How to Practice Language

HOW TO PRACTICE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

 

 

2.1 Four Language Skills

            Oxford (1989) utters that gaining a new language necessarily involves developing four modalities in varying degrees and combinations: listening, reading, speaking and writing. Among language teachers, these modalities are known as the four language skills, or just four skills. Culture and grammar are sometimes called skills, too, but they are somewhat different from the big four; both of these intersect and overlap with listening, reading, speaking and writing in particular ways. The term skill simply means ability, expertness, or proficiency. Skills are gained incrementally during the language development process.

 

2.2 Motor Skills Need Practice

Lewis, M and Hill, J (1990:35) says that language learning involves skills of different types, and some of these skills are purely physical. Recognizing and making the distinctions between /b/ and /p/, /l/ and /r/, if you are not familiar with these distinctions in your own language, requires a lot of practice.

At all stages of learning, but particularly the early stages, students need a lot of practice of simply “getting their tongues around the world. And repetition is an important part of language learning.

 

2.3 Practicing Strategies

            In learning language we need a lot of practice. Wenden and Rubin (1987: 24) say that practice refer to strategies which contribute to the storage and retrieval of language while focusing on accuracy of usage. It involves strategies such as: repetition, rehearsal, and experimentation, application of rules, imitation, and attention to detail. Whereas Oxford (1989: 70) states that practicing strategies are essential in learning a new language. He proposes five practicing strategies that can be applied to four language skills as follows:

1. Repeating

The followings are the strategy applied to the four language skills: 

Ø  One use of this strategy is repeatedly listening to native speakers of the new language on a tape or record, with or without silent rehearsal (repeating the words to one-self mentally). For example, Milton listens to the weather report in French every day while eating breakfast. He is now very familiar with weather-related terms such as le solei (sun), chaud (hot), froid (cold) and il fait beau (the weather is fine).

 

Ø  The strategy of repeating might mean reading a passage more than once to understand it more completely. A profitable technique is to read a passage several times, each time for different purposes: for example, to get the general drift or the main ideas, to predict, to read for detail, to write down questions, and so on. The learner might also take notes about a reading passage and then review them several times.

 

Ø  Repetition also might involve saying or writing the same thing several times. A well-known language teaching method, Suggestopedia, asks teachers and students to repeat the same oral passage several times, each time saying the passage at a different speed by matching it to the cadence of a different kind of music being played.

 

Ø  Imitation of native user of language is another repeating technique used for both speaking and writing. Mindless or meaningless imitation is generally not worthwhile. In imitating native speakers, learners can improve their pronunciation and their use of structures, vocabulary, idioms, intonation, gestures, and style. Help your students by providing varied examples of target language speech and writing for them to imitate. Help your student by providing varied examples of the target language speech and writing for them to imitate.

 

Ø  In writing, still another use of the repeating strategy is revising, that is, going through a written draft in detail (usually more than once) in order to correct or amend it. Nothing ever rolls off the pen or the keyboard perfectly the first time, so revising is almost always necessary. Writers revise in different ways. For instance, some treat writing and revision as distinct phases, while others revise as they write in a continuous, ongoing process. Also, not every detail is always covered in any single revising effort. Sometimes writers concentrate on specific things for one revision (for instance, expressing the main themes clearly) and other things for another revision (e.g., checking punctuation) help your students learn the best way to revise their writing, and help them avoid becoming bogged down in a premature and fruitless quest for perfection.  

 

2. Formally practicing with sounds and writing systems

The followings are the strategy applied to the four language skills: 

Ø  In listening, this strategy is often focused on perception of sounds (pronunciation and intonation) rather than on comprehension of meaning. Here are some instances of formally practicing with sounds. Leni marks the stress in the English sentence “I’m terribly tired; I think I’ll go and have a rest” (I’m/ terribly/ tired; I/think I’ll/ go and/ have a rest). Haruko, a learner of English, listens to different words containing the letters ough, a combination that sounds different in various words: through, though, tough, and through. She creates her own phonetic spelling of these words (throo, thow, tuff, and troff) to understand them better.

 

Ø  In speaking, tapes or records assist this strategy well. Some tape arrangements allow learners to record themselves so they can hear and compare their own voices with a native speaker’s voice.

 

Ø  This strategy also centers on learning new writing systems necessary for using the target language. Of course, language learners do not always have to learn a new writing system, but many languages have alphabets, syllabaries, or idiographic systems that differ from the learners’ own writing system. Formal practice with writing systems can include copying letters, copying words, comparing similar-sounding words in the native and target languages in terms of their written representation, using visual imagery and humor to remember new symbols, and putting symbols into meaningful verbal contexts.

 

3. Recognizing and using formulas and patterns

Recognizing and using routine formulas and patterns in the target language greatly enhance the learner’s comprehension and production. Formulas are unanalyzed expressions, while patterns have at least one slot that can be filled with an alternative word. Teach students such expressions as whole chunks early in their language learning process. These routines will help build self-confidence, increase understanding, and enhance fluency.

Here are some of common formulas:

Hello.

Good-bye.

How are you?

Some formulas are most often used for the express purpose of managing conversations. Teach learners to recognize these formulas as used by native speakers, and to say these formulas to continue in a conversation or show interest. Conversation management formulas include target language equivalents of expressions like this:

Yes, that’s right.

And what happened then?

That’s not so bad.

In addition to the formulas above, many useful patterns exist in every language. Help your students to understand these patterns when they hear or read them, and to say or write them when appropriate. Examples include the following:

I don’t know how to………..

I would like to………….

4. Recombining

The strategy of recombining involves constructing a meaningful sentence or longer expression by putting together known elements in new ways. The result might be serious or silly, but it always provides useful practice. For instance, Rosine, a learner of English, knows the three expressions weather’s fine, I think I’d like…., and take a walk. In practicing her spoken English, she creates the following new sentence from these three expressions with some additional words: the weather’s fine today, so I think I’d like to take a walk.

The recombining strategy can be used in writing as well as in speaking. One way to use it is to string together two or more known expressions into a written story. For example, Ferenc, who is learning English, known some terms for everyday tasks, such as going to the store, going to the Laundromat, washing clothes, getting some gas, and going to the library. He writes a little story about a man who does all these things in the same afternoon

But the recombining strategy does not always imply stringing together items in this way; it might involve using known forms, such as going to the concert, with different pronouns, such as he, she, we, they, you. For instance, Natalya writes, He’s going to the concert, but she’s not. We’re going to the concert, too. I hope you’ll go with us!

 

5. Practicing naturalistically

This strategy, of course, centers on using the language for actual communication. Any of the four skills, or a combination, might be involved. Because, teacher often have a great influence on the availability of practice opportunities, the following discussion details certain instructional or teaching strategies that you can use to make it easier for your students to exercise the learning strategy of practicing naturalistically.

Ø  As applied to listening, this strategy involves understanding the meaning of the spoken language in as naturalistic a context as possible. Help your students feel they are learning a language they can use, and give them confidence in their ability to succeed in listening tasks. To do this, use live speech for listening comprehension exercises as much as possible.

Ø  Practicing naturalistically also means using the language in an authentic way for reading comprehension. The most common medium for reading material is print. Target language newspapers and magazines are often available at newsstands, or reader can subscribe. In addition, books in other languages are obtainable in libraries and shops or by mail order. Readily available menus, advertisements, brochures, pamphlets, department store catalogues, comic books, university catalogues, travel brochures and timetables all provide cultural information as well as practice in reading the language. Spend some class time having students write letters to request some of these materials. Also encourage students to collect and share print material in the new language as a basis for reading exercises. Help your students practice their reading by reading those active and interesting reading tasks.

 

Ø  In speaking area, practicing naturalistically involves practice in speaking the language for realistic communication. Speaking with other people in natural settings provides interactive, rapid, personal communication. Being in the country or community where the target language is spoken natively, either as a permanent resident or temporary visitor, is the best way to find opportunities for practice in speaking.

 

However, even without traveling to the country where the language is spoken, it is possible to converse with native speakers’ right in learners’ home community, such as making friends with native speakers of the target language. Casual chatting with friends in the target language—either abroad or at home—is a fine way to improve communication skills. Help your students find these opportunities for using the language conversationally.

 

The classroom itself can provide practice that combine listening and speaking and thus approach natural language use. Role-play, drama activities, games, simulations, and structured communication exercises offer practice that takes learners’ attention away from language learning and direct it toward the communication of meaning. Such activities can increase learners’ confidence in their oral communication.

 

In addition to providing interesting and challenging activities, you can also change the classroom environment to facilitate naturalistic practice. Transform the room into a place where communication can occur normally and easily. Move the chairs so they are not in straight rows. Put students into small groups or pairs to converse. Let the classroom come alive with talk.

 

Ø  Practicing naturalistically also is very important for developing writing skill. It can involve many different activities, such as creation of separate products by individuals, individual contributions to multipart products, co-authorship of a single piece by multiple writers, or exchanges of written messages between individuals or teams. In all of these activities, real readers are involved. Often students read the writings of their peers. Therefore reading and writing skills can be jointly developed.

 

The first of naturalistic writing modes is creation of separate products by individuals. Individual writing efforts include all sorts of formats: autobiographical sketches, interviews of family or friends, factual reports, stories, poems, diary entries in the target language, and so on. The length can vary from a sentence or paragraph to 20 or more pages, depending on the language proficiency of the learners.

The second naturalistic writing mode is joint writing project composed of individual contributions. Examples include newspaper, newsletters, literary magazines, sports digests, scrapbooks, or scripts for simulated radio and TV programs, in which each person contributes his or her own different items to a written product. Further, student-created literary magazines containing poetry, stories, pictures, and other items are sometimes very popular.

The third naturalistic writing mode is co-authorship of a single product. Two or more learners can work together to write one piece—a single article, short story, play---as is often done in “real life” outside of the classroom. A more playful way to use co-authorship is jigsaw writing. Learners are given unrelated target language story fragments, a sentence or two each, and are required to write a story that weaves all the story lines together into a reasonably coherent whole, transitions and all. The results are entertaining and often comical, and the process gives learners practice in finding or making interesting linkages.

The last naturalistic writing mode involves exchanges of written messages between individuals or teams. This includes journal exchanges, letter writing, and computer interaction dialogue journals are one way of making writing a more interactive process, in which learners exchange messages with their teachers. Language students write anything they want in their dialogue journals and share these journals with the teacher, who responds with comments—not in a threatening, red-ink, corrective mode but in a supportive, non-judgmental, idea-evoking way. Dialogue journals are very effective and highly motivating for language learning.

 

2.4 Practice a Balance of the 4 Key Skills  

Most students want to communicate better in English. If this is the goals, it is important to pratice a balance of the four major skills. Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are the main (macro) skills you need to communicate in any language. Being very good at only one of these skills will not help you to communicate. For example you need to be able to read well before you can write well. You also need to be able to listen before you can speak. It helps to think of these communicative skills in two groups.

·      INput «««

·     Listening (in through your ears)

·     Reading (in through your eyes)

·      OUTput »»»

·     Speaking (out through your mouth)

·     Writing (out through your hand)

It's simple. Think of it this way. First you have input. Next you have output. First you listen to someone ask you a question. Second you speak and give them your answer. First you read a letter from someone. After that you write back to them. These are examples of communicating.

Input and output don't necessarily go in a specific order. Sometimes you speak first and then you listen. Sometimes you write about something you hear. During communication, the person you are communicating with uses one of the opposite skills. Therefore, in order to understand each other, everyone must be skillful in all four areas.

1. How to practice LISTENING

·      Listen to the radio
Don't always have a pen in hand. Sometimes it helps to just listen.

·      Watch English TV
Children's programming is very useful for ESL learners.
Choose programs that you would enjoy in your own language.
Remember that much of what you hear on TV is slang.

·      Watch movies
Choose ones with subtitles, or one from ESLNotes.com (provides useful notes on popular movies).

·      Use Internet listening resources
Every day there are more and more places to listen to English online.

2. How to practice SPEAKING and pronunciation

·      Talk to yourself
Talk about anything and everything. Do it in the privacy of your own home. If you can't do this at first, try reading out loud until you feel comfortable hearing your own voice in English.

·      Record your own voice
This might feel very uncomfortable, but it will help you find your weak pronunciation points. Listen to yourself a few days later. Which sounds do you have difficulty hearing?

·      Use the telephone.

·      Speak English in class

·      Understand the sounds that your language doesn't have
For example, many languages don't have the "r" sound. These sounds require extra practice.

·      Practise minimal pairs

·      Practice word and sentence stress

·      Practice tongue twisters

3. How to practice READING and vocabulary

·      Read something every day
Children's books, simplified readers (Penguin), newspapers, magazines, Internet sites, novels, and much much more...

·      Read what interests you.
Remember that you learn better when you are having fun.

·      Read at the appropriate level
You want to learn new vocabulary, but you also want to understand what you are reading. If you are looking up every word, the reading is too difficult.

·      Review Who, What, Where, When, Why for each story you read
You can do this for almost any type of reading. Who is it about? What happened? Why did it happen? Where did it take place? When did it take place? This is very useful when you have no comprehension questions to answer. You can write or speak your answers.

·      Always have an English-English dictionary nearby
It is a bad habit to always rely on a translation dictionary or electronic dictionary.
Think of your English-English dictionary as your life line.
Use online dictionaries when you are using the Internet (keyword online dictionary).

 

·      Record vocabulary in a personal dictionary

·     Keep this notebook separate from other work

·     Record vocabulary in alphabetical order (an English address book works well because it has letters of the alphabet)

·     Record the part of speech (sometimes there is more than one)

·     Write a sample sentence for yourself (don't use the one from the dictionary)

·     Review your personal dictionary (especially new entries) every night before bed

4. How to practice WRITING and spelling

·      Keep a diary/journal
Don't always pay attention to grammar. Free-writing can be very useful. It can show you that writing is fun. Have fun with the language.

·      Write emails in English
Stay in contact with teachers or other students.

·      Rewrite your local news in English
This is another exercise that can be done on a daily basis. Remember that regular activities are the best ones.

·      Learn important spelling rules
Remember, you won't always have a dictionary or a spell-checker handy, especially when you are writing a test. Even native English speakers need to review the spelling rules from time to time.

·      Get an ESL penpal

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