The general purpose of speaking English

KEY WORDS; What is the purpose of language? Characteristics of better speaking, How to improve speaking in class room? Teaching Pronunciation, Fluency & accuracy oriented approach, accuracy-oriented approach,

The general purpose of speaking

Introduction

Why teaching speaking is so difficult? What are the ways to improve spoken language skills in schools, what are the vital parts of communicative competence? Compared to teaching listening skills, different techniques have been developed for the improvement of oral communication. In this digital age with the help of new AV aids devices such as computer systems, multimedia, virtual computer software speaking programs and voice chat rooms; where people try to improve their language skills across the world.

One approach of teaching speaking English is, that the learner can understand no matter how incorrect his language, while the other view insists on correctness of language ranging from grammar to pronunciation. This view is known as the fluency-oriented approach. The fluency-oriented approach believes that spoken skills are developed through meaningful communication.

What is the purpose of language?

·         The primary purpose of language is to communicate

·         To express desires and needs

·         Show personality by speaking (analyze the personality by speech) 

·         Speech enable a person to move in society

Characteristics of better speaking

·         Fluency

·         Accuracy

·         proper stress on words

·         use of proper vocabulary

·         word order

·         correct grammar

How to improve speaking in class room

Guessing Activities

 Mime (mimic): The teacher calls a student to the front and gives him a sentence, written on a piece of paper, that describes an activity.

The student mime (mimic) the activity, e.g., climbing a ladder. The other students try to guess the situation by asking questions

Information gap activities encourage learners to share information. In such

activities, one student can ask questions, the other student answers the questions

 

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teaching of English

Dialogues

Dialogues is another way of encouraging students to communicate in the class room

Dialogues give students an opportunity to use their imaginations to project themselves into new situations

Role play(Drama)

*Role play OR Drama gives chance to students to create a real life situation. *Increase the interest of students in classroom activities and speaking

Language Ladders

Language Ladders

grouped around a central concept

“Good-by” --- See you later ---Have a good day ---So long

Discussions

Select a topic that students like, one student talk at a time then other can add. Make sure everybody participate 

Songs or poems

Reading of poems in class, they hold strong appeal for children and are often memorized.

Storytelling

Storytelling involves the whole class in speaking activities.

The teacher directs the activity by asking questions like

The city of story

Who will be in the story?

What is the main theme of the story?

Teaching Pronunciation

Include pronunciation as an integral part of teaching English from the beginning

-What words and sentence need stressed in the language

Pronounce the ending of each word.

Pay special attention to 'S' & 'ED' endings.

Loud reading in class by students

Fluency & accuracy oriented approach

One view is that the speech is successful if the learner can communicate his thoughts to others; no matter how incorrect the language is, while another view insists on correctness of language, from grammar to pronunciation.

fluency-oriented approach

From this viewpoint, small grammatical or pronunciation errors are insignificant, especially in the early learning stages.

As a matter of fact it could be harmful rather than useful. hindering the natural acquisition of spoken skills

The fluency-oriented approach believes that spoken skills are developed with meaningful communication Naturally. many EFL teachers support it. 

The other is that the least amount of correction should be given, otherwise communication itself is hampered.

Errors are regarded as expected by-products observed in the natural process of development

The fluency-oriented approach, however, is not free of weaknesses. the most crucial is fossilization, errors that have become a permanent part in the way a learner speaks (Nation 1989)

Fossilized errors prevent the learner from bettering fluency, as higher accuracy is required for improving fluency in each level

accuracy-oriented approach

Stress on accuracy by pursuing mainly grammatical correctness. 

focus on repetition of newly introduced forms or grammatical structures

Learners are provided an opportunity to correct errors

 It is true that correction of errors that are provided unintentionally May discourage learners from speaking (fear of error)

But it enables learners to make sure where exactly the problem lies in their speech