Listening, a Key Concept in Oral Communication

Oral Communication

When first looking at the topic of oral communication I immediately think of public speaking. Oral communication to me is being able to talk to your peers to communicate your thoughts or present your ideas. How well you can speak about a topic is not the only part of oral communication and may not even be the most important. Being an engaged listener is also part of oral communication that for me goes unnoticed a majority of the time. By being engaged and listening to the presentation of information we are using our oral communication skills to learn a new idea. From researching the oral communication strand I was surprised at the emphasis that was put on listening and how much the students can learn from listening to their peers.

Listening

Being a good listener does not only help the student become more liked by the teacher. By being an active listener in class the student can draw upon multiple aspects of the literacy curriculum to improve their own learning. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all interconnected to help the student learn. By listening to the presentation students will learn of different ways to become a better speaker or writer by hearing someone else present their information. Students that listen also show that they are interested in the topic. If a student is interested in the topic they will be able to answer the question in more than one way. The interest that a student has in a subject will impact if they will be an active listener and become a better learner. Listening is a core part of the literacy curriculum and to find out more about the benefits that listening has for students the government has published multiple documents to help teachers and parents. One of the documents is Let's Talk About Listening. In this document not only are the benefits of listening listed but also ways to increase it in your classroom.

How to create a Listening environment

Creating a classroom where students are being attentive or active listeners will be a core component to a classroom in where I am teaching. I want the students not only to be paying attention to the person that is presenting but also be able to learn from what they are presenting about. With this idea in mind I found a short video with an ice breaker on how to teach active listening. This concept introduces the students to one another but also helps them engage their listening skills to improve their oral communication and other aspects of literacy.

While the ice breaker can help me teach students about active listening it is not a physical object that the students can refer to everyday. In addition to the ice breaker I would also use an anchor chart that students can use as a reference to what an active listener does and looks like.

retrieved from: 10 skills for active listening 

These two ideas will help teach the students listening skills that they can use to help them improve in all facets of their literacy knowledge. Being an active listener will allow the students to better understand the writing, the information that is being conveyed and can help them improve their own communication skills. Not only is oral communication about how well a student can speak and present to the class, it is also about how well they can listen and what they can learn from being an engaged listener. 

An Introduction to Story Structure

The Use of Story Structure

            Writing a story is an integral part of an elementary school literacy curriculum. Students are expected to be able to convey a story that touches upon all component of a story beginning, middle, end etc.) during their literacy course. As a student teacher in a grade 6 classroom I was able to view first hand students writing a narrative story. The students were told what needed to be included in their story through the use of a rubric that they could refer to. The rubric stated what the teacher was looking for in the story but not specifically how to write a story. In this instance I felt a story structure diagram or video could have been used to help the students in their writing.

What is a story Structure Diagram?

            A story structure diagram breaks down what is to be included in a story into smaller segments that are able to be understood. Story diagrams do not just state that there should be a beginning, middle and end, but also what components should be included in each segment. What should be included in these segments can include, a theme is presented, characters developed, conflict arising and solution to the conflict. Below is a video that goes in depth into the parts of a story structure. The video outlines key components that students should focus on when writing their story.

retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54l835una7A&list=PL92B3E146AB7D132F

Story Structure in the Classroom

            While a video can not be played continuously for students to refer back to that does not mean a story structure diagram can not be posted in the classroom. A diagram such as the one shown, could be hung in the classroom and left for a long period of time. Students would then be able to quickly glance at this structure and view what they are missing or if they need to add anything to their story.

 

retrieved from: http://fandelyon.com/the-craft/novel-structure/

How I would use it in the Classroom

            As a teacher I can view this resource as being extremely helpful for all students. Students while writing can use this a resource. Not only while they are writing by while doing peer editing can this resource be used. Peer editing is a valuable skill to learn in the writing field as it shows the student things that they may be missing in their own work. It also exposes them to different forms of writing that can help them improve their own. While peer editing the students can use this diagram to show them what to look for in their peer’s work.

Story Structure Within the Curriculum

            The story structure diagram can help teachers evaluate the students completing expectations set out by the Ontario government. Two overall expectations that the story diagrams can help students be successful in are:

1.      Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience

2.      Use editing proofreading and publishing skills and strategies and knowledge of langue conventions to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively

Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/2foiirw

These expectations can be met when students are able to use the diagram to help them. Students can use the diagram to help them organize ideas and write for a purpose. If students do not know what they are writing about or for then they will not be able to be successful. Lastly students are able to complete the expectation of using proofreading to present their work effectively. Not only will they be able to proofread their peer’s wok better but will also be able to proofread their own work to present it more effectively.

            Story structure and its use in the classroom can be a pat of the success the student can have in the writing strand of the literacy curriculum. The students will be able to use this diagram not only to improve their own writing but can use it as a reference as they proofread their work as well as others.