Speaking: Interactive Communication A1 - Lesson 4: Basic Turn-Taking (Listen and Respond)

Speaking: Interactive Communication A1

Basic Turn-Taking (Listen and Respond)

Listen to the examples here.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to listen to what someone says and respond in a way that shows you are paying attention.

A Conversation is a Two-Way Street ↔️

Good communication is not just about speaking. It is also about listening! Turn-taking means listening to your partner, and then responding to what they said. This makes the conversation interactive.

😵 Bad Conversation (Not Listening)

Sokha: Hi! My favorite food is beef noodles.

Nary: Hello. I am a student.

Problem: Nary did not respond to Sokha's idea. It feels like two people talking to a wall.

👍 Good Conversation (Listening)

Sokha: Hi! My favorite food is beef noodles.

Nary: Oh, really? I like beef noodles too.

Good! Nary showed she was listening by using a reaction phrase before adding her own idea.

How to Be an Active Listener 👂

Being an active listener is easy if you follow these three steps.

1. Listen for Keywords

   When your partner says, "I am from Siem Reap," the keyword is "Siem Reap".

2. Use a Reaction Phrase

   Show you heard them by saying, "Oh, really?" or "That's interesting."

3. Add Your Comment

   Connect their idea to your idea. "Oh, really? I am from Siem Reap, too." OR "That's interesting. I like Siem Reap."

Tips for Sounding Natural

🗣️ Intonation of Reaction Phrases

The "music" of these short phrases is very important. It shows your true feelings. Click 🔊 to hear.

• "Oh, really? ↗" - Your voice should go UP at the end to show interest.
• "Oh, wow! ↘" - Your voice should go up high and then fall down to show strong surprise.
• "I see. ↘" - Your voice should fall down to show you understand.

Practice Responding 🎯

Activity 1: Choose the Best Response

For each statement, choose the best, most interactive response by clicking on a, b, or c.

Activity 2: The Listening Game

Work with a partner. Student A makes a simple, true statement (e.g., "I like spicy food."). Student B must reply using a reaction phrase from this lesson and then add their own information (e.g., "That's interesting. I don't like spicy food."). Then, switch roles.

Key Reaction Phrases

• Turn-taking | ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរវេនគ្នា
  The process of listening and responding in a conversation.
• Oh, really? | អញ្ចឹងអ្ហេ?
  Use this to show you are surprised or interested.
• Oh, wow! | អូហូ!
  Use this to show you are very surprised or impressed.
• That's interesting. | គួរឱ្យចាប់អារម្មណ៍
  Use this to show you heard something new.
• I see. | ខ្ញុំយល់ហើយ
  Use this to show you understand.
• Me too. | ខ្ញុំក៏ដូចគ្នា!
  Use this to show you have the same situation or opinion.

Your Communication Mission ⭐

This week, your mission is not just to speak, but to listen and react!

When you have a conversation, after your friend says something, use a reaction phrase like "I see" or "Oh, really?" before you say your own idea. This one small change will make you a much better communicator!