Developing Oral and Written Developing Oral and Written Interpersonal CommunicationInterpersonal Communication

Proficiency: the ability to use Proficiency: the ability to use language to perform global tasks or language to perform global tasks or language functions within a variety of language functions within a variety of contexts/content areas, with a given contexts/content areas, with a given degree of accuracy, and by means of degree of accuracy, and by means of specific text types. specific text types.

The Influences on Enhancing The Influences on Enhancing Proficiency via Interpersonal Proficiency via Interpersonal

CommunicationCommunication

The ACTFL (American The ACTFL (American

Council for Teachers Council for Teachers

of Foreign Languages) of Foreign Languages)

Oral Proficiency Oral Proficiency

GuidelinesGuidelines The OPI (Oral The OPI (Oral

Proficiency Interview)Proficiency Interview)

ACTFL GuidelinesACTFL Guidelines

Provide detailed information about Provide detailed information about performance in listening, speaking, performance in listening, speaking, reading, and writing at four major reading, and writing at four major levels.levels.

Each level indicates performance in Each level indicates performance in terms of functions, context, content, terms of functions, context, content, accuracy, and text type. accuracy, and text type.

Language proficiency increases Language proficiency increases exponentially.exponentially.

Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

Standardized procedure for the global Standardized procedure for the global assessment of oral proficiency. assessment of oral proficiency.

Face-to-face, recorded interview Face-to-face, recorded interview lasting from 5-30 minutes. lasting from 5-30 minutes.

One has to be a certified OPI One has to be a certified OPI tester in order to be able to tester in order to be able to conduct and assess the OPI. conduct and assess the OPI.

Not designed to be used as a Not designed to be used as a classroom test.classroom test.

The Impact of the ACTFL Proficiency The Impact of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the OPI on foreign Guidelines and the OPI on foreign

language teachinglanguage teaching

They have encouraged the development of They have encouraged the development of instructional materials that focus on instructional materials that focus on communicatively-based and performance-communicatively-based and performance-based instruction.based instruction.

They have influenced the interpersonal They have influenced the interpersonal nature of face-to-face oral tests. These tests nature of face-to-face oral tests. These tests are more meaningful and contextualized. are more meaningful and contextualized.

They have had an impact on classroom They have had an impact on classroom testing in that they have stressed the need testing in that they have stressed the need for an oral component in testing. for an oral component in testing.

Influence of the OPI on Testing Influence of the OPI on Testing of Oral Skills of Oral Skills

Interviewing Interviewing Role playsRole plays Oral monologuesOral monologues Conversation cardsConversation cards Situation cardsSituation cards Narration/Description of topicsNarration/Description of topics

Types of activities to reach Types of activities to reach proficiency levels proficiency levels

Novice: acquiring vocabulary Novice: acquiring vocabulary through physical activities; using through physical activities; using contextualized vocabulary in short contextualized vocabulary in short conversations and presentationsconversations and presentations

Intermediate: Engaging in Intermediate: Engaging in spontaneous conversations involving spontaneous conversations involving familiar topics; asking questions; familiar topics; asking questions; negotiating meaning in conversations.negotiating meaning in conversations.

Types of activities to reach Types of activities to reach proficiency levels proficiency levels

Advanced: Conversing in a participatory Advanced: Conversing in a participatory manner; speaking in paragraphs using manner; speaking in paragraphs using connector words; narrating and describing connector words; narrating and describing in present, past, and future; participating in in present, past, and future; participating in situations with unanticipated complications.situations with unanticipated complications.

Superior: Discussing topics concretely and Superior: Discussing topics concretely and abstractly; supporting and defending an abstractly; supporting and defending an opinion; hypothesizing; conversing in opinion; hypothesizing; conversing in linguistically unfamiliar situations; engaging linguistically unfamiliar situations; engaging in circumlocution. in circumlocution.

Interactive ActivitiesInteractive Activities

Movement activitiesMovement activities Paired activities and interviewsPaired activities and interviews Conversation cardsConversation cards Role plays – present the Role plays – present the

situation card in the native situation card in the native language so that students language so that students completely understand the task. completely understand the task.

Sharing opinions, debating, narrating, Sharing opinions, debating, narrating, describing, explaining: advanced classes.describing, explaining: advanced classes.

The need to bring in The need to bring in cultureculture

Language and culture are intertwined; Language and culture are intertwined; they gain meaning from each other.they gain meaning from each other.

Knowledge of L2 culture is necessary Knowledge of L2 culture is necessary for successful interaction with the for successful interaction with the culture. culture.

Knowledge of other cultures can Knowledge of other cultures can increase students’ awareness of increase students’ awareness of and appreciation for diversity. and appreciation for diversity.

Incorporating CultureIncorporating Culture

Cultural mini-drama: Students listen to, Cultural mini-drama: Students listen to, watch, or read a series of scenarios in watch, or read a series of scenarios in which miscommunication which miscommunication is taking place; each is taking place; each successive episode reveals successive episode reveals additional information; the additional information; the reason for the reason for the misunderstanding is misunderstanding is revealed in the last episode. revealed in the last episode.

Simulations and GamingSimulations and Gaming

Help the teacher overcome the Help the teacher overcome the limitations of the classroom. limitations of the classroom.

Great in lowering the affective filter. Great in lowering the affective filter. Develop language skills.Develop language skills. Can teach and evaluate language and Can teach and evaluate language and

cultural awareness. cultural awareness. Can change attitudes by placing Can change attitudes by placing

students in “real-life” situations.students in “real-life” situations.

Teaching Interpersonal Teaching Interpersonal WritingWriting

Dialogue journal: Dialogue journal: – Written conversation in which Written conversation in which

students communicate one-on-one students communicate one-on-one with the teacher or with one with the teacher or with one another.another.

– Recommended for all ages and all Recommended for all ages and all levels of language development. levels of language development.

– Can be conducted through e-mail. Can be conducted through e-mail.

Teaching Interpersonal WritingTeaching Interpersonal Writing

Key Pal and Pen Pal ExchangesKey Pal and Pen Pal Exchanges– Very effective way to Very effective way to

obtain new information obtain new information and cultural perspectives. and cultural perspectives.

– Students should be told that the Students should be told that the main focus of the communication main focus of the communication should be on meaning and not on should be on meaning and not on linguistic accuracy.linguistic accuracy.

Teaching Interpersonal Teaching Interpersonal WritingWriting

Synchronous Electronic InteractionSynchronous Electronic Interaction– Offers more equal participation than Offers more equal participation than

face-to-face interaction.face-to-face interaction.– Provides more time for Provides more time for

processing input and processing input and monitoring and editing monitoring and editing output through self- output through self- pacing and pacing and assessment. assessment.