| Body | By Anna Krinitsyna, CASLS Graduate Intern
This activity was created to help learners identify three cues (pauses, politeness markers, and change in speech patterns) one can use when things might not be going well in a conversation, to gauge whether there might be conflict or disagreement. The activity is appropriate for learners of intermediate and advanced levels.
Learning outcomes:
Learners will be able to:
- Identify three cues that indicate disagreement or conflict present in the target language.
- Give examples of each sign of conflict or disagreement.
- Describe how the cues compare or contrast to learners’ L1s.
Mode(s): Interpersonal, Interpretive
Materials: Awareness: Signs Things Might Be Wrong video and Conversation Cues chart, TV or movie clip in the target language.
Example video clips in English:
1. TV: “Jim vs. Ryan” clip from The Office https://youtu.be/orY8EUHrUeE
2. Movie: clip from The Breakup https://youtu.be/bBil15ORYI0
Procedure:
- Ask learners to think about conversations they’ve observed or participated in in the target language. Were there instances of conflict or disagreement? How did they know?
- Next, show learners the Awareness: Signs Things Might Be Wrong video.
- Ask learners to identify the three cues of disagreement or conflict mentioned in the video (pauses, politeness markers, and expected speech patterns). Ask them whether or not they have noticed these cues used in the target language.
- Then, show learners a short video clip or play a short audio clip in the target language, where conflict or disagreements are present. Ask learners to identify which of the three cues they noticed. Note which cue was identified by the most learners, and use this cue in step #5.
- Using a fist to five scale, ask learners to rate how easily they noticed the cue identified the most in step #4. Learners will hold up the number of fingers that corresponds with their rating, zero being “not easy to notice” and five being “very easy to notice.” Point out any patterns that you notice in their ratings, and ask for volunteers to explain their ratings. Optional: this step can be repeated for the other two cues, if learners noticed them in the example clip.
- Give learners the Conversation Cues chart. In small groups, have learners discuss how the three cues might be used in the target language and fill in the section of the chart for each cue.
- Then, have them compare how the three cues are used in their L1s or in a shared L1, if applicable. What differences and similarities do they notice between the two languages in terms of how the three cues are used (if any)?
- As a whole group, ask learners to share some of the observations they wrote down on the chart.
- Then ask them to think about and then discuss: Is it easier to notice these cues in the target language or in their L1s? Why or why not?
Notes:
Modifications - this activity can be partly conducted in either the target language or a shared L1, depending on learner proficiency level and preferences. The activity can be modified to be more appropriate for novice learners by focusing only on pauses, instead of all three cue types.
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