How to Teach Dialogs:

              A dialog is taught to expose the Ss to patterns and expressions used in spoken English, to

        practice correct intonation, pronunciation and rhythm. In the following comes a suggested

        general procedure: 

    A. Presentation:

       1. Have the Ss close their books

       2. Do a warm up, i.e. ask the Ss some related Qs to attract their attention.

       3. Have the Ss listen carefully to the dialog read at normal speed & let them know that they will be

           asked some comprehension Qs on the dialog.

       4. Have them open their books & read the dialog to them.

       5. Read the dialog again & clarify vague points( by providing Ss with synonyms, antonyms, and

           paraphrasing each sentence).

       6. Practice the dialog while their books are closed to the point of automatic production.

 

           B. Practice:

       1. Have the Ss repeat the first line after you a few times

           chorally with individual spot checks. If the lines are long, you may

           have backward-forward repetition. Do the same with the second line.

       2. When the Ss have mastered the first set, do the chain drill,

            i.e. , the teacher asks one of  the Ss & she/he answers , then

            the same St should ask another one, (This should be

            continued by two or three other Ss). The last St asks

            the teacher and the teacher answers. The Ss repeat her/his

            answer chorally. Then, the teacher ask the Ss and they

            answer. All of the Ss ask the teacher, and the teacher answers.

 

          C. Production (Evaluation):

       1. Get Ss to act the dialog out.   

       2. Ask Ss some Qs . The Qs are generally of three kinds:

          a.  Those which are based directly on the utterances, people, and situations in the dialogue.

               (called Dialogue Variation Qs)

b.   Those in which the dialogue situation is related to the lives of Ss.  

     (called Dialogue Personalization Qs)

c.   Those which require Ss to make inferences ("How do we know…?"" What do you think …?")

Various Kinds of  Dialogs:

Based on their purposes dialogs can be divided into different kinds:

     A. Mini-dialogs:

1. Have Ss Close Their Books

2. Bring up the Topic & “Try to Relate It to Ss’ Personal Experiences; Meanwhile Introduce the New Voc. Coming up. (Ss Can Contribute Here).

3. Work on the Pictures & Set up the Situation; Meanwhile Teach Another part of

     the Voc. Appearing on the Pictures. (Ss Can Contribute Here).

4. Play the Tape & Get Ss to Listen As Need Be.

5. Play the Tape & Get Ss to Repeat As Need Be; Start with Groups & End with Individuals .

6. Divide Ss into Two Groups; Each Taking One Role.

7. Do the above Step with You taking One Role And Groups/Individuals the Other.

8. Get Ss to Practice the Dialogue in Pairs; Meanwhile Check for Accuracy.

9. Have Ss Open Their Books.

10. Play the Tape; Ss Listen, Read & Put Slash Marks after Each Pause, Which Is Followed by A     

      St Reading Out & Teacher Checking It.

11. Ask Ss various kinds of Questions on the Dialogue

    B. Comprehension Dialogs:

         1. Have Ss Close Their Books

2. Bring up the Topic; Put It on the Board & Make Attempts to Relate It to Ss’ Personal  

     Experiences; Meanwhile Teach Some of the New Voc. Coming up Naturally. (Capable Ss

     Can Contribute Here).

3. Work on the Illustrations & Set up the Situation; Meanwhile Teach Another Set

     of Voc. Appearing on the Pictures. (Capable Ss can Contribute Here).

NOTE: If the Text Is Long ,Divide it into Parts & Do the Following on Each.

4. Put a Couple of “Focus Qs” on the Board.

5. Play the Tape & Elicit Answers to the FQs .

6. Have Ss Open Their Books.

7. Play the Tape Again for the Ss to Follow the Script & Put Slash Marks Where There Is A

     Pause; Followed by A St. Reading out & Teacher’s Checking.

8. Let Ss Ask Qs on the Vague Points; Meanwhile Teach the Remaining New Voc. / Expressions

     by Paraphrasing Syn./Ant., etc.

9. Have Ss Read the Text Silently.

10. Ask Ss Various Q’s (i.e. ‘Yes/No,’ ‘or’ and ‘Wh-’ Questions etc.)

11. Have Volunteer Ss Summarize, Retell or Report on the Content of the Text to the Class.

12. Have Others Ask Those Ss Some Q’s Based on What They Presented.

 

Further Practice onDialogs:

      You can:            

   1. Get Ss to Practice the Target Function(i.e., Communicative Pattern) in Pairs.   

    2. Get Some Ss to Recite the Whole or Sections of the Dialogue.

    3. Have Ss Improvise the Dialogue.

    4. Play Related Games (Esp. Problem Solving Ones) based on the dialog.

 

Assigning homework on dialogs:

       You can:

1. Have Ss Memorize Dialogs (Mini-dialogs).

2. Have Ss Make As many Qs As They Can on the Dialogs (Comprehension Dialogs)

          3. Have Ss Narrate the Dialogs (Comprehension Dialogs and Mini-dialogs)