Tips for teaching speaking:
(1) You should be one unit ahead of the unit you are teaching.
(2) At least one day before, tell the students they will be doing the next
class or next week so that they prepare the tasks. Divide the students
into pairs or groups of 3, 5 or 6 depending on the activities to be
practiced.
(3) Have the students rearrange the chairs before you enter class.
(4) Teach vocabulary items that the students might need when they talk
about a topic.
(5) Write instructions, questions, short paragraphs on cards for each
group, or give each group a picture or object to describe.
(6) Set a time limit for finishing each task.
(7) Reward the best or fastest group to finish the task.
(8) do not spend more than 10 minuted working on any activity, so that
the students stay focused and do not get bored.
(9) Do several short and varied tasks each class session.
(10) While the students are working on a task, go around, monitor them,
encourage them and provide help. Do not spend too much time with
any group. You may stop by a couple of groups while doing the first
task, and by different ones while doing the next.
(11) Ignore errors at first in order for the students to gain confidence and
focus on communication rather than errors.
(12) If a student fails to talk about a topic, ask her questions, then have her
talk about the topic again putting all the answers together.
(13) Teach public speaking skills.
(14) Make the change slowly and gradually. Do not expect the students to
master working individually, in pairs or in small groups right away.
(15) Do not linger. Encourage and practice speed in performing tasks and in
moving from one task to another.
