SESSION 4B

Sue Hodgson, University of Newcastle Language Centre
Engaging speaking tasks: Voice recordings and Tutorial presentations

Abstract
Are you looking for ways to make speaking tasks both interesting and effective? This session will share two different methods to motivate and assist English learners to develop their speaking skills. Firstly, voice recordings are an excellent motivational tool. The session will demonstrate simple methods to increase awareness of syllables, word stress and sentence stress.

Providing models for students to listen to and imitate raises their awareness of stress and chunking. Making their own voice recordings using mobile phones or software such as Audacity assists students to identify and work on their individual pronunciation accuracy, fluency and intelligibility, and develop strategies that can be used independently.

Tutorial presentations are another highly engaging activity for students. The focus is on involving the whole class in discussing the issues raised, rather than the class simply being a passive audience. Two student presenters are responsible for leading these 30 minute tutorial sessions based on the weekly theme, where their classmates must discuss a pre-session task and participate in follow up discussion on the issues raised in the presentation. Not only do the presenters develop confidence in delivering a presentation, working with a partner and managing group discussion, their audience is actively engaged throughout.

Bio
Sue Hodgson teaches English to international students at the University of Newcastle Language Centre. She has coordinated the English for Academic Purposes program, and enjoys resource, assessment and curriculum development. Sue has presented workshops to English teachers in Australia and Asia, and has taught in Vietnam and Japan. Sue received a University of Newcastle award for ‘Excellence in Teaching and Learning in ELICOS Programs’ for developing online resources to assist students to improve their pronunciation and reading skills. She holds a B. Ed., Grad Cert (TESOL) and M. App. Ling.