1	Lost for Words? 说不出话吗？ The Discourse of Speaking 探讨口语的语篇 SUSAN CHYN susanchynchina.spaces.live.com www.susanchyn.com.cn
2	Today we will talk about: Speaking is important nowadays TOEFL^®iBT is a good case in point Why is speaking so challenging The nature of spoken discourse Living language vs. book language The best-kept secret: Chinese performance in speaking How speaking is evaluated on TOEFL iBT A scientific method for improving spoken English Practice a sample speaking question from TOEFL iBT
3	Lost for words The landscape of English is changing Everybody’s talking about speaking and listening But even Rowan Keating seems to be “lost for words”
4	Ronan Keating：Lost for words… Waiting for this feeling That I'm drowning in to subside You make me swim like a beginner Like I'm new at life All these words don't come easy No they always seem to stop There is awkward silence yeah Anytime we talk Oh but I wanna let it in I wanna ease all your doubts I keep trying to get it out
5	Why is speaking so challenging? How speaking relates to the model of second-language Component skills Key performance skills Enabling skills
6	Book Language vs. Living Language The sad story of French 101 Acquiring oral discourse
7	The best-kept secret 中国学生 2005年雅思考分
8	How speaking is evaluated TOEFL iBT Speaking Rubrics 4 (top score in Speaking) The response fulfills the demands of the task, with at most minor lapses in completeness. It is highly intelligible and exhibits sustained, coherent discourse. Other features: Well-paced, fluid expression, coherent, relationships between ideas are clear.
9	A Survey of Academic English Tasks 2001 research study commissioned by ETS Professors and students who were non-native speakers asked to rate English-language tasks Asked which tasks most important for academic success Looked separately at communication tasks in reading, writing, speaking and listening
10	Results of the TOEFL iBT research Professors and admissions officers say all students need to: Synthesize information from reading and listening texts Organize and develop one’s own ideas in writing and speaking
11	Overview of the TOEFL iBT Design Four sections (total time about 4 hours): Reading- 3 long academic passages, 33-39 questions (no integrated skills) Listening- 2 conversations and 4 academic lectures (=6) (no integrated skills) Break Speaking- 6 tasks (2 independent, 4 integrated) Writing- 2 tasks (1 integrated)
12	In the Speaking section of TOEFL iBT Students need to think more often and more quickly in English, especially about ideas Students need to understand the natural, living language of social interaction Teachers talking with students in informal settings, students talking with each other
13	A scientific method for improving spoken English “有机英语” 科学5步 PCCPCC Confidence + Solidify pronunciation skills Memorize language in chunks Focus on one context at a time Develop paraphrasing skills Consolidate skills in cohesion and coherence
14	1. Solidify pronunciation Use only authentic materials prepared by native speakers Pay attention to intonation 语调, rhythm 节奏 and stress 重音 Some useful resources: NPR, VOA, Discovery http://evaeaston.com/pr/home.html http://www.manythings.org/pp/ http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/#
15	2 Memorize language in chunks What is a “chunk”? 词组 Strings of words, such as phrasal verbs 动词片语, collocations 固定搭配 and phrase patterns E.g.: x is closely tied to y; “Issues that are closely tied to water pollution are health and land development.” Memorizing chunks improves memory retention and precision of use.
16	3. Focus on one context at a time Contextualize your learning Biology article Formal business lecture Social conversation Scientific studies have shown that focusing on specific domains and contexts aids in memorization and correct usage
17	4-1. Develop paraphrasing skills Do your best to understand the source text, or at least actively guess the meaning. Think. Don’t translate mechanically, word for word. Digest the ideas so you can “internalize” the meaning. You need to say things in different ways. That means lots of tools for your toolbox. Display “strategic competence”-- the ability to communicate, even when you lack a certain word.
18	4-2. Fail-proof strategies for paraphrasing
19	Cohesion 语言衔接
20	5-1. Consolidate skills in cohesion and coherence In English discourse, words, sentences and paragraphs need to be connected 词与词，句与句，段与段的衔接形成英语篇章 The “glue” of language and ideas 语言和意念的粘合剂 Cohesion= how language 语言 is connected Coherence=how ideas 意念 are connected
21	5.2 Examples of cohesive devices Sentence connectors (E.g.: Therefore, however, by the same token) Clause coordinators (E.g.: And, or, but, when) Clause subordinators (E.g.: While, even though, if) Discourse particles (E.g.: “Fillers” such as “Well,” “In any event,” “That is to say”)
22	5.3 One reason why you need to make a point of learning cohesion and coherence It does not come naturally to Chinese learners Chinese discourse is often based on semantic connections. English discourse devices are often syntactic devices and lexical devices. 意合语言（汉语）与形合语言（英语）的差别: 意合指句子内部的连接或句子间的连接采用语义手段。形合指句子内部的连接或句子间的连接采用语法手段或词汇手段。
23	5.4 Successful strategies 策略 for improving cohesion and coherence Avoid translating from Chinese Think in English Model after English discourse (spoken and written): Be a sponge! Look at specific chunks 词组 of English language and analyze their function in language In spite of… (contrastive function)
24	Practicing oral discourse: TOEFL Speaking Task #5:
25	TOEFL Speaking Task #5: