SPEAKING SKILLS

It is a common desire for all of us to speak a second language well. To do this we need to know
what skills are required to become a good speaker. What are speaking skills?

The ability to speak confidently and fluently is something which children will develop during
their time at school, and something that will help them throughout their life.

Speaking skills are defined as the skills which allow us to communicate effectively. They give us
the ability to convey information verbally and in a way that the listener can understand.

Children will learn English speaking skills as well as speaking skills in other languages, in
primary and secondary school. Learning how to develop English speaking skills is so important
for ESL students and EAL students too. It's one of the most important parts of language learning
as speaking is how we tend to communicate in everyday life.

Speaking is an interactive process where information is shared, and if necessary, acted upon by
the listener. So, it’s important to develop both speaking and listening skills in order to
communicate effectively. The four elements of speaking skills

Vocabulary:

To develop our speaking skills, we first need to know the right words. Vocabulary development
begins when we are infants, as we learn to describe the world around us and communicate our
needs. This progresses from single words to sentences when children are 2 or 3, at which point
they will normally have a vocabulary of 150-300 words.

Vocabulary development is where students understand the meanings and pronunciations of

words necessary for communication. When they understand what a word means, they can check
what the word or sentence means. This is so important so they can keep up a conversation. If
they understand what the other person is saying and they know what vocabulary to say back,
they are halfway there to communicating effectively.

Did you know that to be considered fluent in a language, you need to have a vocabulary of
around 10,000 words?

Of course, if you don’t have the words to say what you want to say, then you cannot say it. Being
a good speaker means constantly growing you’re vocabulary. The more interesting words you
know, the stronger your speaking skills. The best way to grow your vocabulary is to read in
English and make a note of any new words that you encounter in a vocabulary notebook.
Grammar:

Grammar does matter and the fewer mistakes you make, the better your speaking skill will be.
However, do not worry about making mistakes either! A good speaker does not have to use
perfect grammar. Certainly, though, it is a good idea to make sure that you have mastered the
major tenses.You may think that grammar is something we only need for written language. But
grammar includes lots of important areas for spoken language such as an understanding of tenses
and the correct way to structure sentences. Grammar helps us to convey information in a way
that the listener will recognise and understand.

Pronunciation:

Understanding how to correctly pronounce words is another important element of speaking

skills. We learn how to pronounce words by listening to those around us, such as our parents,
friends and teachers. Pronunciation varies from country to country, and even city to city!

A lot of this comes from phonemic awareness. This involves understanding the small units that
make up spoken language. English can differ quite a lot compared to other languages. Some
phonemes might not be in ESL students' native languages and children's minds are trained to
categorise phonemes in their first language, so it can become confusing. Developing this ability
in English can come from playing language games and using songs and poems to reiterate
rhythm and repetition. Phonics is where students start to see the relationship between the sounds
of spoken language and graphemes which are the letters and spellings representing sounds in
written language.

Fluency

Fluency in spoken language is something that naturally develops as children go through school,
as they are using and practising speaking skills every day. Reading widely (and out loud) is a
good way to improve fluency as it introduces children to new vocabulary and reinforces their
knowledge of spoken language.

Fluency is the ability to hear words and understand them straight away. If they see a word
written down, they can read it aloud and pronounce it properly. Ways to develop this include
guiding your students to read passages out loud. You could also get your students to read aloud
in front of the class. This builds their confidence and also helps them to annunciate better.

The more fluent your students are in English, the more interesting, exciting and insightful
conversations they can have.

Why are speaking skills important to learn?

Speaking skills are one of the most important skills we learn, as they allow us to communicate
with others and express our thoughts and feelings. Speaking skills can be separated into formal
and informal speaking skills, and we use both types of speaking skills in a variety of contexts
throughout life.

Informal speaking skills are important for conversations with friends and family, helping us to
form emotional connections. Formal speech, on the other hand, is necessary for workplaces, in
presentations or for conversations with people you don’t know. Formal language is important as
it helps us to make a good impression on people and communicate politely.

Student, speaking skills are considered the most important part of learning a language. In fact,
many language learners measure their performance by how well they can speak it. As most
effective foreign language learning takes place through interaction, it's a skill that can be honed
to really build an understanding of the language and culture of English-speaking countries.

Yet it can be so easy to find speaking daunting or challenging. It isn't as straightforward as we

may like. Teachers need to encourage students to speak as much as possible. They can make it as
fun as the structure of their lessons will allow. This might be through role-play, group work or
even projects.

PRONUNCIATION

Pronunciation is a complex area, with a lot of sub skills that can be practiced. The basic rule of
thumb is that an average speaker can speak and be understood. A skilled speaker can use the sub
skills of pronunciation to emphasise and make the communicative effect of their speech more
impactful. The sub skills of pronunciation include: word and sentence stress, intonation, rhythm
and the use of the individual sounds of a language. A good way to practice your pronunciation is
to copy! Simply listen to how someone with good pronunciation speaks, and try to imitate them
as closely as possible

FLUENCY

Fluency is about how comfortable and confident you are in speaking English. If you can speak
for an extended period of time, that is an indicator of strong fluency. It is also about showing a
clear connection between each point that you are trying to make. This skill means that the
listener can follow what you are saying and does not get lost.

Speaking skills on the National Curriculum

The National Curriculum states that spoken language is a crucial part of learning English in
schools. Throughout primary school, children will learn to:

 Listen and respond to teachers and classmates

 Build their vocabulary

 Use spoken language to express feelings, give explanations and describe

  Ask questions to increase their understanding

 Participate in drama, conversations, role play, discussions and debates

 Understand formal and informal speech

 Listen and understand different points of view

 Hold the attention of the listener

How to develop English speaking skills with students

Practice makes perfect when it comes to developing English speaking skills. Listening to
English, understanding grammar and reading can all help slightly, but they're never going to
improve English speaking skills to the extent it is possible. Your class need to actually speak. As
ESL students, understanding the nature of English can be a real struggle. Students with different
native languages can be at a disadvantage because of the nature of English.

Here are some helpful tips on how to develop English speaking skills:

 Learn new vocabulary in phrases - although learning new words and their pronunciation
is always beneficial, some words need to be learnt in phrases to be of much use when
speaking in English.

For example, a cup of coffee might be more useful than just learning "coffee"

 Focus on pronunciation. Although learning lots of vocabulary can boost English skills, if
these words aren't pronounced correctly it can be easy to misunderstand what the student
is saying. A top tip to ensure students pronounce the words they've learnt correctly could
be to try some tongue twisters. For example, this PowerPoint full of tongue-
twisters would be really useful to get your class practising.

 Ensure they understand how English flows. With ESL students, an important focus
on how to develop English speaking skills is to get them into the flow of how English is
usually spoken. This is because often their native language has a very different flow.
Native speakers of English link words together, often resulting in a sound disappearing,
or a new sound being made. There are often some syllables stressed that wouldn't be in
other languages or a different rhythm overall.

 Get them to practice self-talk. This involves getting them to talk loudly in English to
themselves. This could be before completing a task, such as "shall we go and grab a
coffee?" to "I need to go to the gym tonight."

 Encourage your students to download practice apps. This can break down difficult
language into manageable chunks that can be practised on the go at regular intervals
 ETIQUETTE IN SPEAKING AND LISTENING

TURN-TAKING

Being a cyclical process, turn taking starts with one person speaking, and
continues as the speaker gives control to the next individual. This is then
offered to another person and then back to the original speaker. Orderly
conversation has to take place.

A turn is a crucial element within turn taking. Each person takes turn within the
conversation – either in person or on phone.

Achieving Smooth Turn Taking

It is achieved with:

1. Using specific polite phrases, for example, those for,

 Interrupting
 Accepting the turn when offered it
 Keeping your turn
 Getting other people speaking, etc.

2. Using gestures to indicate you have completed what you are saying or
that you want to say something. You drop your arm when you have
completed and raise it when you want to say something.
3. Varying the intonation to show you have or have not finished speaking.
4. Use noises like ‘uming’ and ‘ahing’ while thinking so as not to lose your
turn.
Turn Taking Cues

There are various ways of signaling a finished turn. They might be indicated
when the current speaker:

1. Asks a question, for example, ‘ Did you want to add anything?’

2. Trails off (his/her voice becomes weaker to the extent you may not
hear his words)
 3. Indicates they are done speaking with a closing statement, for
example, ‘That’s all I wanted to say.’or ’I think I have made my
point.’
4. Uses marker words (those that allow the other a chance to speak), for
example, ‘well…’ or ‘so…’
5. Drops the pitch or volume of their voice at the end of their utterance.
This is the use of falling intonation.
6. Uses gestures to signal that another can contribute.
Violations in Turn-Taking

There are five well known turn-taking violations in a conversation. They are:
interruptions, overlaps, grabbing the floor, hogging the floor, and silence. Do
you know what they really are? If you don’t, read the explanations for the
violations in that order.

1. Inhibiting the speaker from finishing their sentences during their turn.
2. Talking at the same time as the current speaker. This is interruptive
overlap. However, cooperative overlap is encouraged as it shows you
are interested in the message.
3. Interrupting and then taking over the turn before being offered it.
4. Taking over the floor and ignoring other people’s attempt to take the
floor.
5. Remaining without saying anything for quite some time.
The List of Turn-Taking Phrase

To interrupt;

 Before I forget, …
 I don’t like to interrupt, but ….
 I wouldn’t usually interrupt, but …
 I’m afraid I have to stop you there.
 I will let you finish in a minute/second/moment ….
 May I interrupt?
To accept the turn when offered it;

 I won’t take long.

 What I wanted to say was …
To stop other people from interrupting you during your turn use;

 I have just one more point to make

 I have nearly finished
 Before you have your say …
 I haven’t quite finished my point yet
 I know you’re dying to jump in, but….
To offer the turn to another use;

 …., right?
 But that’s enough from me.
 Can you give me your thoughts on …?
 Does anyone want to say anything before I move on?
 How about you?
To take the turn back after being interrupted;

 As I was saying (before I was interrupted)

 To get back on topic…
 Carrying on from where we left on…
Note: The list is endless, and you can come up with other appropriate phrases.

INTERRUPTING AND DISAGREEING POLITELY

 English is a polite language. For this reason, it is advisable to indirectly

contradict a person. It is rude to do it directly.
 Although conversation is a two way street, interrupting a speaker is
usually regarded as rude. However, at times you need to interrupt.
When then can one interrupt?
 You can only interrupt to:
 Ask a question;
 Make a correction;
 Offer an opinion; and
 Ask for clarification.
In this section, we shall learn how to interrupt and disagree politely.
Steps to Interrupting

It is important to take note of the following steps when interrupting a speaker

during a conversation or during a discussion:

1. Signal to the speaker that you have something to contribute by

implementing the body language such as:

 Making eye contact;

 Slightly raising your hand;
 Sitting forward on your seat;
 Quietly clearing your throat; or
 Coughing quietly.

2. Wait patiently until the speaker pauses or incase of a lull in the

conversation.
3. Speak clearly using polite phrases. These phrases will be learnt later.
4. Wait for the speaker to acknowledge your request to speak before you
do so.
5. After you have spoken, thank the speaker and allow them continue.
6. Take a deep breath and calm yourself before interrupting when you
feel angry or annoyed.
7. Take care to use low tone of voice.
Avoid:

1. Unnecessary interruptions.
2. Finishing speaker’s sentences.
3. Interrupting to correct the speaker unnecessarily.
4. Speaking harshly or using disparaging comments.
Phrases used in Interruption

Below is the list of phrases which you can use to politely interrupt someone:

 May I say something here?

 I am sorry to interrupt, but …
 Excuse me, may I add to that…?
  Do you mind if I jump in here?
 Before we move on to the next point, may I add …?
 Sorry, I didn’t catch that, is it possible to repeat the last point?
 I don’t mean to intrude ….
 Sorry to butt in, but …
 Would this be a good time to ….?
 Excuse the interruption, but …
 I hate to interrupt, but …
 I know it is rude to interrupt, but …
How to Disagree Politely

The tips that follow will help you handle disagreements without annoying the
other person in a discussion or discussion:

1. Actively listen to the other person’s point of view. This helps in showing
respect and understanding of the other person’s perspective.
2. Stay calm even if you feel angry.
3. Acknowledge the other person’s point of view before the buts.
4. Disagree only with the person’s idea but not he person.
5. Use polite phrases to respectfully disagree.
6. Speak in a low tone.
7. Give some credence to the other person’s point of view before
challenging it. For example, say: It’s partly true that I bought this
phone at a cheap price, but …
Disagreeing Politely Expressions

 I agree up to a point, but …

 I see your point, but …
 That’s partly true, but …
 I’m not so sure about that.
 That’s not entirely true
 I am sorry to disagree with you, but …
 I’m afraid I have to disagree
  I must take issue with you on that
 It’s unjustifiable to say that..
NEGOTIATION SKILLS

 This is the process of discussion between towo or more disputants,

aimed at finding the solution to a common problem.
 It is a method by which people settle their differences.
 It is also the process by which a compromise or agreement is reached
while avoiding arguiment.
 There could be a difference between people with different aims or
intentions, especially in business or politics. When this happens, they
have to reach an agreement.
 Negotiation skills will be helpful when:
 Haggling over the price of something;
 Negotiating with your employer e.g. for higher salary;
 Negotiating for peace/ solving conflict;
 Negotiating for better services; etc.
Stages Of Negotiation

1. Preparation comes first. During this time, ensure all the pertinent facts
of the situation is known in order to clarify your own position. It will
help in avoiding wasting time unnecessarily.
2. Discussion then follows. This is the time to ask questions, listen and
make things easier to understand. At times, it is helpful to take notes
to record all points put forward.
3. Negotiate towards a win-win outcome. Each party has to be satisfied at
the end of the process.
4. Agreement comes after understanding both sides’ viewpoints and
considering them.
5. Implement the course of action. If for example, paying the amount, it
has to be paid.
Points Every Negotiator Should Consider

1. Ask questions, confirm and summarise. These three activities ensure

that there is no confusion on what each party wants.
 2. Acknowledge each other’s point of view. Show that you have listened
to and understood their perspective. Show appreciation of the other
person’s point of view.
3. Listen attentively to the other person.
4. Respond to negative comments and complaints. Avoid confrontational
language.
5. Behave in a confident way, but don’t be rude. Make polite but firm
requests.
6. Give options/alternatives. You can both win if you recognise that you
share a common ground.
Exercise

You are planning to buy a new model car.

 Write down three relevant facts you would want to know before going
to buy the car.
 State any three hints for the negotiators you would consider when
haggling over the price of that car.

PAYING ATTENTION (LISTENING)

Listening is different from hearing. When you listen, you understand both the
verbal and non verbal information.

Why should you listen? You listen:

 To obtain information
 To understand the message
 For enjoyment
 To learn
In this section, we shall learn the techniques of active listening.

Techniques of Paying Attention

In order to benefit from a talk as the listener, you should take note of the
following key tips:
1. keep an open mind. Listen without judging the speaker or mentally
criticizing their message they pass. You just have to hold your criticism
and withhold judgment.
2. Familiarize yourself with the topic under discussion. Audience tend to
listen more if they have idea of the topic being discussed. How then
can one familiarize himself/ herself with the subject? They can do this
by:

 Reading from the books.

 Reading from the internet.
 Asking for ideas from those who know.

3. Use the speaker responses to encourage the speaker to continue

speaking. You will also get the information you need if you do so.
Some of the speaker responses we use include:

 Slightly nodding the head, but occasionally.

 Smile occasionally.
 Using small verbal comments like yes, uh huh, mmmh, I see, etc.
 Reflecting back e.g. you said …

4. Take notes on the important points. This can in itself be a distractor.

You should therefore know when to and when not to take notes.
5. Listen for the main ideas. These are the most important points the
speaker wants to get across and are repeated several times.
6. Wait for the speaker to pause before asking a clarifying question. Just
hold back.
7. Avoid distractions. Don’t let your mind wander or be distracted by
other people’s activities. If the room is too cold or too hot get the
solution to that situation if possible.
8. Sit properly. Sit upright
9. Make eye contact with the speaker. when you do this you will be able
to understand the nonverbal messages too.