The Four English Language Skills
The Four English Language Skills
The Four English Language Skills
NU ABDULLAHI
TOPIC: THE FOUR ENGLISH
LANGUAGE SKILLS
WRITING
LISTENING
SPEAKING
INTRODUCTION
Skimming
Survey
To survey is to look for the general idea of the
passage/text. Is it a story about family, education, soccer,
oil exploration, mining, health, etc.
Questions
Form some questions in your mind
Read
Read actively, following the thought of the writer. In doing
so, you agree with him at one point and disagree with him
at another. You argue with him and try to fill in the
missing gaps.
Recall
To recall is to remember the most important points made.
Review
Read the passage twice so as to understand what you are
unable to understand on the first reading
BOTTOM-UP APPROACH &TOP-DOWN APPROACH
Bottom-up Approach
Bottom-up approach is more suitable for beginner
readers. In this approach, the student reader
focuses on every word in the text. It is the
writer’s vocabulary choice that will assist
him/her in discovering the meaning of the text.
Top-down Approach
Reading requires some skills if it is to be fluent. A Skilled reader is an active reader, while
an unskilled reader is a passive reader. Skilled reader does not see reading as a task, but
an enjoyable exercise
- Prediction
A skilled reader reads with prediction. He she tries to predict what the writer may confirm
at the end. By predicting what the meaning of a text may be, the reader makes reading “a
psychological-guessing game”. However, prediction depends on the reader’s general
knowledge of the subject-matter and the information drawn in the text.
Extraction of Information
Extraction of information is done through evaluation and recognition. When the reader
extracts information he tries to relate it to other writings in the topic. A skilled reader
looks for facts not insisting on understanding the whole text.
Inference
Inference helps the reader to find out what the writer’s hidden opinion or attitudes
Recognition
It is applied by the reader to recognize the writer’s style and use of language
Deduction
In deduction, the reader understands the text by guessing from the context of new words by
context, it means the background knowledge the reader brings to the reading task.
DILEMMAS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECOND
LANGUAGE READING ABILITIES (GRABE 2000)
Reading occupies an important position in second
language learning. Students read intensively or
extensively exposure to reading enhances
language acquisition. This is because the
learners learn the language better than in
natural setting. Intensive reading involves
reading for information usually to be used for
study purposes. CA, while extensive reading
involves reading for pleasure.
THE DILEMMAS
Rebecca (1967)
Of the four language skills, writing may truly be considered as the most sophisticated
Nunan (1988)
As the most difficult of the four language skills, writing takes sometimes to mature
This is because for Rebecca:
firstly, writing is a an activity that involves some processes which the writer has to know and master
secondly, he/she must acquire sufficient vocabulary
thirdly, he/she should know how to put the vocabulary into good use
For Nunan writing takes sometimes to mature because it requires
linguistic competence
composing competence
the use of the appropriate/suitable register
frequent practice
Other definitions
Brooks and Warren (1949)
Writing is both the expression of thought and an instrument of thought
Widdowson (1984)
Writing is a negotiation of meaning between the writer and the reader or between the student and the
teacher
Raimes (1983/89)
Writing is the making of meaning and the discovery of meaning
THE WRITING STAGES
According to Obah (2006) writing is a three-stage process. These are pre-writing, writing and re-writing
Pre-writing
Pre-writing stage is the beginning stage of the writing process. It is in this stage that the writer makes all
the necessary preparations before he/she begins to write/compose the first draft of his/her writing. He/she
takes interrelated steps which enables him/her to organize his/her material in the most effective way to suit
his/her topic. It also shows the direction his/her writing will take. The interrelated steps are:
selecting a topic
forming a point of view
searching for facts
analyzing and arranging the facts
drawing up an outline
Pre-writing
Pre-writing stage is the beginning stage of the writing process. It is in this stage that the writer makes all
the necessary preparations before he/she begins to write/compose the first draft of his/her writing. He/she
takes interrelated steps which enables him/her to organize his/her material in the most effective way to suit
his/her topic. It also shows the direction his/her writing will take. The interrelated steps are:
selecting a topic
forming a point of view
searching for facts
analyzing and arranging the facts
drawing up an outline
SELECTING A TOPIC
The writer should find a topic or choose a topic.
Sometimes, the topic may be given to him/her by
his/her teacher or supervisor. At any rate, chose a
topic that you know something about or a topic
you can handle adequately
FORMING A POINT OF VIEW