Speaking Step 5

Speaking: The oral transmission of information or ideas.

Step 5: I speak effectively by using appropriate language

Outcomes

To achieve Step 5, learners will understand that they need to consider the language that they are using when speaking and choose appropriate language to the setting.

Previously, in Steps 3 and 4, the focus was on speaking effectively by making points in a logical order and thinking about what listeners already knew. This Step builds on this, but focuses on the way that someone is speaking.

Learners need to be able to:

Understand what is meant by language and how it varies
Judge what language is appropriate in different settings

Introduction

There are lots of ways to communicate the same meaning.
We must think carefully as the words we choose to say affects the meaning of what we are communicating.

Skill Starter

What is their style?

Learners listen to different audio clips from a variety of sport situations. These need to be showing different types of speaking (informal/formal/technical). For example it could be a press conference after a game, a team talk, some commentary.

Learners should be able to talk about the type of language used and the differences between the clips. They could then discuss when they would use that same style of language, such as more formally with their teacher or more informally with friends.

10 mins

Group activity

Discussion

Teach & Apply

There are three types of language:

Informal: This is relaxed language, where we might be speaking to friends or in our team. There is a shared understanding of what we mean.
Formal: This is ‘speaking properly’. We use full sentences and more sophisticated vocabulary. This way of speaking can be understood much more widely, and so we can use it in lots of different settings.
Technical: This is advanced language that we might use when working with someone where we have a shared knowledge.

It is important to choose the right language for the right setting so that listeners have the best chance of understanding you:
- Informal language: For friends and people you know well.
- Formal language: For most people and settings, and people you don’t know.
- Technical language: For speaking to others with your technical expertise.

Optional Activity

Blindfold Maze

Using bibs and cones, set up a series of basic mazes.

Pairs must decide who is the ‘speaker’, the other learner will be blindfolded and placed somewhere in the maze. The ‘speaker’ must give instructions to help their partner out the maze, by using technical language such e.g. walk, slowly, left, turn 90 degrees clockwise. Their language may also be informal.

If the blindfolded learner touches a maze wall, they must start again.

15 mins

Paired activity

Active

Reflection & Assessment

Embed these strategies across your teaching and coaching to help learners apply what they’ve learnt.

Model how to explain a concept using informal, formal and technical language. Learners could then be encouraged to explain a concept using different language – which both reinforces this step and their subject knowledge.

Use these ideas for ways of assessing this skill step to help you check learners’ understanding and confidence.

Observe learners over a period to see whether they are able to appropriately modify the language they use according to the setting.
Ask these reflective questions:
- How does the language we use change in different settings?
- What are some examples of different informal language?
- What are some examples of different formal language?