Get Familiar With Some Benefits of the Dialogue Group Practice,

         

                On this new blog I continue posting on a kind of dialogue with which you may be becoming familiar. Some churches, corporations, civic organizations, and others have been this sort of dialogue for years, so it is not brand new.

               

                 For those who may not be certain of what I mean by dialogue, In brief, it is meaningful talk within groups.

                

                Below I will begin to note a few of the dialogue's benefits. As we are now on the internet I will say now that, I do not know of cases of the dialogue's being used successfully online. However, I believe that it is now possible to do so, but am not sure how. If you would like to suggest something the "comments" window below is for your use.

                

                As I know it the dialogue is best used face to face, in person. And seems most effective in groups of between 20 and 40 participants. Groups of 15 and less have been please with it. Much of it can be used to good effect between husband and wife. It has been used with groups with groups much larger than 40 with professional facilitators and more as a demonstration than as well functioning group. I would like to see it use online. 

                

                The following list is far from inclusive and not completely representative, but can serve to introduce something of the dialogue.

                

                I have called this dialogue the Magic Table dialogue and a Dialogue for Peace. We can just call it the dialogue.

                    

 Benefits include:

~ learning to make yourself heard.

~ being heard.

~ being listened to.

~ coming to enjoy being heard.

~ an opportunity for the practice of listening.

~ learning that dialogue is more than talk.

~ gaining motivation to listen.

~ improving your us of language.

~ practicing a language new to you.

~ learning new listening skills.

~ the possibility of getting in touch with traditions of knowledge new to you. 

~ getting to know yourself better.

~ getting to know an interesting other.

~ knowing new people.

~ having fun while realizing that the dialogue is a serious activity.

~ experiencing the creation of culture. 

~  increasing your word power.

~ Seeing how better dialogue can be a way to a better world.

~ sharing meaning and understanding.

~ the possibility of beginning an interesting new exploration with safe, comfortable "baby steps." Still there might come a time that you will want to take a step beyond your comfort zone.

~ improving your ability understand others, even those quite different from you.

~ learning more of the effect of assumptions in our lives.

~ the possibility of increased meaning and understanding in our lives.

                                            

                Take a look at the other posts on the dialogue here and you may come to find a way to practice it to your great benefit.

                                                                                                                        rcs    

                             

The Dialogue for Effective Practice of a "Second Language"

We have called it a Magic Table Dialogue group. It could be called a Dialogue for Peace. It can also be an English language practice group, or a great way to practice any language.

As an English Language practice group our dialogue is a very productive way to practice any level of English. The beginning learner has a focused, listening practice, a focused hearing practice, important steps to good pronunciation skills.  At the same time the beginner is getting contextual understanding practice.

This practice group can be of considerable interest to a native speaker of English. Such an English speaker can learn fun, empowering, culture enhancing rules of Magic Table Dialogue. He, or she, can also learn dialogue for peace skills for dealing with and appreciating the assumptions and opinions very different from his own. She can also make friends with individuals of a language and culture from her own.

A typical earner of English can build his or her word power by hearing targeted words in context. Sh also learns to hear the pronunciation, enunciation, and accent of a variety of English speakers. She will hear a number of persons each speak a given word in their own way. A learner may choose to listen for, say, pronunciation or she may choose to focus on contextual meaning. Practice is the main aim here.

Each participant also has opportunities to speak and to be heard. A speaker will have his speech heard by a very interested group of listeners. A speaker will be closely listened to as she expresses herself.

Our dialogue is not a substitute for your other language studies. It is very appropriate supplementary practice. 

You can learn more about our kind of dialogue by searching for posts such as:
"Dialogue Terms"
"Dialogue Practice Notes"
"Our Dialogue as a Productive Way to Practice English"
"About Dialogue Practice" 
"Dialogue Practice One" 

What's in it for you?
~ You can learn dialogue skills and get great productive practice in the use of English.
~ You can improve your listening skills.
~ You can practice hearing and understanding what is said.
~ You can practice using English with a group of persons of importantly similar interests.
~ You can practice using a language other than your own.
~ You can improve your understanding of a people and a culture.
~ You can experience many people listening to you with interest.
~ You can get to know others well in a safe atmosphere. 
~ You can learn to be understood as you speak English.
~ You can learn to be better understood by a variety of English speakers.

I believe that you can come up with other advantages and benefits available to you in our program of practice.



by Richard Sheehan