Week+9

toc //** Unit 8 To Speak or Not to Speak **//

**Objectives**
learn about
 * conversational process and effectiveness;
 * factors affecting English speaking skills
 * cultural differences: discussion styles, cultural misunderstandings

Outcomes
At the end of the unit students
 * will have basic knowledge on topic and be able to describe issues in English
 * will have improved vocabulary related to conversational encounters
 * will be able to use Internet based resources to develop their speaking skills

Activity 1 Food for Thought
Watch the following video on [|How to Start a Conversation with a Native Speaker]

Activity 2 Conversational Topics
Copy and paste the table below in a Word document. Then fill in the information you would mention in the conversations on the topics listed. Then check with the links below the table. Finally, post it on your personal page.

(books, web sites, etc) || ** To study by _ DATE ** (set goals for learning vocabulary related to the specific topics) || how you prove your identity (when do you need to prove it?) permanent address, temporary address, marital status etc || What's your name? Where are you from? Where do you live? ||  ||   || 3** . Use [|Vocabulary Organiser with Key] for developing vocabulary for basic conversations **
 * TOPICS FOR CONVERSATION - LEARNING GOALS **
 * ** Topics ** || ** Sub-topics ** || ** Questions ** || ** Resources to use **
 * **Personal introduction** || personal particulars, ID (identity card), passport, driving licence
 * **The family** || parents, siblings (brothers, sisters), family relationships, family tree, relatives, type of family (nuclear family, extended, single-parent family) || How many members does your family have? ||  ||   ||
 * **Look, appearance, character** || clothing, outfit, body care, make up, personality adjectives, || What are you wearing today? ||  ||   ||
 * **Picture description** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Special family occasions** || birthdays, holidays, going on holidays/trips, personal events, celebrations, family events ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **Friends** || best friends, girl/boy friends, types of friends, qualities of a best/true/real friend ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **Daily routine (+housework)** || moments of the day - activities wake/get up, prepare to go to work/school etc); meals of the days ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **Description of your home** || type of house, size, type of rooms, etc. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **Home life (+housework)** || spending time together, parties, communication, conflicts between generations, domestic issues, house work distribution ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **The neighbourhood, your village or town** || location, population, urban development, educational institutions, landscape ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **Traffic, public transport** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Weather and seasons; climate** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Clothing** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Nature** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Education, school types** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * **Career, working** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * 1) ** Add more topics by checking with the link [|Conversation Topics for Intermediate Exams] **
 * 2) ** You can find interesting conversation topics and questions at **
 * ** ESL Partyland Conversation Questions **
 * ** [|Conversation Questions for the ESL/EFL Classroom] **


 * [|GOOGLE DOC VERSION OF TABLE]**

Further Resources

 * Have fun with[| spot the difference]s puzzles!
 * Improve your conversational English with Ted Power's [|Prepare for Discussion] - Glossary of Ten Discussion Techniques
 * 1) [|Asking someone for their opinion about a topic]
 * 2) [|Delaying strategies - fillers]
 * 3) [|Presenting a number of arguments - enumeration]
 * 4) [|Giving your opinion about a topic - from certain to fair probability]
 * 5) [|Agreeing - completely or conditionally]
 * 6) [|Disagreeing - completely, using irony, dismissing as irrelevant, diplomacy, doubt & logic]
 * 7) [|Countering through concession followed by antithesis]
 * 8) [|Logical argument - questions & deductions based on "if".."then", strongly argued "why" questions]
 * 9) [|Clarification - through Yes/No What/How Why/Why not questions inviting illustration]
 * 10) [|Expressing solutions and alternatives]

[|Circles of Excellence] blog
 * For details on cultural differences related to conversation topics, see