Development of English speaking and conversation skills in LEP students

focus on talking

When the department head asked me to “focus on developing speaking skills” with a group of supposedly upper-intermediate adult college students, I embarked on a program that involved multiple integrated skills. These were LEP students with passable knowledge of grammar, but below-standard oral communication skills. His English speaking skills were in dire need of development.

Speaking and listening are complementary language skills. (S. Thornbury, 2002; Brown and Yule, 1983) “If you can say it, you will understand it when you hear it” is a mantra with which I have taught and learned languages ​​for over a decade of my English. language teaching experience.

Useful criteria

In developing speaking and conversation skills, I have found the following strategies to be helpful:

o Use a survey or questionnaire to determine student interests, backgrounds, learning styles, etc. (L.M. Lynch, 2004)

o Play speaking and vocabulary games to practice

o Give frequent and regularly recorded oral assessments
(M. Thompson, 2001; Eggan/Kauchak, 1994; Hilles ref. by Thompson, 2001)

A speech development program

The preparation of a speech development program begins with an oral evaluation of each student. A voice recorder or video camera are helpful aids. After playback, the teacher has the opportunity to analyze speech patterns and problems in more detail, looking at such things as:

o Pronunciation (G. Kelly, 2003)

o Connected speech (G. Kelly, 2003)

o Use of grammar in context (M. Swan, C. Walter, 2002)

o Speech Markers

or fluency

o Use of vocabulary/lexicon in context (A: Worrall, 1965; H. Setzler, 1981; R. Dixson, 1983)

Analysis tools

A video recorder (analog or digital) allows the teacher to take note of the physical gestures that accompany the students’ speech, as well as the speech itself. Relevant and recordable speech-associated traits (C. Ashcroft, 1993) include:

o Rolling movement of the body or head

o Arm, hand and/or facial gestures

o Foot tapping, leg swinging

o Posture, head and/or body positions

o Other physical idiosyncrasies

A survey or quiz that takes students just a few minutes to mark, select, or answer short questions can provide the necessary detailed information about their interests, hobbies, family, preferred learning styles, motivations, and other essentials in preparing for and completing the survey. . an effective speech development program.

Effective speaking practice activities

A selection of speaking practice activities should be scheduled to provide multiple opportunities for oral discourse. Although many students are shy or self-conscious about speaking in front of others, with practice this soon decreases to manageable levels as students gain confidence.

Effective activities are those such as:

o Speech – generating games (A. Lloyd, A. Prier, 2000; J. Hadfield, 1984)

o Oral communication – short based activities (P. Ur, A. Wright, 1996)

o Oral presentations (D. Gutiérrez, 2005)

or Dialogues (E. Hall, 1967)

Summary

Since speaking and listening are complementary language skills, by applying a program based on the development of complementary listening and listening comprehension, students can improve their conversational and speaking skills in English through the use of multiple integrated skills-based activities. The use of language experience with adults (K. Kennedy, S. Roeder, 1975) and the teaching of vocabulary/lexicon in context are very beneficial for the development of speaking skills. (V. French, 1983) Regular practice, assignments, and oral production involving a spectrum of oral discourse methods will be an invaluable resource for both the English language learner and the English language teacher.