUP). Basically this
means that the training process reflects the content of the
training. In this example the trainees carry out a role-play about
role-play. The roles allocated to the trainees are of two teachers
discussing the pros and cons of role-play. One of them is a firm
believer in the usefulness of role-play and the other not.

Find someone
who

If you are working with pre-service trainees you could use the

This is an activity often

role-play as a round up on a session on role-play. If you are

used in the ELT classroom

as a warmer or as a
language practice

working with experienced teachers you could perhaps use

this as a lead-in to a session on role-play and other
speaking activities.

activity. Here it can be

used with trainees either

Set up the role-play in the way that you would normally

when they are getting to

do with a class of students. I have used this with

know each other as teachers,

experienced teachers in the following way. I introduce

or it could be used as lead-in

the topic of role-play and ask the teachers who often

to a session on a particular topic.

uses it and who doesn't and briefly get them to explain

40 IN ENGLISH! Winter 2005

their ideas and feelings about it. I then divide them into two

As a follow up

groups, preferably of equal numbers, group A who like

you can ask them to

role-plays and group B who do not. (If the numbers don't work

make notes to summarise

out so perfectly, it doesn't matter - the role-play can be carried

the pros and cons of role-play.

out in groups of two or three) Give out the role cards and send
the Bs into one corner of the room and the As into another

You could extend the idea of loop

corner (or even into a different room) to read their role cards

input to other types of speaking

and to plan what they are going to say. When they are ready tell

activity, for example by

the Bs to take up their positions in the 'staffroom' where they

organising a discussion about

are preparing their lesson. Give each B a number (1,2,3 etc)

discussion activities.

and each A the same numbers (1,2,3 etc ) If you have an odd
number of As and Bs give some of them the same number as

Difficult situations

each other. Now the As go and find their partner (the person or

This is based on an idea in Tessa

people who have the same number as them) and they carry out

Woodward's book Ways of Training

the role-play taking on the roles of the teachers described on

(Teacher responses to difficult

the role card.

situations, p 71) but the idea of the

whole class mingle, each student with a

This usually results in a very lively and noisy discussion!

different question to ask, is one often

used in the ELT classroom.

A
You come back into the staff room after a very good

Each teacher is given a

class in which you did a role-play. Your colleague is sitting

different card with a problematic situation on it. They then have

there preparing a lesson. You want to tell him/her about

to mingle with their colleagues, read out the problem and then

your great lesson (what was the role-play? what were the

listen to their colleagues' responses, making a note of them so

aims of it? how did you prepare the students for it? how

that they remember. They then share their findings with the

did you organise it? etc) You use a lot of role-plays

whole group (or if you have a very large group of trainees you

because you think they are really useful (why?) although

may divide them into groups to feedback to each other).

of course they do need to be well-selected (what

The group can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of

criteria?) and carefully set up (how?). Try to persuade

each of the solutions offered.

your colleague to try one in his / her class this afternoon.

Here are some suggestions for possible problems on the topic of
B
You are in the staff room in your school preparing your
afternoon class. You're going to do a reading
comprehension. Your colleague comes in looking very
pleased with him / herself and tells you he / she has just
done a role-play with a class and it worked very well.
You don't like role-plays: you've tried one or two but they
were disasters in your opinion (why? what went wrong?
what kind of role-plays were they? etc). You're interested
in hearing about what your colleague did and if he / she
has used other role-plays but you also want to defend
your position. At present you're sure you'll never try one
again because you think they are fraught with problems
and disadvantages.

classroom management with young learners.

You are reading a story to a group of 8 year olds but
several of them are showing little interest. There's five
minutes to go until the end of the lesson.
You want to set up some group work. All of the students
are saying who they want to work with and gathering into
groups. There is one child who has been left out.
Two of your 13 year old students are kicking each other
quite hard under the table.
Some of your 12 year old students are insulting one of
the others.

41 IN ENGLISH! Winter 2005

Teacher development
You are trying to give instructions for an activity but the
students are talking to each other and not paying
attention.

An alternative is to organise this as a pyramid discussion. Working

individually, the trainees pick the five they think would be the most
useful for any teacher (not just themselves) and the three least
useful. They decide on this individually and then compare with

You have set up a speaking activity, an information gap.

The students are doing it in Portuguese.

their partner. They have to come to an agreement now which

means they need to argue their choices. They then join up with
another pair and once again have to explain their choices and
come to an agreement again. The whole class then compares.

Miracle workers
This is adapted from an activity in Klippel's book Keep Talking
(Miracle Workers p93, p173) and could be used as a way into the
topic of what makes a good teacher.

References
Klippel, F (1984) Keep Talking Cambridge University Press
Woodward, T. (1991) Models and Metaphors in Language Teacher
Training CUP

Lead into the activity by eliciting a few ideas about what makes a

Woodward, T. (1992) Ways of Training Longman

good teacher. Then explain the activity. The trainees should work
individually first to identify the three services they would like to
make use of and three they think are not important. They then

Julie Tice is a Senior Teacher at the British Council, Lisbon.

compare their ideas in groups, explaining the reasons for their

choices.

A group of experts are offering their services. Success is guaranteed for their methods. Choose the three you would most like to
make use of and the three you are not interested in.
1. A.L.L. Wright

people. Whatever you do you will always

marking homework. Techniques for

Learn how to be optimistic. Even in the

have lots of students and colleagues who

getting through it in minutes.

most depressing classroom situation you

like you.

will always see a good point.

11. A. S. Sertiveness

6. L. Arfaminit

Learn to stand up for yourself. He'll help

2. Art Iste

He will provide you with a great sense of

you feel you're always in control of a

Develop your artistic abilities. Art Iste will

humour and have your students rolling

situation, even in the face of really

help you with preparing excellent visual

around with laughter!

difficult students, parents or colleagues.

7. K. Onfident

12. Tak T. Ful

Never feel unsure of what you're doing

You'll always be a master of diplomacy.

3. I.N. Sight

again. You'll ooze confidence in the

Never upset anyone again.

She will give you self-knowledge and

classroom.

13. Claire Voyant

aids for your classes. You'll never be

ashamed of your board drawings again.

insight into your own personality and

behaviour.
4. I. Dear

8. R. Pee
Perfect pronunciation just like the queen!

She is an expert on originality. She will

9. Ree Lax

help you become full of great ideas for

Learn to take a relaxed view of things and

every lesson.

you'll never feel stressed out again.

5. Pop Ular

10. F. A. Stwerker

He will make you popular with lots of

Don't spend hours planning lessons or

Have eyes in the back of your head and

read other peoples thoughts. Those kids
will never be able to fool you.
14. G. Rama
You'll never make a grammatical slip in
the classroom. Stun the students with
100% accuracy.

42 IN ENGLISH! Winter 2005