Wednesday, May 17, 2006
ESL Classics 05: Speaking Naturally
ESL Classics 05: Speaking Naturally, Bruce Tillit and Mary Newton Bruder, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-271-304.
This classic appeared in 1985, and copies are available used for as little as $1.65. Buy them!
Even after they have (fairly) mastered grammar and vocabulary and pronunciation, students remain baffled by what to say in various situations. “How do I disagree?” “How do I negotiate?” “How do I ask someone out for a date?” are the kinds of questions few current books address very deeply. Back in 1985, we had the answer: Speaking Naturally.
This book, less than 100 pages in length, has eleven chapters. Each chapter focuses on one type of interaction: invitations, apologizing, expressing anger and conflict, controlling a conversation, etc. This is great stuff!
Then, with each chapter, there are two or three dialogues showing the forms in use in formal/informal situations. This is followed by a brief discussion of when and how to use these functions; this is mainly cultural. Then we see the many expressive options listed along an axis from very formal to very casual. For interrupting a conversation, for example, we have:
· Pardon me, but…
· Pardon the interruption, but…
· I’m sorry to interrupt, but…
· I don’t want to interrupt you, but…
· I hate to interrupt, but…
· I’m sorry, but…
· Excuse me, but…
· Oh, were you in the middle of something?
· Am I interrupting?
You can see the spectrum of formality it covers.
After presenting the acquisition targets, there are pair work activities, starting with fill-in-the-blanks, and going to structured dialogues and free-form roleplays. The design is very logical. Intuitive, even.
For years my students found this information immensely helpful. Any high-intermediate and above student would benefit from this. It is useful in professional, personal, and public situations.
Recommendation: Classic: few books are as well-organized and on-target as Speaking Naturally. I wish I had this for languages I have studied, like Chinese and Russian. ESL students have all the luck!
This classic appeared in 1985, and copies are available used for as little as $1.65. Buy them!
Even after they have (fairly) mastered grammar and vocabulary and pronunciation, students remain baffled by what to say in various situations. “How do I disagree?” “How do I negotiate?” “How do I ask someone out for a date?” are the kinds of questions few current books address very deeply. Back in 1985, we had the answer: Speaking Naturally.
This book, less than 100 pages in length, has eleven chapters. Each chapter focuses on one type of interaction: invitations, apologizing, expressing anger and conflict, controlling a conversation, etc. This is great stuff!
Then, with each chapter, there are two or three dialogues showing the forms in use in formal/informal situations. This is followed by a brief discussion of when and how to use these functions; this is mainly cultural. Then we see the many expressive options listed along an axis from very formal to very casual. For interrupting a conversation, for example, we have:
· Pardon me, but…
· Pardon the interruption, but…
· I’m sorry to interrupt, but…
· I don’t want to interrupt you, but…
· I hate to interrupt, but…
· I’m sorry, but…
· Excuse me, but…
· Oh, were you in the middle of something?
· Am I interrupting?
You can see the spectrum of formality it covers.
After presenting the acquisition targets, there are pair work activities, starting with fill-in-the-blanks, and going to structured dialogues and free-form roleplays. The design is very logical. Intuitive, even.
For years my students found this information immensely helpful. Any high-intermediate and above student would benefit from this. It is useful in professional, personal, and public situations.
Recommendation: Classic: few books are as well-organized and on-target as Speaking Naturally. I wish I had this for languages I have studied, like Chinese and Russian. ESL students have all the luck!
