Teaching Speaking: Teaching Oral Skills, Teaching Pronunciation

Introduction
For most people, the ability to speak language is synonymous with knowing that
language since speak is the most basic means of human communication. Nevertheless,
speaking is a second or foreign language has often been viewed as the most demanding of the
four skills (bailey and Savage 1994, p. vii).
The Oral of Skills Class
One basic consideration is the level of the students and their perceived needs. Level
may be determined by a placement test administrated by the institution or by a diagnostic test
given by the teacher. Information on learner needs can be obtained by means of a student
information sheet on which they report the amount of time they spend speaking English, their
future goals, their goals for the course, and their assessment (perhaps a four-point scale from
poor to excellent) of their overall speaking ability, confidence in speaking English, their
pronunciation, social conversation, and listening ability.
Teaching Oral Skills in an EFL Context
However, homogeneous EFL Classes, where all students speak the same first
language and English is not used outside the classroom, present certain additional challenges
for the teacher. In a survey of EFL teachers, Nunan (1993) found the biggest challenges in the
EFL classroom to be lack of motivation, getting students to speak (a cultural issue for some
where speaking in class is prohibited except when called on), and the use of the first
language.
Assessment
Brown and Yule (1983) make several useful recommendations for classroom oral
assessment. First, whenever possible, extended chunks of speech that have a purpose and that
are structured or organized should be elected. A second important suggestion is that the input
given to students, whether it be visual (e.g., a picture for description), aural (e.g., a directive
to tell me about the most exciting day you have had), or interactive (e.g., question in an
interview), be consistent for all examiners.
Teaching Pronunciation

Introduction
In the past, pronunciation instruction usually focused on the articulation of consonants
and vowels and the discrimination of minimal pairs. In recent years, the focus has shifted to
include a border emphasise on suprasegmental features, such as stress and intonation.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE SOUND SYSTEM OF ENGLISH

Thought Groups, it is pauses used to divide our speech manageable chunks.

Prominence, it is a syllable that is emphasized usually by lengthening it and moving the

pitch up or down.
Intonation, it is the melodic line or pitch pattern.
Linking, it is general term for the adjustments speakers make between words in

connected speech.
Consonants. Consonants sounds are characterized by place of articulation, manner of

articulation, and switching.

Vowels. Vowel sounds are he syllable core, the sound within the syllable that resonates
and can be lengthened or shortened.

ASSESSMENT
There are several assessments in speaking skill such as diagnostic evaluation, ongoing feedback, peer feedback, teacher feedback and classroom achievement test.
Developing Childrens Listening and Speaking in ESL
How Children Differ From Adults As Language Learners
Activities need to be child centred and communication should be authentic. This
means that children are listening or speaking about something that interest them, for their
own reasons, and not merely because a teacher has asked them.
How ESL Children Approach Oral Language
Children appear more likely than adults to play with language and may learn through
language play. They enjoy rhythmic and repetitive language more than adults do. They play
with the intonation of a sentence, and most are willing to sing. Children usually are more
suitable if taught using songs, poem and chants. They also can do some dramatic activities. In
addition, children are more suitable if taught using TPR (Total Physical Response)