It is strange how teaching reported speech, which is all about communication, can often seem like teaching a long list of rules and exceptions. Try this activity to give students some real practice.
Aim
To develop students ability to describe what has been said to them.
You need
A copy of one of the conversations below for each pair of students.
Procedure
1. |
|
Put students into pairs and give them one of the two conversations below on a piece of paper (you can adapt this conversation to your class' level or you can write new conversations).
Conversation One
A: Where have you been?
B: Out with friends.
A: You are always out with your friends!
B: No I am not. You complain too much!
A: Well tomorrow you can cook your own dinner!
B: But I don't know how to.
Conversation Two
A: Are you ready yet?
B: Nearly. I'll be another five minutes.
A: You said that ten minutes ago.
B: Don't get angy.
A: I'm not angry. I just don't want to be late.
B: We have plenty of time! |
| |
|
|
| 2. |
|
Ask each pair to look at the conversation and discuss:
Is A a man or a woman? Is B a man or a woman?
Why do you think so?
How is A feeling? How is B feeling?
What will happen next? |
| |
|
|
| 3. |
|
Now ask each pair to practise the dialogue out loud. Each pair should read the dialogue several times. After a few minutes ask them to turn the paper over and remember the dialogue. Encourage students to read with feeling. |
| |
|
|
| 4. |
|
When each pair has remembered the dialogue, ask each student to find a partner who read the other conversation. Each student must report the conversation to their new partner. At this point monitor and check that students are using reported speech correctly. It may help to model the reporting before you ask students to perform. |
| |
|
|
| 5. |
|
Finally, ask each student to give their new partner some advice on what to do. |
Extension
You can ask each student to remember the last time that they had an argument and report it to the rest of the class.
|
Reported Speech