Speaking and Listening ...

A range of speaking and listening activities are used in lessons as part of this project. The main ones referred to are:

Talking Partners – The pupils, working in pairs, are given a specified time to talk to each to ask and/or answer questions, discuss topics given by the teacher and plan what they are going to write etc.

Think, Pair and Share – Again the pupils work in pairs but this time each child is given time to think of their own response before they turn to their partner to discuss these.

Conscience Alley – In this activity, one child is chosen or volunteers to take on the role of a specified character whilst the rest of the class form two parallel lines facing each other. The ‘character’ then walks slowly between the lines while the rest of the class speak. This often works best after the children have had time to think or be involved in a Talking partner activity first. The children forming the parallel lines may be required to comment on some positive – or negative - aspect of the character or ask them questions (which the character is not required to answer, but may do so if they wish). It is important that the child taking on the role of a character knows that the rest of the class are talking to the character they are portraying and not them personally.