Comments for Speechtree http://speechtree.com Conversation Tools for ESL/EFL Facilitators Sun, 09 May 2010 00:09:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Topic audience by Jani http://speechtree.com/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-25 Jani Sun, 09 May 2010 00:09:41 +0000 http://speechtree.com/?p=65#comment-25 Ah, a reminder to put as much effort into the training as the topic. Surely Plato had Talk Time in view when he spoke so. :0 The English textbooks that many study diligently fill the brain with the stuff of communication, but the mute button remains on until live, unpredictable conversation goes on. Ah, a reminder to put as much effort into the training as the topic. Surely Plato had Talk Time in view when he spoke so. :0 The English textbooks that many study diligently fill the brain with the stuff of communication, but the mute button remains on until live, unpredictable conversation goes on.

]]> Comment on Topic audience by Mark http://speechtree.com/?p=65&cpage=1#comment-15 Mark Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:37:36 +0000 http://speechtree.com/?p=65#comment-15 This issue of facilitators thwarting your intentions is theologically interesting: it's one window into the problem of authorship. As much as he or she would like it to be otherwise, once a text escapes the brain of its author, he or she no longer has the power to authorize certain readings. That's why Plato said books were mute (unlike living conversation with a real person) and why Augustine begged his readers to approach his Confessions with love. Your texts need to be read in the context of a tradition: a tradition of training talk-time facilitators in the virtues of running an effective talk time. Scripture is no different! This issue of facilitators thwarting your intentions is theologically interesting: it’s one window into the problem of authorship. As much as he or she would like it to be otherwise, once a text escapes the brain of its author, he or she no longer has the power to authorize certain readings. That’s why Plato said books were mute (unlike living conversation with a real person) and why Augustine begged his readers to approach his Confessions with love.

Your texts need to be read in the context of a tradition: a tradition of training talk-time facilitators in the virtues of running an effective talk time.

Scripture is no different!

]]> Comment on The miracle of pair work by Jani http://speechtree.com/?p=40&cpage=1#comment-4 Jani Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:15:39 +0000 http://speechtree.com/?p=40#comment-4 Good idea. I love the image of "removing me from the picture". I observed one Talk Time where after every participant comment, the facilitator said something like - "oh that's great", "cool", "I'm glad you shared that". The constant positive chatter meant the facilitator was always at the center of the picture distracting participants from each other! Good idea. I love the image of “removing me from the picture”. I observed one Talk Time where after every participant comment, the facilitator said something like – “oh that’s great”, “cool”, “I’m glad you shared that”. The constant positive chatter meant the facilitator was always at the center of the picture distracting participants from each other!

]]> Comment on The miracle of pair work by Kate http://speechtree.com/?p=40&cpage=1#comment-2 Kate Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:45:57 +0000 http://speechtree.com/?p=40#comment-2 It is hard to remember not to talk too much as a facilitator. One way to avoid talking too much is to encourage participants to share new information that they have learned with one another. If I answer one participants question and then get asked the same question by a different participant, I will ask the first participant to explain it to the second. This removes me from the picture and allows that participants to engage each other. It is hard to remember not to talk too much as a facilitator. One way to avoid talking too much is to encourage participants to share new information that they have learned with one another. If I answer one participants question and then get asked the same question by a different participant, I will ask the first participant to explain it to the second. This removes me from the picture and allows that participants to engage each other.

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