Chapter 6 Oracy Instruction That Builds on the First Language and Response

Oracy skills are essential if English learners are to participate fully in a democratic society. Speaking involves in number of complex skills and strategies –not only the stringing together of words in proper grammatical sequence but also the organizing the words into coherent, powerful messages that help the speaker attain personal goals. Listening and speaking are integral to communicative competence. This ability begins with oracy training in English-language development.

Teachers of English must become aware that oracy is inextricably joined with cultural identity and social differences, and that opportunities to listen and speak are differentiated according to the individual’s relationship to institutions and sociocultural contexts. Part of the role of the teacher is to help students assimilate and produce discourse not only the purpose of basic interpersonal communication but also for the comprehension and production of cognitive academic language. Research shows that language learners develop best when they have opportunities to interact. It is therefore vital that teachers help students overcome their oral language quietude and help them to develop their speaking ability.

Response to Sujin Kim
She wrote in her writing to create many useful after listening activities can make students’ autonomy in listening. She totally agreed with this sentence: “….listening is only half the work; one must also learn to speak.” Recently, Korea government announced that listening part will be taken up to 50% in regular English exam. Whenever I think listening in English class it reminds me English listening test. But I think it is not a perfect listening. As she said learners must learn to speak based on listening.

Response to Jiyoung Moon
She said teaching listening and speaking is harder than teaching other parts. I I tfel the same a she thinks. In opinion, most students don’t have much experience to speak in daily life or school. Research shows that language learners develop best when they have opportunities to interact (p.153) If so, there are almost 30 students whose English level is different in average normal class in Korea. How teachers can give them a chance to speak with others? Is it effective? It is still also my open question^^