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1.2 Productive skills in second language learning
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In the Kazakh classroom, teaching English grammar is an essential part of the teaching and learning process. Grammar is important for developing writing and speaking abilities. Writing and speaking skills are lacking among Kazakh pupils. In comparison to other subjects in school, Kazakh pupils' English grades are poor. The pupils at the school speak English less than Kazakh or Russian. This is due to the learners' lack of understanding of simple grammar codes. Teaching English grammar can assist pupils in not only constructing the form of terms, clauses, and sentences, but also in writing essays, letters, poems, and stories. Learners would find it easier to structure words into sentences, allowing them to write effectively in any genre. As a result, teaching and studying English grammar would benefit Kazakh pupils' listening, reading, writing, and speaking abilities.
To begin with, school-based English grammar instruction aids pupils in improving their listening skills. The grammar aids learners in comprehending spoken language. Learners will pay more attention to spoken language as they gain a better understanding of it. If learners want to improve their communication skills, they must have a good understanding of grammar. He or she can clearly grasp the speaker's literal and technical meanings if he or she has the skill and knowledge of grammar.
When a person begins to learn a foreign language, he is unconsciously exposed to both categories of language ability. As previously stated, productive skills, also known as active skills, refer to the transmission of knowledge generated by a language user in either spoken or written form.
Teachers also refer to the four skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening when discussing how we use language. They are sometimes divided into two categories. Reading and listening are examples of receptive abilities, which include extracting meaning from the discourse. Speaking and writing are examples of productive skills, which require pupils to produce language on their own.
The most common language ability that most language learners wish to master as soon as possible is speaking. The act of speaking is more common than the act of writing. The primary purpose of spoken language is to socialize people. Unlike literature, spoken language is created and processed in real time, which means that the speaker and listener have a small amount of time to prepare and deliver what they want to say and understand. Speech is most often used in face-to-face conversations; it is fleeting, spontaneous, and variable. Body language, such as gestures and facial expressions, complements spoken language (often called non-verbal communication).
We teach speaking because pupils consider it to be one of the most critical and difficult skills to master. The most popular method of establishing interpersonal relationships is through spoken communication. Furthermore, speaking is necessary if we are to complete tasks, obtain information, or give instructions.
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Writing, along with speaking, is one of the four language skills that is classified as a productive ability since it involves creating rather than receiving language. These two abilities are fundamentally different in a variety of respects. Textual, function, socio-cultural norm, pattern of usage, and cognitive process are among the dimensions where differences exist.
In terms of communication meaning, writing differs slightly from speaking. Speaking is often intended for face-to-face contact among the audience in attendance, while authors use writing to convey and communicate their ideas to readers who are separated by both time and space.
As a result, a clearer and more detailed message is needed. To put it another way, when people communicate verbally, they may use a variety of prosodic features such as pitch, rhythm, and pauses to elicit input from their listeners. Those characteristics of speaking, on the other hand, do not occur in writing since the contact meaning is provided solely by the sentences, without any direct interaction. The language characteristics reveal the distinctions between speaking and writing. Written language differs from spoken language in terms of permanence, processing time, scope, orthography, complexity, vocabulary, and formality.
According to Brown, the following features distinguish written language from spoken language:
a. Permanence: Written language is permanent and can be read and reread as much as desired, whereas oral language is transient and must be interpreted in real time.
b. Production time: Speakers must prepare, compose, and deliver their utterances within a few moments if they are to sustain a conversation, while writers have more time to plan, study, and rewrite their words until they are finalized.
c. Style: Since the writer and the reader are separated in both time and space, much of the common meaning that is present between speaker and listener in ordinary face-to-face communication is lost, the writer must be more clear.
d. Orthography: As compared to the variety of devices available to speakers to improve a message, it carries a limited amount of detail (e. g. stress, intonation, pitch, volume, pausing, etc).
e. Complexity: Longer clauses and more subordinators are common in writing, while shorter clauses linked by coordinators, as well as more redundancy, are common in spoken language (e. g. repetition of nouns and verbs).
f. Formality: Writing is more formal than speaking because of the social and cultural purposes to which it is commonly placed.
g. Vocabulary: Written texts contain a greater range of words, as well as a greater number of lower-frequency words, than oral texts.
Aspects of successful writing should be considered before looking at how to teach writing skills. In the following areas, precision and accuracy are required.
Grammar: The importance of grammar in writing cannot be overstated. When we chat, though, we are more likely to use basic grammar, and it is easier to get away with making mistakes.
Every grammatical error stands out in writing, which is why knowing the rules is so vital.
Vocabulary: The ability to choose the most precise words to describe your thoughts in writing is crucial to being understood.
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a. Spelling: In English, there are few spelling rules, and the relationship between how a word is spelled and how it is pronounced is less defined than in many other languages. Each word must be spelled correctly by our pupils.
b. Punctuation: This aids us in comprehending written text in the same way as intonation aids us in comprehending another person's voice.
c. Layout: The conventions of such types of writing, such as informal letters, formal letters, poems, science papers, diaries, faxes, notes, and postcards, must be taught to pupils.
d. Linking: To create a subject or statement, pupils must consider connecting ideas and facts through sentences and paragraphs.
e. Style: Pupils should be taught appropriate styles. For instance, our written English on a postcard to a friend differs significantly from a letter to a government agency requesting information.
G. Broughton believes that English teachers can use three stages of writing:
a. Controlled Writing: It's important to differentiate between writing exercises in which the instructor determines the final product linguistically and exercises in which the final content is decided. Thus, G. Broughton recognizes supervised writing as exercises in which a blank paragraph must be filled in using picture prompts or memory of a model provided by the instructor, which contributes to reproducing more or less.
b. Guided Writing: A composition writing is a composition in which the instructor sets the scene and assists the pupils in preparing written work.
c. Free writing: By free writing, we mean a piece of writing in which the title is given but the pupils do everything else.
Furthermore, G. Broughton believes that in order to be effective in teaching writing skills, it is important to ensure that pupils begin with controlled writing and then progress to more supervised writing exercises as they gain confidence in working with controlled exercises. As can be seen, G. Broughton proposes a good organisation that can be used in mixed ability classes in schools; particularly the first two stages – supervised and directed writing, since the pupils need guidance because they often lack vocabulary or grammar.
The importance of productive language skills, such as speaking and writing, is that they are the visible evidence of language learning. The more appropriate and cohesive language the speaker or writer produces, the more evidence we have of improvement in the learner's language system.
People nowadays are more likely to claim that speaking is the most critical and difficult aspect of their English learning. Writing, on the other hand, is important, despite being the most undervalued talent. Speaking emphasizes precision and fluency, while writing necessitates precise grammar, a more formal vocabulary, correct spelling, and attractive handwriting. Despite the fact that they are vastly different in many respects, the two are equally important. Speaking and writing are also used for the same purpose in effective interpersonal communication.
Since written and spoken communication are basic life skills, it is also essential to teach productive skills. People can need to educate, persuade, or share ideas in real life. They may also be asked to take notes, fill out forms, and compose emails, letters, papers, or stories.
A constructive skills lesson, unlike a receptive skills lesson, seeks to help learners generate appropriate and coherent messages in either spoken or written form, in addition to understanding and interpreting the discourse. True, understanding and processing input is vital, but the ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner is at the heart of effective skills.
Without the assistance of receptive skills, productive abilities will not exist. Passive knowledge, such as listening and reading, serves as a springboard for active application of grammar systems, passive vocabulary lists, and foreign language heard and repeated sounds. This theoretical foundation is applicable to every language being studied. This should also demonstrate that the two types of skills are inextricably linked, with one unable to function without the other. When learning a foreign language, it is common for receptive skills to come first, followed by the realistic implementation of productive skills. If one of them is missing from a learning process, the end result would be incomplete.
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Speaking and writing are inextricably linked, as most active users of any foreign language are aware. Grammatical structures, terms and their correct usage, as well as a certain level of precision, must all be respected. These are seen in both active and passive skills.
Rather than using exercises that rely solely on precision, as Riggenbach and Lazaraton point out, often language instructors use " communicative activities" to promote communicative competence in language learners.
The classroom climate and community are unquestionably important components of effective teaching and learning. The pupils hold these in high regard. Creative teachers use a variety of speaking and writing exercises to keep their pupils from being bored. A term syllabus, as well as a lesson plan, must be prepared ahead of time for teaching purposes.
Language teachers with more experience keep in mind that learners' answers to needs appraisal forms provide useful details for laying out the foundation of the language course plan. The content of such a plan should include some general tasks, as well as a series of customized exercises tailored to the specific group of learners and with specific goals in mind. This is a good example.
“If we wish to learn another language, we must become more communicatively competent, ” say Olshtain and Cohen. Their findings support the notion that while language accuracy is important, it is not the most important aspect of speaking activities.
A broad variety of varied activities should be included in the lesson plan to efficiently coordinate the lesson. The “speech menu” includes examples of speaking tasks that are ordered from easiest to most difficult. As previously mentioned, some grammatical constructs and terminology are integrated to tailor the material to a more diverse community of course participants and direct the learning process.
We have a long list of practices and exercises to learn productive skills thanks to our teaching experience and long-term observation. When learning English or any other foreign language, one of the most important goals is to talk.
There are some favorite activities that are considered appropriate even for novices. To name a few, we can begin by writing or enumerating a list of words related to a specific subject, and/or writing and simultaneous use of everyday phrases in brief face-to-face conversation exchanges, role-play telephone conversations, and so on, to demonstrate that speaking and writing are inextricably connected.
Some pupils enjoy keeping personal diaries at this early stage of learning, while others enjoy labeling pictures or photographs with simple explanations or filling in word bubbles in comics with everyday phrases.
Learners become more familiar with more technical vocabulary during the latter stages of learning, and the previously described tasks can be supplemented with more advanced levels of those and/or new forms. The following exercises can be used to address those factors that can affect the final outcome of language teaching: more nuanced dialogue role-plays with an emphasis on correct grammar structures and a larger vocabulary register for specific subjects, descriptions of real-life topics and more serious local and global concerns in the form of writing assignments, and, for example, an oral overview of a recently published article.
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There are several ways to increase learners' knowledge of proper phraseology and grammar consistency in any foreign language, but one crucial and essential aspect of the learning process is the teacher's assessment and feedback.
Traditionally, the teacher judges his pupils either orally or by grades. The teacher's input includes factors such as subject orientation, i. e. comprehension, original concept, speech organization and execution, and whether the activity goals were met.
Designing an assessment sheet is a popular method for gathering this type of information. When the teacher gives his pupils self-evaluation sheets and they complete them, a fascinating result emerges. When comparing his and the pupils' grading, the instructor can discover previously unanticipated feedback from his pupils.
Aside from the conventional activities that promote proficiency in productive skills described previously, there are new and modern trends that have proven to be very common among young and middle-aged learners. Not everybody likes them, but some of them seem to be gaining popularity. With the growth of Internet services and apps, a variety of new ways to help them have emerged.
Most English classes do not devote enough time to the development of speaking skills, either because the teacher lacks confidence and competence in this area or because the pupils do not see the need for the skills. We have found that in most classrooms, schools, or colleges, the teacher is the only one who talks, and the learner is rarely given opportunities to talk in front of an audience, class, or school.
Learners should be given opportunities to talk in English spoken classes or at school, since speaking skills can only be improved by involving pupils in the act of speaking and communicating. Much of the time, we think about how the instructor neglects the speaking ability that the pupils would use. The teacher should provide more opportunities for pupils to interact solely in English.
Language skill refers to the ability to use a language. When people learn a language, they usually learn four skills that will help them communicate in that language. Learners typically learn to listen first, then speak, then read, and eventually write while learning their first language. The four language skills are referred to as such. As a result, they must also observe these steps when learning a second or foreign language. Teachers often refer to the four skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening when discussing how pupils use language. They are sometimes divided into two categories. Reading and listening are examples of receptive abilities, in which meaning is derived from the discourse.
Speaking and writing are examples of productive abilities, since they require learners to produce language on their own. Speaking and writing are productive skills since learners must express words and write to create text.
Language is acquired by conversation, music, and video, as well as reading comprehension, newspaper, poem, and book. Then they progress to the next level, where they use productive skills to create language to articulate their thoughts. Speaking is the act of expressing oneself verbally. Speaking, according to McDonough and Shaw, entails sharing thoughts and views, as well as expressing a wish or desire [1].
As a result, speaking refers to the oral method of generating language. Reading, on the other hand, is a useful ability in written mode. When scientists discuss writing, they normally divide it into two categories: institutional and personal writing. Textbooks, papers, applications, and business correspondence are examples of institutional writing, while personal writing involves personal letters and creative writing [2].
Every opportunity for speaking in class, according to Gower, Philips, and Walters, should be taken. It can be achieved by attempting to interact so that learners recognize their need for language and so that they can improve their fluency and trust by speaking. Learners can feel self-conscious and hesitant to talk in front of others at first. There are, however, several options (repetition work and pair work activities).
Speaking is very important as a productive ability. Speaking was not previously a common activity to engage in in our classrooms. However, the method of speaking operation has evolved significantly in recent years. Teachers are also attempting to inspire pupils to talk more in order to develop their communication skills.
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According to Nunan, the following sub skills should be learned in order to be effective in acquiring the speaking ability in the target language:
-“The ability to express phonological features of the language in detail;
- knowledge of stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns;
-a satisfactory level of fluency;
-Interpersonal and transactional skills;
-Skills in speaking in short and long turns;
- contact management;
- and the use of suitable formulae and fillers.
“Accuracy entails the proper use of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, ” Gower says. In supervised and directed practices, the emphasis is generally on accuracy, and the instructor emphasizes the importance of accuracy through feedback. ” [3].
Accuracy is crucial in communicating, and teachers should inspire pupils to use language correctly. “Fluency is the capacity to keep going while speaking spontaneously, ” he said.
Since the main goal of fluency is to allow pupils to speak, Scrivener proposed that teachers shorten their speaking time to allow pupils more time to speak. He also mentioned that if teachers correct pupils in the middle of a fluency task, it may disrupt the flow of communication, and pupils often find it difficult to proceed after a correction, whereas others in the class might be distracted.
As a result, before beginning an accuracy- or fluency-focused task, teachers should provide adequate instruction.
To summarize the above thoughts, we may assume that teaching productive skills such as speaking and writing necessitates a lot of effort on the part of the teachers. It is important to gather information on teaching methods for productive skills so that they can be taught step by step.
Language learning is more effective when teachers are well-versed in the theoretical foundations of teaching productive skills and can fully use them in the classroom.
The following points should be included in the constructive skills lesson plan:
1. The aim of the lesson is to assist the pupils in communicating.
2. It is ineffective to give pupils a subject and then ask them to talk or write about it.
3. Prior to assigning the assignment, some planning is needed.
4. In general, we can't speak or write about anything we don't understand.
5. The selection of a subject is critical. It should be familiar to the pupils.
6. Before asking pupils to generate language, we must first provide them with techniques and strategies to help them communicate and write more effectively.
7. There could be a breakdown of communication.
8. Learners must be able to use complex coping techniques when faced with difficulties.
Since the goal of teaching receptive skills is to help pupils create language that makes sense to the listener or reader, the lesson should be structured to include phases that prepare pupils for the main activity (i. e. speaking or writing), exercises that assist them in producing suitable messages, and finally peer or teacher-controlled input.
The following steps should be followed when teaching an efficient skill technique:
§ Providing a model text
§ Comprehension and model analysis (e. g. studying the genre’s distinctive features)
§ Practice
§ Working on the language needed to perform the task
§ Task setting
§ Understanding the topic/situation (what is the desired outcome)
§ Planning
§ Structuring the output
§ Production
§ Preparing for the spoken task.
§ Going through the process of drafting, revising, and editing
§ Feedback
§ Self or peer-regulated feedback using a checklist or teacher-regulated.
Teaching productive skills involve the following steps:
1. Create a model of the target genre that we want our pupils to create.
2. Emphasis on the context and shape of the model. The instructor can assist the pupils in analyzing the text so that they can explore its linguistic and formal features on their own.
3. After isolating the model text's various linguistic and formal features, the pupils must focus on accuracy tasks.
4. At this stage, the aim is to practice the form and usage of the language in order to generate correct messages in terms of pronunciation, spelling, verb tense, sentence structure, and text layout, among other things...
5. Once we are satisfied that the pupils can use the target language effectively, they are given a similar task in which they must personalize the language and generate successful m
6. When it comes to the writing ability, pupils must go through a detailed process that includes gathering ideas, planning, writing the first draft, revising it, and editing it.
7. In the case of the speaking ability, learners must first organize their discourse, whether individually, in pairs, or in groups. Feedback can be given by the learners themselves or by the teacher.
8. To give the learners' work more meaning, it's a good idea to post video recordings of their conversations or writing on social networking sites like YouTube or Facebook, or on the class blog if one exists.
The ability to change our language according to the audience's position, sex, and age is an essential feature of communicative competence. We communicate with children in a different way than we communicate with adults. The way we respond to a formal letter differs from how we respond to personal letters. Furthermore, we tailor our interactions to the social standing of the participants. Addressing a higher-ranking official, such as a judge during a trial, is different from addressing a friend. Depending on whether we're speaking with a male or female participant, the language performance can also be changed. As a result, the components that make up the audience should be considered in every form of communication. Otherwise, the contact may not be appropriate and may result in negative consequences.
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