Abstract
English learners in L1 environments often lack opportunities to practice their speaking skills, therefore every second in the conversation-based classroom is a precious moment for them. To increase engagement and maximize student speaking time, we have incorporated blended learning into our curriculum to create a student-led classroom. Outside the classroom or on specially designated days, students learn self-study techniques to practice a wide variety of speaking skills such as fluency, intonation or asking follow-up questions. This allows students to spend the majority of their time in class divided into small groups discussing topics ranging from everyday English to controversial current events, with specific topics chosen by students based on their personal interests. This design has led to increased participation as students take charge of their own learning in the classroom, while targeted goal setting and independent skill building activities keep students motivated and progressing. In this workshop, we will briefly introduce our program, and teach some of the effective strategies and adaptable activities we employ to enable our students to grow from struggling through small talk to being able to confidently and competently discuss controversial issues.
Author Information
Kim Durinick, Hansei University, South Korea
Amanda Sheffield, Hansei University, South Korea
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