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The Teaching of the Four Skills

Theoretical Aspects


Overview

• Macro Skills• Microskills• Isolating & Integrating Skills• Theoretical Aspects of Teaching the Four SKills• Scaffolding • Learner Autonomy• Interactive Teaching


Communication is crucial in the process of learning a language


The Four Skills & Direction of Communication


Which Skills are more demanding ?

• James A. Coleman and John Klapper are of ther view that Receptive skills are less demanding than productive skills. But reading and listening are not passive skills (2005,p 55).


The Properties of the Four Macro Skills


Macro & Micro Skills • Each of these "four skills" is itself composed of component sub-skills.

Grabe (1992:50-3) notes six in particular in the case of reading. These are:

• the perceptual automatic recognition skill;• linguistic skills;• knowledge and skills of discourse structure and organisation;• knowledge of the world;• synthetic and critical evaluation skills;• metalinguistic knowledge and skills.• It is arguable that these sub-skills are, to a greater or lesser extent,

also sub-skills of writing, speaking and listening. This suggests that basic strategies used are similar, if not exactly the same, in each of the four skills. However, since the four modalities impose different constraints, at many different levels, on each occasion that they are called upon, they encourage a unique emphasis on particular combinations of strategies on each occasion.


In speaking skill, for example, pronunciation is a type micro skill that must be practised in order to improve communication. Spelling is a skill that makes understanding the written word easier. Grammar and vocabulary are other micro skills. Micro doesn't mean they are unimportant. Macro skills such as listening are very general, while micro skills are more specific. Strategies for learning vocabulary, strategies for learning grammar are also sub skills or micro skills.


Wide range of Micro Skills of the Four Skills


Isolating and Integrating the Four Skills. Practically Isolating them is

difficult Since there are similarities in the microskills involved, these skills may be taught in a combined way. There is a growing realisation among EFL teachers that the overt processes involved in language - the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking - which have been, in the past, "treated somewhat in isolation, in fact have so much in common with each other, that it makes much more sense to treat them holistically", (Wray & Medwell 1991:3). It has been noted that the links between reading and writing, for example, have been emphasised to such an extent that it is now normal to see them referred to as "literacy" (ibid.:3). Similarly, the term "oracy" is commonly used to denote the skills of speaking and listening.


How to Teach the Four Skills

Some Concepts


Thinking is key to learning . While teachers can do many things for their students , there is one inescapable fact, they cannot think for them. Jim Ahern


Need for Rethinking

• If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.

• John Dewey


Fun can Motivate.

We may learn English fast if we have the right motivation to learn it. Better job prospects, international friendship and personality development can be sources of motivation for people. But, if learning English gives you fun, then, fun itself can be a source of motivation for you. Try to learn English through fun-filled ways that make you laugh and bring you excitement. When you enjoy learning English, it would not be drudgery or soulless job.


Exposure If we look up the word ‘exposure’ in a dictionary of English language, we see that there are more than one meanings of the word ‘exposure’. However, in English learning or in the learning of any language, it means , according to Macmillan Dictionary, ‘the act of providing someone with the opportunity to experience new ideas, activities etc’, Thus, when we talk about getting exposure to English language, we mean getting into the activities that make us speak, listen , read or write English language.


How to Teach the Four Skills

1. Scaffolding 2. Learner Autonomy 3. Interactive Teaching


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Teacher as a Scaffolder • A scaffolder is a building

professional who specializes in putting up scaffolds and platforms. Scaffolders can erect scaffolds related to building construction. Similarly, according to Vygotsky (1896 – 1934) a teacher works as a scaffolder for a child

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Zone of proximal development

• "Zone of proximal development" (ZPD) is Vygotsky’s term for the range of tasks that a child can complete. The lower limit of ZPD is the level of skill reached by the child working independently (also referred to as the child’s actual developmental level). The upper limit is the level of potential skill that the child is able to reach with the assistance of a more capable instructor.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development



Facilitating Gradual Cognitive Growth

• Scaffolding is changing the level of support to suit the cognitive potential of the child. More support is offered when a child is having difficulty with a particular task and, over time, less support is provided as the child makes gains on the task.




Scaffolding Language Skills


Learner Autonomy

• Learner Autonomy is a concept in foreign language education. The term "learner autonomy" was first coined in 1981 by Henri Holec. 'Autonomy is the ability to take charge of one's own learning' (Henri Holec ).So Autonomy means moving the focus from teaching to learning. Autonomy encourages and needs peer support and cooperation. The role of the teacher as supporting scaffolding and creating room for the development of autonomy is very demanding and very important.




Learner Autonomy

• From • Dependence • Learn this • If you don’t know it,

wait to be told

• To• Independence • Learn how• If you don’t know it find

it out


Ministry of Education of Pakistan Advocates Autonomy of Learning

• The curriculum document for the production of syllabuses of class 1 to class 12, (2006) emphasizes the development of “competencies in using the English language for communication in academic and social context, while enabling them to be autonomous and life-long learners’.

• The National Curriculum for English• Language Grades 1- X11 2006


Self-Access Centres• It has transformed old practices in the language

classroom and has given origin to self access language learning centers. As the result of such practices, language teaching is now seen as language learning and it has placed the learner as the centre of our attention in language learning education

• of the National Committee on English (NCE) has worked for the establishment of two Self Access centers (SAC) in Islamabad and Multan (First Meeting of National Committee on English , March 15, 2011 p.6). Another SAC is being established at the University of Malakand. Such centers help the English teachers to update their knowledge, skills and teaching methods.


Learning goes throughout Life


Dr Annamaria Pinter University of Warwick


Interactive Teaching

Telling is not teaching not listening is learning


Interactive Teaching

• Interactive teaching is a two way process wherein the teacher modifies his or her approach in response to the needs of the learner(s). The interactive teacher is keenly aware of the learners and their different learning styles. It is not possible to teach effectively without being interactive. Teacher becomes facilitator. Through questions, he encourages learners’ partcipation


• Teacher becomes facilitator. • Through questions, he encourages learners’

participation• Gives partcipants hands on experience • Uses teaching aids to gain and retain their

attention


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