Lesson plan: Spoken Language Study

About Audio Notetaker

Audio Notetaker not only records conversations but enables the user to annotate important passages, either within the Notes Pane at the side of the audio or by highlighting key audio bars to represent the linguistic elements of interest. Audio can be imported later from any handheld devices or they can record directly into Audio Notetaker and annotate the file in real time.

Aims
The Spoken Language Study is a relatively new addition to the GCSE English Language course and students are required to acquire and annotate examples of spoken language in preparation for their Controlled Assessment. These lesson plans are intended to be nonspecific as each Spoken Language Study is different.

Using Audio Notetaker to record data

Record and annotate interviews from internet sources eg YouTube to prepare for an assessment or to enable teachers to archive the final annotated results. Recording and annotating students own data eg conversations outside of school to compare the conventions of spoken language with written language. Copies can be accessed by students for group discussion or the Controlled Assessment later. Students can be asked to identify the various language communities to which they currently belong or have belonged to (eg family, primary school, sporting, peer groups, other extracurricular activities) and record data to identify the distinguishing features of each linguistic context. Record extracts and annotate TV programmes to identify the particular language that is used in those contexts eg cookery programmes, TV interviews, news reporter, sports commentator or comedians. Record speech to examine how status and relationship changes the use of language To compare the difference between a drama script or a presenters scripted language (e.g. Ant and Dec) and spontaneous conversation.

Recording devices
Hand-held recording device eg digital voice recorders Audacity program installed on laptop or PC Student mobile phones

Typical Controlled Assessment Questions

How does talk in soap operas try to represent actual speech (AQA 2011-12) Investigate a type of public talk e.g. political speeches, school assemblies (AQA 2011-12) Investigate the ways that communication varies and develops in small group discussions. (AQA 2012-13)

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Lesson Objectives AFs Teaching Activities

AF2: Listen and respond to others AF3: Adapt and vary structures and vocabulary according to purpose AF6: Identify the variety and uses of spoken language Understand variations in spoken language, explaining why language changes in relation to contexts. Evaluate the impact of spoken language choices in your own and others' use. To learn the differences of language conventions used between conversation use and TV presenters To identify purpose and purpose and how it is revealed through language Introduce Spoken Language module Stress the importance of analysing the conventions of spoken language in their study. How do we make conversation? Role play a typical conversation. Afterwards try to identify the different elements that make conversation work. Identify the unwritten rules of conversation eg turn-taking, giving feedback, fillers, greeting etc. Make a list for future reference. Compare with TV presenters use of language Give them 2 minutes to list as many different types of TV programmes where TV presenters use a particular type of language. Share their answers on a IWB. Audio Notetaker for analysis Teacher to use Audio Notetaker to annotate a brief extract from such a program with the class contributing answers.

GCSE

2-3

Audio Notetaker for analysis by students Pairwork: Investigate the ways that language is used by TV Presenters cookery, childrens, Quiz show, weather forecaster. Give each group a laptop/computer. Teacher to go round and discuss their findings. To analyse the way Find a source (eg on YouTube) to demonstrate this type that language changes of language according to context Make notes on the key phrases/jargon used Use Audio Notetaker to annotate the key features using coloured bars, Notes Pane To select and download examples of the type of speech required Plenary discuss their findings; how language changes according to context.

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4 Peer assessment to check progress Compare findings with another Group Students to team up with another group studying a similar genre and compare findings and annotations. Expect comments on establishing status, adjusting language to context, fillers, greetings and clichs/catchphrases. Independent work on final choice of data for Controlled Assessment There are existing transcripts of TV programs on various websites which could be given to students or they could transcribe their own. A pre-existing transcript will save time. Using Audio Notetaker as an initial start so they use precise guided listening skills will be beneficial as they can annotate before they see the written transcript where the pauses and incomplete phrases are more obvious.

5+

To annotate a transcript to demonstrate the skills required in the module

Differentiated Learning Outcomes

Check points (formative assessment) Achievement of learning will be monitored by

All will be able to appreciate the skills Class feedback shown in the exemplar material Most will be able to use those skills to annotate transcripts or the audio file in Audio Notetaker Some will meet all of their targets to address the criteria in the Controlled Assessment; and/or will be able to coach their friends to analyse a spoken text. Class feedback Audio Notetaker annotations Class feedback Improved performance in group discussions Use of jargon when discussing examples

Resources to prepare/book
Recording devices Access to laptops / PCs or iPads PowerPoint Presentation or IWB to show skills and videos

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Conventions or unwritten rules of spoken language
Less formal Person addressed present Low status Difficult to duplicate Sounds decoded by ear Grammatical forms relaxed Sentences poorly constructed Intonation et al Transitory Colloquial/slang used Contractions used Pauses/repetition common Visual gestures Fillers

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