Critical Review on "Teaching Oral Skills"

Critical Review on “Teaching Oral Skills”

By Anne Lazaraton

Abstract

In this article, Lazaraton discusses teaching practice in oral skills pedagogy towards ESL and EFL classes.  Especially, in terms of how to arrange an oral skills class and determine its content. This article provides a variety of classroom activities that promote skills development, and understanding issues to conduct classroom evaluation of speaking skills. The result of reviewing the article will be good for the reader, the reviewer and the writer as well in order to develop better comprehension in teaching oral skills.

Keywords: Review, Oral skills, Strategies and Learning, ESL, EFL

Introduction

           Anne Lazaraton is a researcher in teaching oral skills. In this article she provided further information in teaching oral skills due to the ability to speak a language synonymous with knowing that language since speech is the most basic means of human communication (Celce-Murcia, 2001:103). Moreover, Brown (1994) as cited by Lazaraton (Celce-Murcia, 2001:103) defined a number of features that interact in speaking, and it makes speaking in ESL and EFL to become a challenging language skill. They are reducing forms such as contractions, vowel reduction, elision. Then, having ubiquitous features of spoken language, such as the use of slang and idioms. Finally, acquiring the stress, rhythm, intonation of English with other speaker. Whereas, the teaching of oral communication skills as a contextualized sociocultural activity has become the focal point in many ESL classrooms. The reason of this statement deals with Hymes’ theory of communicative competence (Canale & Swain (1980)). These communicative competence can be presented in ESL classrooms, referring the major goal of the classrooms is negotiation of meaning.

              However, the basic considerations of the oral skill class are the level of students (determined by placement test and diagnostic test) and the students’ perceived needs. For non academic course focused on survival English and basic communication function based on a strong structural component. On the other part, academic learners focused on extensive authentic practice in class participation such as taking a part in discussions, interacting with peers and professors, asking and answering questions as well facing some sort of exit examination.             

            

Result and Discussion

 Overall, despite its inadequacy, this article is considered as good one since the information presented in the article is complete enough. However, there are several things that should be considered to support this article.  First, it should be a broad range discussion regarding to the use of task based learning teaching in ESL/EFL classroom. Second, the usefulness of content-based instructions in ESL/EFL classroom in teaching oral skills. Thus, the goal of communicative competence in teaching oral skills can be achieved.

              First, the discussion about task based learning teaching. Lazaraton stated in Celce-Murcia (2001:103) that in ESL classrooms, the students may not be familiar with the use of second language. So, they may not give enthusiastic responses if teachers do not pay more attention in the term of classroom atmosphere. However, an important thing in purpose of communicative language teaching is to enable learners to use language in real-life.  It is supported by Skehan as cited in Muller (2006:168) that tasks, are considered an improvement because rather than predetermining and drilling language forms, they offer a means of allowing learners to use the language currently available to them for genuine communication. During the course of this genuine communication learners experience a need to convey their intended meaning then after the task learners are encouraged to expand their language proficiency through consciousness raising. Meanwhile, according to Candlin as cited in Nunn (2006:75) tasks are more inclusive activities, engaging students in a variety of interlocking processes, and encouraging them to “practise the integrated use of language, acquire language development strategies and use language meaningfully and creatively.” They provide a forum and a focus for intensive language practice and they assist in language learning. Pedagogically, task-based language teaching has strengthened the following principles and practices:

• A needs-based approach to content selection.

• An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target

language.

• The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation.

• The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on language, but

also on the learning process itself.

• An enhancement of the learner’s own personal experiences as important

contributing elements to classroom learning.

• The linking of classroom language learning with language use outside the

classroom.

    However, tasks have been defined in various ways. Nunan (2006:14) draws a basic distinction between real-world or target tasks, and pedagogical tasks. Target tasks, as the name implies, refer to uses of language in the world beyond the classroom. Pedagogical tasks are those that occur in the classroom.

              Second, content-based language courses like the one described here is important in  EFL classroom, students need to be engaged in a variety of tasks and classroom roles as they attempt to gain a greater command of both the language and the target content. Nunan as cited in  Lingley (2006:124) has summarized the benefits of content-based instruction as including an “organic, analytical approach to language development” and “a framework within which learners can have sustained engagement on both content mastery and second language acquisition”. He also notes how these benefits work toward increasing motivation and engaging the learner more actively in the learning process, and clearly states that content-based instruction is very much in line with the principles of task-based language teaching. Then, he identifies five principles of content-based instruction:

1. Instructional decisions are based on content rather than language criteria,

2. Skills should be integrated as much as possible,

3. Students should be involved actively in all phases of the learning process,

4. Content should be chosen for its relevance to students’ lives, interests and/or   academic goals,

5. Authentic materials and tasks should be selected.

               Regarding with a broad range discussion mentioned above, the reviewer  actually agree that task-based and content-based teaching can be use to gain the real-life communicative purposes. They provide an opportunity to achieve the successful of teaching oral skills.

Conclusion

               Teaching oral skills are not only critical for communication in the ESL/EFL classroom, they are necessary for communication in, and with the English speaking world. This critical review has given an overview of the theoretical basis for teaching oral skills communicatively, described some features of the oral skills class, detailed a number of speaking activities that promote oral skills development. While it is difficult to predict with certainty what the future holds for language teaching in general, and oral skills pedagogy in particular, it is reasonable to assume that the focus on the sociolinguistic and sociocultural dimensions of oral communication will continue. Content and task based teaching seem certain to remain important aspects of oral pedagogy as well. Indeed, the article brings about significance information for both learners and practitioners. Therefore, as language educators, teachers must remain open to the new developments in order to provide the best possible instruction for our students. By knowing strategies in teaching oral skills, we can create materials which is best suit us.

References

Lazaraton, A. 2001. Teaching Oral Skills. In “Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language.” Celce-Murcia (Ed).  IIIrd edition. Boston:Heinle&Heinle.  pp:103-115.

Lingley, D. 2006. A Task-based Approach to Teaching a Content-based Canadian Studies Course in an EFL Context. Asian EFL Journal, Volume 8, Number 3. pp:122-139.

Nunan, D. 2006. Task-based Language Teaching in the Asia Context: Defining ‘Task’. Asian EFL Journal, Volume 8, Number 3. pp:12-18.

Nunn, R. 2006. Designing Holistic Units for Task-Based Teaching. Asian EFL Journal, Volume 8, Number 3. pp:69-93.

Muller, T. 2006. Researching the Influence of Target Language on Learner Task Performance. Asian EFL Journal, Volume 8, Number 3. pp:165-173.