Active Listening Series, Part 6: Partner Listening

Partnerships are the core of my French class. Why? Communication occurs when there is a message that is sent and received. With partnerships, everyone gets more of a chance to actively participate and be held accountable for producing writing or speaking and listening. With a class size of 25-30 students, this is crucial for skill development. The partnerships are typically heterogeneous by skill level, although at times I do pair students at the same level. Friendships and positive peer relationships often form between unlikely pairs in my classes because the challenge of learning a new language exposes the vulnerable side of many students. Finally, the classroom setting is an artificial one; one on one or small group conversations are the norm in real life, so I want students to experience that kind of communication in the target language.

One of my favorite techniques is the information gap activity. I love to create them by using students names when I can, and I can tailor any activity to incorporate the vocabulary or grammatical function we are studying. It is a flexible activity that requires exclusive speaking, listening, and writing in the target language. I circulate with my clipboard to ensure that I don't hear any English, and if I do, students lose points. Most students don't "cheat" in this way, because they are motivated by the challenge of engaging in a French conversation with their partner. 

When creating an info gap, ensure that you have a document just for Partner A and just for Partner B. One has information that the other students needs, and vice versa. For example, imagine that students are having a discussion with their sibling or future college roommate about the division of chores. Each student has a list of possible chores, and based on whether they would be willing to complete each chore, they write "oui" or "non" on the checklist. Students take turns asking each other questions, such as "Est-ce que tu acceptes de passer l'aspirateur chaque week-end?" As Partner A listens to Parter B's answers, she makes a note on her checklist about what her partner said. Partner B does the same. Each student must separately complete a summary paragraph stating who will complete each chore.