Oral Communication is KEY!
Oral communication is so much more than just a strand the educators need to make sure they cover and assess students on. This strand can teach students life skills that they can take away and use. There are many different approaches a teacher can take when they are trying to help students learn these skills so I have decided today to share a couple that I think are great!
The first one below is a debate and I have included the link to the resource in addition to a small description of why I think this resource would work great in a classroom to help students build confidence and improve their listening and speaking skills.
OH I WILL... and you will not regret agreeing with what I have to share
One resource that I found to be extremely helpful when trying to research for resources and strategies for introducing activities that can benefit oral communication in the classroom is the weekly reading we had. It was Debate: Where Speaking and Listening Come First. This resource goes through the benefits of a debate. It states that by having the students engage in a debate over a theme or topic of their interest and or classes’ choice created student- centred learning. Student entered learning is a great way to get students to be engaged and a part of their learning. This then leads to the “development of critical thinking”. Debates, in the end, teacher students how to be comfortable in front of people, public speaking and argumentation in their future. This activity done with the children do not benefit them only the number of times they do it but instead they walk away from that learning experience with improved listening and speaking skills, academic success, career success, and overall improved life skills. This reading stresses how much a simple debate can offer a student who may be an extrovert or introvert. A debate is an activity a teacher can use to benefit all the students involved and have them responsible and involved in their learning at the same time. Every teacher’s job is to ensure they can help a student succeed and I truly believe the resource when it says that a debate can lead to improved academies success and career success later in life.
Try out a debate the proper way and watch your students strive and succeed in all other areas of their lives, both academic and social! Check out the article for yourself in the link below.
NEXT STOP: CONVERSATION STATION
Once you're on the Oral Communication Train things can only get better!!
Next resource I explored was a common activity other educators have implemented into their classrooms for the younger crowd to initiate conversation and speaking skills. Three cheers for fun activities! This activity is called the "conversation station" and is created by the teacher but is run by the students! Students feel in charge and love sharing their responses to the different prompts. Students can sit with their group members, pick up a fun prompt question and ask each other for the answer! The questions can range from something as goofy that will leave room for children's imaginations and creativity in their responses or a question more neutral and age specific like the ones below.
A fun activity that I hope to use in my placement this year and any classrooms I am apart of in the future! You can get to know kids with their responses all while they're having fun and improving their listening and speaking skills!
Below is the link for this activity from Mrs. O'Brien's Blog!!
Although there are multiple resources and I really could go on and on, these two I feel would make the most positive difference in the classroom and promote a growth and improved oral communication skills.
These are the Overall Expectations of Oral Communication:
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listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for
a variety of purposes;
-
use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences
for a variety of purposes;
-
reflect on and identify their strengths as listeners and speakers, areas for improvement, and
the strategies they found most helpful in oral communication situations.
I feel like in both activities and strategies to strengthen the students' oral communication skills shared above, these expectations can be reached and attained. In both the debate activity for the older students and the communication station for the younger and older students they will be able to listen and speak with purpose. They will be able to respond appropriately to other's opinions and to students responses in addition to reflect on what works for them and what doesn't.
Two great resources and I hope you give them a look!
As entertaining as Mr. Bean has been through the years don't let your students leave with little to no oral communication skills!!!
Enjoy the clip!
See you soon,
Emily
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