Task complexity and second language development: tools to promote speaking
Colin Thompson
Thompson spoke on current trends in task based learning (TBL) and tools to promote speaking practice. He showed us several interactive speaking tasks and discussed advantages and disadvantages of using them to focus on communication and grammar. We learned how teachers could design such tasks for their own classroom use, emphasizing the importance of pre-teaching them and vocabulary so that students can focus on performance. We all had fun with the activity he showed us using a short video segment from a Tom and Jerry cartoon. In pairs, one person turned their back to the video, while the other described what was happening. The person with their back to the video had to make quick notes as to what they understood was happening. Then together we watched the video and compared the notes to it. We all thought that it would be fun for most students (even adults) and challenging. This TBL activity can be used for any level of students by using level appropriate material, such as still pictures for low-level students with timed viewing, or slower paced (muted) animation. Tom and Jerry is good for advanced students with its fast paced action and no speaking by the characters.
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