杨柳 重庆市梁平红旗中学校
中图分类号：G652.2 文献标识码：A 文章编号：ISSN1001-2982 （2020）11-065-01
According to some studies, listening and speaking take up 75% of people’s language communication while reading and writing only account for 25%. Psychologists and numerous foreign linguists hold the view that teachers should prioritize listening and speaking in English teaching activities. Here are some approaches to enhancing students’ listening and speaking abilities.
1. Creating a listening and speaking atmosphere
To teach English well, the first condition is to expose students to English and help them use English as often as possible. Just as learning swimming, in order to be an able swimmer, learners must be ducked down in the water instead of just getting a sprinkling of water now and then. English teachers should create more opportunities for students to hear more and speak more.
2. Adopting proper teaching methods
To improve students’ listening and speaking skills, teachers should offer more chances to practice and choose proper teaching methods, such as the communicative approach, a student-centered way in which English teachers try to create an environment of language communication and encourage students to practice listening and speaking. The main goal of English teachers is to guide students to speak more and better. Besides, students should also be encouraged to speak English after class.
3. Not trying to correct students’ mistakes
Some English teachers have the habit of correcting students’ language mistakes, big or small, instantly students open their mouths, which greatly dampens students’ enthusiasm and results in their not daring to speak. There is a danger in too much attention to learners’ errors. Successful language learners are willing to make mistakes in order to learn. Thus, teachers shouldn’t think a lot of students’ mistakes. Instead, teachers are supposed to encourage students to speak more, praise them for their progress in learning and strengthen their confidence.
4. The “listening & drawing” approach
With a variety of forms, the “listening & drawing” activity aims to train students’ listening, where the teacher reads some English sentences and students draw pictures according to what they have heard. Due to the fact that students have diverse listening skills, they may have varied pictures. At this point, the teacher reads the sentences again to help students correct their pictures. Finally, the teacher shows the correct picture.
5. Listening to stories
This activity is appropriate for students who read well but listen poorly. The teacher selects a funny story suitable for students’ English level and reads one paragraph or one section aloud for students every day. Students only listen to the story and the teacher notes down the words that students struggle to understand. When choosing the stories, teachers should avoid difficult new words. When reading the first paragraph or section, the teacher reads slowly and repeats some important sentences. After students are familiar with the story gradually, the teacher may quicken the pace and reduce repetition. Middle school students will show great interest in this activity, especially hoping to hear daily life stories. That’s because they will become excited just like watching TV series. If there is a longer pause in the middle, students will reflect on the plots they have just heard and predict what will happen next, which can enable students to listen to the language at the normal speed without being absent-minded.
6. The 5/4/3 technique
Students do pair work and there are at least three pairs. Two students sit face to face with one the speaker and the other the hearer. In the first round, the speaker in each pair talks about a topic for 5 minutes while the hearer just listens. Then, the three speakers change their seats and the hearers don’t move, making each student have a new partner. After that, the speaker talks about the same topic in 4 minutes. And then, the speakers change their seats again and the hearers still remain where they are, after which the speaker talks about the same topic in just 3 minutes. In the second round, the speakers change their seats with the hearers and carry out the activity in the same way. This method is intended to improve students’ presentation skills and summary skills by offering repeated opportunities and expressing the same content in less time.
7. Creating a story
The teacher gives a unified beginning of a story. Students work in groups and create a story with the given beginning. Every student in the group adds one or two sentences to the story and one student is responsible to record the story. What should be mentioned here is that when the first student finishes his or her sentences, the second should say his or her sentences as soon as possible, just like writing relay. After that, all the students in each group discuss their story and give a title. Finally, choose one student in each group to give a presentation. Despite the same beginning, students will create completely different stories, which will bring about unexpected effects and arouse students’ learning interest.
Improving students’ speaking and listening skills should be attached great significance to. With regard to how to bear fruit, perspectives vary from individual to individual. Whatever methods we choose, we teachers are supposed to spare no efforts to better them. The way stretches endless ahead and I shall search heaven and earth.