Continuous Listening and Speaking Practice

For Teachers

I hope you and your students will enjoy and benefit from using the CLaSP audio method (Continuous Listening and Speaking Practice) @2Pallos Language Education website. Below are suggestions how they can be best used:

Yours in language learning,
Linh Pallos

I. How to Use the CLaSP Audio Method

The various CLaSP sessions enable students to practice asking questions, give answers to questions, or to say statements in a different and more effective way. The student is presented with a model at the start of each session, the response that is expected from the student is given below that. This example prepares the student for what is to come, for example:

In the example above, the student is to practice asking questions:

Student listens and hears:
No, they don't. They don't know him.

There is a long pause for the student to ask the question.

Student speaks, giving his/her response:
...........................?

Student listens and hears the correct answer:
Do they know him?

There is a long pause for the student to compare if his/her answer was correct, paying attention also to the linking and intonation.

Students repeats:
Do they know him?

Student continues with the following exercises.

In short:

1.Student listens
2.Students speaks
3.Student listens
4.Student repeats
 

II. Practice in Class

I suggest that students use the website for 20-30 minutes, every second week. The time suggested is sufficient to maintain students' concentration and motivation, while not taking away too much time from other valuable class activities.

Students should be encouraged to access the site out of class hours for further practice.

III. Advice to Give to Students

Students tend to be shy at first to speak in a loud clear voice when practicing with CLaSP, it is understandable. I advise my students to speak in a loud clear voice as speaking in a soft voice is the same as talking to yourself in your head, it does not really practice those mouth muscles that are so important for pronunciation. It is the same when you first start to play tennis, if you keep practicing the tennis strokes your muscles get stronger and used to doing it. If you practice enough, soon you won't have to think about how to hit that ball, you would just do it and do it with less effort. It is the same with speaking another language, your mouth muscles remember how to form words and how to link them.

Also, speaking out loud builds your confidence and hearing yourself speak helps your memory.

Students should not pay attention to other students as they should be worrying about their own progress.

The advice above has encouraged many to speak out loud.

IV. Video

Below is a one-minute video clip of students using CLaSP.

	View Video (smaller file, 3.9 MB)
	View Video (larger file, 12.3 MB)

V. References

Publications:

Pallos, L. (2005). Speak to the Computer: Speaking Practice for the Language Learner. In P. Kommers & G. Richards (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2005 (pp. 3292-3304). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Pallos, L. (2005). Keep Students Speaking without a Conversation Partner: A Qualitative Evaluation of CALL Method. In Gutierrez, T. (Ed.), Glocalization Through CALL: Bringing People Together; JALTCALL 2005 Proceedings (pp.68-72), Swets & Zeitlinger, Tokyo.

Presentations:

Pallos, L. (2005). A CALL Method: Conversing Without a Partner (Abstract). Proceedings of the JALTCALL 2005 Conference, Japan, p. 24.
JALTCALL 2005 Conference
Glocalization: Bringing People Together
Shiga, Japan, 3-5 June, 2005

Pallos, L. (2005). Searching for Increased Learner Autonomy: A Continuous Listening and Speaking CALL Method In and Out of Class (Abstract). Proceedings of the EuroCALL 2005 Conference, Poland, p. 176.
EuroCALL 2005 Conference
CAN, WELL and TELL: Fostering Autonomy
Krakow, Poland, 24-27 August, 2005
 

To view PowerPoint Slide Show of the EuroCALL presentation:
(click on slide, file size 6.3 MB)

 

Copyright © 2004-2008 Linh Pallos

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.