Developing Oral Skills  A Practice Workshop by Olha Madylus

Aims of Session

1.         To clarify what oral skills are

2.         To consider how important oral skills are in the English language

classroom

3.         To explore the problems of teaching these skills

4.         To find solutions to the problems

5.         To build a repertoire of practical classroom activities

What are oral skills?

Pronunciation

1.         Other phonological features(intonation, stress, tone, pitch)

2.         Fluency---get your message across quickly

3.         Accuracy---politeness (please, thanks, sorry)

4.         Appropriacy

5.         Listening (combined with speaking)

6.         Other strategies for getting across meaning(body language, facial expression, gestures)

Change of focus from what we know about language to what we can do with it.

(Common European Framework of Reference)

Focus on Oral Skills

1.         Communication

2.         Interrelation of skills

3.         Link with thinking skill

4.         Variety

5.         Subtleties of difference

6.         Motivation

The way we say something can change the meaning hugely.

Why don’t children speak English in class?

How do we get over these problems?

1.         No opportunities(Create opportunities)

2.         Shy(Build confidence)

3.         Have no reason/motivation to(Give them a reason)

4.         Frightened of making mistakes

(Take away the stress, make it natural)

5.         It’s too difficult(Make it easy)

It’s OK to make mistakes. Teachers make mistakes, too.

Learn from mistakes.

According to a survey, children ask 60 questions at home, but they ask only a merely 2 questions at school.

Saying it right. What is Phonology?

1.         Sounds

2.         Word stress

3.         Sentence stress

4.         Linking

5.         Intonation

Make it easy, fun, and durable.

1.         Pronunciation Journey(Minimal Pairs)

2.         Stress Maze(Syllable)

3.         Chants

4.         Action Songs

5.         Traditional Songs

6.         Tongue Twisters

7.         Mingle

Drilling

1.         Ensure children understand the word/phrase before you begin.

2.         Get their attention.

3.         Say the word/phrase a number of times clearly and naturally.

4.         Get all the children saying the word/phrase together a number of times to build confidence and allow them to get their tongue around the world.

5.         If they’re making mistakes, go back to step two and start again. 

6.          Listen to children saying the word/phrase individually.

7.         Correct gently if they make a mistake.

8.         Songs and Chants

Training Points