Student Joseph Weather Reports in an EFL CIass
Gondar
GoOゴmorning, Todと:y IS M∂ η4ヒZア, May 19,199Zノ
It was sunny a〃 吻
high lempeYaluYe spring
ワesterd砂.}'esterday's was 25 degrees. ヲ召π3 is rodaアIS W〔>ather"epor「
low脚perature was/7degrees 乙
and[he
It was a good day to take a wa!k in the park and look ai
,flowers.
It was sunny when!woke up this morning probably 〃oon.And become cloud・this`{妙
low temperature will be 16degrees and it's sunny righごnow. However, fl N・〃
it's going to be a li〃e cooler thanアesterday, and the high temperature The
will he 22 degrees.
Thanksfor!istening.
If you had come into one ofmy might have seen one ofmy the 45-minute class period. This paper explains as a daily introductory performance ofboth LOng according speakers English(FI )classes, you
the student reporters for the project, what
to do during the report, and how l eva正uated the
TUrnS
and Yule(1983)explain the differences between two kinds of spoken language
to the function of each, and I explicitly teach both forms of communication FE classes. Language relationships is interactional and transactional when its primary when its primary course, there may be some important information primarily interactional, transactional relationship with the students.
Brown language in nature--the purpose because is to maintain is to transmit transmitted professor and Yule also classify spoken which, purpose and even in a university王ecture--an is primarily of
reports
and listeners.
Transactio皿al Brown Freshman why I chose to use student weather activity, how I prepared the student listeners were required Teaching intermediate-level students give a report like this one during the first few minutes language information. in a conversation example may attempt in my
social
ofspoken to establish Of
which is
English which
a personal
by length. A short turn is spoken
it is only one or two utterances long, does not require much
strucriire. A long turn, on the other hand, can be as long as an hour or more, and requires
much more structure. Descriptions, spoken anecdotes, jokes, and explanations are examples of
speech typically done in long turns.
Weather reports, such as the ones I had my students example of long transactional involved class management. present to the class, are an
turns. One ofthe reasons I used them as a warm-up As a whole-class speaking/listening activity weather served to focus the class and get the students to begin work. However, selected this activity was because transmit information it worked well in teaching presentation to one「s classlnates my students were quite capable ofhandling is not usually perceived the major reason I
the students in a relatively long block of utterances. Although how to coherently
giving an oral
as a low-stress the level ofcommunicative activity
reports
activity, I fbund that
stress they
experienced.
Communicative Speaking, many Brown They Stress
even in one'snative language, of us have a hard time talking when can be a very uncomfortable experience, we are under a great deal ofcommunicative and Yule state that the context iu which one speaks affects communicative say speaking and
stress.
stress.
is less stressful ifthe listeners are the speaker's peers rather than his or
72
her superiors, comfortable and it is less sh・essful to talk to one person rather than many. when the environment Finally, it is more
is familiar and private rather than unfamiliar and public(p.
34).
Aspeaker's information stress is also affected by the Language the audience have less language already has. Having ability than the speaker speaker's communicative motivated composed and the
of people who
can be stressfiil for the speaker. In addition, a
str ess is less when the listeners. This is because ability ofChe audience a listening audience which is needed by
in these situations the speaker is in control and the audience the speaker has information is
to listen attentively(p.34).
Finally, the type oftask affects the level ofstress. According speaker is more likely to be comfortable transmitted for the speaker when own structure"(p.34). why those events happened. ordinarily being
for the task. They also say it is more
which is to he communicated"provides its
easier to recount a series of events than explain
This is because recounting why those events happened communicative Brown what happened in the past wou!d
For example, communicative they suggest that teachers Reports of communicative conditions according to the situation.
of
stress thereafter.
Stress
my student weather Yule's discussion result
give the class a low stress exercise at the beginning and Communicative [analyzed and would teacher should be aware ofthe factors
stress and manipulate and ratchet np communicative Weather might not be as obvious, sfiess.
and Yule state that a foreign language which determine acourse and Yule, a
be done by talking about the earlier events before the later ones. The structure
for explaining in more required the information Thus it is generally to Brown he or she is familiar with the information and has control over the vocabulary comfortable required when report exercise with a checklist based on Brown stress.(A yes answer suggests and
low communicative stress
for that factor.)
Is the listening With could and argue focus much and audience the exception that many onthe ofthe I took who several them a report open fairly examplc, notebook pencils the teacher Is功
θspeaker Speaking experience. weather I think sitting speaking'O I think speakers to view I told reports, So when corner they tended a student in the corner have I did not find the weather when one
has
their classmates,
so that I could
to listen later give
to the weather
reporter said, for
20 classmates the student writing reporter that
forget
of the room.
one侮50pposed this is because, this argument that I would weather helped Ofcourse, his or her peers
of the room the students ゴερ ・
θθ5,,, he or she saw that this might speaker. ignore Because in the back because ofthe would to many)? 八ro.
in front of 20 people, even in one's own language, However, my students. Perhaps considered, was are peers an oral report First,[sat Second, at the ready. notebooks. who all listeners the presentation. β溺 ρ θπz∫z〃・εwガZZろ83θ
in their Yes.
to get the student audience. test on past intently, peers? are giving is grading by the speaker. The履g耐
information about seen who measures not inc, as the primary not be easily teacher, students teacher validity, the speaker's can be a very stressful
report activity to be beyond the capability all the factors related to communicative giving an oral report on the weather 73
is relatively easy.正think of
stress are
that thc most
powerful argument the weather I have that my students were not overly stressed when is the fact that, in the two years I had students do weather they reported on
reports, all completed
the assignment.
Is the environmentfamiliaY?Yes.
During both years ofassigning the beginning weather reports, I waited for three or four weeks ofthe school year before I started the activity. During had plenty oftime to become Dnes the audience familiar with me and each other.
know at least as much language as the speaker?Yes.
Asia IJniversity divides first year students according and the student audience had approximately Does the speakeY have information Iasked speaker informational informational intended questions to their English mhich is needed about the weather ム丁酌 θ,∼P磁 ε吻
ability,
by the listeners?Yes.
of the daily weather in an open notebook control over the listeners and a motivated control over me as well because to test the listening students language the same level of ability as the speaker.
the listeners to record the key information they could later answer after
that time, the students
audience. I had to record weather report so that
test. This gave the
The speaker had
information ifI
at a later date.
碗Z∫αアM・ith the information transmittedand the vocaろMary reyuirecl to
transmit the information?Yes.
Ithink it is safe to assume television weather weather report. This information weather data from the morning vocabulary, example, the weather muggy, after consulting university words needed are high-frequency called for a word students were able to handle word. With regard to the grammar day's weather, the weather When for weather ofyesterday's for
difficulty. All they had to do
to use
forget an essential
reports, the basic sentence
students, and it is possible at the time ofthe report, and the weather past, present progressive, to be transmittedprovide to report on the
for the rest of
and will or be going to
one is asked to talk about yesterday's its own structure?Yes.
weather, the weather for today, it is logical for most people to give the information astructure which needed rain.
form ofthe verb).
Does the information weather much the tear that they would by even beginning the day with only three verb tenses(simple +infinitive words, for example, was to write the word in the notes they were allowed structures can be easily handled previous of
in a
not in a student's active vocabulary, it without during tha report. This should have minimized weather have seen hundreds they should transmit is easy for students to get before class and most gathered
conditions a dictionary students what kind ofinformation news on television. In terms ofthe required English
most ofthe weather And when that Japanese reports and know easy for my students weather to follow. In addition, a weather and today's forecast, and opinions do not necessarily provide order,
report isjust a description
or explanations, their own structure, are not absolutely 74
right now, and the
in chronological transactional necessary.
turns
This analysis suggests communicative that my weather acourse."The only factor which the size of the audience, improved would me to consider it to a small group presentation there were several reasons 1developed the activity partly because focus the class. Having I wanted for the speaker audience when the size ofthe audience. exercise which a report to the class helped First,
could quickly
me meet that
to reduce communicative control over the audience Yo listen. I was able to give speakers me to give the speakers stress relates to
the activity could be
stress may
I already pointed out that it is more comfortable
by testing listeners nn what they recorded difficultfor a warm-up the speaker has informational is motivated of
or a pair work activity. After careful
the size ofthe audience increase stress in other areas. For example, of
activity for the beginning whether why I did noY reduce a single student make In addition, decreasing speaking suggest soiree degree ofcommunicative and this prompted by changing consideration, objective. report activity had a relatively low amount stress and was therefore an appropriate a motivated in their notebooks. and when the
and attentive audience
It would have been more
such an attentive audience ifmany different presentations
were going on simultaneously.
Modeling Weather Before After checking sentence Reports and Reviewing Vocabulary the first student report, I modeled students'listening structures other structures comprehension and vocabulary and words and Grammar
weather reports in four consecutive and their notetaking I had used in the model I could have used. Por example, classes.
ability,1reviewed report and showed I reviewed the
the class a few
sentences such as
these:
ノ1ア
ぞain(sdア ε3ご
θFぬ ツ.
/ご孟∫raining 720bツ,
∫々 ∫90加9'0わerα
The!ow ノ
の 〃his afternoon,
temperature Temperatures Different sentence weather structures Iwrote was/4degrees rangedfrom conditions It is sunny now It became sunny It will cloud sentence probabリ
傭`ζ
ガernoon.
α1ηthis eソening=.
weather consider ofthe reporters sometimes 6如 ア.
compare how to introduce the weather oftwo days I also wrote a
uncertainty will be cooler than yesteYday.
into the forecast with words such as might I prepared the students I did not try to anticipate terms a student might ever need in a weather on their own which current weather weather θrest and
ノ.
When weather in the weather
this afternoon.
like this one on the blackboard:Today Ialso explained changes in the afternoon.
It W'〃contdnue'01'`tin/VY漉
Because to explain how to describe on the blackboard:
bait it wil!rain oveYご
tOア
was 20 degrees.
call for different reports, and I tried to add a few
every day. For example, these kinds of sentences ノ'W'〃start and the high temperature 14to 20 degrees.
conditions. report because words, phrases and sentence In addition, I didn't provide l didn't want speakers all the sentence report. I wanted structures were best for describing
the students with a script for a
to insert current weather boilerplate model.
75
structures the students to
information into a
or
Finally, on the day before the first student weather report, I wrote on the blackboard
several ways a listener might ask for clarification:
CO召1のOZげ
召ρθ副0吻lg we磁
のbrε0α5'2
80〃 ツ,〃rdn"cα`c妙ester⑳'s What didyou The weather weather, high to〃2pera'㍑re.
say today's high temperature reports I presented will be?
to the class always Today is a good吻
ノ∂rρ勿ing 1伽8齢kind(ヅwθ
α'ぬθ酌ecuuse Bocce吻the a short comment on the
ofthem included some classes, students laugh. Por example, 〃1e.feel blue.
these kinds of statements sort ofpersonal seemed park.
it ma鱈
Ididn't require students to make aside in their presentations. to view these personal statements one student said in her weather Today is a good dayfor wash to
report and asked ifshe
to go shopping
me to write on the blackboard,
must have found some more times and always of my
report,
not, and that she planned Today is a good doryノ`or drying clothes BUT Students And in some as a way to get their classmates her on the weather clothes that day. She said she would after school. This prompted in their reports, but most
drying clothes on the balcony.
After the report was over, I complimented would included for example:
humor got a laugh when I'm going shopping.
in this sentence, because it was used. For example, it was used several
another student in the
class said,
Today is a gooddayfor Iwas modeled happy drying clothes BUTI'm to find that students were quick to add weather to the class. For example, include rain probabilities, Iused my weather perhaps because the grammar data, I showed The rainprobabilityfor Different adjectives student reporters themselves. changed, weather began to be included a rain probability and vocabulary TheYe is an 80 percent weather statistics which television I had not
reports
my students added these statistics as well. In fact, in the two years
them sentences the end ofApril Japanese reporC activity, rain probabilities reports within the first week. When reviewed going to play fiilliards.
was introduced in student weather
by a student reporter, I
after the report was given. Using the student reporter's
such as these:
chance ofYain this afternoon.
this afternoon for describing For example, is 80 percent.
weather when were also gradually introduced I presented reports to the class at
I did not use an adjective such as muggy. and on the first hot and humid of my classes used an appropriate Later in the semester, day ofthe year the weather adjective. Students 76
weather by the
though, the
reporters in each
in two classes used muggy, one class
found out about the sultry weather and humid. When we would have and a fourth reporter said it would new words were introduced in this way,]had the adjective they chose to use on the blackboard Student Handouts During and added one or two synonyms.
and Forms
the week leading up to the first student weather one page explanation included ofthe weather use in evaluating students were required were allowed Appendix explained also addressed what the listening
and how l would later test their
A).
"Che student handout explains when My goal was to get the students to speak in complete he or she is speaking. the kind ofnotes without using a detailed script. At the same words or phrases necessary during the weather for describing a weather unworkable. Some students wrote word-for-word reports in the classroom, deliver weather reports to the class,
them to write only weather scripts, and it was necessary In the second statistics
to be nearly
for me to
year I used weather
I found a better solution. Instead of relying on an explanation what should and should not be included limited spaces statistics and a few other
in their notes. I found these loose guidelines review each reporter's notes before the presentation. to use
sentences
should be available to the speaker
report. in the first year I had students phrases reporter is allowed time, I felt that weather the weather Itold the students what my goals were and instructed and a few important for recording in a speaker's notes, I designed temperatures and weather descriptions. of
a form which had very
I told the students that
their notes could only be written on the front of the form and that they were not allowed write outside the boxes."this made it much easier for me to monitor speaker's notes and forced the students to make phrases which their own decisions regarding in which I presented sample weather what the students had to do as listeners and note-takers. wordfiooks--spiral bound to record new vocabulary taking notes ofweather summary description the words and
Weather reports to the class, I explained
This year I had all the students buy
which have columns words--and drawn on the pages for the students
I asked them to prepare several pages in the back for
reports. The first column of the weather. day'sweather was for the day and date, the second Students and the widest column for recording used two lines ofthe page each day:the and the second I gave the students explained criteria simple so that students how I graded could concentrate on eye contact and volume. content ofthe report. Reporters complete first
line for the current day's forecast.
student presentations. onjust sentences, that they
The other half ofthe grade was based on the
had to include the weather information I specified, speak in
and use the correct verb tenses.
The most common error ofstudent notes had only a few words they spoke. Speaking I kept
a few things. Fifty
percent ofthe grade was based on the student's delivery, and I told the students should concentrate and
a
Reporters
The handout the grading notebooks for the high and low temperatures, line for the previous Evaluating to
the nature and extent of a
were most essential in their presentations.
lluring the week third columns a
what had to be
to be used by flee speaker, and the
their reports. The handout to do during the oral presentation listening comprehension.(See report, I gave the students report project. The handout in the report, what kinds ofnotes criteria I would be hot
the student reporter write
and phrases, in complete sentences about 20 percent ofthe presentations in general, reports became reporters many related to eye contact. Although students their
kept their eyes on their notes when
was not much of a problem for my students, but
had more than one error with verb tenses. I found that,
more error-free as we continued 77
the activity. For example, students
who those gave who their reports Iused listening carbon l wanted the report the student able their the last two reports paper in a notebook to explain was rcportcr to begin Evaluating over, As class made to the class activity ofmy within What was the high temperature "ワtu!kind had I also as a whole verb a shorC notes.'Phis a minute reports wrote words, or the student wrote tenses and than
based phrases Finally,
to the student, a minimum oftime, after the student reporter a
or sentence
individually. comment took like the following and and gave
I was
sat down.
the students the accuracy write a complete of the report as well in an open notebook test:
on吻22nd?
q1-}引θα酌 θ「漉4 we hove on Sundaア,ハ4々
〃'hich 4μアwas WQY〃ter, May 21st or M砂
both with the Listeners
Iread to the class three questions Ialso errors the weather listening, a grade, copy fewer weeks.
to summarize I was I assigned the carbon the next weeks in the first two test on that information. structures when during delivered ア25th?
」4th?
weather report as grammar and for a day I selected, and graded it on
spelling.
Conclusion
Having recommend students reporC on the weather it to other teachers. oftheir classmates notes was much was very successful I think that my students and giving a short, grammatically easier than they thought it would by having students practice other long transactional in my class and I highly
discovered correct weather that standing up in front
report with minimal
be. I was then able to build on this success
turns, for example, giving directions or
telling a story.
In the two years I used this acrivity, the skill level of my students beginner to high-intermediate. Having range of students, and weather less language students report on the weather ranged reports could be used without modification for students ability. In addition, I thiiilc this activity can be easily expanded classes by adding other elements to the report, for example, from high-
was appropriate for this
with
for advanced
a this day in history item.
References
Brown, G.&Yule, the analysis ofconversational G.(1983). Teaching the spoken English. Cambridge:Cambridge 78
language:An University approach Press.
based on
Appendix Student Weather Reports
The first few minutes WEATHER A
RF,PORT. ofeach Freshman English class will begin with a STUDENT
Lach student will be assigned a day for his or her report. The weather
report must include the following:
Adescription ofyesterday's Adescription of this morning's Aweather Students weather, including weather and the weather forecast for today, including who are not giving a weather the high and low temperatures.
the high and low temperatures.
report should take notes carefully. I suggest
that you use the last few pages of your"wordbooks"to summarize each day. You will later be tested on your notetaking Iwill reporC the weather When notes!When reports of
test.
and sentences commonly used in weather
and take notes on those days!
you are the weather to help you remember the weather ability on an open notebook to you during the next few classes. This is so you can
practice taking notes and learn the words, phrases, reports. Listen carefully right now.
reporter for the day, it is a good idea f'or you to use notes
what to say. Only the form which I give you may be used for your
you fill out your form, you may not write complete sentences, and you may not
write outside the boxes or on the back ofthe form. I will give you more information on how
to fill out the form in the next few days.
You will receive a grade on your weather report. Your grade will be based on the
following:
1.Eye contact and volume. loudly so that students 2.Content weather of the weather report!Speak Look directly at your audience when you speak!Speak
in the back row can hear you!
in complete report and grammar. sentences!Use 79
Give your classmates the correct verbs!
a complete