Types of Classroom Speaking Performance 1. Imitative A very limited portion of classroom speaking time may legitimately be spent in the human "tape recorder" speech, where learners are, for example, practicing an intonation contour, trying to pinpoint a certain vowel sound, etc. Imitation of this kind is carried out not for the purpose of meaningful interaction, but for focusing on some particular element of language form. Here are some useful guidelines for successful drills:
• Keep them short (a few minutes of a class hour only).
• Keep them simple (preferably just one point at a time).
• Keep them "snappy".
• Make sure students know why they are doing the drill.
• Limit them to phonology or grammar points.
• Make sure they ultimately lead to communicative goals.
• Don't overuse them.
2. Intensive Intensive speaking goes one step beyond imitative to include any speaking performance that is designed to practice some phonological or grammatical aspect of language. Intensive speaking can be self-initiated or it can even form part of some pair work activity, where learners are "going over" certain forms of language.
3. Responsive A good deal of student speech in the classroom is responsive-replies to teacher or student initiated questions or comments. These replies are usually sufficient and do not extend into dialogues (categories 4 and 5 below). Such speech can be meaningful and authentic:
4. Transactional (dialogue) Transactional language, carried out for the purpose of conveying or exchanging specific information, is an extended form of responsive language. Conversations, for example, may have more of a negotiative nature to them than merely responsive speech:
5. Interpersonal (dialogue) The other form of conversation mentioned in the previous chapter was interpersonal dialogue, carried out more for the purpose of maintaining social relationships than for the transmission of facts and information.
