EIGHT WAYS TO DIFFERENTIATE YOUR SPEAKING

ACTIVITIES

Posted on 2016-05-10
There’s been a lot of talk these days in educational circles about differentiating instruction. In some ways, we world language teachers have
been ahead of the curve here, partly because it’s inherent in our classrooms to some degree. In other words, we teach different skills–listening,
speaking, reading, and writing–in an assortment of ways, so providing different pathways to learning is a natural part of our teaching repertoire.
However, differentiated instruction isn’t just about assessing learning along the four modalities. It also implies an attempt by the teacher to tailor
instruction to meet individual needs, which means that we always need to be on the lookout for ways to create new contexts for learning. The
possibilities are nearly endless, but, with that in mind, here are 8 easy ways to start differentiating speaking practice in your world language
classroom. If you rely on a strategy that’s not on the list, we’d love to hear it!

1. Pronunciation/Intonation practice. It’s not exactly communicative, but learning standard pronunciation and/or intonation can give
students some confidence early on and lay the foundation for future successful language learning. It can be done in the classroom as a
warm-up activity (tongue twisters are good way to make it fun!) or even done remotely on Spontaneous in anticipation of a new unit.
Start with basic sounds, then move onto something more difficult, like consonant clusters or diphthongs. Then try intonational features,
like question formation.
2. Brainstorming as a large group. Before embarking upon a new unit or lesson, get a conversation going in the whole-group setting, in
which students answer simple questions (“What do Americans usually eat for breakfast?”) with one or two vocabulary items or short
phrases. Your students will activate prior knowledge, learn from each other, set the stage for new knowledge, and develop confidence
speaking aloud.
3. Information gap tasks. There’s a reason that information gap tasks are a hallmark of the communicative classroom; it’s because they
work. Students work together to solicit and give specific information to complete a task, and, because each student is most likely working
only with one other partner, the anxiety level is dramatically reduced. It’s a win for everyone!
4. Games/competitions. Make speaking fun! There are all sorts of game-y activities that you can use in the classroom to get your students
excited about speaking: Bingo, Who-am-I?, Twenty Questions, map tasks, $100,000 Pyramid, or Taboo, just to name a few.
 5. Speed dating. We’ve probably all done a boring old interview in class. Students often race through them without providing a whole lot
of information. However, I find that if I frame the same activity as a speed dating session, in which students must rotate partners after a
successively shorter interval of time (5 minutes, then 4 minutes, etc.), students engage more enthusiastically, provide more information,
and feel more satisfied with their performance afterwards.
6. Role-play. Provide opportunities to your more kinesthetic learners by asking them to get up and move around by role-playing a scenario.
To encourage more spontaneous speech, ask them to work without pen and paper. Students could record a video of their finished
product via Extempore and present it to the entire class.
7. Discussion groups. Although these may be difficult to carry out at the lower proficiency levels, it’s never a bad idea to get a
conversation going, even if it’s a short one. When interacting in pairs or groups, students will often engage in peer-to-peer scaffolding,
thus pushing each other towards greater proficiency. For your visually-minded students, use an image to spark conversation.
8. Cultural Presentations. I know, it sounds dry and more than a little dull. Been there, done that, right? But presentations can be a lot of
fun if you jazz them up a little. Instead of asking everyone to come up to the front of the classroom one at a time (i.e. walking the plank),
try organizing them like a speed dating session (see #5 above) or in marketplace style, in which they must present their work as best as
they can in short bursts to a rotating audience. They’ll get multiple reps in, be more likely to talk more spontaneously, and everyone
will learn more about the cultural topics at hand when interacting one-to-one. And don’t forget all the speaking practice that happens as
the student works independently at home while preparing the presentation!

Many of us have probably used some of these before (or maybe even all of them), but it’s easy to fall into the same old routine of using the same
activities in the same ways. It’s important to keep reminding ourselves that speaking can and should happen in different contexts. If you have
any tips about differentiating speaking practice, let us know!
If you are still looking for something fresh and new, we have created an eBook with 29 FREE speaking activities to use in your classroom! Just
click the image link below!

https://extemporeapp.com/2016/05/10/eight-ways-to-differentiate-your-speaking-activities/

When it comes to differentiated instruction, one of the most common questions asked by busy teachers is “How can I find the time?”
In her newly revised book, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition, Carol Ann Tomlinson offers valuable
insight into the power of differentiated instruction in today’s classroom.

Whether you need motivation to implement differentiated instruction in the classroom or simply need reassurance that it’s working, you’ll find
inspiration in these words of wisdom from Tomlinson:

1. Every child is entitled to the promise of a teacher’s optimism, enthusiasm, time, and energy.
2. Educators should be champions of every student who enters the schoolhouse doors.
3. Teachers in the most exciting and effective differentiated classrooms don’t have all the answers. What they do have is optimism and
determination.
4. It is a human birthright to be a learner. There is little we do that is more important.
5. Like students, teachers grow best when they are moderately challenged. Waiting until conditions are ideal or until you are sure of yourself
yields lethargy, not growth.
6. Teachers change either because they see the light or because they feel the heat.
7. A great coach never achieves greatness for himself or his team by working to make all his players alike.
8. Becoming an expert at differentiation is a career-long goal. One step at a time, you will get there.
9. Don’t feel compelled to grade everything. There’s a time for students to figure things out and a time for judging whether they did, but the two
shouldn’t always be the same.
10. If curriculum and instruction are the heart and limbs of sound teaching, then classroom management is the central nervous system. Without
the heart, there is no life, but without the nervous system, there is no function.

Want more inspiration? Pick up a copy in print or e-book format in the ASCD Online Store.
Suggested Time Allocation: 45 Minutes
Slide Info Suggested Time allocation Notes

1 Review the objectives of the session with the CPs. 2 minutes

Remember we are focusing on the skills not the theory of DI.

The theories on slide 2-3 are just for a recap.

2 Differentiated instruction is the adjustment of teaching and 3 minutes

learning experiences to meet the needs of all students in a
class.

There are a range of strategies which can be used to support

differentiated instructions. As a teacher you need to think
beyond the strategies and think about what it is that each of
your students need to achieve the learning objective of the
lesson. Then you plan to differentiate, if necessary.

3 Content 8-10 minutes (just recap or you may do it as

Wouldn’t our planning be easier if our students were all the Q and A session)
same? But wouldn’t it be a boring class! We should celebrate
our students’ differences and find ways to scaffold and/or
extend the learning content so that all students are able to
achieve or move beyond the learning objectives.

Differentiating the content means we adjust it so that it can

be assessed by all students.

Content= what is being learnt

Process
There are many different ways our students can learn the
content. We need to find the most efficient and effective
 ways, and for different students this means different
approaches.

Process-the way the content is learnt

Product
Students can demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
It doesn’t always have to be the same kind of assessment.
Giving students a choice gives a sense of empowerment and
naturally increases their motivation and engagement.

Product= how the learning is demonstrated

Learning environment
Some students work best in different environment. They
need to experience it outdoor instead of being taught in the
classroom.

4 These are some of the activities in listening and speaking 5 minutes

class during pre-lesson. There are some approaches for
teachers to cater to mixed ability group.

**Discuss with the CPs on the activities. You may ask them
to add any interesting information (Do it as whole class
approach or in think- pair-share)

5 These are some of the activities in listening and speaking 5 minutes

class during lesson delivery. There are some approaches
for teachers to cater to mixed ability group.

**Discuss with the CPs on the activities. You may ask them
to add any interesting information (Do it as whole class
approach or in think- pair-share)
6 These are some of the activities in listening and speaking 5 minutes
class during post lesson. There are some approaches for
teachers to cater to mixed ability group.

**Discuss with the CPs on the activities. You may ask them
to add any interesting information (Do it as whole class
approach or in think- pair-share)

7 At this slide, you may distribute notes on the strategies and 8-10 minutes Refer notes on strategies
let them refer to them as you ask questions. (One group one set)

Let them choose at least three strategies that they are A4 paper (write their 3 strategies)
familiar with or often use.
Reward and assessment
You may divide them into: 2 stars and a wish
Content group
Product group
Process group

Activity: 1 STAY 3 STRAY

Let one person of the group to stay and the others to go to

other groups to gather information. They may choose
strategies that they agreed on or some new ideas to be
shared in their own group later.

8-9 This is a sample of lesson plan. Highlight the remark for 3 minutes Discuss if necessary
differentiation strategies based on SOW.

10 Thank you everyone. 1 minute

Remember differentiation is not a strategy but it is a way of

thinking.
 Get ready for group work 2 minutes

You can regroup them or they can stay in their previous

group.

Refer to the instructions on the slide. Teachers just need to 8 - 10 minutes

design on the lesson procedure stage and include some
differentiation strategies. They can refer to SOW too!

Group presentation! 10 minutes

Just choose one member of the group to present.