Answer with a Question [ELT speaking activities/tasks]

Question	ð	Response
How old are you?	ð	What kind of question is that?
Is Tom there?	ð	Who wants to know?
Have you done the dishes?	ð	Was it my turn?
Are you sure?	ð	Wanna bet?
Am I boring you?	ð	What do you think?
D’you want some?	ð	Are you nuts?

By ignoring this aspect of spoken interaction we do our learners a disservice in two respects:

· Production: the learners’ flexibility of self-expression is limited;

· Understanding: learners may not realise that they are the target of irony, aggression etc., as feelings/attitude are quite often expressed in a covert manner in English.

A note of clarification

I don’t propose that we encourage learners to be aggressive or impolite, but that we enable them to behave in this way when they choose to. This is why it is essential to make them aware of the impact and possible consequences of such responses, so that they know both how and when to use them.

Awareness-raising and Input

The following procedures will help learners become aware of the use of question-responses.

Ø Select a tape-recorded conversation containing question-responses. Ask the learners to listen for, and note down, any responses to questions. Direct their attention to question-responses and ask them to categorise them according to their function. If the text is long and/or demanding you can give them the transcript with the question-responses blanked out and ask them to fill in the blanks.

Ø Guide learners to recognise the function of question-responses (irony, aggression etc.).

Ø Invite them to share opinions regarding the impact and possible consequences of such responses.

Ø Ask learners to discuss other situations where question-responses can be used.

Ø In case you cannot find appropriate recorded material you can use the following alternatives:

· Record learners during a speaking activity (e.g. class discussion). Play the tape and ask learners to comment on their (lack of) use of question-responses.

· Use written texts (dialogues from coursebooks, readers or stories/novels). In this case you need to check that the type of language at least resembles natural spoken interaction.

· If no text is available you can elicit/present the use of question-responses through examples of different situations.

Please note

You need to guide learners to realise that different situations call for different types of question-responses and that there are cases when such responses are not suitable. This can be done through contrasting two or more texts/situations (e.g. of different levels of formality).

Practice

Activity 1. Question Tennis

*Type*	Game.
*Organisation*	Pairs.
*Situation*	NA.
*Preparation*	Teacher explains the tennis scoring system.
*Procedure*	Learner A ‘serves’ by asking learner B an irritating/inappropriate etc. question; learner B responds with a question, to which learner A has to respond with another question etc. The learner who cannot provide a question-response loses a point.
*Variation*	Doubles: same procedure as above, only now learners play in opposite pairs (two against two). Any player from team A can respond to a question from team B.

Activity 2. Mind your own business

*Type*	Role-play.
*Organisation*	Pairs.
*Situation*	A reporter (learner A) is interviewing a celebrity (e.g. actor, singer, politician) (learner B)
*Preparation*	The reporter comes up with a list of questions, some of which are personal, embarrassing, or irritating. The celebrity tries to anticipate questions and prepares appropriate responses (i.e. answers to harmless questions, or question-responses for ‘difficult’ questions).
*Procedure*	The reporter tries to elicit as much information as possible; the celebrity tries to withhold information by responding with a question.

Activity 3. Get off my back

*Type*	Role-play.
*Organisation*	Pairs or groups of 3/4.
*Situation*	Some form of social gathering (party, dinner, coffee break at a seminar etc.). Learner A is intruding upon learner(s) B (there may be 1-3 learners B). B doesn’t feel like talking to A, so he/she tries to discourage A and make him/her move on to another ‘victim’.
*Preparation*	A prepares a set of conversation starters including some questions. B tries to anticipate A’s questions (based on the type of situation) and prepares appropriate question-responses.
*Procedure*	Learner A tries to start a conversation by asking questions; learner B tries to avoid this by being as abrupt etc. as the situation allows, by using question-responses (among other strategies).
*Variation*	You can vary the roles the learners assume, in order to exploit the limitations of such strategies. For example, different question-responses will be appropriate if A is a total stranger, a colleague, a superior etc.

Activity 4. The Interrogation

Version A. Grilled

*Type*	Role-play.
*Organisation*	Pairs or groups of 3.
*Situation*	A suspect (learner A) is interrogated by one or two policemen (learners B) regarding a crime (theft, robbery, murder etc.). The policemen are almost certain that the suspect is guilty.
*Preparation*	Both sides are given some facts regarding the crime (e.g. place, time); not all facts should be given so as to maintain suspense and encourage creativity. The policemen (B) prepare a set of questions; the suspect (A) tries to anticipate the questions (based on the given facts) and prepares appropriate question-responses.
*Procedure*	The policemen try to make the suspect confess, using a barrage of questions; the suspect tries to gain time and mislead the policemen by using question-responses.
*Variation*	In larger classes 3/4 policemen can interrogate 2 suspects.

Version B. Now, own up

*Type*	Role-play.
*Organisation*	Pairs, or groups of 3-6.
*Situation*	A child (learner A) is questioned by a parent (learner B) about a case of misbehaviour (coming late, trouble at school, bad grades etc.).
*Preparation*	Both sides are given details regarding the event and some time to prepare. It would be better if not all facts were given so as to make the activity more realistic, maintain suspense and encourage creativity. The parent (B) prepares a set of questions. The child (A) tries to anticipate the questions (based on the given facts) and prepares appropriate question-responses.
*Procedure*	The parent tries to find out the truth, or to make the child own up, using a barrage of questions; the child tries to gain time and mislead the parent by using question-responses.
*Variation*	In larger classes 2 parents can question 2-4 children. In this case extra time is needed to give parents and children the opportunity to co-ordinate.

Version C. Lovers’ tiff

*Type*	Role-play.
*Organisation*	Pairs.
*Situation*	A couple (learners A and B) are having a fight over an alleged ‘infidelity’. A is questioned by his/her partner (learner B).
*Preparation*	Both sides are given details regarding the event and some time to prepare. It would be better if not all facts were given so as to make the activity more realistic, maintain suspense and encourage creativity. Partner B prepare questions. Partner B tries to anticipate the questions (based on the given facts) and prepares appropriate question-responses.
*Procedure*	One partner tries to find out the truth using a barrage of questions; the other tries to gain time and mislead the partner by using question-responses.
*Variation*	You may want to add friends or in-laws in the argument.

feedback

After the activities invite learners to comment on the following:

Ø What feelings/attitudes were expressed through the question-responses.

Ø Whether the language was appropriate for the situation.

Ø Whether question-responses were over-used.

Ø Problems and/or misunderstandings that could arise because of the (over-)use of such responses.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Teaching Communication and Interaction Strategies: An action research project

Learning how to Fish: Fostering fluency and independence

Davis, R. S. (1994). "Say what?": Getting students to ask questions. The Language Teacher, 18(7), 12-15.

Index of online articles and materials