Subject Assignment: Developing Language Skills in the Classroom

SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT: DEVELOPING LANGUAGE SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM

Names and surname(s):

Barrios Nataly

Lagos Eduardo

Group:

2015-02

Subject:

Developing Language Skills in the Classroom

INDEX

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………3

The learning theories implicit in the way the units are presented and developed..................................................................................................................3

The extent to which the skills are integrated………………………………………………………………………………..4

The product-process aspects of the two units………………………………………………………………………..…………….5

The ‘authentic/genuine’ aspects……………………………………………………………………..…………....6

The issue of simplification of text….……………………………………………………...…………………………….6

The relationship between the skills work and the learning/practice of grammar, The opportunities for production (oral and written) the units provide, The types of production required, The variety (or otherwise) of the activity types……….……………………………………………………………………...…..6-10 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………10

INTRODUCTION

Every time we teach a second language it is relevant to keep in mind to include the four skills, listening, reading, speaking and writing, in any learning process, since they are to build the fully management of English in our students. Traditionally we have viewed writing and speaking as the output of the second language acquisition process and listening and reading as the input; however, it is important to go deeper and see how useful would be putting together the four skills and give equal relevance to each.

Consequently, through this assignment we want to get to our readers, especially teachers by making them reflect on the role they are doing in class and think about their previous experiences dealing with issues linked to how to develop the four skills on the students, studying carefully how connected the four skills are and making a contrast between the text materials about “Bachillerato Made easy” and the “Botellón” article as well, and to conclude we will provide our own conclusions about them.

The learning theories implicit in the way the units are presented and developed. With reference to the different L2 learning theories from the past until now, we as teachers can say that our Ss are required to use the L2 effectively by using the four skills in real situations, then we can talk about a competent user. To be more specific, Swan (1990) claims that “learners need a systematic practice in both receptive and productive skills”, this can create chaos since some teachers lead their classes based on their experiences and intuitions than following the applied linguistics tenants (Scott Thombury, 1997). Nevertheless as David Nunan (1991:228) states, it has not existed and it will not exist a unique method for teaching a second language.

For Bachillerato Made Easy material, regarding the final essay as the outcome, following a lot of reading and grammar activities, being the latter very emphasized, we can say that this material is close to the ‘Traditional Approach’, since it demands the use of translation to L1, a lot use of grammar, some of them are isolated from context. It could be better to introduce these language notions gradually through readings (Richard and Rogers1986: 11).

In “Botellón” material, the unit is centered on the ‘speaking skill’, there is a topic taken from a real context, the Ss are to read and respond some questions through an interactive and dynamic process (Nunan, 1989) in order to create a ‘collaborative discourse’ (McGregor, 1986); therefore the teacher’s L2 use in class is vital during these stages, and he/she must keep in mind to focus the class on the Ss L2 exchanges and oral speech (Ellis, 1994: 79). Besides, with this material, the teacher may make use of ‘grouping’ strategies considering that he/she might save time and be more effective at the moment of getting constant oral production from Ss in class.

The extent to which the skills are integrated. The activities in “Bachillerato” Made Easy material begin with Speaking, it suggests to discuss the statements in groups, being a decisive characteristic of communicative language teaching (Ellis, 1994:598). Moreover, helping students rehearse their oral abilities, to increment their fluency, to upgrade their speech, to make them familiarize with some vocabulary to introduce the topic and finally to motivate them to learn (Long and Porter, cf. Ellis, Ibid.).

In regard to ‘Reading’ the material tries an appealing topic for students to read, being about their peers’ relationships; so, it

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