Action Plan—
Listening & Speaking Activities for
Intermediate & High-intermediate
Students
Racing, Shannon, Sam, Vivian
Outline

Introduction—identifying the problems

Literature Review

Rationale—Research Questions

Method and Design

Predicted Results
1. Introduction
Identifying the Problems
1.1 Introduction—the problems
English learning environment—exam-oriented,
test-centered
 Memorization is emphasized—passive
vocabulary
 Lack of phonemic awareness—weak/small
vocabulary
 No time in class for speaking and discussion

1.2 Introduction—the problems
Personalities: reserved, shy, and timid, lack of
confidence and critical thinking
 Rural countryside, limited teaching resources
 No immersion in an EFL environment--desensitized to English
 Big challenge: Large homogeneous classes
made up of multi-level students, PR Value
50~90 in one class
 Teachers seldom model English in class.

1.3 To sum up

Students in Taiwan
1) Lack
of motivation in using English as a communication
tool
2) Listening
& speaking skills need to be further developed
2. Literature Review
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VARK
Bloom’s Taxonomy
AFL (Assessment for Learning)
Phonemic Awareness
2.1 VARK Learning Styles Theory
2.1 VARK

Visual Learners: learn through seeing
2.1 VARK

Auditory Learners: learn through listening
2.1 VARK

Reading and Writing Learners: learn through reading and
writing
2.1 VARK

Kinesthetic Learners: learn through moving, doing, and
touching
2.2 Bloom’s Taxonomy
2.2 Application of Bloom’s Taxonomy

An example from Omaha Public Schools Teacher's
Corner-- “Goldilocks and Three Bears”
 Remember: Describe
where Goldilocks lived.
 Understand: Summarize
what the Goldilocks story was
about.
 Apply: Construct
into the house.
a theory as to why Goldilocks went
2.2 Application of Bloom’s Taxonomy

An example from Omaha Public Schools Teacher's
Corner-- “Goldilocks and Three Bears”
 Analyze: Differentiate
between how Goldilocks reacted
and how you would react in each story event.
 Evaluate: Assess
whether or not you think this really
happened to Goldilocks.
 Create: Compose
a song, skit, poem, or rap to convey
the Goldilocks story in a new form.
2.3 AFL (Assessment for Learning)
Learning Autonomy
Learning How to Learn
Assessment for Learning
(goal)
(activity)
(tools)
2.3 AFL (Assessment for Learning)

Formative Assessment Activities:
 Muddiest
Point
 One-sentence
 Minute
paper
summary
2.4 Literature Review—
Phonemic Awareness



Mandarin speakers: learn to spell sound of Chinese
characters by using Chinese phonological symbols
Taiwanese students as EFL learners: seldom have the
chance to learn about the phonemes in English. crucial
in developing English reading proficiency
Yopp 1988: ten phonemic tasks conducted
1)
2)
3)
Phonemic Segmentation
Phonemic Blending
Rhyming
2.4 Literature Review—
Phonemic Awareness



Mandarin speakers: learn to spell sound of Chinese
characters by using Chinese phonological symbols
Taiwanese students as EFL learners: seldom have the
chance to learn about the phonemes in English. crucial
in developing English reading proficiency
Yopp 1988: ten phonemic tasks conducted
1)
2)
3)
Phonemic Segmentation
Phonemic Blending
Rhyming
2.4 Literature Review—
Phonemic Awareness



Mandarin speakers: learn to spell sound of Chinese
characters by using Chinese phonological symbols
Taiwanese students as EFL learners: seldom have the
chance to learn about the phonemes in English. crucial
in developing English reading proficiency
Yopp 1988: ten phonemic tasks conducted
1)
2)
3)
Phonemic Segmentation
Phonemic Blending
Rhyming
3. Rationale: Research Questions
GOAL: To Intrigue Students’ Motivation in English Learning
3.1 Research Questions
1.
•
•
•
•
How can Taiwanese English teachers help students to
find their best English learning strategy by
understanding students’ individual learning preference?
Traditional teaching (lectures done by the teacher)
ignoring the different learning preferences of each
student
Use cooperative learning to replace teacher’s
instruction
Goal 1: Teacher-centered class student-centered one
Goal 2: remembering creating
3.2 Research Questions
2.
•
•
•
•
•
How can Taiwanese English teachers improve students’
listening and speaking skills and enlarge their vocabulary
by raising students’ phonemic awareness?
Exam-oriented English teaching  focus on reading and
writing only  less attention to the training of listening
and speaking
Low phonemic awareness  poor listening ability 
reluctance to speak up
Goal 1: get familiar with linking words and some
pronunciation
Goal 2: know the way to learn words by sounds
Goal 3: be able to understand the authentic
conversation
3.3 Research Questions
3.
•
•
•
•
How can Taiwanese English teachers motivate students
to learn English by changing the way they assess
students’ performance?
English as subject for exam or a means of
communication  to change the ways of assessment
Assessment of learning  Assessment for learning
[Formative Assessment]
Goal 1: to ease students’ anxiety when speaking and
listening to English
Goal 2: to diagnose students problem immediately from
their response
4. Method & Design-Interventions
4.1 Procedure

Teachers model English in class create an English
speaking classroom

Encouraging students to speak English and listen to
English
[Activity 1]

TITLE : Dictation Game–
Soup or Salad? vs. Supersalad



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Aim: To raise students’ phonemic awareness
MATERIALS: handouts, paper, and pens
LEVEL: Intermediate and above
TIME: 15 minutes
PREPARATION: Construct a dialogue where
misunderstanding arises as a result of inappropriate
linking and mispronunciation. The dialogue goes with the
name “Supersalad.”
[Activity 2 to 4]
 Phonemic Awareness Test
Phonemic rhyming test:
http://teams.lacoe.edu/reading/assessments/rhyme/rhyme2
.html
2. Phonemic blending test:
http://teams.lacoe.edu/reading/assessments/blending.html
3. Phonemic segmentation test:
http://teams.lacoe.edu/reading/assessments/yopp.html
1.
4.2 VARK: Learning Preference Test
http://www2.honolulu.hawaii.edu/facdev/guidebk/teachtip/va
rk.htm
4.3 Listening Pretests

GEPT Intermediate Listening Test

Randall’s ESL Cyber Lab: http://www.esl-lab.com/

Asking students to do the two kinds of listening tests without
teacher’s instruction

Choose one piece of listening tests as a pretest

Keep the scores as the result of listening pretests
[Activity 5]

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TITLE : Dial the Phone
AIM: To raise students’ phonemic awareness and practice
pronunciation of vowels
MATERIALS: blackboard, paper, and pens.
LEVEL: Intermediate and above
TIME: 15 minutes
PREPARATION: Words that comprise different vowels
in between the same cluster of consonants.
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1. beat
2. bit
3. bet
4. bait
5. bat
6. but
7. bought
8. boat
9. boot
0. bite
[Activity 6]

Dr. Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish”

Native speakers reading
Clear, yet with linking words
Students are asked to read along with the film clip
Train students’ pronunciation via natives’ reading chants


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[Activity 7]
Dialogue Relay
 AIM:
1. To encourage students to apply what they have learned
and create their own dialogue
2. To elevate students’ level from Remembering to
Applying (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy Pyramid)

1.
2.
3.
4.
Students are asked to form a group of 3 or 4. Each
group has to sit in a row.
The student sitting in the very front of each row has to
start a dialogue by writing a question on a piece of
paper.
Then, he/she has to pass the paper to the next member
sitting behind him/her. The second student adds another
line to respond to the question, and then pass to the
one behind him/her.
The creation of the dialogue continues until the paper is
finally back to the very front. Then read the dialogue
aloud.
[Activity 8]

Comic strips:
1.
Good for visual, audial,
and kinesthetic learners
2.
Creation of dialogues:
“Creating” + “Applying”
Father & Son—original dialogue
White out the dialogue
Follow-up

Ask critical thinking
questions:
1.
What’s the relationship
between the father and
the son in the original
comic strip?
2.
What’s the relationship
between you and your
parent(s)?
[Activity 9]



Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
http://www.esl-lab.com/
For example: Answering Machine
[Phone ringing . . .]
Bill: Hey, this is Bill. I'm sorry I'm not in. Just leave a message.
[Beep]
Hey Bill. This is Hank. I'm just calling to let you know that I'll be a little late to the game
tomorrow night. I have to work a few extra hours to finish a report. I should wrap
things up sometime between seven and eight though. Oh, then I'm planning on
dropping by Lisa's house for about an hour since she's been sick recently. And, uh,
one more thing. I'll swing by my house to pick up some food for the game. See you
then.
Examples of New Words
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wrap up (phrasal verb): to finish
- We need to wrap up this project by the end of the day.
drop by (phrasal verb): to visit
- Please drop by my place on your way home from work.
swing by (phrasal verb): drop by, stop by
- I need to swing by the store and pick up some food for
dinner.
Vocabulary Card:
Format provided by Beth Coleman, ELI, UBC
[Activity 10] Muddiest Point
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Song: Party in the USA
AIM: To reflect upon and understand learners’ own
learning process; to promote learning autonomy; to
practice listening and speaking skills
MATERIALS: Music video, a task sheet for each student
LEVEL: Elementary to intermediate
TIME: 30 minutes
IN CLASS: Tell the students that a music video is going
to be played. They are going to explore the song by
listening to it for mood and meaning of the lyrics. Ask
students to write down the least clear idea and discuss.
After-test

Listening:
1.
2.

GEPT Intermediate Listening Test
Records of the scores of the listening tests on Randall’s ESL
Cyber Lab
Speaking
1.
2.
Students recite the book of Dr. Seuss’
Students make up a chant with the vowels, consonants, and
rhymes learned from the book.
5. Significance and Conclusion



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Students are a bit highly motivated because they have
better phonemic awareness.
Students are offered an environment that learning
English is more than a tough subject but a means to
communication.
Students understand how sounds are pronounced and
linked in the authentic daily dialogue or conversation.
Students learn to cooperate with each other and build
self-confidence.