Conversation/communication… · SHS1 English Language

Lesson notes

Learning Objectives

Indicator: 1.1.3.LI.2 - Employ speech acts in different speech situations to express various social functions (e.g. requests, advice-giving, offer, apology, praise, acceptance, refusal, etc.).

By the end of the lesson, learners can:

Identify at least six different speech acts (request, advice, offer, apology, praise, acceptance, refusal) and state the social function each one performs.
Differentiate between direct and indirect ways of expressing the same speech act in a given scenario.
Select and employ an appropriate speech act to match a given speech situation and social context (formal or informal).
Role-play a short scenario in groups, using at least two different speech acts naturally and appropriately.
Justify their choice of wording for a speech act, explaining how the context and the relationship between speakers influenced their language.

This lesson builds directly on the Week 6 lesson (Indicator 1.1.3.LI.1) where learners distinguished between formal and informal registers. Today, learners will apply that register awareness to the specific social functions known as speech acts. Later in the term, learners will extend this to sustained conversations, so this lesson focuses on single utterances and short exchanges.

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Curriculum details

Strand: Oral Language (Strand 1)
Sub-strand: Conversation/communication in Context (1.3)
Content standard: 1.1.3.CS.1 - Demonstrate effective use of communicative strategies in a variety of speech situations. 1.1.3.LO.1 Employ appropriate register to communicate competently in varied speech contexts.
Indicator: 1.1.3.LI.2 - Employ speech acts in different speech situations to express various social functions (e.g. requests, advice-giving, offer, apology, praise, acceptance, refusal, etc.).
Suggested placement: Semester 1, Week 7 (Week 7 of the year)
Our suggestion, laid out in curriculum order across three terms of twelve weeks. NaCCA does not fix the week, so follow your school's scheme of learning.
Curriculum reference: NaCCA curriculum document, p. 33

Exemplars (from the NaCCA curriculum)

Talk for Learning:
- Learners, working in gender sensitive, mixed-ability and mixed-cultural groups, discuss short scenarios on given speech acts (e.g., giving advice, apology, etc.).
- Learners in their groups then role-play the short scenario on a given speech act.
- Through a class discussion, learners discuss their choices in terms of appropriate ways of expressing the acts (direct/indirect) and their responses to the speech acts.
Note: Ensure all learners participate and tolerate opinions of one another.
Teaching and Learning Resources:
- Short passages or stories (e.g., page turners)
- Visuals
- Audio tapes
- Audio-visuals
- Conversation practice games
- Wall pictures about different scenes
- Audio visuals about a particular situation or profession
- Short drama or role-play by two or more characters
- Learner/Teacher generated short scenarios
Assessment (1.1.3.AS.2). The document marks these depth-of-knowledge levels for this indicator: Level 1 Recall; Level 3 Strategic reasoning; Level 4 Extended critical thinking and reasoning.