PREPARING THE INTERACTION B22 LGG'18

PREPARATION THE INTERACTION

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

As you know, Task 2 is the exercise you have to do with your partner or partners (in pairs or groups
of three). In this task, you and your partner/s have to talk for about 6-7 minutes.
In order to properly prepare the task we need to:

1. Identify the necessary functions and its corresponding structures to carry out the task.

2. Use a variety of conversational strategies to keep the conversation going and interact
adequately with your partner.

3. Think of and apply appropriate grammar and vocabulary related to the topic of the task.

4. Think of and apply appropriate linkers to join ideas.

5. Express relevant and interesting ideas.

1. FUNCTIONS & STRUCTURES

What are functions? ____________________________________________________________________
Now do the following exercise where you have to match functions to their corresponding
structures. Every time you see a new structure in class, keep a record of it. SEE SHEET APART.

2. CONVERSATIONAL STRATEGIES.
Conversational strategies are ways we use to keep the conversation going. We have already seen
how to show interest or surprise by using echo questions and confirm information and ask for
agreement by using question tags. Now we are going to look at ways of interrupting. Remember
to keep a record of all the conversational strategies we see in class.

3. GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY: these refer to expressions you want to use to make your
language richer: a variety of tenses and modals, different types of clauses (relative, conditional,
time, contrast, result…), adjectives (-ing/-ed adjs., etc), noun modifiers (a six-year-old child), etc
as well as new vocabulary learned in class during the last and the present year course relevant to
the topic of the task.

4. LINKERS TO JOIN IDEAS. Although in interactions linkers are not as important as in monologues,
we should bear in mind that we will need some to join our ideas together.

EXPRESSING CONTRAST: ADDING MORE INFORMATION EXPRESSING CAUSE AND EFFECT

However, but Moreover/furthermore As a result,
Apart from yet In addition As a consequence/Consequently,
Instead of nevertheless Besides Therefore,
Despite/in spite of On top of that For this reason
Although/though/even though What is more
GIVING REASONS EXPRESSING PURPOSE OTHERS:
because To in case Talking of/as regards/regarding
because of In order to By the way/incidentally
owing to So as (not) to Actually/in fact/ as a matter of
due to So (that) fact
as For As I was saying
I mean/ in other words/…
Look at page 145 for + info

5. RELEVANT IDEAS: they will be closely dependent on the task in question.

PREPARING THE INTERACTION B22 LGG'18
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

Let’s now look at an example of an interaction and follow the above tips.

BULLYING
TASK 2 (Interaction)

Your mutual friend has just become aware that her ten-year-old son is suffering from
bullying and she has asked you for advice. Discuss this subject with your partner(s)
TEST taking into account the following points:
6
 Reasons why there is bullying in classrooms
 Advice you can give her
 The role of families, teachers and educational authorities

You now have 2 minutes for individual preparation. Then talk to your partner(s) for 6-7 minutes (pairs) or for
9-10 minutes (threes). Your production will be recorded.

STEP 1: Brainstorm ideas in relation to the 3 points of the task and write them down in a
schematic way.

Point 1:

Point 2:

Point 3:
PREPARING THE INTERACTION B22 LGG'18
STEP 2: Write down:

 FUNCTIONS YOU CAN USE AND THEIR STRUCTURES

What functions do you think you will need to carry out the task above?

 CONVERSATIONAL STRATEGIES YOU CAN USE

What conversational strategies do you think you will need to carry out the task above?


 GRAMMAR & SPECIFIC VOCABULARY
 What specific vocabulary do you need to do the task? In which unit have you seen it? In what
exercises?

** Make sure that you know how to pronounce these words.

 LINKERS
 What linkers do you need to do the task? Which ones would you like to use purposely? In
which unit have you studied them? In what exercises?

*** As in writing, very often the process of preparation of oral tasks is not linear but circular,
that is, you may need to think of vocabulary and grammar at the same time you prepare your
ideas, etc.
PREPARING THE INTERACTION B22 LGG'18
PREPARING THE INTERACTION B22 LGG'18