Oral Communication Skills Oral Communication Skills Training Training Unit 3: Unit 3: Deciding What to Teach Deciding What to Teach British, American and other varieties of British, American and other varieties of English each have distinctive features, English each have distinctive features, especially in the vowel system especially in the vowel system How do we decide which model to teach? How do we decide which model to teach? Is English one of the languages Is English one of the languages used for communication among used for communication among people in your country among people in your country among themselves (not to expatriates)? themselves (not to expatriates)? If yes, is there a model of English If yes, is there a model of English special to your country and special to your country and acceptable to educated speakers in acceptable to educated speakers in your country? your country? If no, go to next If no, go to next slide. slide. Teach this model Teach this model Does your country have historical Does your country have historical connections with a country where connections with a country where English is the “native language” of English is the “native language” of most people? most people? 1. If yes, do most 1. If yes, do most people in your people in your country regard this country regard this model as a standard? model as a standard? 2. If yes, are most 2. If yes, are most English textbooks English textbooks used in your country used in your country written in this written in this model? model? If yes to 1 and 2, use this If yes to 1 and 2, use this model model If yes to 1 but no to 2, teach If yes to 1 but no to 2, teach both models. both models. If no, go to If no, go to the next the next slide slide Do textbooks used in your Do textbooks used in your country represent a variety country represent a variety of models? of models? Is access to Is access to international media international media readily available? readily available? If the answer is yes to both If the answer is yes to both questions, then make students questions, then make students aware of more than one model and aware of more than one model and let them choose. let them choose. Even if you teach only one model, Even if you teach only one model, it is a good idea to give students an it is a good idea to give students an opportunity to listen to a variety of opportunity to listen to a variety of accents. accents. Which contrasts to teach Which contrasts to teach Depends on differences between Depends on differences between The model you’ve The model you’ve chosen chosen The sound system of your The sound system of your students’ language students’ language . between The model you’ve The model you’ve chosen chosen The sound system of your The sound system of your students’ language students’ language . teach? How do we decide which model to teach? Is English one of the languages Is English one of the languages used for communication among used for communication