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LESSON OUTLINES

Keeping a Conversation Going Through Hedge Terms

Sedef Fenik, Turkey

Sedef FENİK is an English Instructor and member of the academic and professional development center in the Foreign Language Preparatory school at Gediz University, Turkey. She holds a BA in Comparative Literature from İstanbul Bilgi University, Turkey; a CELTA certificate from İzmir University of Economics; and a DELTA diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults from ITI Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail: sedef.fenik@gediz.edu.tr

Introduction

Level: B1 Adult learners
Class theme: worries /concerns/doubts
Skill: Speaking
Time allowed: 50 mins.

Main aims :

By the end of the lesson, the learners will

have developed their ability to keep a conversation going.
be better able to understand and practice using the expressions of doubts in their conversations.
have improved turn-taking skills in a conversation.

Supporting aims:

By the end of the lesson, the learners will

have improved their listening skills.
have developed their monitoring and evaluation skills by observing pairs talking.
have noticed the discourse markers like “Well”, “Really!”, “Hmmm”, “Ahaaa”.

Materials:

Pictures of worried people
Recordings of two different dialogues
Audio player
OHT
Handouts with a matching exercise
Handouts with a situation
Evaluation rubri

Language analysis

Function

The expressions that will be addressed in the lesson are below with their functions.

I’m afraid ….
I don’t see how…
But the problem is…
Yes, but…
I doubt …..
Possibly but..
Yes, but the problem really is………..
What I’m worried about is ………
What bothers me is ………….

The functions of these expressions are expressing concerns, doubts and disagreements.

Phonology

Among these expression I want to focus on only the two of them which the learners may have problem in pronunciation.

I doubt …. Here the problem is learners tend to pronounce the verb “doubt” as /dabt/ ; however, the right pronunciation is /daʊt/. Thus /b/ is elided and not pronounced. The right pronunciation will be addressed and drilled in the lesson.

What bothers me is ….. Here the problem is the /th/ sound in the middle of “bother”. “Bother” normally occurs in the dialogues as expressions used frequently. Like “What bothers me is …” or “Please don’t bother”. The pronunciation of /th/ will be modelled like “put your tongue with your teeth and push while pushing try saying /th/”.

Procedure

Time	Stage and Stage Aims	Procedure	Interaction	Materials
5	Introduction- To give students some background information on the content of what they are going to talk about.	-Introduce a group of pictures involving worried faces of people -Ask Sts what the people have in common. “When was the last time you felt worried?” -Elicit what they think.	T →SS SS →T	OHT Pictures of worried people
10	Awareness-raising- To raise learners awareness on ways of keeping a conversation going	-Tell students to listen to two dialogues. -Ask sts in which one the woman seemed more interested or willing to talk, how they understand it. -Elicit answers. - Ask sts to listen to the second dialogue again and take notes of the expressions that they think help conversation going. -Elicit answers. - Ask sts if there are another evidences that show the woman is interested in the conversation. -Elicit answers.	T→SS T→SS SS→T T→SS SS→T T→SS SS→T	PC Audios of two different dialogues
3	Concept check: To check sts’ understanding of the meaning of the target expressions	-Show all expression on the board. -Ask CCQs to check the meaning of some expressions. -Elicit answers yes/no.	T→SS SS→T	OHT
2	Drilling: To provide a guided focusing on pronunciation	-Model the target expressions -Individually or chorally drill the problematic expressions.	T→SS
10	Guided Practice: To provide an opportunity for sts to stimulate each other’s curiosity in ongoing conversation	-Hand out the dialogue matching exercise. -Tell students to match the dialogues individually. - Ask one pair of students to read the dialogues to the whole class. The others check their answers. - Ask sts how the responses of B keep a conversation going. -Elicit the discourse markers used in the dialogue. -Ask sts to carry out this dialogue at least 2 mins. -Monitor while they are talking.	T→SS Ss SS→SSS T→SS SS→T S→S	Handouts with a matching exercise
20	Less guided practice: To develop sts ability to keep a conversation going by expressing their concerns on the given situations	-Divide class into groups of four and give each group a situation and a rubric. -Tell them that in each group one pair starts talking about the given situation by using the given expressions. The other pair monitors them and evaluates their speech according to given rubric. After one pair finishes, they switch the roles. -Monitor while they are on the task. -Ask sts results of their observations	T→SS S→S S→S SS→T	Hand-outs with a situation Evaluation rubric

Commentary

The content of the lesson is chosen according to their everyday life usage, which means

I want to create an atmosphere where they feel comfortable and make conversations on a topic that they can face in every phase of life. Practicing everyday expressions in the classroom gives the learners the opportunity to use them which will also give them the courage to practice in real life as well. They notice, practice, produce and finally learn.

I planned to start the lesson by showing pictures of people who are worried or concerned to get their attention to the general topic of the lesson. The class loves visual materials, so I thought starting a visual would catch their attention more.

I chose to start the introduction stage with a listening to raise students’ awareness on the strategies used in speaking. Starting with a receptive skill would stimulate students’ curiosity and interest.

The lessons’ stages move from more controlled practices to less guided ones. To increase autonomy in the class, I believe the teacher should create more opportunity for the students to produce rather than the teacher. One of the most important aims should be to increase students’ talking time. I would like to quote a saying from Benjamin Franklin, “Tell me and I will forget, teach me and I will remember, involve me and I will learn”. This summarizes explicitly the idea we should consider while teaching.

I designed the interactions in the every stage as one individual, one pair work, one group work and one whole class to change the learning roles and to provide an equal balance in the lesson. Students learn a lot when they get the opportunity to work in pairs or groups. Thus, balancing the interactions in each stage of the lesson lead learners to a more student-centered atmosphere which creates a productive learning environment.

Activities and practices

1. Awareness-raising activity –Dialogues

Dialogue 1

Man: Well, What would you like?
Woman: Nothing, thanks.
Man: Are you sure?
Woman: Yes.
Man: So, how was your trip?
Woman: Mmm, not good.
Man: Really? Why?
Woman: Well, the weather was terrible.
Man: But anyway I’m sure there were good things.
Woman: Mmm, a little.
Man: I wish I had come with you.
Woman: Ahaaa.
Man: I’m sorry I couldn’t make it but…
Woman: Oh that’s all right.
Man: I had a problem at work.
Woman: I see.
Man: You know sometimes unexpected things happen.

Dialogue 2

Man: Well, What would you like?
Woman: Err a cup of tea would be nice.
Man: Right. I’ll have a cup of coffee. Just wait here.
Man: Here you are.
Woman: Thanks a lot.
Man: So how was your trip?
Woman: I’m afraid it wasn’t as good as I expected.
Man: Really? Why? What happened?
Woman: Yes. You know we planned to fly to Zurich first.
Man: Yes. So you couldn’t?
Woman: No. Because of the very strong storm the plane couldn’t land in Zurich.
Man: Hmmm. I don’t see how it couldn’t. I doubt the captain could land to a closer city.
Woman: Goshh. No he couldn’t. But I think the problem is the airport traffic control tower.
Man: Possibly, but the captain could have B plan for unexpectant situations.
Woman: Of course. What bothers me is our wasted hours in the air.
Man: Mmm. That’s too long. Well, anyway, you arrived at last. Right? Woman: Yeah, at last..

2. Guided Practice

A. Match each question on the left with an appropriate response on the right.

	A	B
1.	How was your last vacation?	A. I don’t think so. How did you find out?
2.	I’ve heard that the cruise staff earn	B. Well, it was OK but there were some quiet good. serious problems.
3.	I invited some friends from school. Are you still in touch with them?	C. Well it depends. Which city?
		D. Mmm, I don’t know. Do you really think so?
4.	Have you got your visa?	E. No, I’m afraid I haven’t seen them for
5.		I thought the sound coming from next cabin was a scream? months.
6.	How did you find the shows on the cruise?	F. Well, I haven’t applied yet. What about you?
7.	What do you think about living abroad after your vacation?	G. I liked it very much. Didn’t you?

B. B’s responses help to keep the conversation going. Can you say how?

C. What do you think A said after B’s response in each case? And try to carry on your conversation going for at least 2 minutes.

3. Less-guided practice

Change 1

Put yourself in the situation below where someone in your family- perhaps your son or your wife- suggests the following changes, the other expresses his/her doubts about the situation. Use the phrases to talk about your doubts or worries.

For ten years you have rented the same two-bedroomed flat. You now have two children a girl and a boy. They will soon need their own rooms. What about looking for a bigger house?

Change 2

Put yourself in the situation below where someone in your family- perhaps your son or your wife- suggests the following changes, the other expresses his/her doubts about the situation. Use the phrases to talk about your doubts or worries.

All your life you’ve had trouble sleeping. Every night, at about 3 in the morning you wake up, go to the kitchen, make yourself a cup of tea and read a book. You then go back to bed and waken up around 8.30. Your partner thinks you should see a doctor.

Change 3

Put yourself in the situation below where someone in your family- perhaps your son or your wife- suggests the following changes, the other expresses his/her doubts about the situation. Use the phrases to talk about your doubts or worries.

You were brought up to be very polite, and never say what you really think of someone. Your son has just told you that you are a hypocrite. He wants you to start showing people what you really think of them.

Change 4

Put yourself in the situation below where someone in your family- perhaps your son or your wife- suggests the following changes, the other expresses his/her doubts about the situation. Use the phrases to talk about your doubts or worries.

You have always been a “big eater”. As a result you are no longer as thin as you used to be. Your partner suggests you go on a crash diet!

4. Rubric for the less-guided practice