Hold the floor in a discussion
Upper-Intermediate level
Materials
Main Aims
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To provide practice and review of language used for holding the floor in a discussion in the context of real life situations
Subsidiary Aims
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To provide fluency speaking practice in a debate in the context of personal experience
Procedure (34-45 minutes)
Present students with the following questions and model an answer before opening up to participation: Have you ever had a debate, but couldn’t find the words you wanted to express your opinion? During a discussion with your friends or family, has you opinion ever been interrupted?
Play video included in presentation about a discussion and the incorrect ways to handle it. Afterwards, show students the correct way to change those expressions using the targeted language. To my mind, you can look at it for hours and be absolutely sure it’s a rabbit. The way I see it is relationships are like that. I like/don’t like that you think the rabbit is the thing you love. It seems right/wrong to me that ducks are good and rabbits are bad.
In meaning, present students with the paired phrases in the way they are used. To my mind... and The way I see it... which are used for starting sentences and holding the floor. I like/don't like that... and It seems right/wrong to me... which are used to interject. Also, ask students which they believe to be used in more formal or informal settings, once they've made their guesses as a group, present the answers. Formal: To my mind It seems right/wrong to me… Informal: The way I see it… I like/don’t like that… In form, demonstrate the pattern used in every phrase and group those that are fixed and those that are semi-fixed. Finally, for pronunciation, model the stress and linking present in each phrase as demonstrated in the presentation.
Have students listen once more to the conversation in the video. Instruct them to listen for more phrases which they can use to apply the targeted language. Then, send them into BORs to share their phrases.
Present the following instructions to students: Try to remember a debate or discussion you had this week and use sentence starters. Explain that they must formulate phrases using the targeted language, afterwards they will be sent into BORs to discuss, and their partner must use interjections related to it using their personal opinion on the matter.
Utilize the last slide and possible remaining time to provide a space for feedback and delayed error correction utilizing phrases or sentences written down during monitoring of the activities.