Oracy Skills Instruction: Evaluating, Adapting and Creating Listening and Speaking Activities (Published)
The objective of this paper is to evaluate, modify and formulate activities related to the development of ‘oracy’ skills in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. In this context, ‘oracy’, as defined by Sifakis (2004/2018), specifically encompasses the skills of listening and speaking. Spoken discourse is differentiated from written in that it requires real-time interaction, presenting a notable challenge for the learners. (McDonough et. al., 2013). It is apparent that oracy skills play a crucial role in the overall development of students’ language proficiency as they emphasize their ability to engage effectively in real-life communication situations. In the course of evaluating materials, the paper will utilize relevant literature and employ sets of criteria, tailored to the communicative requirements of spoken interaction. Subsequently, adjustments to existing activities and the creation of original ones will be proposed in line with the theoretical framework. To facilitate this process, the paper will draw on materials deriving from two teaching textbooks and examine two distinct teaching contexts, each aligned with one of the aforementioned language skills; listening and speaking.
Keywords: English Language, Foreign Language, Listening, Speaking, oracy skills
Evaluating Listening and Speaking Activities (Published)
This paper comprises two merged assignments that reflect upon teaching practices and methods regarding the skills of listening and speaking. In the first comprehensive analysis, the focus is on a listening input designed for young learners in a language education context. The assignment focuses on the listening skill, and it provides a comprehensive overview of the teaching context, the listening input, and related activities, offering insights into the effectiveness of the instructional approach and proposing enhancements for a more engaging and inclusive learning experience. Also, the listening input and the listening activities are evaluated based on certain criteria as well as the students’ level of proficiency. The second assignment aims to critically evaluate a coursebook’s speaking activities and design a new lesson focused on specific criteria for developing the speaking skill. The evaluation scrutinizes the coursebook’s communicative competence, linguistic, strategic, semantic, and sociolinguistic aspects, examining activities based on Nation’s features and Johnson’s principles. Furthermore, it delves into the design and detailed evaluation of a lesson plan, encompassing pre, while, and post-stages, developed to enhance students’ speaking skills. Overall, both assignments underscore the significance of considering diverse criteria in the design of speaking and listening activities and the continuous refinement of instructional approaches.
Keywords: EFL, Evaluation, Foreign Language, Language, Listening, Speaking
News Presentation in Class as an Activity to Teach Integrated Skills in EFL in Africa (Published)
To make their learners achieve good competency in second or foreign language, teachers need to be careful in the choice of techniques, approaches and activities they use. Unfortunately, many teachers and course books separate the four macro skills in their teaching approach. The language which should be seen as a whole is taught in a segregated way, i. e. with whole lessons / sessions on listening, speaking, reading or writing skills. Language, whose prime objective is communication, is thus compartmentalised and leads to poor users. A good reader, listener or writer of a language is not necessarily a competent user of it in real communication situations. This paper proposes the presentation of news in class as an activity to integrate the four macro skills in teaching English as a Foreign Language. It is an exercise which involves the active participation of the whole class, considerably reduces the teacher talking time while increasing that of the learners.
Keywords: Integrated Skills, Listening, News, Participation, Reading, Speaking, writing
Integrating Local Culture in English Language Teaching to Enhance Learners’ Emotion to Speak English (Published)
Integrating local culture in English language teaching (ELT) is increasingly practiced in non-English speaking countries. There are many studies on local cultural integration in ELT however study on emotional impact is rarely researched. This research therefore aimed at exploring how local culture plays its function to enhance learners’ emotion to speak English. This research was carried out at Pharmacology Institute of Makassar. The method used was a survey study. The samples were selected purposively based on their cultural backgrounds. The data that collected through observation and interview were analyzed by using thematic analysis. The result revealed that local culture functions as the ice breaker to reduce the anxiety in ELT. It also generates learners’ emotional experience then provides fun and cheerful atmosphere in learning. The learners had willingness to speak English since most as they were familiar with cultural input.
Keywords: Emotion, Local Culture, Speaking
INVESTIGATING ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE EFFICIENCY OF THE “CONVERSATION” COURSE (Published)
In the scope of teaching English as a foreign language, and more specifically teaching speaking, this study reflects the attitudes and anticipations English language teachers-to-be have towards the “Conversation Course” provided by the College of Basic Education in Kuwait. The study is based on the analysis of 106 questionnaires distributed to first year college students registered in the conversation class at the time of the study. In addition, 28 students were interviewed to observe vividly their expectations from the conversation course. Both, the questionnaire and the interviews, aimed at knowing how the students perceived the conversation class at the end of the semester. The study shows that the majority of students feel that they have benefited from the conversation class in different domains; yet, many required a clearer outline of the course. Between their fondness for the conversation course and confusion of its aims, English language students understand their need for the course, and perhaps an extra advanced one too.
Keywords: EFL, English Language, Four Skills, Speaking, Teaching Methods
IMPROVING ENGLISH ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF PAKISTANI PUBLIC SCHOOL’S STUDENTS (Published)
This paper focuses on the improvement of Oral Communication Skills (OCSs) of Pakistan’s Public school’s Grade-6 students who have a lack of opportunities and are seldom exposed to the English language generally and OCSs particularly. Since more importance is given to reading and writing skills of English in which results overlook the importance of OCSs and due to which students are found to be silent, shy or have a profound fear of being wrong. It further highlights self developed strategies of students in improving accuracy and fluency in which the National Curriculum for English Language (NCEL) was taken as a guiding tool and action planner through which systematic lessons were delivered in classrooms. Findings of Pre and post intervention phases of four participants revealed that children’s OCSs had shown a marked improvement by giving opportunities to practice oral languages, providing conducive learning environment and using new teaching strategies. This study also claims that code switching, Peer and self error correction, short pauses and speech fillers are inevitable to improve speaking skills in the process of second language learning. It shows new ways in order to improve students’ speaking skills and has implications for second language learners and teachers.
Keywords: English as a foreign and second Language, Improving, Listening, National Curriculum for English Language and action research, Oral communication skills, Speaking