specific curriculum outcomes: speaking and listening ... · atlantic canada english language arts...

ATLANTIC CANADA ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM: K–3 53

SPECIFIC CURRICULUM OUTCOMES: SPEAKING AND LISTENING

Specific

Curriculum

Outcomes

Speaking

and Listening

* Talk is defined as both speaking and listening, the flexible inter-change of ideas, feelings and experiences created by the individualsparticipating in any talk event (including electronic exchanges andalternative communication, such as sign language and communica-tion boards).

It is important that students use talk* to explore, extend, clarify, andreflect on their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Students shouldhave opportunities to use talk to communicate and understandinformation and to respond personally and critically. Students shouldinteract with sensitivity and respect, considering the situation, audi-ence and purpose.

Foundation for the Atlantic CanadaEnglish Language Arts Curriculum

ATLANTIC CANADA ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM: K–354


1. Students will speak and listen to explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on theirthoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.

Outcomes: EMERGENTOutcomes: EMERGENTOutcomes: EMERGENTOutcomes: EMERGENTOutcomes: EMERGENT Suggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/Learning

Create the environments, both physical and psychological that promotetalking in the classroom.

Provide opportunities and encourage students to tell stories, reportinformation, and describe experiences and events (e.g., news time).

Give students opportunities to express feelings (e.g., responding toliterature and music; talking about things that make them happy andsad).

Give students opportunities to talk in partners, a non-threatening wayto give less confident students practice in speaking and listening.Students might interview one another asking questions, such as Whatare you good at doing? What do you like to do after school? What isyour favourite toy? What is your favourite game and how do you playit?

Use the strategy of talking in partners as a way to engage students indiscussion of personal experiences related to a book the class is reading,as part of a brainstorming activity, and/or as part of a getting to knowyou activity.

Make show and tell an opportunity to help students develop theirvocabulary knowledge and abilities to describe items.During show and tell time, model asking questions using the who,what, why, when, and where format.

Model the kinds of open-ended questions you would like students toask.

Help students make connections between what they are hearing andtheir own experiences (e.g., That reminds me of the time … Thatmakes me think about … Remember in the story when … I used to…)Involve students in group problem-solving activities. Learning centresprovide many opportunities for this to happen naturally.Involve the whole group in discussing classroom events and experi-ences.Invite students to share journal entries and share ideas and opinionsorally. Ask other students to respond by commenting on and askingquestions.

Students will be expected to

express feelings and give simpledescriptions of past experiences

begin to ask and respond toquestions, seeking information(who? what? why? where? when?)

express opinions (I like … ; Idon’t like …)

listen to the ideas and opinionsof others



Suggestions for AssessmentSuggestions for AssessmentSuggestions for AssessmentSuggestions for AssessmentSuggestions for Assessment Notes/VignettesNotes/VignettesNotes/VignettesNotes/VignettesNotes/Vignettes

Talking JournalWe believe children need many formal and informal opportunities toexpress themselves orally and to listen to others. To begin the day,children assemble on the rug.Children and adults take turns telling something of personal impor-tance. Sometimes children share special articles brought from home.Active listening is an important part of talking journal time. Childrenare encouraged to comment and/or question.We take note of the frequency and nature of the children’s talk as wellas their comments and questions. Some behaviours we watch for areaudible voice, eagerness to share, ability to speak without a prop,interest in others’ presentations, quality of questions and comments,and ability to listen actively.

Class MeetingsMany kindergarten classes hold class meetings to explore conflicts thataffect the entire class. Since the issues most often have their roots in thereal-life everyday happenings of the children, they have a vested interestin the problem and its solution. Since emotions tend to run high, anobject such as a feather or a hat can be used to designate the speaker.

Sharing BagI use a Sharing Bag to encourage speaking and listening in my kinder-garten class. Each day one student brings a special item in a sharingbag, and the other children pose up to twenty questions, which mustbe answered with a yes or no, to determine what is in the bag. Thechildren quickly become astute listeners as they assess the value of thequestions (e.g., “We already know that.”) The questioning then be-comes more open-ended as the children seek information about theitem (e.g., “Why is it special?”)

Use observations and anecdotalrecords to note the confidenceand ease with which students talkabout personal experiences,express thoughts and feelings, askand respond to questions, andexpress opinions.

Make use of checklists such as thefollowing:. talks socially with classmates. listens to others. follows directions. gives clear directions. stays on topic. asks/answers questions. contributes to group discussion. uses appropriate volume and

tone for the speaking occasion. listens with comprehension to

various types of text. shows confidence and commu-

nicates effectively when makingoral presentations



2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively andclearly, and to respond personally and critically.



participate in conversation and insmall- and whole-groupdiscussion

begin to use gestures and tone toconvey meaning

respond to and give simpledirections or instructions

engage in simple oral presenta-tions and respond to oral presen-tations and other texts

Create a classroom environment that encourages interaction and talk.Provide situations that invite students to engage in meaningful talk(e.g., oral discussion about texts read aloud or viewed, field trips,presentations, problem solving, etc.).

Involve students in explaining simple processes to classmates andclassroom routines to visitors to the classroom (e.g., the principal).

Encourage role-play (e.g., play telephones, hospital, school, restaurant).After reading a story several times, have students act out the story. Thiscan be part of a learning centre, or it can be presented to the class.During role-play situations or story enactments, comment on howstudents supplement the meaning through their use of gestures and/ortone of voice.After reading a story have children role-play different characters and askthem to show what the character might do, or how they would sound asthey talk (use examples where students can use different tones of voiceto convey meaning).

Provide opportunities for students to engage in dramatic play andchoral speaking.

Provide opportunities for students to listen and respond to guestpresentations in the classroom (e.g., fireman, author, artist)Show students a video presentation of a book previously read andinvolve students in talking about which they prefer, the differences andsimilarities between them, etc.Have students respond in various ways to texts read aloud (e.g., art,drama, writing).



Observe students’ abilities toparticipate in conversation inone-to-one situations as well as ingroup interactions.

Observe which children respondto non-verbal communicationduring classroom routines andgroup discussions.

When observing children giveand follow directions, considerwhich aspects of language (if any)cause them difficulties (e.g.,concept knowledge, memoryload, having a purpose, attention)


In a grade 1 class, one of the ongoing projects is an All About book.While the end product, the book about each child, is a wonderfulkeepsake, another important component of the activity is the interviewprocess. The children ask questions of the Special Person on such topicsas where they live, with whom, favourite pets, sports, activities, and soon. The interviewee controls the session. He/she chooses who will askthe questions. There is an established criteria—you can only ask peoplewho haven’t had a turn and who are paying attention. Boys can’t just askboys. The children practise for weeks so that they will be prepared forthe interview.

When a new child enters our school, he/she is introduced. Then as agroup, the children explain how to be happy in our school. Someinteresting observations are made in addition to the expected rules …“You have to do your best, even if you can’t do a lot.”

Alexandra Day’s “Carl” series are wonderful books to inspire orallanguage. After discussing Carl’s scrapbook, my primary class puttogether a presentation of their family occasions. Some did a scrapbookof photos, some cut out pictures from magazines, some drew pictures,some made posters. Parents often wrote explanations underneath. Eachchild then talked about their family, using the project to explain. Theyanswered any questions and explained what was happening, initiallypointing and using single words or simple phrases. As confidenceincreased, so did the complexity of sentences and expressions.



3. Students will be able to interact with sensitivity and respect, considering thesituation, audience, and purpose.



demonstrate that they are becom-ing aware of social conventions ingroup work and co-operative play

develop the concepts/vocabularyof feelings and an awareness thatsome vocabulary choices can hurtpeople

Model and explicitly discuss and describe co-operative behaviours/socialconventions (e.g., sharing materials; turn-taking in conversation; askingpermission to join an activity or use materials; showing respect andconsideration for others; offering/asking for help; using polite conven-tions such as please, thank-you, excuse me).Discuss appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.Use a talking stick to focus attention on taking turns.Begin to talk about how to work in groups. Give students specificassignments within their co-operative groups. Discuss and model theroles and responsibilities of each group member. Have the groupdetermine if they were successful (e.g., Were we able to answer ourquestions/complete the assignment/do the job?).

Explore feelings and help students develop the vocabulary of feelings byencouraging them to talk about feelings they have and how they expressthem.- Brainstorm some feelings with students.- Ask students how they might express each feeling (smiling, singing, crying, etc.).- Invite students to choose a feeling and act it out while the rest of the class tries to guess what the feeling is.Sing the song, When You’re Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands.Involve students in making up other verses for feelings they haveidentified.Discuss texts read aloud to students in terms of the characters and theirfeelings, e.g.,- How did Katrina feel? Why did she feel that way?- How did Robert feel when Andy called him a scaredy cat?- Has anything like that ever happened to you?Develop the use of I- messages in the classroom and on the playground.When conflicts arise, have students use these messages to describe howthey feel and why.Involve students in categorizing language as language that hurts orlanguage that makes you happy.




Miss Kamari helped her Kindergarten (Primary) students think aboutlanguage choices and their effects on people’s feelings by helping theclass to create a T-Chart.Words that Hurt Me Words that Make Me Feel GoodStupid! Good Job!Fraidy Cat! I like you.Carrot Top Will you be my friend?Sissy Thank you for helping me.Dummy You do that really well.Fatty I like it when you …You talk funny.

After involving my grade 1 students in a number of activities whichfocused on feelings, I made a feelings wheel on a sheet of bristol boardand attached a movable arrow to the centre. My students took turnsspinning the arrow. After the class had identified the feeling word wherethe arrow stopped, the spinner mimed or acted out the feeling, and theclass talked about some events that could have caused the feeling.

Feelings Wheel

Use observation/anecdotalrecords to listen to students’conversations as they work ingroups. Note the extent to whichthey- take turns communicating- share materials- agree and disagree using

appropriate language- use polite conventions- offer/ask for help- etc.

Observe/note

- appropriate use of vocabularyto denote feelings

- identification of feelings

- ability to differentiate betweenlanguage that hurts andlanguage that affirms




Outcomes: EARLYOutcomes: EARLYOutcomes: EARLYOutcomes: EARLYOutcomes: EARLY Suggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/Learning


express thoughts and feelings anddescribe experiences

ask and respond to questions toclarify information or gatherfurther information

express opinions and give simpleexplanations for some of theiropinions (I like …because)

listen to others’ ideas andopinions

Create environments, both physical and psychological, that promotetalking in the classroom.

Have students discuss how characters in books feel and why they feelthat way. Provide time for students to discuss related experiences intheir own lives in small- and large-group settings.

Involve students in discussions about classroom events and experiences.

Organize show and tell time as a guessing game. The student with theitem gives three clues and the class tries to guess what it might be. Theycan ask questions to help with their guesses. Use a vocabulary wheel(see Appendix 1, p. 259) to model the kinds of questions that will helpdescribe the item in more detail. After the item is guessed, the wheelcan be used to describe it, and the description can be charted. Sharingsuch information with parents/caregivers can be useful as they help thechild prepare at home.

Invite students to share journal entires and share ideas and opinionsorally. Ask other students to respond by commenting and askingquestions.Model responses during writing conferences to help students learn toexpress and support opinions and to help one another with simplerevisions (e.g., I liked your story because … or I didn’t understand thestory when …).

Involve students in group problem-solving activities based on thecurriculum—math, science, social studies, as well as language arts.




Children in my class assemble on the rug at the end of the day for asharing time. They are invited to tell the class about something theylearned or accomplished that day.

Many discussions in Mrs. Q’s Primary room centre on the theme ofrespect for differences. When children are asked for their opinions, it isimportant for them to realize that they might not all have the sameopinions, likes, dislikes or experiences.Children frequently engage in a What’s New session where they can taketurns sitting in the speaker’s chair and describe an experience or opin-ion. The other children respond by repeating what the child has said,and by asking questions.The teacher validates multiple viewpoints and experiences. “If you liketo go fishing and your friend doesn’t, that doesn’t mean either of youare wrong. We are all different.”

During a Community theme, students brainstormed what they alreadyknew about their principal. They wanted to find out more, so theylearned about asking questions, prepared some questions, and invitedthe principal to their classroom. Children each had a sheet with theprepared questions, and had to listen carefully to the questions andanswers so that they would not ask a question that had already beenasked.

As part of their Personal Safety program, one grade 1 class viewed thevideo Too Smart for Strangers. As a follow-up, the children were encour-aged to express their thoughts and feelings as they related to theirpersonal experiences.

BooktalkFollowing the reading of a book, I pose critical thinking questions ineither a small-group setting, teacher-child conference, or whole classformat. I use questions based on those suggested in Aiden Chamber’sBooktalk (e.g., Is there anything that puzzled you about the story? Didyou notice any patterns in the story?)

Use observations and anecdotalrecords:- observe children in small- and

large-group situations and notetheir willingness to listen toothers and consider their ideas,as well as the confidence andease with which they talk abouttheir personal experiences, offertheir thoughts and feelingsabout texts and ideas beingdiscussed, and ask/ answerquestions



2. Students will be expected to communicate information and ideas effectivelyand clearly, and respond personally and critically.



sustain one-to-one conversationsand contribute to small- andlarge-group interactions

use intonation, facial expressions,and gestures to communicateideas and feelings

respond to and give instructionsor directions that include two orthree components

engage in informal oral presenta-tions and respond to a variety oforal presentations and other texts

Explicitly discuss and model conversational roles and rules (e.g., howto enter a conversation, how to stay on topic, how to shift topic, howand when to interrupt effectively).

Develop specific cues for classroom routines and help children learnnon-verbal communication cues through explicit instruction andmodelling (e.g., hand up—time to stop talking).

Discuss how body language is used to communicate and how to usebody language appropriately (including eye contact, facial expression,posture, personal space, tone of voice, volume, and gestures).

When students are role-playing, highlight how they use body language.Have the students watch for and comment on how other students usethese devices effectively to communicate.

Consider the concepts embedded in the directions you give. Supportstudents’ abilities to follow directions by teaching specific vocabularythey may need to understand such directions. This would includeconcepts related to time, space, figurative and multiple meaninglanguage, language of math, prepositions, conjunctions, etc. Theseconcepts can be taught through stories, as well as through role-playingand action-based activities.

Provide frequent opportunities for students to share what they arelearning informally or in more formal presentations. Use these oppor-tunities to develop critical-listening skills. Model for the students howto connect what they hear to their own experiences and to formulateappropriate questions to gather more information.

Demonstrate the K-W-L strategy (What I know, want to learn,learned) in introducing a topic for classroom research and discussion.As students do oral presentations, they can use this format. These canbe done individually or in group situations.

Model a variety of ways of responding to texts including role-play, art,simple graphic organizers. Students can use these to present theirinformation to the class.




One teacher gives her students practice in following directions bygiving them several tasks to do as they line up for lunch. (Before you goout the door, touch your toes and turn around twice. When you finishyour work, put it on the blue table, put your pencil in the can andcross your name off the list.) Children are encouraged to ask each otherfor support if they forget the list of tasks.

As children retell stories and share experiences and opinions, theirteacher reinforces certain aspects of the presentation. (Emily, I can tellyou liked the movie because your voice sounded excited. Adam, I likethe way you showed us the size of the kittens with your hands.)

The children soon reinforce and support one another and the teacherno longer needs to take the lead.

A grade two teacher gives students practice in giving clear directions byhaving them work in pairs. One student uses a finger to draw on theback of the other while giving directions. The other then reproducesthe same picture using pencil and paper.

Jigsaw TechniqueAs a conclusion to an author study, one grade 1–2 teacher has herstudents form pairs to examine such topics as characterization, illustra-tion, and use of language. Then the pairs share their findings withothers who were examining the same topic in a small-group situation.A presenter is chosen from the small group who then shares the find-ings with the whole class. This jigsaw activity fosters listening skills asthe children are required to listen closely to directions and in turn givedirections and share information.

Observe students’ abilities tosuccessfully enter, maintain, andend a conversation in one-to-onesituations, as well as in groupinteractions. Observe whichstudents readily recognize andrespond to non-verbal communi-cation during classroom routinesand group discussions.

When observing students givingand following directions, considerwhich aspects of language causedifficulty (concept knowledge,memory load, attention, having apurpose in following directions—e.g., complete the assignment,play the game, participate in agroup problem-solving activity).



3. Students will be expected to interact with sensitivity and respect,considering the situation, audience, and purpose.



demonstrate a growing awarenessof social conventions such asturn-taking and politeness inconversation and co-operativeplay

recognize some examples ofunfair and hurtful vocabulary,and begin to make vocabularychoices that affirm rather thanhurt people

recognize that volume of voiceneeds to be adjusted according tothe situation, (e.g., playground,classroom)

Explore with students what a co-operative group looks like and soundslike. When students work in groups, have them collect evidence thattheir groups are working co-operatively. Have the class discuss theirfindings and problem solve some ways to improve.

Teach students to take turns by brainstorming with students to showthem what turn-taking behaviour looks like and sounds like.Taking TurnsLooks like Sounds LikeNodding head Have you finished?Watching eyes Is it my turn?Listening carefully Do you want to say more?Waiting until That’s interesting.speaker is finished

Discuss examples of unfair and hurtful language used in read aloudtexts, and talk about how it made the characters feel (e.g., Rosie’s Storyby Martine Gogall—Rosie, a child with red hair and freckles is miser-able when other children call her Carrots, Strawberry Shortcake, Fire-cracker, and Dragon’s Breath).Have students take on the personna of the character in such a text anduse the I- Message strategy to express feelings and promote empathy.(I feel … when you …).Encourage students to use the I- Message framework in classroominteractions.Discuss the role of put-ups rather than put-downs with students relatedto the co-operative group role of encouraging group members. Modeland comment on students’ use of positive comments to their class-mates.

Help students realize through discussion that voice levels need to beadjusted according to the situation.




Posters and banners can be found in many primary classrooms reinforc-ing interpersonal skills. e.g.,In this classroom we are kind to one another.Hands are for helping, not hurting.Learn to listen and listen to learn.

In a grade 3 classroom, a class meeting is a regular event. If there is aproblem to be solved, events to be planned, or situations to be defused,any member of the class community can call a meeting. The classgenerates rules of appropriate behaviours, discussion techniques, andconsequences. I-Messages are practised, solutions brainstormed andexplored. Role-plays are used as problem-solving strategies.

Mr. Stanley, wanting to give his students some practice in usingI-Messages, used the following strategy with his grade two class.He printed feeling words on individual cards and had students work inpairs to draw a card, identify a situation that might have led to thatfeeling, and state the feeling and the situation in the form of anI-Message. (I feel … when … e.g., I feel sad when you call me names.I feel happy when I help someone else.)

Use checklists for groupinteraction e.g.,

- listens to others- contributes ideas and opinions- encourages others- expresses appreciation of others- takes turns/does not interrupt- asks questions

Use observation/anecdotalrecords noting- recognition of language choices and their effects in texts read

aloud and in social interactions- use of I-Messages

Involve students in self-evalua-tion (e.g., students can learn tobecome aware of their own use ofthe I-Message strategy.)




Outcomes: TRANSITIONALOutcomes: TRANSITIONALOutcomes: TRANSITIONALOutcomes: TRANSITIONALOutcomes: TRANSITIONAL Suggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/LearningSuggestions for Teaching/Learning

Students will be expected todescribe, share and discussthoughts, feelings and experi-ences and consider others’ ideasto extend knowledge

ask and respond to questions toprobe and clarify informationand to explore possibilities orsolutions to problems (e.g.,interviewing, problem solving,brainstorming)

express and explain opinions andrespond to the questions andreactions of others with increas-ing confidence and fluency (oralreports, interview, classroomdiscussions)

listen critically to opinions andorally-presented texts and re-spond in a variety of ways (e.g.,drama, art, webs)

show increasing confidence inexpressing and describingthoughts, feelings, and experi-ences (e.g., oral presentations,role-playing, public speaking,concerts)

Create environments, both physical and psychological, which promotetalking in the classroom:- Arrange seating in groupings that promote classroom talk.- Show children that their thoughts, feelings, and ideas are valued.- Teach children to respect the ideas and feelings of others.- Provide opportunities for talking (e.g., talking about books and other

kinds of texts, sharing news, sharing personal interests and experi-ences, sharing and responding to one another’s writing, planning/organizing, engaging in book talks and literature circles).

Encourage children to ask questions about what they want to find outor don’t understand (I’d like to find out about … or I don’t under-stand… ) Developing a matrix would give children an opportunity topursue a particular topic.

Ask questions that require children to extend and clarify their thinking,open-ended questions that cause them to explore a variety of solutions(e.g.,What do you think about … ? What did you like/dislike aboutthe book/video? Can you tell me more … ? What else could we try?What would happen if we tried this?).

Involve children in problem solving in collaborative groups (e.g.,solving a math problem, carrying out a science experiment, coming upwith rules for behaviour in various situations).




Literature CirclesMrs. Warren had students read chapter books and used some strategiesfor shared reading and literature circles in having her children respond.In small groups of 4 or 5 the children explored feelings and reactions tothe book they were reading. The children took turns responding to thetext and responding to the selection chosen by the student. It was anopportunity to extend the learning of the novel being read.

When beginning our study about legends, we sat in a sharing circle andtalked about how stories and information were shared long ago. Afterestablishing that word of mouth was important before people recordedthings, I told them the legend Sky Dogs, as told in the book, Sky Dogsby Jane Yolen.During the day the students were asked to share the legend with afriend. When we gathered in the sharing circle to discuss if we haddiscovered anything, we decided that when stories are retold there maybe some differences. Our lesson continued to define ‘retelling’ andwhat different ‘versions’ mean.Over the next several mornings we met in our sharing circle and retoldlegends that we had read.As an art project the children used various mediums to express afavourite legend. The materials and colour were to express the mood.

One of the grade three students retold a favourite legend (Chakopesh Snaresthe Sun) during response time.

The Boy Who Caught the Sun by Laura WoodworthOnce upon a time there lived a little boy. He was very curious. One day his

father was out hunting, so the boy whose name was Curry, decided to go out

hunting too.When his father came home he could not find Curry, well Curry was out

setting traps in the woods. When Curry came home his father was in bed so

he went to bed too.The next morning when Curry woke up it was still dark. He went down-

stairs. His father was already up. He asked Curry where the sun had gone.

“Well”, said Curry, “I was setting my traps on this trail when my net fell overthis bright source of light so I ran away!” Then his father said “I want you to

go back and set the sun free”.

So Curry went back but the sun was too hot to go near. So Curry called hisfriend mouse to let the sun free. After mouse set the sun free Curry thanked

him and jumped for joy. He also changed his name to mouse and went

around setting everything free.

Use observations and anecdotalrecords: - Observe children in small- and

large-group situations and notetheir willingness to listen toothers and consider their ideas,as well as the confidence andease with which they talk abouttheir personal experiences, offertheir thoughts and feelingsabout texts and ideas beingdiscussed, and ask/ answerquestions.

Use checklists such as the follow-ing:

The student. talks socially with classmates. listens to others. follows directions. gives clear directions. stays on topic. asks/answers questions. contributes to group discussion. uses appropriate volume and

tone for speaking occasion. listens with comprehension to

various types of text. shows confidence and commu-

nicates effectively when makingoral presentations



2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively, and torespond personally and critically.



participate in conversation,small-group and whole-groupdiscussion understanding whento speak and when to listen

engage in and respond to avariety of oral presentations andother texts (e.g., could useFeedback Forms containingquestions relating to the presen-tation, readers theatre, booktalks, retelling, rap singing)

show increasing awareness of theneeds of the audience (e.g., adaptvolume, projection, facial expres-sion, eye contact, gestures,intonation and clarity to enhancecommunication)

give and follow instructions andrespond to questions and direc-tions (e.g., math problems,science experiments, computerprograms)

become increasingly more awareof detail (e.g., throughroleplaying and a focused re-counting attending to the who,why, what, when and where)

Invite children to express and explain their opinions in a variety ofsituations with open-ended questions such asWhat do you think about … ?Tell us about your idea … ?Did you like that book? What did you like/dislike about it?What was your favourite part of the movie?What did you like about our trip to the bakery? Why?What has your experience been?

Demonstrate critical listening (analysing what you hear, connecting itto your own knowledge, and making judgements about it).

Provide a variety of opportunities for children to practise criticallistening:

- guest speakers in the classroom- field trips that include plays and oral presentations- films, videos, TV programs- read-aloud- classroom discussions/conversations

Give children opportunities to respond in a variety of ways followingsuch presentations.

Invite children to select appropriate information for presentations tovarious audiences (e.g., to a kindergarten or grade one group and toparents). Children need to be aware of the type of information to bepresented and the designated time for the presentation.




The following vignette illustrates a group of grade three studentsengaged in classroom talk where they are expressing and explainingopinions and responding to the reactions of others.

A group of grade 3 students were sharing their reactions to the movieJames and the Giant Peach and comparing it to the book the class hadheard read aloud earlier.

“I like the movie better because it showed more stuff than the book.It showed skeletons and stuff that wasn’t in the book.”

“I think the book was better because they changed the storyline a lot.They put skeletons in it and they needed a compass and they took thecloud men out of the movie. The book had cloud men and didn’t haveskeletons … and like … they took out half the stuff. It would have beenprobably an hour longer if they put all that stuff in.”

“Well, I liked the movie because most of the parts were … even thoughthey took out parts … like the centipede wasn’t that mean and he didn’tget paint all over him and he didn’t get stuck. Lots of parts were takenout but lots of new parts were also put in. So it would probably beexactly the same with how long it would be ... um like with taking allthe stuff out and putting new stuff in it would be … um … as long.I liked the movie a little bit better.”

“I think the movie is better ‘cause it gives you more detail.”

Use observation and anecdotalrecords:

- Observe students in small-group and large-group situa-tions and during one-to-oneconferences, noting the confi-dence and effectiveness withwhich they express and explainopinions and respond to thequestions and comments ofothers.

- Observe students as they listenin a variety of situations (e.g.,Are they attending? Do theirresponses/questions suggestthey are developing criticallistening strategies—thinkingabout what they hear; connect-ing to their own experience;making judgements about it?)

Use checklists (e.g., for self-evaluation, peer evaluation, groupevaluation).



3. Students will be able to interact with sensitivity and respect, considering thesituation, audience and purpose.


Students will be expected to Engage students in meaningful talk in both small and large groups (e.g.,literature circles, shared reading, problem solving, inquiry).

Teach students how to enter a conversation, how to maintain a topic,how to shift the topic, how and when to interrupt effectively, and howto use appropriate volume, tone of voice, and eye contact.

Involve students in- explaining to peers how to do a math problem or a science experi-

ment, how to use a computer program, how to play a game- explaining classroom routines to visitors to the classroom- relaying messages- following/retelling teacher directions

Give students experiences in making oral presentations to small andlarge groups(e.g., choral speaking, Readers Theatre, role-play, booktalks, reportinginformation)

Encourage students to respond in various ways (e.g., response journals,learning logs, note-making, questioning, discussing, drawing) to readalouds, videos, laser discs, CD-ROM presentations, presentations byguest speakers, and plays.

use basic courtesies and conven-tion of conversation in groupwork and cooperative play (e.g.,turn-taking, listening attentively,maintaining eye contact, listen-ing without ridicule, usingconstructive criticism)

reflect critically on and identifysome forms of oral language thatare unfaire to particular individu-als and cultures (e.g., dialect,gender, cultural slurs, stereotyp-ing)

demonstrate a growing awarenessthat different kinds and uses oflanguage are appropriate todifferent situations and settings(e.g., public speaking versus playlanguage, oral presentation versusshow-and-tell language)

engage in oral language activitiesto explore thoughts, ideas,feelings and experiences toprepare for their roles in theworld (e.g., role playing, themeday presentations, teacher for-a-day, mock elections)




The following vignette illustrates a grade 3 class engaged in criticalresponse to what they hear and view.

A grade 3 teacher asked students if they ever wondered what came inteachers’ mailboxes. At their response, “Yes”, the teacher showed anadvertisement that he had received. On one side of the envelope werethe words Free Gift. The teacher asked what they thought this meant.“You get something free” was the response. The teacher then read whatwas on the other side of the envelope, Free Trial Examination and askedagain what they thought that phrase meant. Responses included “A freeticket to court” and “Somebody getting plastic surgery, you know likean examination.” As the teacher continued to read what the ads insidesaid, one child’s response was, “Some people try to persuade you intobuying things by saying they’re free.”

A Mock ElectionWhile studying about town councils in a study on the community ofFogo, Mrs. Crane decided to have the students participate in a schoolcouncil election. Some of the students who became candidates de-signed posters and badges for their campaign. The students runningfor mayor wrote speeches which included what they would try and do ifelected such as make school a cleaner, safer place, have Freaky Fridaysand school spirit, encourage recycling etc... The candidates read theirspeeches to the students in grades 1, 2 and 3 who would be voting inthe election.On voting day the students were given ballots to mark their choice.They had an election party where all the candidates received a ribbonfor participating. During the election the Mayor from the communityof St. Mary’s visited our classroom and spoke to the children abouttown councils, their responsibility, services they provided, etc... Tofollow up on the election school councils will have meetings to discussimprovements to our school and keeping up school activities alreadyongoing. Mrs. Crane found the election campaign to be an effectiveway to teach students about town councils, governments etc... and italso provided wonderful opportunities for speaking and listening.

Use observation and anecdotalrecords:- Observe students’ abilities to

successfully enter, maintain,and end a conversation in one-to-one situations, as well as ingroup interactions. Observewhich students readily recog-nize and respond to non-verbalcommunication during class-room routines and groupdiscussions.



3. Students will be expected to interact with sensitivity and respect, consideringthe situation, audience, and purpose. (Cont’d)


Students will be expected to Teach students to take turns by brainstorming with students to showthem what turn-taking behaviour looks like and sounds like.Taking TurnsLooks Like Sounds LikeNodding head Have you finished?Watching eyes Is it my turn?Listening carefully Do you want to say more?Waiting until That’s interesting.speaker is finished

Involve students in discussion, helping them to realize how languagecan be used in hurtful and unfair ways.

Taking a story, poem, or song, develop some questions that encouragestudents to reflect critically on language that is unfair or disrespectfuland that promotes stereotyping.

Use problem solving and role-playing to give students opportunities topractise speaking in ways that support and affirm one another (e.g.,Role-play a conflict situation where someone has been put downthrough name calling or exclusion from the group or play. Generatesolutions by brainstorming alternative actions and language. Role-playproposed solutions. Through discussion, have students evaluate pro-posed solutions and make necessary changes).

Help students realize through discussion and role-play how differentkinds of language are suitable on the playground, in the classroom, andin formal situations.

Provide opportunities in the classroom for children to present todifferent audiences and for different purposes (e.g., demonstrate ascience experiment, classroom presentation on a theme, presentationsfor an open house for parents, performing in a concert)




Mrs. Carrier, a grade 3 teacher decided to use the video of Peter Panduring a Folk Tale/Fairy Tale unit. After previewing the video, sherealized that it presented an excellent opportunity to help her studentsdevelop in their abilities to recognize unfair and disrespectful languageand to begin to recognize stereotypes.

After showing the video, she had students listen again to the song We’reOff to Fight the Injuns, and asked them to give examples of any lan-guage they thought was unfair or disrespectful. One student identifiedthe word Injuns, saying that the real word was Indians. This led to adiscussion on the name, Indian, where it came from (a mistake ofChristopher Columbus), and how the first inhabitants of NorthAmerica prefer to be identified. The discussion helped students to thinkabout- how labels can be given by people in power- how these labels sometimes do not respect self-identity- finding an alternative to hurtful and unfair vocabulary (e.g., Indians

prefer to be called Aboriginal, Native People, First Nation; or specificnames such as Mi’kmaq or Maliseet)

Follow-up discussion on another day focussed on unfair stereotyping ofNative People as warriors and savages. Students had previously hadexperiences recognizing generalizations through being introduced to the“Some … ; others … ” framework. As a result of this previous experi-ence they were able to quickly identify the image of Native People aswarriors as an example of unfair stereotyping. Using the “Some …others … ” framework, the students were helped to formulate thefollowing statements:“Sometimes Native People go to war; sometimes Native Peoples live inpeace.”“Sometimes other groups (such as …) go to war; sometimes they live inpeace.”

Mrs. Carrier decided that a further extension of this discussion whichmight be pursued another day could be to consider perspective or pointof view, and how stereotyping is perpetuated in history books andmovies.

Use observation and anecdotalrecords:

- noting students’ use of basicconventions and courtesies asthey interact with others

Use checklists and self-evaluationto ask students to reflect abouttheir use of oral language throughchecklists and questionnairessuch as the following:

• Did I listen to other students’ideas?

• Did I share my ideas with thegroup?

• Did I take turns to speak?• Did I respect the ideas of

others?

specific curriculum outcomes: speaking and listening ... · atlantic canada english language arts...

Documents