Speaking Skill 1

Speaking Skill
Definition: Speaking can be defined as “action of saying something in order to convey some information or to express a feeling to others”.
Importance of Speaking: Speaking of a language is as necessary and important as listening. It is not sufficient that a learner can
understand a language but he cannot communicate (i.e. speak) his ideas with other. The basic and foremost aim of learning a language
is to communicate. The first duty of a man is to speak. A child also cries at the moment he is born. Speaking is also very important skill
for successful communication. Mostly people spend 30% of their time on speaking. It clearly shows that speaking has vital role in life.
Purposes of Speaking: Generally, we speak for following purposes.
1. To Inform: The most important purpose of speaking is to inform. Through speaking, we can give information to the audience about
any topic, project or progress etc. Speech will carry value only when it is has information for the audience, otherwise it is useless.
2. To Persuade: It is said that all speech is persuasion. Mostly, the speaker and the audience communicate between them for the
purpose of persuading each other on any point. A speaker begins by giving facts and figures. He also offers arguments in defense.
3. To Explain: A speaker can also explain a topic or a situation etc. to others. Speaking can remove doubts about a thing/topic. It may
increase interest in a concept which in under-discussion. The speaker may compare two things for explaining or concluding a topic.
4. To Amuse/Entertain: A speech may also be used for the purpose of amusing the audience e.g. narrating jokes or funny events etc.
5. To Comfort: Many people may also face loss in life. The purpose of speech is to comfort a group of people who suffered any type of
loss in their life. In such a speech, the audience feels relieved and gains new confidence for hard work and struggle for new goals.
Process of Speaking: There are three stages of speaking process. 1. Breathing stage 2. Phonation stage 3. Articulation stage
Problems/Barriers in Speaking: Following are some of the barriers/problems or obstacles which do not make the speaking successful.
1. Lack of Planning: Lack of planning is the biggest barrier in the way of effective speaking. Often a speaker does not give proper
attention to the subject, situation, place, audience, duration or nonverbal aids. Such speeches do not succeed.
2. Poor Atmosphere: The atmosphere in which words are delivered plays a vital role in the success of a speech. The atmosphere of
dark room, abnormal temperature, noise, stink etc. would never help in producing a good speech.
3. Wrong Diction: A major reason for failure of a speech is that the words of the speaker are not understandable. It happens when the
speaker has not analyzed the audience. With the use of unfamiliar words, the speaker creates troubles for the audience.
4. Poor Body Language: In a speech, the speaker is on observation. The people not only listen to him but also observe him. Excessive
gestures, body movements, fidgeting & facial expressions divert the attention of the audience. Gestures should only help the words.
5. Faulty Delivery: The style of a speaker is very important for a successful speech. If the accent, volume, tone, speed or pronunciation
is faulty, the audience will not understand the message and they’ll be bored. Producing extra sounds also leaves a bad impression.
Techniques of Improving Speaking: Following steps should be taken to improve speaking. Speaker must keep these points in mind.
1. Prepare Well: Like any other activity, speaking also requires preparation. A good speech requires these steps.
1. Determine purpose 3. Select the main ideas 5. Organize the data
2. Analyze the audience 4. Research the topic 6. Rehears the talk
2. Find An English-Speaking Partner: Speaker must try to find a person who is expert in English speaking. He can improve speaking.
3. Know the Situation: is also necessary. The situation may require short or long speech. It may range from a few minutes to an hour.
4. Moderate Vocal Behavior: Our voice is our trademark. Vocal behavior includes accent, volume, tone, speed, voice quality and
pronunciation. He should pay attention to his speed. Moreover, he should pronounce words correctly.
5. Listen As Well As Speak: When practicing with a speaker, we should try to balance our listening and speaking. It’s a good idea to
prepare questions in advance so that the conversation will flow back and forth.
6. Record Your Conversation Practice: Recording is a good step to get the maximum benefit from a conversation with a speaker. When
we listen again, we can evaluate our own pronunciation. We can also check those areas where we need some improvements.
7. Surround Yourself With The English Language: Another way to improve our English speaking skills is to immerse ourselves in English
as much as possible. Learner should watch movies in English, with subtitles if he needs them, and watch the same programs over
and over. Most people find that they understand more each time.
8. Practice with Music and Movies: Listen to music in English and sing along. Music is one of the best tools for learning intonation &
pronunciation. Listening to and singing songs might also help remember vocabulary and phrases (if the song is easy to understand).
Movies are a much better choice for learning English. Apart from speaking skill, they are also helpful in improving listening skill.
9. Read Aloud: Reading something loudly is a great way to practice speaking when there are no conversation-partners available.
Reading aloud also gives us a chance to focus on pronunciation. Moreover, we can also build and get confidence.
10. Talk to Yourself: Saying your thoughts loud or narrating your actions (e.g. “I am drinking coffee, and now I’m going to open my
book…”) can be a very effective way to practice spoken English. By talking to yourself, you can become more fluent in translating
your thoughts into spoken words. Practicing alone is also a low-pressure way to practice, since no one will hear your mistakes.
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Composed by M. Khalid (Lecturer in English) Govt. Postgraduate College, Haripur

Composed by M. Khalid (Lecturer in English) Govt. Postgraduate College, Haripur

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Composed by M. Khalid (Lecturer in English) Govt. Postgraduate College, Haripur

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