TOPIC Day 4: Dont Drop That Continued

OBJECTIVES:

SWBAT explain reasons behind why all 6 topics from the podcast are
taboo
SWBAT recognize bad habits that contribute to the falling apart of a
conversation
SWBAT subtly change topics in conversation
SWBAT understand the importance of eye contact during one-on-one
communication

REVIEW/PREVIEW: [ 5 minutes ]

Students receive their dialogues back that were written during the
previous class with comments from the teacher. Students can read
through the comments and make the appropriate changes.
Teacher shares objectives for the class.

PRESENTATION: [ 5 minutes ]

Teacher gives directions for the next activity and models what it should
look like for the person sharing and the people listening.

PRACTICE: [ 30 minutes ]

Teacher forms new groups that include one expert on each of the
topics from the list. Each member must share their topic, giving three
specific reasons why it should not be talked about and an example of a
possible exception to the rule.
Modeling after the podcast, the group must develop their own list.
Instead of topics to avoid in conversation, the list should include habits
to avoid and include an example of each.
a. Gossip
b. Complaints
c. Negativity
d. Tangents
e. Going off topic

PRESENTATION: [ 15 minutes ]

Teacher adds some bad habits to the board if the groups didnt come
up with all of them.

Teacher explains that since there has been so much focus on what NOT
to do, she will now go over a few verbal strategies and non-verbals that
students SHOULD do in order to keep a conversation going.
Teacher goes over some phrases to subtly or politely change the topic
in case their speaking partner gets into the bad habit zone. Chorally
repeat them. Have students fill in the rest of the sentence.
Oh, by the way
That reminds me
Well, anyways

Sorry, I know this is off topic,

but
Teacher elicits responses about eye contact in the students culture:
a. If you are speaking to a child, where do you look?
b. If you are speaking to your peer, where do you look?
c. If you are speaking to an elder, where do you look?
In most native English speaking cultures, the answer is the same! You
always look in the persons eyes. Maintaining eye contact
communicates respect.

PRACTICE: [ 15 minutes ]

The groups that were used before, made up of different experts, will
now split into pairs. The pairs will use their list of Taboo Topics,
Taboo Habits, and Verbal/Nonverbal Strategies to create a role-play
of a disastrous conversation a conversation gone wrong. Pairs
practice their role-play.

PRODUCTION: [ 15 minutes ]

Students perform their role play in front of the class.

CONCLUSION: [ 5 minutes ]

Teacher asks if students have any examples they would like to share
where they were in a conversation gone wrong situation.

At the beginning of the lesson students receive written feedback from their
teacher on past dialogues as a form of assessment and so the students know
how they are doing. This format is a little different in this lesson as I
experimented with having multiple presentations and practices before a
production that combines all things learned and practiced. There is a lot of

group discussion and negotiation of meaning among students to promote

ownership over ones conversation. The unit includes a lot of role plays of
various lengths. I think even short, one-minute role plays are important for
this unit so that students get as much practice in as possible along the way.