Raising the profile and pupils' awareness of good Speaking and Listening
Watch the video clips showing the Deputy Head and English Subject Leader from School B where they discuss the high profile of speaking and listening in the school, and watch the interview with the Headteacher at School C talking about its importance.
Subject leader and Deputy Head, School B (02:02)
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Alternative format Flash video. You do need to have the flash plugin.
Transcript (23 KB)
Headteacher - School C (01:24)
You can watch the video via 56k modem or slow (100kbps) / medium (256 kbps) / fast (400kbps) / very fast (800kbps) broadband connections. Alternative format Flash video. You do need to have the flash plugin.
Transcript (22 KB)
Traditionally, the profile of the typical classroom environment in English promotes reading and writing above speaking and listening. How can you raise the profile of speaking and listening in your classroom? Here are some ideas you could try.
Posters to exemplify speaking and listening
Many classrooms display posters exemplifying successful reading and writing work but fewer have equivalent resources for speaking and listening. These posters have been developed in order to show pupils what it means to be successful in speaking and listening work. You may wish to print out these posters or adapt them to make A3 copies for classroom display. Alternatively they could be projected on a white board for whole-class discussion.
Rules for talk poster (24 KB)
Rules for listening poster (24 KB)
Talking well poster (24 KB)
Talking better poster (24 KB)
It is useful to discuss with pupils the features of speaking and listening that are so vital in everyday life. The strong emphasis placed on speaking and listening in employer surveys is worth discussion.
With a colleague, consider ways the posters might be used in your school, and whether you could work with colleagues or pupils to develop further posters or displays to promote speaking and listening.
Visiting speakers
One way in which the profile of speaking and listening can be raised is through a discussion with a visiting speaker who can be asked to emphasise the importance placed on speaking and listening in the workplace. The video clip from School C shows how the use of another adult in the classroom, in this case a teacher, can help to raise the profile of speaking and listening and stimulate classroom discussion.
School C, Year 9 - Modelling (01:09)
You can watch the video via 56k modem or slow (100kbps) / medium (256 kbps) / fast (400kbps) / very fast (800kbps) broadband connections, or as a Flash video for which you will need to have the flash plugin.
Discuss with a colleague further ways in which the context of the school might be used to promote and raise the profile of speaking and listening. Compare your list with the following:
Ways to raise the profile of speaking and listening (20 KB)