Final Exam - Problems of Pair Work

[이민경]

듣기말하기_Final_이민경.hwp

 초등영어듣기말하기교육                                      SNUE M20081412 이민경

                     Final Exam: ASK AND ANSWER

                  (Problems of Pair Work)

★ My data: 6th Grade English Class Transcript from three lessons    

 <Lesson 1> (Co-teaching)

 - Date: Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

 - Characters: Class 6-3 : 27 students (14 boys, 13 girls)

 * Situation ① : Lesson 5: May I Help You? 1차시

   T-T presentation

   → open-pair S-S role-plays

 * Materials - role-play dialogues (ppt), imitation items and fake money

  <Lesson 2> (Co-teaching)

 - Date: Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

 - Characters: Class 6-2 : 27 students (13 boys, 14 girls)

  <Lesson 3>

 - Date: Friday, May 9th, 2008

 - Characters: Class 6-3 : 27 students (14 boys, 13 girls)

 * Situation ② : Lesson 5: May I Help You? 2차시

   T-T presentation

   → closed-pair S-S role-play practice

   → open-pair S-S role-plays

 * Materials - 6 shop names, 12 item pictures, fake money, and role tags

a) Does the teacher set up a pair work task so that it will be self-regulating? How or how could she have done so? Why did she do things the way she did and not some other way?

  Yes, the teacher sets up a pair work task that is self-regulating. Let's look at some data (Data 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3) from <Lesson 1> of Unit 5.

(Data 1-1: T-FT presentation of role-play 1 and following T-S discussion)

T: Korean Teacher, FT: Foreign Teacher

T: Look at us. We'll do a role-play. She is the clerk. I am the customer.

FT: Hello. May I help you?

T: Mmm.. Yes, please. (holding a bunch of grapes) How much is this?

FT: It's 20,000 won.

T: (uncomfortable look on her face) 20,000 won?!?!

(Ss saying “와~ 2만원!”)

FT: Yes, 20,000 won.

T: Oh, it's too expensive. (pause) Bye!

FT: Did she buy the grapes? Did she want the grapes?

Ss: No.

FT: No! Is 20,000 won a good price for grapes?

Ss: No.

FT: No. It's not a good price. So, let's try again. Let's see if she wants to buy this.

(Data 1-2: T-FT presentation of role-play 2)

FT: Hi. May I help you?

T: Uh.. Yes, please. How much is.... (holding an item) this fish?

FT: 2,000 won.

T: 2,000 won? That's nice. I'll take it. (handing over money)

FT: Thanks. Here's your change. (handing over money)

T: Thank you. Bye!

(Data 1-3: S-S open pair work that follows the T-T presentation)

T: Who's the clerk? (pointing) You? (S1 nodding) You are the clerk. And you are the customer.

S2: May I help you?

S1: Yes, please. (holding an item) How much is it?

S2: It's 5 dollars.

S1: Oh, it's too expensive.

Ss: 헐~! 오천원이면 싸지! (laughing)

T: Okay, let's switch roles.

S1: May I help you?

S2: Yes, please. How much is it? (holding an item) How much is it?

S1: (pause) It's 10,000 dollars.

S2 & Ss: 어... (laugh)

S1: 10,000 dollars.

S2: It's too expensive. (putting the item down and holding up another item) How much is it?

S1: It's one dollar.

Ss: (laughing) 우와~ 천원!

S2: Okay, I'll take it. (giving a $10 bill)

  The teacher and her co-teacher set up open pair work by simply showing examples. These examples demonstrate the roles, rules, and task of the role-play. First, there are roles (Data 1-1: "T: She is the clerk. I am the customer.", Data 1-3: "T: You are the clerk. And you are the customer.", "T: Okay, let's switch roles.") that explain who will ask and who will answer. Secondly, there are rules about what to say and what to do with the imitation items and money. The teachers indirectly show these rules (using certain language and gestures) in their role plays (Data 1-1, 1-2: "FT: Hello. May I help you?", "T: Mmm.. Yes, please. (holding a bunch of grapes) How much is this?", "T: Oh, it's too expensive.", "T: I'll take it. (handing over money)", "FT: Thanks. Here's your change. (handing over money)"). Finally, there is the task, which in this case is a simple question-answer exchange. (Data 1-1: "T: We'll do a role-play.")

  Why does the teacher uses these three methods? They are used to make this activity self-regulating. It can be said that S1 and S2 in Data 1-3 understand the task and participate in the imaginary situation that the teachers created because the students' roles are reversible. Also, some of the language that the students use in the role-play appears to come from the teacher-student discussion in between the two T-T role-plays. (Data 1-1: "T: Is 20,000 won a good price for grapes?", "Ss: No.", "T: So, let's try again." → Data 1-3: "S2: It's too expensive. (putting the item down and holding up another item) How much is it?") These are all achieved without direct T-S interaction.

  The teacher also uses three kinds of 'physical' tools to set up this pair work task. (See table 1.) The role-play dialogues are based on "Look and Speak", but the teacher makes a contextual variation by introducing new shop names, different items, and role tags. (Tool② and Tool③) These physical tools are used to motivate and encourage students to participate more actively in the process of S-S practice and production.

Tool①: Instructions on powerpoint	Tool②: Shop names & item cards	Tool③: Role tags
	*fruit shop     * pet shop	clerk customer 1 customer 2 Students wear their role tag around their neck.

(table 1. three physical tools to set up the pair work)

  Let's look at the data below. This is from <Lesson 2>.

(Data 2-1: The teacher explains how to do the role-play.)

Ss: 선생님, 같은 모둠 애들이랑 하는 거에요? / 우리 모둠은 5명인데요. / 4명이서 다 같이 하면 안 돼요?

T: Attention!

Ss: Attention!

T: Listen! (walking toward students and doing dividing gestures) If you have FOUR students in your team, divide it into 2 teams. (pointing at pairs of students) You two, and you two. IF you have FIVE students like this team, (pointing at a team of five) you two work together and you three. (dividing differently) Or you two and you three. YOU decide. (pointing at a pair) You are the clerk, and YOU are the customer. Choose one shop and practice with your partner.

(Data 2-2: The teacher demonstrates what to do with her foreign co-teacher.)

T: Catie Teacher, can we show an example?

FT(foreign teacher): Sure.

T: Look, everyone! We are in a pet shop. I am the clerk, and Catie Teacher is the customer. (facing the FT) Hello! May I help you?

FT: Yes, please. (pointing at the puppy item card) How much is this puppy?

T: The puppy is 200 dollars.

FT: Oh, it's too expensive. Bye!

T: Bye!

(중략)

T: I will give you 5 minutes to practice. Then I will call some pairs (picking gesture), and you have to act HERE (pointing at the stage). Okay? Let's start! 

  First, the teacher shows the 'rules' of the role-play in Korean on a powerpoint hoping that this would help lower-level students understand them, but some students aren't 100% sure about how to do the activity. (Data 2-1: "Ss: 선생님, 같은 모둠 애들이랑 하는 거에요? / 우리 모둠은 5명인데요. / 4명이서 다 같이 하면 안 돼요?") Next, the teacher reconstrues these rules into English (Data 2-1: "T: You are the clerk, and YOU are the customer. Choose one shop and practice with your partner.", Data 2-2: "T: I will give you 5 minutes to practice.") and uses gestures to give the 'roles' to students. After her long and fat turn in Data 2-1, the teacher still isn't sure if all the students understand the rules, so she decides to demonstrate the role-play with her co-teacher. (Data 2-2: "T: Catie Teacher, can we show an example?", "Look, everyone! We are in a pet shop. I am the clerk, and Catie Teacher is the customer.") Then, the teacher emphasizes that some pairs will get to perform in open pairs after the practice session because she wants to create an environment that encourages students' involvement. (Data 2-2: "T: Then I will call some pairs, and you have to act HERE.")

  Let's look at some more data below. It is from <Lesson 3> of Unit 5.

(Data 3-1: S1 and S2 work in a closed pair.)

S1: I want to kitten. How much is it?

T: Yeah, you can say "I want .. something. How much is it?"

S1: I want to kitten. How much is it?

T: Ah, I want a kitten. How much is it?

S1: I want a kitten. How much is it?

T: Then you say, "It's..." (pause) (pointing at the picture) The cat.

S2: ...

T: One hundred?

S1: dollar.

T: Say it loudly. One hundred?

S2: One hundred.

T: dollars.

S2: ...

(Data 3-2: Later in the same lesson, S1 and S2 act out in an open pair.)

S2: May I help you?

S1: Yes, please. I want a kitten. (pointing at the kitten picture) How much is this?

S2: It's one hundred dollar.

S1: Oh, it's too expensive.

  S1 and S2 are preparing a role-play based on Unit 5. During the closed pair work, they stay focused and practice their role-play in English. As a result, S2's production improves in the open pair. (Data 3-1: "S2: One hundred." → Data 3-2: "S2: May I help you?", "It's one hundred dollar.") He now confidently says the two sentences without any external cues whereas he had a hard time repeating the teacher's utterances in Data 3-1. (Data 3-1: "T: Then you say, It's..." → "S2: ..." / "T: dollars." → "S2: ..." ⇒ Data 3-2: "S1: How much is this?" → "S2: It's one hundred dollar.") This implies that the closed pair work that S1 and S2 did was self-regulating and that learning took place between the peers.

b) Does the teacher monitor pair work? If so, how? And if not, how could she have done so? Why did she choose to do as she did?

  Yes, the teacher monitors pair work by walking around the classroom and listening to pairs practice. Some students form groups quickly and practice the role play in English a few times, in which case, the teacher stops to listen and gives them some recognition. (Data 4-1: "T: Ah, you have two clerks. Interesting!") Other students, however, sit passively and wait for their partners to initiate or they chat in Korean until the teacher comes to check on them. In such case, the teacher urges them to start practicing. (Data 4-2: "T: Come on, guys. 정기, practice with him. 정기, you are the clerk. 왕규, you are the customer.") These students say that they don't know what to do and wait until the teacher or their partners to spoon-feed them their lines. (Data 4-2: "S: 이것 중에 하나 골라서 딱 이렇게 point 한 다음에 “How much is it?"이라고 말하라고...") Let's look at some data from <Lesson 3> that shows two contrasting performances.

(Data 4-1: closed group work between 3 students)

S1: May I help you?

S2: I want to buy apple. How much is it?

S3: (intervening) 200,000 dollar.

S2: Oh, it's too expensive.

S1: One dollar.

S2: Okay, I'll take it. Here you are.

S3: Thank you very much.

T: Who is the clerk? (pointing at S1) You?

S3: We.. (pointing at S1 and himself) Us. We have two.

T: Ah, you have two clerks. Interesting!

(Data 4-2: closed pair work between an advanced student and an under-performer)

T: (noticing S4 and S5 are idling) Come on, guys. 정기, practice with him. 정기, you are the clerk. 왕규, you are the customer.

S4: (looking down) 뭐해요?

T: (pointing to S5)

S5: 아, May I help you?

S4: What?

S5: (laughing) 이럴 수가..

S4: 뭐라 해요?

T: (pointing at the board) Which shop? In which shop are you?

S4: 뭐라고 말해요?

T: Point at a picture and say "How much is it?"

S4: 못 알아듣겠어요.

S5: (pointing at the board) 이것 중에 하나 골라서 딱 이렇게 point 한 다음에 “How much is it?"이라고 말하라고...

S4: (pointing at the trousers picture) How much is it?

S5: It's fifty dollars.

S4: 그 다음에 어떻게 해요?

S5: 살 건지 사지 않을 건지를...

(후략)

  The three students in Data 4-1 stay focused and practice the role-play in English. Also, S1 and S3 add a certain degree of creativity to the situation of the dialogue voluntarily: They both choose to be the clerk and offer different prices to the customer. (Data 4-1: "S3: 200,000 dollar.", "S1: One dollar.")

  S4 in Data 4-2 shows an attitude problem in almost every lesson. He gets distracted easily and constantly chats to students around him in Korean. As a result, S4 doesn't know what to do, and S5 gave up the task after his previous attempts to work with S4 failed. The teacher intervenes this kind of pairs and sometimes feeds lines to the under-performers (Data 4-2: "T: Point at a picture and say "How much is it?") because she wants to make sure students like S4 practice with their partners. 

c) Does the teacher debrief the pair work task in any way (e.g. following up with open pairs or summarizing the result)? If so, how? Why did she choose to do as she did?

  Yes, the teacher debriefs the pair work task by following up with open pairs. (Data 5-1: "T: Who wants to come up here? 예지 and 진주, please.") In the closed-pair practice session, the teacher paired students up so that students had to work with a student next to them, not by their choice. Also, the teacher made it clear before and during the practice that any random pair might perform their role play in public after the practice. (Refer to Data 2-2: "T: Then I will call some pairs, and you have to act HERE.") The teacher does this because she believes that this will help students of different abilities cooperate for a goal and that lower-level students will learn from their peers and be pushed to go beyond their usual boundaries. Let's look at Data 5-1 from <Lesson 2>.

(Data 5-1: follow-up with an open pair)

T: (raising her hand) Who wants to come up here? 예지 and 진주, please.

S1: 공책 들고 가도 돼요?

T: Okay.

(Two students are in front of the board wearing role tags - "clerk" and "customer")

T: Which shop are you in?

S1: Pet shop.

T: Okay, stand there. Ready~? Action!

S2: Hello. May I help you?

S1: Yes, please. I want to buy a cat. How much is it?

S2: It's 100 dollars.

S1: Oh, it's too expensive. Can I take a discount?

S2: (looking at S1's notebook) Hmm... How about 80 dollars?

S1: Okay, I'll take it. (handing over money) Here you are.

S2: Thank you. Here's your change. (handing over money)

S1: Bye.

  S1 is a new student (sort of a returnee) in the class. S2 is not very confident speaking English in public so hardly ever volunteers for an open role-play. S1 creates a dialogue and practices with S2 during their practice and then urges S2 to do an open role-play with her. During their role-play, S1 is holding her notebook to help S2 remember her lines. (Data 5-1: "S1: 공책 들고 가도 돼요?", "S2: (looking at S1's notebook) Hmm... How about 80 dollars?")

  Why does the teacher follow up with open pairs? When the whole group looks at an open pair's performance, they listen carefully and respond to it. Refer to Data 1-3 from <Lesson 1> and Data 5-2 from <Lesson 3>. (Data 1-3: "Ss: 헐~! 오천원이면 싸지! (laughing)", "Ss: (laughing) 우와~ 천원!", Data 5-2: "S5: 와... 200만원 주고.", "S6: 20만원이야.", "S5: 아, 20만원... ") The teacher is not teaching directly, but students are learning something from each other. Also, it can be said that the output of one activity (role play) becomes the input for another activity (look and listen). This helps lessen the labor of the teacher and also helps students obtain self-regulation in the process.

(Data 5-2: follow-up with an open pair)

T: Action!

S3: May I help you?

S4: (pointing at the puppy picture) How much is it?

S3: It's 200 dollar.

S4: Okay, I'll take it.

S5: 와... 200만원 주고.

S6: 20만원이야.

S5: 아, 20만원...

S7: 비싸다.

S4: (handing over money) Here you are.

S3: Thank you.