Listening and Speaking
Key Concepts
Listening and Speaking are important elements when communicating with one another. Without both of these elements oral communication is not possible. Within the Native Culture Oral tradition is of great importance. It is through the use of Oral Communication that traditional Native knowledge and culture is passed down. The Creation Story, traditional medicines, and transfer of language is all passed down Orally over the past generations. Native American people have a much greater connection to Oral communication that they do with written communication, and in traditional secluded Native communities the use of wrtten communication is seen as unneccessary. I think that discussing the importance of Listening and Speaking is an essetial part of teaching Native American Studies and also fits in with the Social Studies Program. If we did not explore Listening and Speaking we would be leaving out an important part of the FNMI culture and failing to do our duty as a teacher.
Curriculum Connections
The Program of Studies for ELA states that Oral language is the foundation of literacy. Through the process of listening and speaking, people communicate thoughts, feelings, experiences, information and opinions, and learn to understand themselves and others. Oral language carries a community's stories, values, beleifs and traditions. Listening and speaking enables students to explore ideas and concepts, as well as to understand and organize their experiences and knowledge.
2000, The Program of Studies, English Language Arts K-9, Alberta Education,
Retrieved October 21, 2012, http://www.education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/english.aspx
2000, The Program of Studies, English Language Arts K-9, Alberta Education,
Retrieved October 21, 2012, http://www.education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/english.aspx
Strategies and Lesson Plan Ideas
Speaking Strategies for Social Studies:
1. Grand Conversations:
Grand Conversations may be used as a whole group or in several small groups within the class. Grand Conversations is done through several steps. First the student is to read a story or part of a story, next the sturdent has time to think about what he/she read and this can be done through drawing and reflecting what was involved in the story. After that the class begins conversations in small groups within the class, once this is done these conversations evolve from small conversations into a grand conversation with the whole class. This is a great opportunity for students to express thier feelings on the issue or topic being discussed. This also allows students to feel more comfortable speaking in front of peers and expressing thier opinion. This can easily be used with and Social Studies or NAS topic.
2. Book Talks:
Students can use a book talk to discuss a FNMI based book and explain why they enjoyed it and what they got out of it. This is a great way to encourage students to read and learn through FNMI stories or novels.
3. Process Drama:
In Process Drama students are given a topic or a purpose for the activity. The teacher explains the context behind the drama and everyone within the group or class assumes a role. This is a great activity for small groups to perform infront of the rest of the class, when performance is done the teacher asks questions regarding the performace and invites students to respond to these questions. This activity could finish with students writing a reflective journal entry. This could be used in Social Studies to demonstrate historical events and students could act them out and the class could reflect and state thier opinion on the significance of these how these events transpired and the importance in them.
Focused Listening Strategies for Social Studies:
1. Story Retelling:
In this activity students listen to the teacher read a story, the students do some reflection on the important points in the story. This can be done through a graphic organizer so that the students can organize the events that happened in the story and be well prepared for what they are going to say when retelling the story. This activity forces students to work on thier listening skills and pay attention to details within the story. This is also a great asssessment tool for teachers to see how well the students understand the events in the story, and how they comprehend. This can be done with a variety of FNMI titles.
2. Hot Seat:
In this activity students take turns describing different historyical figures and the students have to listen and try to guess who they are. This can be done through a series of questions. This activity forces the students to pay attention to details and listen carefully to what is being said.
3. Choral Reading:
In this activity students will go over a FNMI story or histrorical story regarding Alberta or Canada. The students follow as the teacher reads and eventually the students take turns reading the same material, students usually have assigned parts and students must pay close attention to what is happening in the story so that they know what part in the story they are responsible for.
1. Grand Conversations:
Grand Conversations may be used as a whole group or in several small groups within the class. Grand Conversations is done through several steps. First the student is to read a story or part of a story, next the sturdent has time to think about what he/she read and this can be done through drawing and reflecting what was involved in the story. After that the class begins conversations in small groups within the class, once this is done these conversations evolve from small conversations into a grand conversation with the whole class. This is a great opportunity for students to express thier feelings on the issue or topic being discussed. This also allows students to feel more comfortable speaking in front of peers and expressing thier opinion. This can easily be used with and Social Studies or NAS topic.
2. Book Talks:
Students can use a book talk to discuss a FNMI based book and explain why they enjoyed it and what they got out of it. This is a great way to encourage students to read and learn through FNMI stories or novels.
3. Process Drama:
In Process Drama students are given a topic or a purpose for the activity. The teacher explains the context behind the drama and everyone within the group or class assumes a role. This is a great activity for small groups to perform infront of the rest of the class, when performance is done the teacher asks questions regarding the performace and invites students to respond to these questions. This activity could finish with students writing a reflective journal entry. This could be used in Social Studies to demonstrate historical events and students could act them out and the class could reflect and state thier opinion on the significance of these how these events transpired and the importance in them.
Focused Listening Strategies for Social Studies:
1. Story Retelling:
In this activity students listen to the teacher read a story, the students do some reflection on the important points in the story. This can be done through a graphic organizer so that the students can organize the events that happened in the story and be well prepared for what they are going to say when retelling the story. This activity forces students to work on thier listening skills and pay attention to details within the story. This is also a great asssessment tool for teachers to see how well the students understand the events in the story, and how they comprehend. This can be done with a variety of FNMI titles.
2. Hot Seat:
In this activity students take turns describing different historyical figures and the students have to listen and try to guess who they are. This can be done through a series of questions. This activity forces the students to pay attention to details and listen carefully to what is being said.
3. Choral Reading:
In this activity students will go over a FNMI story or histrorical story regarding Alberta or Canada. The students follow as the teacher reads and eventually the students take turns reading the same material, students usually have assigned parts and students must pay close attention to what is happening in the story so that they know what part in the story they are responsible for.
Resources for Teaching
Listening Resources:
Walking Together Resource
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/aswt/
Schoolastice Listen and Read Social Studies
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/listen-read-social-studies
Read Write Think: Podcasts
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/podcasts-nuts-bolts-creating-30311.html
Speaking Resources:
Kid Friendly Resources
http://www1.center.k12.m
FNMI Collection- U of L Curriculum Lab
http://www.uleth.ca/education/resources/fnmi-collection
Collection of Oral Language Resources used in Social Studies
http://www.barbsbooks.com/drama.htm
Walking Together Resource
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/aswt/
Schoolastice Listen and Read Social Studies
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/listen-read-social-studies
Read Write Think: Podcasts
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/podcasts-nuts-bolts-creating-30311.html
Speaking Resources:
Kid Friendly Resources
http://www1.center.k12.m
FNMI Collection- U of L Curriculum Lab
http://www.uleth.ca/education/resources/fnmi-collection
Collection of Oral Language Resources used in Social Studies
http://www.barbsbooks.com/drama.htm