Oral English 2: Lesson 6

5/17/2015

Hi everyone,

What a beautiful day today! I hope you can enjoy the sunshine during your breaks.

Showing Interest:
Before our discussions, we had a short activity on how to show interest during a discussion. We need to show interest to let the speaker know that we are listening to him/her. You can use these expressions:

Fixed Expressions: I see, Ya/Yes, Uh-huh, Mm-mm
Suprise: Oh my God! Really? Wow!
Sympathy: Oh no! What a shame. That's to bad.

Discussions:
For next week's discussions, remember these points:

Follow-up Questions. Whenyour group leader or group member makes a comment. Ask a follow-up question. This question asks the speaker to give more information.
Eye contact. Remember to make eye contact with each group member when you speak.

Homework:
1. Discussion Preparation
2. Blog Post #6

Blog Question #6:

We have finished our first round of discussions. You have received a lot of feedback in our lessons and on your worksheets.

Which three points do you think you have to focus on to improve your next discussion?

Write 8-10 sentences.
Use capitalization, punctuation & spelling correctly.
Submit by Wednesday, May 20 by 6:00pm.

20 Comments

OE2-Tomomi

5/13/2015 05:27:03 pm

One point, eye contact. I speak while doing an eye contact. Then I'm seeing a face of the person hearing my talk. Two point, I check my group member understanding. For example, I speak “Are you following me?” Three point, I reread a feedback and write a worksheet neatly. I don't write source of a worksheet at one line. I also made a mistake in the way to fill out summary at first round of discussions. I make an effort for the next discussion using a feedback.

OE2-Masaki

5/13/2015 06:42:09 pm

I want to write more sentences that suports my opinion.Surely,I don't persuade you into believing the article.And when it is presentation time,I must not read the article but show my feeling and thought.Next I concentrate on improving not having my group give opinions in order.Discussion is like figuting.If I did so,I listened to much other people idea.Finally,when I will be group leader next time,I arrive at my classroom in time.I will do my best.

OE2-Kaori

5/16/2015 02:12:50 pm

I think first point is conversational style. It always speak in turn in discussion. I would like to give my opinion whenever I want to speak. Second point is eye contact. When I listened to behaviour of looking up and looking down means you are telling lie, I was surprised. I must look him directly in the eye properly. Third point is transitions. Sometimes, discussion is not going smoothly because everyone stops speaking. On such an occasion, I want to say "Let's move onto next." I will make an effort to do these things.

OE2-Yukiko

5/17/2015 11:44:18 pm

I would like to focus on the following three points. First of all, body language is very important. Discussion leaders must know if all members are following and understanding the stories. Leaders need eye contact. I think eye contact tells leaders how members are interested in the topics, when is the best timing for leaders to ask them questions, who wants to speak out and so on. Secondly, leaders make sure if members have any questions. There are some difficult words in the articles. If they don’t know the correct meanings of the words, they can’t precisely understand the articles. Therefore sometimes leaders need to explain the meanings of the words by Japanese. Last of all, members positively express their opinions to leaders. Then leaders can ask further questions to members. They can exchange their opinions and enjoy the discussion. I think these three points will improve my next discussion.

OE2-Yuka.K

5/18/2015 02:20:03 am

I think first point is not to stop speaking. Because I'm not good at speaking English smoothly, I often become silence. It is important for us to talk with group members more active so I want to improve the point. Second point is to ask questions. When I can't understand words or sentences which a group leader talks, I'm sometimes not able to ask a group leader a question assertive. I think it's bad thing so I would like to change my attitude. Third point is eye contact. When I try to tell my idea and I'm thinking my idea, I tend to look down. Making eye contact is very difficult for me but I think it makes my thoughts much strongly, so I try to pay attention to the point carefully after this. In order to develop my discussuin skill, I want to improve above three points.

OE-2 Marina

5/18/2015 12:58:52 pm

In my opinion,first point is eye contact. Because I think important thing whenever we hear talking and discussion. Second, body language. I think that we can't understand discussion in English compretly. So I think that we can more understand it by body lunguage.
Finally, confirm of discussion leader for someone. Someone who hear discussion can understand contents of talking. I learnd communication with the person before. Important thing in taking the communication with the person is not only attitude of the side to talk about but also to hear it.

OE2-Ayano

5/18/2015 04:51:45 pm

I think one point of discussion is conversational style. I couldn't speak opinion right away and I waited my turn for the life of me. But we can ask a question or make a comment at any time.
And two point is eye contact.When I thought my idea about topic,I often turned my eyes away group members.It is but thing because I can't tell my opinion if I don't eye contact.
Third point is gesture.I think it is so important thing.But I read paper, so I didn't use gesture.
In order to improve next discussion,I want to speak activity and use eye contact and gesture,and I want to enjoy discussion.

OE2-Mao

5/18/2015 06:04:23 pm

During the discussion, I noticed three points that I should improve. The first point is eye contact. I gazed at my materials, and I could not pay attention to members. The second point is to confirm if all members understand my speech. I should have stop saying and explain when someone frowned. The third point is to prepare more questions. I had many time because I didn't give them enough questions. The day after tomorrow, I play the discussion leader, and I'll try do my best!

OE-2 Kohei-F

5/18/2015 09:12:10 pm

First,my summary should explain more easy. Last discussion,I read summary littel quickly, so everyone may think it is difficult. Next, I want to explain more slowly and want you to understand.Second,conversation style. I couldn't say my opinions. I will spread the discussion.Third,Eye contact. I'm not good at doing it, but to tell my idea clearly I will do it to everyone.

IE-2 Aya

5/18/2015 09:25:43 pm

Next time, I am a group leader.
I need to do discussion that is better than the last time. First, I have to have my group pronounce each new word 3 times. Because I forgot this last time. Second, I have to make sure all group members speak enough.
Then, a discussion becomes lively more. Third, I have to do eye contact. I think that it is very important to do eye contact during the discussion. This is three points I think I have to focus on to improve my next discussion.

OE2-Kana.N

5/18/2015 10:38:11 pm

We finished the first discussion last week. There are three points which I should improve. First, I should explain summary in a simple way. I think that I should paraphrase the complicated sentences in order to understand everyone. The second, I should ask some more questions positively. When the summary’s content is very difficult, I want to ask questions. Furthermore, when I want to ask incomprehensible things, I should say my opinions. The third, I should increase still more the eye contact and gesture. If I do that I can convey my opinions. I want to practice these points the next discussion.

OE2-Yosito

5/18/2015 11:15:18 pm

I learned three points from our first round of discussions. First, if I was a group leader, I would have to read the summary and my opinion slowly so that my group members can listen. This is the most important point. Second, I have to give my opinion aggressively. It makes discussions more actively. Third, I must make eye contact with my group members. If I make eye contact, I can communicate well with my group members. I want to make use of these points in order to improve my next discussion.

OE2-Kana.K

5/19/2015 01:29:43 am

I learned important things through practice discussions.
First, I should make eye contact with group members. I was tense and couldn’t watch eyes in the first time.
Second, it is necessary to confirm whether group members understanding. Last time, I couldn’t know when they couldn’t get and where a member didn’t understand. That reason I read my summary at a stretch.
Third, I need to show my interest. After somebody gave an opinion, I want to respond promptly.
On the next time, I act as a leader. I will do my best as much as I possible.

OE2-Jo

5/19/2015 10:24:40 am

First of all, eye contavt is very important. When I was a leader, I can not do eye contct. So I want to talk with doing eye contact next time. Secondly, it is important to do a gesture. It is not enough only to talk. I want to do with gesture next time. Thirdly, it is important to do conversational style. I want to do fight speak next time. In summary, I want to do it well more on the next time.

OE2-Izumi

5/19/2015 11:20:32 am

I think that eye contacts are important. It is because we can notice whether or not audience understand with eye contacts. If we can see they don't understand, we should say, "Are you following me?". The confirmation is very important for discussion, I think. Second, I should convey my opinion clearly. For example, I say "I think that... " or "I disagree with...." and so on. Third, I should hear their voices equally. Because we should communicate more lively.

OE2-Honoka

5/19/2015 03:07:53 pm

I think first point is to speak in a loud voice. I didn't have confidence for my discussion. Next time,even if I don't have confidence,I intend to talk about it in a loud voice. Second point is to explain my summary clearly. I couldn't explain my summary well when discussion member asked me. Third point is to understand speech of the discussion leader well. I couldn't say that I didn't understand,so I sometimes hear without understanding meaning of the story. Next time, I will try to improve them.

OE2-Rikako

5/19/2015 05:38:45 pm

First,in my next discussion,I think I have to focus on eye contact. When I listen to my group member’s opinion,I can make eye contact with speaker.However,
on the other hand,when I express my opinion, I tend to turn my eyes away from group members.I would like to try to look out over all group members and speak more confidently.Second,I have to focus on assertiveness.I'm not a person with an assertive character and I'm poor at saying my
idea in the discussion. But,I think it is important to express my opinion in society,so I have to overcome my preconceived idea. Third,I have to focus on answering the questions.I think too much about what I should say,so I want to try to answer quickly.

OE2-Seiko

5/19/2015 06:05:53 pm

In my opinion, firstly I have to put out words I want to say. It is most important that I make others understand what I want to say. Secondly, asking questions is important, because it can be a clue of discution leader's real oppinion. If I ask them, they will be helped saying oppinions. Finally, I have to try speaking quickly. We have only some minuts to speak one oppinion. Thus, it is important to make satisfying discutions time. They are all things I think I have to focus on. I want to enjoy discutions focusing on them.

OE-2 Kohei.Y

5/19/2015 06:18:02 pm

Firstly, eye contact is important to discuss my opinion. This is because I can check the understanding level of listner constantly throughout discussion. Secondly, I think speaking in a loud voice is important. the reason is that if I speak in small voice, the listners can't understand my opinion, then the discussion will be failure. Finaly, the proper use of body laguage is important. This is because the listners will easily understand my opinion with body language and the discussion will go on smoothly.

OE-2 Naoko

5/19/2015 06:34:30 pm

In my opinion, first point is comments and questions. I could ask questions well, but could not make comments on other's opinions. My group need to give more comments on each other's opinions. Next point is self confidence. I spoke in a low voice on my discussion. So next time, I will speak more loudly to show my confidence. Last point is short activity during a discussion. If group members have a short activity to show interest on my discussion, I will continue to speak into relax. I would like to pay attention to this three points for next discussion.

Oral English 2: Lesson 6

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