The Importance Of Expressive Skills In Learning A Foreign Language

Abstract:

When learning a foreign language, receptive skills usually come first and should be followed by practical application of productive ones. If a learning process lacks one of them, the final outcome will not be complete. Expressive skills would only exist with the support of receptive ones. Inbound knowledge - such as listening and reading - symbolises a springboard to active implementation of grammar structures, passive vocabulary lists, heard and repeated sounds of a foreign language. This theoretical background applies to any studied language. This should also prove that both types of skills are inseparable and one cannot exist without the other. This paper discusses the importance of expressive-productive skills as out bound skills

Developing orthographic accuracy

1. The development of new vocabulary, as indicated for speaking, is an activity which spans all the skills of language and will be an ongoing challenge for all pupils. Brainstorming activities and dictionary-based activities (described above) are both excellent means of leading into a written task. Brainstorming gets the pupils involved in the task from the outset and activates their thoughts and previous learning. Using a dictionary effectively is particularly important for pupils whose literacy in English is at a lower level than the peer group. This skill will transfer into other areas of learning.

2. Developing structural accuracy is particularly important in writing tasks because the pupil has time to work on written text with the objective of producing a perfect final version. The teacher must use a variety of means to make pupils aware of the importance of both accuracy and orthography (handwriting) in their written work.

Accuracy will automatically be reinforced through comment and feedback from the teacher. It is advisable, however, to encourage pupils to identify and correct their own mistakes by drawing attention to them but not immediately providing the correct answer. The more a language learner, of any age, is encouraged to work at a problem such as a vocabulary item, or a structural/grammatical inaccuracy, the more he/she will retain the information and apply it in the