Curated and contributed by Andrew Yamada (Set 1) and Ariko Nishimura (Set 2), TESOL, Hawaii Pacific University
One day in a coffee shop, Chris, while hanging with his two friends, Wesley (Wes) and Taylor, notices a girl sitting alone. Chris, upon mentioning how cute she is to his two friends, a verbal battle ensues over how old the girl is. With Wesley believing that she is a young teen, and Taylor thinking she is in her 30's, Chris decides to talk to her to figure out how old she actually is.
Chris: Whoa, she's cute.
Wes: Who?
Chris: The girl in blue.
Wes: Uh, dude. The fourteen year old?
Chris: No
Taylor: What are you guys talking about?
Wes: Chris thinks the girl in blue is cute.
Taylor: That thirty year old?!
<Chris looks back at the girl>
Chris: I'm talking about the girl who has on the liquid liner.
Wes: Wha, What is that? How do you know that?
Chris: Oh, it's makeup. My sister wears it like, every day. She is clearly twenty~four, five?
Taylor: forty-five.
Wes: I can't tell anymore.
Chris: I'm gonna go talk to her to prove to you guys how delusional you are.
Wes: Alright. Just make it quick cause recess is about to end.
Taylor: Ha, ask her what Ensure tastes like.
Chris: I’m sorry, DO you mind if I sit here?
Julie: Yeah, be my guest.
Chris: I'll put your service to the test.
Julie: What?!
Chris: Beauty and the Beast.
Julie: Oh, I’ve never seen it. My parents always said I was too mature for Disney movies.
Chris: That’s surprising…
Julie: Yeah, I actually read the fairy tale before I ever even knew there was a movie.
Chris: No way…
Julie: I had a weird childhood. Do you always go around quoting lines from Disney movies?
Chris: huh, I can’t get those movies out of my head.
Julie Uhh, I am the same way… with boy bands.
Chris: Yes!... uh me too.
Julie: Really!?
Chris: Favorite boy band on 3.
Julie & Chris: 1, 2, 3
Julie: One Direction!
Chris: Backstreet Bo~…
Julie: I named my baby after Liam
Chris: Your baby?!
Julie: Yeah, my adorable adopted baby Pomeranian.
Chris: Oh~kay~
Julie: I’m actually doing a project on him right now for my animal rights course. Do you wanna see?
Chris: Sure.
Julie: Ta dah~
Chris: Ahhh~ wow….
Julie: I think it’s pretty good… cause I don’t know computers. Um, do you want some of my milk?
Chris: You’re drinking milk?
Julie: Yeah, I have a bad calcium deficiency. Which is also why sometimes I have to use this. <Julie points to her right>
<Chris stares at the walker on Julie's right>
Chris: What?!?!
<Julie pulls out calcium pills>
Chris: Calcium supplements.
Julie: Mhmm. It can get pretty painful sometimes. Like this year, for my 26th birthday, I had to be in a back brace.
Chris: Oh! Thank god! Uh, thank god for… your fashion sense.
You know because you can, um
you can probably wear whatever and still make it look good.
Julie: Thank you.
Chris: Yeah. You know what you’re working with.
Julie: Would you like to go shopping with me?
Chris: Yes! I love shopping. Have you been to Sephora lately? They have a new Urban Decay liquid liner that would look really good on you.
Julie: Great, let me give you my contact info.
Chris: Okay
<Julie pulls out a Rolodex and hands Chris a card from it>
Julie: Call me.
Watch the video clip "How Old is She?! Part one" and answer the following questions.
How many topic shifts are there in the clip?
List below the topic shift(s) seen in the video.
What strategies do speakers use to change a topic? Do they change it abruptly or gradually? Give examples.
2. Watch the video clip "How Old is She?! Part two" and answer the following questions.
How many topic shifts are there in the clip?
List below the topic shift(s) seen in the video.
What strategies do speakers use to change a topic? Do they change it abruptly or gradually? Give examples.
3. Re-watch the video as a whole and make note of any and all hints (gestures, phrases, eye movements, etc.) that indicate a topic shift is coming or has just occurred.
In what kinds of other situations does topic shifting often occur?
2. Is there any one situation that stands out to you for topic shifting? or a situation you associate topic shifting with?
3. Think back to your last (lengthy) conversation with your friend(s). Did either you or your friend(s) change topics?
4. If yes, then how did the change come about?
Each student should be given a different secret topic to talk about. Topics should not be difficult to talk about.
Divide the class into 2 groups. Designate one group as 'A' and the other as 'B'.
Create stations around the room by placing a situation card at each.
One person from each group should go to a station and read the situation.
Start the conversation based on the situation given to the group. The goal is for the students to topic switch to their secret topic in a natural manner.
Example:
Situations:
You are classmates chatting about the upcoming winter vacation.
You are in line for TSA at the airport. Make small talk while waiting in line with the people around you.
'A' has just broken up with their significant other. 'B' is trying to console them.
Secret topics:
A storm is in the forecast
An upcoming pizza party
Something you forgot at home and have to leave to get it
Aladdin is a lovable street child who meets Princess Jasmine, the beautiful daughter of the sultan of Agrabah. When Aladdin stumbles upon a magic oil lamp, a powerful, wisecracking, larger-than-life genie is unleashed. While Aladdin and the genie become friends, they have to undertake a dangerous mission to stop the evil wizard, Jafar, who wants to be a king in a Jasmine's kingdom.
Genie: Oh, great one who summons me. Terrible one who commands me. I stand by my oath. Loyalty to wishes three. I said... oh... great... Excuse me. Boy, where's your boss? Help me out here, where's your boss? If I was gonna talk to myself, I coulda just stayed in the lamp. Hello! Um...
(Aladdin shudders over trying to speaking shock on seeing the Genie)
Genie: Use your big boy voice.
Aladdin: I'm... talking... to a smoking blue giant?
Genie: No! I am not a giant. I am a genie. There's a difference. Giants are not real. Where's your boss?
Aladdin: Um, my boss?
Genie: Look, kid, I've been doing this a long time, all right? There's always a guy, you know. He's cheated somebody or buried somebody or... I mean, you get my point. Where's that guy?
Aladdin: I know that guy. He's outside.
Genie: So... it's just... you and me down here? And a monkey. That's your personal business, but we gonna need to talk about that monkey later. Such a pretty little monkey. So, you rubbed the lamp?
Aladdin: Uh-huh.
Genie: O...kay. Hey, do you mind if I just stretch it out over here? Do you mind?
Aladdin Uh, are you asking me?
Genie; You're my master.
Aladdin: I'm your master?
Genie: Downward dog!
Aladdin: No, no, no. You look like you should be my master.
Genie: Right, but that's not quite how it works, though.
Aladdin: How long have you been trapped in here?
Genie: 'Bout a thousand years.
Aladdin: A thousand years?
Genie: [with Aladdin's head] A thousand years? Kid, is it me, or does, like, everything surprise you? So, you really don't know who I am? Genie, wishes, lamp? None of that ringin' a bell? Wow. Well, th-th-that's a first. Monkey! Oh, you don't need to worry about him, he's fine.
(Genie starts to sing Friend Like Me)
Genie: Well, Ali Baba, he had them forty thieves Scheherazade had a thousand tales Well, master, you're in luck because up your sleeve You got a genie that never fails! Whoo! I'm the best. Yeah. Not enough, huh?
1. Watch the movie clip and answer the questions below.
a. How many topic shifts can you see in the movie clip? Make a list of all of them.
b. Watch the movie clip again. Take notes how Genie used strategies, eye contact, gestures, volume.
2. Fill in the blanks below. What is the function of the words in the blanks?
I said... ____... great... Excuse me. Boy, where's your boss?
Such a pretty little monkey. ____, you rubbed the lamp?
O...kay. ____, do you mind if I just stretch it out over here? Do you mind?
everything surprise you? ___, you really don't know who I am?
Well, th-th-that's a first. Monkey! ____, you don't need to worry about him, he's fine.
1. When you talk with your friends and want to talk about a different topic, how do you change the topic? Do you change it abruptly or gradually?
2. When you went to the high school on the first day, how did you make your friends? Did you ask a lot to your classmates? How did you change the topic?
3. When you talk with your family, one of your family keep talking. How do you change the topic?
Choose a situation and talk in pairs for three minutes.
Situation 1. You met a friend who hasn't seen such a long time. While you talk to him/her, you want to invite him/her to go to the beach.
Situation 2. Your friend is talking about school gossips. It is fun but you want to talk about your homework because the deadline is in a few hours!
Situation 3. Your friend and you are talking about last summer holiday. Your friend talked how his/her holiday was great. But you want to ask them to go to a bookstore to find a guidebook.