The Language Teacher
September 2002
Interruption Cards
Christopher Glick
The University of Tokushima
QUICK GUIDE
Key Words:Turn taking, interrupting
Learner English Level: Intermediate
Learner Maturity Level: University to adult
Preparation Time: 20 - 30 minutes to create the first activity sheet (10 minutes to change card content in any subsequent sheets)
Activity Time: 15 minutes (5 minutes explaining, 10 minutes talking)
Materials: A sheet of paper with instructions and six interruption cards for every student
Students often seem reluctant to take the floor, let alone interrupt a speaker, even those ensconced in a deep and apparently endless pause. This teacher has attempted to make his students more assertive speakers through the occasional use of interruption cards that help teach conversational, turn taking phrases.
Before class, prepare a sheet with six cards (see attached example), each card having three specific parts: an interrupting and occasionally Turn taking phrase in the center in large letters, such as "But..." "By the way..." or "Really?", which will be read aloud; a phrase at the top in small boldface type explaining who will continue the conversation after the card is read; and a space marked in small print at the bottom for signing one's name. The latter enables players to identify who interrupted the most frequently at the finish of the game.
Procedure
Step 1: Give each student a copy of the handout. They should separate the six cards after reading and signing them.
Step 2: Explain to the students that they will be given a topic, such as "Tonight" or "My Job," to begin a short discussion (eight to ten minutes). Tell the students they will use the cards to interrupt one another during the conversation. When the teacher yells "Change!" students should try to play one of their interruption cards as quickly as possible. The first to play a card reads it aloud, which often changes the conversation.
Step 3: Explain each card's interruption word or phrase to make sure students understand its use and contexts so they can later interrupt one another appropriately. When read as written, some cards might cause rude interruptions; for example, by bluntly interrupting a speaker in mid sentence to ask someone else, "Have you...?" Teachers should point out how this can seem rude. Alternatively, the teacher may choose to teach cues such as "Sorry to interrupt, but..." or "Excuse me..."
Step 4: Put the starting topic on the blackboard and tell the students to begin. For a faster start with slower students, designate each group's first speaker before starting, perhaps through jun-ken (rock, paper, scissors).
Step 5: While students are talking, move about the room helping confused, slow, or troubled students. At random or regular intervals, yell "Change!" In each group, the students must, as quickly as possible, play one of their cards; the first interruption card played is read aloud by the student who played it, and the conversation proceeds from there. Certain topics and situations (e.g., the last thing said) can preclude the use of particular cards. In such cases, the first appropriate card should be accepted. Teachers might wish to model the activity with a small group of better students before setting the rest of the class the task.
Appropriate card use example:
- S1: We went to a movie last night, and it...
- T: Change!
- S2 (reads card "Oh! Before I forget, today I..."): Oh! Before I forget, today I ate breakfast. How about you?
- S3: Me too. What did you eat? I ate some bread and had some coffee...
- T: Change!
- S1 (reads card "But..."): But, you are always late for class, so I think you don't have any time to eat breakfast.
Inappropriate card use example:
- S1: Do you like to eat natto?
- T: Change!
- S2 (reads card "REALLY!?!"): Really!?! Yes, I like it a lot.
- S3 (recognizing inappropriate use reads card, "By the way..."): By the way, I feel very sleepy, because...
Step 6:To add a competitive edge, identify the winner as the first student to play all his or her cards. Class points might then be awarded. If time is short, stop the class after a few minutes and ask the students to count the total number of cards each played to identify each group's winner.
As an occasional activity for introducing new turn-taking phrases or enlivening conversations, this activity can get your students to interrupt speakers gleefully, improve their conversational reasoning, and engage in semi-spontaneous turn taking.
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