Teaching Language Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Vocabulary)

Prepared by: Mr. Joshua A. Apolonio, LPT

• English language learners acquired domains in English language such as oral language, vocabulary words,
phonological awareness, listening comprehension, grammar, and the students’ attitudes toward the English
language.

• These domains aim to augment learners’ competencies in terms of the English language, more specifically
on the five (5) macro skills namely: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and vocabulary.

• In the context of first-language acquisition, the language are most often acquired in order of listening first,
then speaking, then possibly reading and writing. For this reason, these capabilities are often called LSRW
skills.

• This may also refer to the English Language Competencies, referred to as the macro skills, including
Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and vocabulary.

• Referring to the teaching strategies of the language instructor

• In this way, the teacher aims to focus on the way he/she will handle the class and on how will the students
automatically listen, speak, read, and write through the application of the language vocabulary usage in the
classroom setting.

• Effective teaching is exemplified by teachers who know what to teach and know how to teach producing
truly learned students – students who are ready to face challenges and thrive in the world.

Activities and Materials for Teaching Language Skills

• These serve as the supplementary materials to enhance the language skills of learners that can be
incorporated in order to enhance the English language skills of learners.

• Globalization and digital age has revolutionized ELT and more emphasis is being laid on communicative
approach rather than teaching English as a language or subject. In today’s corporate world, every
organization is giving utmost importance to communication skills and soft skills. So, English language
teachers should be aware of this opportunity.

Types of Learners

• Visual Learners • Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic Learners

• Auditory Learners • Quick Learners

• Kinesthetic Learners • Slow Learners

• Visual Learners and Auditory learners • Language Barrier Learners (Vernacular

Learners)
• Auditory and Kinesthetic Learners

Visual Learners

• Visual Learners learn primarily throughout the written word.

• They tend to be readers who diligently take down every word.

 • They commonly use books or the internet to get sources, they do paraphrasing, reading, or analysis. They
require their eyes when gathering information and the focus deals more on the reading skill.

Auditory Learners

• Auditory learners learn primarily through listening.

• They focus their ears and attention on the teacher’s words, listening carefully to everything said.

• They like to talk and relish the opportunity to discuss what they have heard rather than write.

• These learners are commonly involved in the conversational process. They are usually active in the class
through oral recitation, debates, or simply by listening to the instructor. The primary aim of this learner is
to gather information through listening (e.g. interviews, second language acquisition, music). They also are
skillful in reporting and are patient in acquiring new knowledge in different issues. They have great
vocabulary skills that are based on what they have listened to.

Kinesthetic Learners

• Kinesthetic learners learn better by doing.

• This group learns best when they practice what they are learning.

• They want to have their hands on keyboard, the hammer, or test tube because they think in terms of
physical action.

• These learners may not always be the best in listening, speaking, or in reading, but they can be the best
when it comes to the skill application. This refers to the physical action applied by the learner. They are
commonly involved in group activities and are engaged in the application of their creativity to their
particular skill.

• It is well known that students learn more when they are involved actively in learning rather than being
passive recipients of instruction. Supplementary materials such as newspapers, cartoons, comics,
storytelling, rhymes, English albums (albums), etc. can be incorporated along with the prescribed texts to
enhance language skills of learners

Skills in Language Teaching

• There are different ways on teaching the 4 language skills, which are Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.
Students can encounter various difficulties in these different skills. They will make mistakes in English pronunciation,
grammar, syntax, vocabulary usage, and spelling.

• You have to remember that there is very often a connection between the native language of a learner and the
mistake he/she makes. (For instance, we are not usually aware that our Filipino Tagalog is sometimes wrong, too).

• Generally, listening comprehension and speaking are the hardest skills for our students, as learners tend to be more
exposed to reading and writing in their everyday lives, than they are to native speakers and communication
situations in English. (One of the reasons why students are not attentive in oral recitation or in listening to teachers).
In class, you will often cover various skills at a time, helping your learners with pronunciation, vocabulary-building,
perfecting their grammar syntax as well as their general fluency.

• Beginners will focus on learning the most frequently used vocabulary for their practical real life needs, whereas
more advanced students will be interested in perfecting their pronunciation, grammar, and complex vocabulary.
 • Although writing may be a familiar skill for some, spelling still poses a difficulty, due to the non-phonetic nature of
the English language: tough, through, trough, thorough, thought… may have similar spellings but very different
pronunciations and red, read (in the simple past) might sound the same – they are homonyms – they are spelled
differently.

• Furthermore, vocabulary – also known as the lexis – is the cause of more difficulties, due to collocations, phrasal
verbs, idioms, proverbs, and other regional differences in vocabulary usage.

• Formal vs. informal English and learners sometimes struggle to find an effective method of expanding their English
vocabulary knowledge.

Language Acquisition Skills through Teaching Tools

• The growing population of English learners in foreign schools has left teachers underprepared to effectively support
their unique linguistic and academic needs.

• As noted in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) standards, technology can provide meaningful
adaptations to support content instruction and language development for ELs.

• Tools such as infographics, digital word walls, and digital storytelling are all effective for building background

• Tools such as infographics, digital word walls, and digital storytelling are all effective for building background,
deepening understanding of language and content through multiple and varied interactions, and promoting
collaboration and communication – all important indicators of ELs’ success in mainstream classrooms.

Infographics/ Information graphics

• These can be created and used by both the teacher and students.

• The visual elements of infographics also offer an effective format to communicate information in a variety
of modalities.

Digital Word Walls

• This fosters vocabulary acquisition and provide native language and visual support for ELs.

• Digital storytelling enhances second language acquisition through the integration of reading, writing,
speaking, and listening.

• Students can collaborate, connect, and share keywords and online references on a digital word wall.
Students can also create graphic organizers that map root words and associated meanings, images,
sentence examples, and more.

• Digital tools such as VoiceThread, Puppet Pals, and Book Creator allow students to create and share
material using text, visual, and audio formats.
Other Tools for Language Teaching

• Corpora

This has been used for the making of dictionaries and reference works. This can be used to identify the frequent
words used by the native speakers in a language.

Teachers can tap on the patterns from the corpora to teach L2 vocabulary. This can be done in scaffolding, where
teachers introduce a certain number of words at the beginning stage (e.g. English) and gradually introduce more as
learners advance.

• Computer-assisted Language Learning (CALL)

CALL is the computer applications in language teaching and learning. Teachers can use CALL for content delivery
(e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint) or classroom activities (e.g. WebQuests, grammar drills, etc.)

Additionally, CALL could also be used for task-based group work or activities and computer-mediated
communication between students in class such as synchronous online discussions.

Issues and Challenges of ESL/EFL instruction

• Students become overly dependent on the teacher

– Many times, students will automatically look to the teacher for correct answers instead of trying
themselves.

• Persistent use of first-language

– When teaching English as foreign language, this is possibly the most common problem. As an ESL
teacher, it is important to encourage students to use English.

• Student is defiant, rowdy, or distracting of others

– If the entire class is acting up, it may be the fault of the teacher, i.e. boring material or poor
classroom management.

– To resolve this issue, an ESL teacher must be strict and institute discipline needed. If it continues to
happen, further disciplinary action through the school’s director could be pursued.

• Students “hi-jack lesson” – The lesson does not go where you want it to.

– If the lesson strays too far off topic, in a direction you do not want it to go, it is important to correct
the problem by diverting the conversation.

• Personalities clash

– If drama arises between certain students, the easiest solution is to separate them from one
another.

• Students unclear what to do, or do the wrong thing

– It is important to make your instruction are clear.

• Students are bored, inattentive, or unmotivated

– Fortunately, with proper planning, this problem can be resolved.

 • Strong student dominance

– As an ESL teacher, you will encounter learners with different capabilities and language skills. While,
it is good to have some students who excel in the classroom, it is important that they don’t take
away from others.

• Students are unprepared

– The last thing you want as an ESL teacher is for learners to drop out simply because they felt lost
and/or unprepared. Concentrate on a more shared learning experience.

• Tardiness

– Make sure they are disciplined. Set rules about tardiness and penalties for breaking them.

Approaches in Teaching Language Skills

• Grammar Translation Method

– The approach has strong structural underpinnings and the emphasis is on the correct use of
grammar, regardless of the substance of the text.

– This approach is best when the goal is for the students to read/write the target language, as well as
appreciate its literature.

• Direct Approach

– It is a response to the Grammar-translation school and, this time, rather than the written form, the
emphasis is on the spoken language and the development of oral skills.

– Only target language is used in the class

• Reading Approach

– The type of student that most appreciates this method probably never intends to interact with
native speakers in the target language

– For example: A culinary student whose only desire is to make lots of delicious food and understand
the French techniques in her gastronomie book.

– Requires only one linguistic skill: Reading comprehension

• Audiolingual Approach

– Also known as “The Army Method”

– This gives higher priority to the spoken form than the written form. Classes are generally held using
the target language.

– In this way, languages are taught through a system of reinforcement if it makes the students feel
good about themselves or about the situation.

• Communicative Approach

– This seeks to develop those skills that enable students to meaningfully engage with each other.
 – As the teacher, your responsibility is to give the students as much opportunity to give and receive
meaningful communication as possible.

– In the Communicative Approach, students experience the target language as experienced by native
speakers.

• The Silent Way

– Proponents of this “alternative” approach believe that teaching too much can sometimes get in the
way of learning.

– The Silent Way uses silence as a teaching tool.

– Teachers encourage learners to be independent, to discover, and figure out language for
themselves.

• Community Language Learning

– The class learns together as one unit

– When the teacher is satisfied that the first student got the pronunciations right, students deliver
their statement to the group again.

– The conversation is then transcribed and mined for language lessons featuring grammar,
vocabulary and subject-related content

• Functional-notional Approach

– Recognizes language as purposeful communication

– In essence, we have verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives and so on in order to express language
functions and notions.

– When we speak, we do it to inform, persuade, insinuate, agree, question, request, evaluate, and
perform other “functions”. We do it to talk about concepts (“notions”) like time, events, action,
place, technology, process, emotion, etc.

• Natural Approach

– This takes its cues from how first language is naturally learned by children. That process is then
simulated for teaching adults a second language.

– In addition, the Natural Approach sees a difference between “Learning” and “Acquiring”

• Total Physical Response

– An approach to language teaching where gestures, actions, and movements play a vital role in
language acquisition.

– TPR believes that when your students see movement and when they themselves move, their brains
create more neural connections that make for more efficient language acquisition.