A Critical Analysis of the Role of a Teacher Facilitating Children's Development in Speaking and Listening - Essay Example

? A critical analysis of the role of a teacher facilitating children's development in speaking and listening Acknowledgments Introduction The speaking and listening skills hold a huge place in the programs being carried out in schools throughout the world. The current paper aims at analyzing the role of a teacher facilitating children's development in speaking and listening. In the process of doing so, the paper discusses several speaking techniques and the role the teacher must possess to facilitate students in the process. The paper begins with the teaching aspects in listening and mentions several mild but powerful techniques, such as the teacher fronted listening technique where the teacher adopts the role of a reader who reads at a pace comprehensible by students, and the turn taking and topic management techniques where the teacher adopts the role of an expert in cognitive psychology. Sometimes the teacher has to adopt a role that encourages the students to explore the capacity of their minds. Several techniques for such a scenario have been discussed at length implying a deeper reflection used to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate (Dawes, 2008). Nowadays, language delay and word poverty are some of the biggest issue being generated in the society, therefore, the paper assess the role a teacher in the speaking up approach as well. In order to inculcate the art of oracy, the paper discusses techniques that aid the development of a child’s thinking power which must be started from key stage 1. It has been established through the literature that there are many views focused on developing these skills at an early age, for the purpose of which, besides different techniques, the paper highlights the role of teacher as a facilitator and establishes this as of utmost importance. Teaching aspects in Listening After scanning the environment in which the session must be conducted, and collecting the material needed for the process, the teacher must also be well aware of the Key Performance Indicators of his/her job. Below are stated the most common strategies that are needed to instill the art of listening in children as well as the role required by the teacher when these strategies are applied. The teacher fronted listening technique One of the typical roles a teacher adopts when inculcating the art of listening into the students is the activity of listening to stories. For example the teacher selects stories for children that are from level 1 and 2 and contains only a few words unknown. Then the teacher slowly reads the story where each sentence is read at a pace comprehensible by the students. When an unknown word comes, the teacher writes it on the board and reads it twice. In this way, when the word comes again, the teacher quickly points to the board and the students identify it. This technique thus instigates the interest of learners to maintain their interest in what they are listening and also understand what they are listening to. Oral cloze exercises: Developing active listening in students compels the teacher to critically analyze the skills needed by the students and requires efficient strategies adopted by the teacher to meet them (QCA, 2003). One such strategy is the oral close exercise which involves the children to guess the next upcoming words. For example, the teacher starts the story and every 50 seconds stops so that the learners could guess the word without too much interruption in the story. The guess is immediately followed by the answer from the teacher (Newton, 2009). Picture ordering and ‘What is it?’ Technique: Another strategy is the Picture ordering and the ‘what is it’ technique. In the former, a wrong arrangement of pictures is used and the students are forced to use their listening abilities. For example, the students first listen to the description and then replace it with the right order. As for the latter strategy, this technique involves the teachers to describe something where the students have to further identify it. The process includes the learners to guess and gradually increases more and more in information (Newton, 2009). Same or different exercises: This exercise is also a way where the role of the teacher is much apparent. The process requires pairs of students to given to them that are then described by each student to their partner. Without showing their pictures to each other the students have to decide whether or not they are the same or different where the teacher facilitates the entire process byholding the pictures (Newton, 2009). Turn-taking, topic management, note-taking and questioning strategies: These are interactive sessions that involve asking questions about what the children have learned and heard recently, or about the topic under discussion (Richards, 1990). Here, it is the job of the teacher to make sure whether the brain and ears of the students are working together. Basically, the teacher has to ensure that the child is able to distinguish between vowel and consonant sounds. It may also happen that the child entering the class would be either in a distressed or in an excited mood which leaves the teacher in charge to identify if the child is listening or not (Dawes, 2008). Practice in note taking is also a way which further adds to the process. For example, questions regarding facts and conclusions that are drawn from the process are discussed that arise from the notes students have then made (Richards, 1990). Group work, task work and Bag of ideas: One of the main problems that a teacher faces is to engage approximately thirty students in listening with one student speaking at a time. In such a situation, signals like a stop sign along with group work and task work and bag of ideas are used by the teacher and interaction (Dawes, 2008). This can be done through the current strategy where new ideas are discovered and world is explored (Richards, 1990). When the teachers are motivated to teach the art of listening to the students, the use of a bag of ideas, the Talking Tins, Curiosity Kits, and Story Baskets use the concepts that have been present since the times of ‘prop’ boxes (Grugeon, Dawes, Smith & Hubbard, 2005). These kits and tins contain artifacts in order to develop the interest of the child. Especially in the key stages 1 and 2, these ‘bags’ are one of the most interesting tools available for teachers. For example, handing the kit over to a boy in order to develop his interest in nonfiction books would contain books other than fiction. In this way, he would discuss them at home as well as share what he has been taught (Dawes, 2008). Teaching aspects in Speaking When it comes to the art of teaching; the teacher must realize that where all noisy children look the same, those who are quiet have many different background stories. These quieter children are either angry or cowed or even content (Dawes, 2008). Mentioned below are several techniques and strategies that teach the children how to process the information being handed out to them, how to listen attentively, and how to express through an able speech with the help of a teacher. Speaking up: The current process is used to develop skills in children by exploiting almost the entire curriculum (IRPC, 2008). For example, the teachers teach their students about the art of speaking with the approach of regarding how to develop an idea for a presentation (Buck, 2005).The whole idea here, is to make sure that the students ‘see’ talk in the class because they may only think that ‘talking’ is something they are not supposed to do (Dawes, 2008). Whole-class talk sessions: This approach involves either a voluntary speech by the students or the one which are organized. The contribution is however dependent on how well they have listened and thought about what they heard (Dawes, 2008).This is important because communicating an idea to the intended audience of the students of level 1 and 2 is as necessary as determining what to communicate and recognizing the circumstances in which it must be communicated (Buck; 2005). Interactive Displays: The teacher must make sure that in order to develop an environment of learning the art of speaking in students, interactive displays is one of the best options. One of the best examples of the interactive displays are the ones which involve the students first. In this way, the students on whom this strategy is being used will be stimulated to ask questions that can further encourage discussion. The teacher on the other hand will be there to maintain the needed learning environment (Grugeon, Dawes, Smith & Hubbard, 2005). Reading out aloud: In the early years of primary education, children can also be taught spoken language through story telling. Basically in key stage one and two, the story telling is the most powerful tool that manages to keep the motivation and the enjoyment level of the children high, as well as an emotional development of the children. With a slow exposure to literature, the development in the comprehension of language is also observed (IRPC, 2008). This strategy develops the concept of intelligible speaking where children always identify patterns of text which later get associated with the visual patterns (Goodwin, 1999). Personal Experiences: When the development of speaking skills is discussed, especially in the key stages, the schools and the teachers are the most important players. For example, the teachers adopt the position of an active listener who manages to provide input in a confident manner. The approach is further intensified when the children discuss and share personal experiences to the audience. Therefore, the teacher facilitates in the development of a child’s vocabulary (IRPC, 2008). Questioning: Students also benefit from talking to each other and from participating in dramatic and puzzling question and answer sessions. For example, the show and tell activity compels the students to speak about their experiences (Dawes, 2008).The development of language requires the teacher to provide opportunities where a sizeable amount of literacy skills are taught and applied. For example, rather than just listening to stories and answers, the new approach identifies the child to tell stories as well as answer the questions asked by the teacher (IRPC, 2008). Conclusion and Analysis: Therefore, in a class room, the teacher must always consider the types of questions that are to be asked. It must be determined whether or not all genres are effectively covered; that are the conversational speaking, the style of speaking, as well as the fact of whether one may receive more attention than the others. Secondly, the strategies regarding teaching are also to be considered, which are in fact the opportunities being provided to the students. Thirdly, the level of expected performance must always be well-thought-out (Tsang and Wong, 2002). Therefore, the information that is being communicated to the students must always be meaningful as well as relevant in nature which can be quickly used. The activities must be maintained through a variety so that the interest of students can be maintained. These can be short in nature that involve responsiveness and learning at the same time (Newton, 2009). In conclusion, it can thus be asserted that in a classroom setting, the teacher has to conduct their role in a systematic way which uses various materials and techniques. The role of a teacher is to teach the art of listening and speaking in a very explicit way. This, in turn, will manage to ensure the opportunities regarding other development skills of the children. The best teacher would thus be the one who manages to cater to the entire curriculum as various areas encourage discussion of different topics. In this way, teachers can also make the best use of their time. The excellent speaking and listening skills thus developed by the teacher would work towards improving the children’s learning. A good teacher would hence be the one who raises the standard bar every time and pushes his/her students to cross it successfully as well (QCA, 2003). References Brown, A. 1989. Models, standards, targets/goals and norms in pronunciation teaching, World English 8, 2: 193–200. Buck, G. (2001). Assessing Listening. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp (55) Burns.A (1998).Teaching speaking. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 18, pp(102–123) Dawes.L, 2008, The Essential Speaking and Listening: Talk for learning at KEY STAGE 2, Routledge, Ed (1) Department for Children, Schools and Families (2008) The Bercow Report: A review of services for children and young people (0–19) with speech, language and communication needs. DCSF. Grugeon, E., Dawes, L. Smith, C. & Hubbard, L., 2005, Teaching Speaking & Listening in the Primary School, David Fulton Publishers, Ed (3) Goodwin. P, June 1999, The Literate Classroom, David Fulton Publishers, Ed. (1) ICAN, [Online] Available at:www.ican.org.ukon: March 9, 2012. Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum (IRPC): Final Report, 2008, DCSF Publications, available online at March 14: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/Primary_curriculum_Report.pdf Law, E.(2000) Provision for children’s speech and language needs in England and Wales: facilitating communication between education and health services DfESpp. (239) Newton, J. (2009) Teaching ESL/FSL Listening and Speaking, I.S.P. Nation, ESL & Applied Professional Series, Rutledge, pp. (97-100) Richards, J.C (2008) Teaching, Listening and Speaking, Theory to Practice, Cambridge University Press, pp. (3-30) Richards, J.C. 1990. The Language Teaching Matrix. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp(34) SLCN, 2011, Don’t Get Me Wrong, Information for supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, pp. (2-4) Tsang, W. K., and M. Wong, 2002, Conversational English: an interactive, collaborative and reflective approach. Jack C. Richards and Willy Renandya (eds.), Methodology in Language Teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. (212–224) Wallace. T and Stariha, W.E., Walberg, J.H, Teaching speaking, listening and writing, International Academy of Education International Bureau Of Education, Typhon, Annecy, pp. (10-11) QCA, 2003, Speaking, Listening, and Learning: working with children in Key Stages 1 and 2, Primary National Strategy Hand book, [Online] Available at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/4824/1/pns_speaklisten062403hbk.pdf on: March 9, 2012. Read More