Importance of four skills in language and its teaching techniques
Introduction
Each language skill has its own significance. There is a strong positive relations between the four skills and none of these is complete without the other. Communication plays a vital role in our daily life. To acquire good communication, command on four language skills is important i.e. 1. listening,
2. speaking, 3. reading and 4. writing. These language skills are most important for effective communication. These skills in the language classroom serve many valuable purposes, they give learners scaffolded support, opportunities to create contexts in which to use the language for exchanges of real information, evidence of their own ability (proof of learning) and, most important, confidence.
Importance of four skills
These skills are important because with the help of it anybody can understand and make the most effective use of the study materials. A learner can interpret assignment questions and select relevant and appropriate material if he/she is expert in these skills.
Anyone who uses language fairly well has a number of different abilities. He/she can for example, listen to radio, speak to his/her neighbors, read a magazine, and write letters. Speaking and writing are skills that involve production on the part of the language user. Listening and reading are receptive skills in the sense that the language user receives information from the written or spoken form of the language. Very often the language user is involved in using a combination of skills. A participant in a conversation for example, has not only to listen but also to speak.
Techniques used for developing four skills
In order to become a well rounded communicator one needs to be proficient in each of our language skills. These four skills are very important. To develop these skills various techniques are used. By using these techniques one can get a proper command on all the four skills i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Techniques for teaching listening
Being able to listen is a skill that is often not taught but is essential in order to be successful as a learner. Learners have many thing, vying for their attention, so its important that they know how to quite the distraction in order to focus. So as a teacher its a duty of the teacher to try and keep learners as focused as possible. These can be done in following ways:-
A. In U.G classes teachers uses various techniques like
1. Set the tone- The teacher at the beginning has to set the tone so that whenever he/she ask them any question they can answer it.
2. Body language- If the students are nodding their head at certain period that means they are listening.
3. Teach listening skill- For this the teacher should halt, engage, anticipate and replay while teaching so that the listener remains focused.
4. Be a model- Regardless of what expectations are set if the teachers not following them then his/her student won't either.
B. In P.G classes teachers uses another techniques like
1. They tell the students to listen to English music so it helps the student to listen it carefully which helps them to develop this skill.
2. The teacher also take dictation words in classes so students need to focus on what the teacher is saying so they can listen it carefully.
3. The teacher should help the student to focus on their work instead of becoming distracted from the other sound.
Techniques for teaching speaking
Speaking is the process of building and sharing through the use of verbal and non verbal symbols in a variety of context. many teachers agree that learners learn speaking skill best through interacting. While preparing a speaking skill lesson teacher should focus more on form, meaning and fluency. The following techniques are useful for developing speaking skills.
1. Discussions- After a content based lesson a discussion can be held. For discussions the teacher can form groups of students preferably four or five in each group and provide controversial topics to be discussed. It is essential that the speaking should be equally divided among group members.
2. Role play and simulations- In role play activities the teacher give different roles to the learners in various social context. Simulations are more elaborate than role plays. In it the learner can bring items to create a realistic environment.
3. Information gap- In this activity, learners have to work in pairs in which one learner has the information and he has to share that information with the other partner.
4. Brainstorming- On a given topic learners can produce ideas in limited time. It is effective as learners generate ideas quickly and freely.
5. Story telling and story completion- The teacher may call a learner to tell short stories or riddles or to complete a story. So that it can foster creative thinking and speaking.
Techniques for teaching reading
Reading is a fundamental skill that we all use everyday in our life. Teacher can use few effective teaching strategies for reading. Some of these techniques are:-
1. Teach close reading- Encourage learners to have conversation with text by writing notes on the text while reading.
2. Newspaper reading- The learner have to develop the habit of reading magazines and newspapers so he/she can make a command on reading skill.
3. Loud reading- The learner has to read aloud so he /she can listen to the words carefully which they were pronouncing.
4. Appeal to the senses- Reading passages aloud and verbalizing questions incorporate the senses providing extra reinforcement for students because reading is a work of mind.
5. Offer opportunities for choice reading- Teacher should encourage students to choose books from libraries, thrift shops, garage sales, etc. for personal reading. Reading is for pleasurable will.
Techniques for teaching writing
If the teacher want to encourage writing skill of the learners then here are some useful techniques.
1. Providing assignments and conducting tests- Teacher can conduct paper presentations, paper reading sessions and can give assignments on different topics to develop writing skills. Teacher could also take tests in the class so the writing skills of the students is developed.
2. Development of content- It is a kind of online writing. It is basically a writing about the product of a particular company in few lines with impressive language. By writing contents the writing skill can be developed with a great stimulus.
3. Guided and free composition- Composition is an art of associating the words and sentences and expressing the thoughts. In these compositions students are made to develop writing skills. Both compositions are important according to situations.
4. Teaching of grammatical items- Teacher should know in which part of grammar the students are weak and according to that they can teach the students that grammatical part. For ex. tenses, vocabulary to correct them.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, by developing all these skills the learner can achieve the maximum benefit of effective communication. These skills help learners to build their confidence. Body language, positive word reinforcement and appropriate and effective language for discipline creates a classroom that inspires learners to try ,without fear that they will be judged unfairly.
Each language skill has its own significance. There is a strong positive relations between the four skills and none of these is complete without the other. Communication plays a vital role in our daily life. To acquire good communication, command on four language skills is important i.e. 1. listening,
2. speaking, 3. reading and 4. writing. These language skills are most important for effective communication. These skills in the language classroom serve many valuable purposes, they give learners scaffolded support, opportunities to create contexts in which to use the language for exchanges of real information, evidence of their own ability (proof of learning) and, most important, confidence.
Importance of four skills
These skills are important because with the help of it anybody can understand and make the most effective use of the study materials. A learner can interpret assignment questions and select relevant and appropriate material if he/she is expert in these skills.
Anyone who uses language fairly well has a number of different abilities. He/she can for example, listen to radio, speak to his/her neighbors, read a magazine, and write letters. Speaking and writing are skills that involve production on the part of the language user. Listening and reading are receptive skills in the sense that the language user receives information from the written or spoken form of the language. Very often the language user is involved in using a combination of skills. A participant in a conversation for example, has not only to listen but also to speak.
Techniques used for developing four skills
In order to become a well rounded communicator one needs to be proficient in each of our language skills. These four skills are very important. To develop these skills various techniques are used. By using these techniques one can get a proper command on all the four skills i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Techniques for teaching listening
Being able to listen is a skill that is often not taught but is essential in order to be successful as a learner. Learners have many thing, vying for their attention, so its important that they know how to quite the distraction in order to focus. So as a teacher its a duty of the teacher to try and keep learners as focused as possible. These can be done in following ways:-
A. In U.G classes teachers uses various techniques like
1. Set the tone- The teacher at the beginning has to set the tone so that whenever he/she ask them any question they can answer it.
2. Body language- If the students are nodding their head at certain period that means they are listening.
3. Teach listening skill- For this the teacher should halt, engage, anticipate and replay while teaching so that the listener remains focused.
4. Be a model- Regardless of what expectations are set if the teachers not following them then his/her student won't either.
B. In P.G classes teachers uses another techniques like
1. They tell the students to listen to English music so it helps the student to listen it carefully which helps them to develop this skill.
2. The teacher also take dictation words in classes so students need to focus on what the teacher is saying so they can listen it carefully.
3. The teacher should help the student to focus on their work instead of becoming distracted from the other sound.
Techniques for teaching speaking
Speaking is the process of building and sharing through the use of verbal and non verbal symbols in a variety of context. many teachers agree that learners learn speaking skill best through interacting. While preparing a speaking skill lesson teacher should focus more on form, meaning and fluency. The following techniques are useful for developing speaking skills.
1. Discussions- After a content based lesson a discussion can be held. For discussions the teacher can form groups of students preferably four or five in each group and provide controversial topics to be discussed. It is essential that the speaking should be equally divided among group members.
2. Role play and simulations- In role play activities the teacher give different roles to the learners in various social context. Simulations are more elaborate than role plays. In it the learner can bring items to create a realistic environment.
3. Information gap- In this activity, learners have to work in pairs in which one learner has the information and he has to share that information with the other partner.
4. Brainstorming- On a given topic learners can produce ideas in limited time. It is effective as learners generate ideas quickly and freely.
5. Story telling and story completion- The teacher may call a learner to tell short stories or riddles or to complete a story. So that it can foster creative thinking and speaking.
Techniques for teaching reading
Reading is a fundamental skill that we all use everyday in our life. Teacher can use few effective teaching strategies for reading. Some of these techniques are:-
1. Teach close reading- Encourage learners to have conversation with text by writing notes on the text while reading.
2. Newspaper reading- The learner have to develop the habit of reading magazines and newspapers so he/she can make a command on reading skill.
3. Loud reading- The learner has to read aloud so he /she can listen to the words carefully which they were pronouncing.
4. Appeal to the senses- Reading passages aloud and verbalizing questions incorporate the senses providing extra reinforcement for students because reading is a work of mind.
5. Offer opportunities for choice reading- Teacher should encourage students to choose books from libraries, thrift shops, garage sales, etc. for personal reading. Reading is for pleasurable will.
Techniques for teaching writing
If the teacher want to encourage writing skill of the learners then here are some useful techniques.
1. Providing assignments and conducting tests- Teacher can conduct paper presentations, paper reading sessions and can give assignments on different topics to develop writing skills. Teacher could also take tests in the class so the writing skills of the students is developed.
2. Development of content- It is a kind of online writing. It is basically a writing about the product of a particular company in few lines with impressive language. By writing contents the writing skill can be developed with a great stimulus.
3. Guided and free composition- Composition is an art of associating the words and sentences and expressing the thoughts. In these compositions students are made to develop writing skills. Both compositions are important according to situations.
4. Teaching of grammatical items- Teacher should know in which part of grammar the students are weak and according to that they can teach the students that grammatical part. For ex. tenses, vocabulary to correct them.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, by developing all these skills the learner can achieve the maximum benefit of effective communication. These skills help learners to build their confidence. Body language, positive word reinforcement and appropriate and effective language for discipline creates a classroom that inspires learners to try ,without fear that they will be judged unfairly.
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