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A question-answer fluency activity


Image by ijmaki from pixabay.com

Gianfranco and I have been starting to work on a book to be published next year. The plan is to put the focus on fluency building from input - from input to fluency is the general idea. It's early days, but this is the follow-up to our memory book and may strongly feature the EPI methodology.

The word fluency is used in different ways, as I described in a previous blog post here, but we are using it as second language acquisition researchers use the term. So fluency can mean, by one classification (Segalowitz) utterance fluency (spoken speed and flow), cognitive fluency (efficiency of retrieval from memory) or perceived fluency (how a third person gauges your fluency). We start from the idea that fluency can be developed, for individual skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing), by targeted activities and games. These would typically involve repetition and some time pressure to encourage quick retrieval and production.

You don't need a mass of knowledge to be 'fluent' in specific exercises and a good curriculum plan can include exercises which aim to develop fluency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Don't forget that fluency isn't just about speaking.

So below is a simple activity I have posted on frenchteacher.net, one aimed at students having done at least a few weeks of French. You could adapt the principle for higher levels and other languages. It really is super simple, and builds in that element of fast retrieval and delivery under time pressure. You'll see it has elements of 'speed dating' about it and the idea is that you would do the activity only once students had had ample practice in previous weeks to the range of questions and answers covered. It would make for a useful revision task too.

To make sure that partners match answers to questions correctly, either Partner A could have access to a correct list, or perhaps better, a third person could act as referee if answers are wrong.

As the instructions explain, the gapped version could be used by some classes could develop the activity into a less structured conversation.


Questions et réponses

Partner A asks a question from their list. Partner B chooses the best answer from their list. You are not allowed to look at your partner’s list. A third person can act as a referee to check if any answers sound wrong. Time how long it takes to get through all the questions and answers. Then do the task again and see if you can improve your time.  Then reverse roles, or the referee can take part.

 

If you are ready, you can try the task using the gapped version or even make up a conversation from memory.

 

………………………………………………………………………………….

 

PARTENAIRE A

Quel âge tu as?

Tu habites où?

Tu as des frères ou des sœurs ?

Tu habites une maison ou un appartement ?

Tu habites en France ?

Tu vas à l’école primaire ?

Tu aimes le français ?

Tu as un animal à la maison ?

Tu aimes le sport ?

Tu aimes la musique ?

Tu aimes les jeux vidéo ?

Tu sors avec tes amis ?

Tu vas au cinéma de temps en temps ?

Tu aimes lire ?

 

PARTENAIRE B

Non, j’habite en Angleterre (change as needed)

Non, je vais au collège.

Oui, je sors en ville avec mes amis.

Oui, j’ai un chien.

Oui, j’aime beaucoup la musique.

J’ai douze ans.

Oui, j’adore les jeux vidéo.

Oui, j’aime lire des romans.

Non, je n’aime pas le sport.

Oui, je vais au cinéma avec mes amis.

J’habite à Londres (change as needed)

Oui, j’aime le français.

J’habite une maison.

Oui, j’ai un frère (change as needed)

 

PARTENAIRE A

Quel âge tu __?

Tu hab____- __?

Tu as des fr____ ou des sœ____?

Tu habites une mai___ ou un app________ ?

Tu hab____ en Fr____ ?

Tu vas à l’école pri_____ ?

Tu aimes le franç___ ?

Tu as un an____  à la mai___ ?

Tu aimes le sp___ ?

Tu aimes la mu_____ ?

Tu a_____ les jeux vi____ ?

Tu sors av__ tes am__ ?

Tu vas au cin___ de temps en t____ ?

Tu a_____ lire ?


PARTENAIRE B

Non, j’habite en Ang_____.

Non, je vais au coll___.

Oui, je sors en vi___ avec mes a___.

Oui, j’ai un ch___.

Oui, j’aime beaucoup la mu______.

J’ai d____ ans.

Oui, j’adore les jeux vi___.

Oui, j’aime li__ des romans.

Non, je n’aime p__ le sp___.

Oui, je vais au ci____ avec mes amis.

J’ha____ à Londres (change as needed)

Oui, j’a___ le français.

J’habite une mai___.

Oui, j’__ un frère (change as needed)


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