‘Speaking and Listening Live Modelling’ EAL Strategy: Explanation and Rationale

Watching two participants engaged in a high-class debate can be captivating.

If you find yourself in the position of seeing such a thing live, rather than on the television, it can feel as if there is electricity in the air, generated by the verbal sparring of the speakers.

Should they get fully drawn into the argument, the drama of the back-and-forth can grow and grow, enthralling the audience as the narrative of the discussion unfolds.

If you attend carefully to such a display, it is possible to pick out rhetorical techniques, ways of constructing verbal arguments, and means of dealing with counterarguments, all of which can be easily mimicked.

This fact – being able to assimilate elements of the speaking and listening we observe – is also true for the classroom.

Buddying EAL learners with strong speakers and listeners is a good example of how we can take advantage of this.

The teacher also has an important role to play in modelling speaking and listening.

After all, it is us who knows exactly what we want our EAL learners to achieve. And it is us who can help make this happen by demonstrating what it might look like.

Speaking and Listening Live Modelling: Example One

When setting up a task that involves speaking and listening, model precisely what it is you want your learners to do.

An example of this would be to take a learner who you know is capable and confident enough to hold a conversation with you and proceed to act out the task with them for the benefit of the rest of the class.

While you do this, you can refer to certain aspects of what you are doing.

For example, you might draw attention to the way in which you are listening, or how you are taking account of what you hear when you give your own responses.

This benefits all learners, especially those for whom English is an additional language.

You can increase the impact by talking with your EAL learners while the task is in progress, reminding them of the live modelling, and encouraging them to mimic some or all of what you demonstrated.

Speaking and Listening Live Modelling: Example Two

Sit your class in a circle.

Place two chairs facing each other in the middle of the circle.

Sit in one of the chairs and ask a strong speaker and listener to occupy the one opposite.

Model a discussion, based around the topic you are studying.

Stop at intervals and ask learners in the circle to explain what is being done well, and why it is good.

You could have a scribe who notes down all the points raised.

Learners then have their own discussions in which they try to apply some of the good practice that has been identified.

Again, everyone benefits, but your EAL learners are likely to benefit to a greater extent.

Speaking and Listening Live Modelling: Example Three

Once you have set up an activity and your class are engaged in paired or group discussion, go and work directly with EAL learners and their partners or groups.

Choose a specific aspect of speaking and listening – for example questioning, responding to points, or using key vocabulary – and ask the learners to focus on replicating that skill.

Model it first and then throw it over to your learners.

Ask them to have a go and to show you what they can do.

If you are satisfied with what you see and hear, repeat the process but this time focus on a different aspect of speaking and listening.

If learners need more practice, repeat your modelling and then let them have another go.

One option is to stay with a single pair/group and repeat the process several times. Another option is to flit between different groups, doing it once or twice with each.