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ask for clarification and/or explanation
monitor and correct ourselves
take part in discussions
use an appropriate register
take part in conversations
greet people
plan what we will say
smile
ask for and give information
use grammar and vocabulary
use word and sentence stress
start speaking when someone else stops
tell stories
use language accurately
paraphrase, i,e. find other ways of saying things
interrupt other speakers
hesitate
When we speak we usually do all these things, except we don't usually plan what we will say, nor do we use language completely accurately, i.e. use correct forms of grammar and vocabulary. As we saw in Unit 7 Listening, pressure of time does not allow us to do these things when speaking, unless we make prepared speeches or presentations. You can see from this list that speaking involves several subskills:
© making use of grammar, vocabulary and functions # making use of register to speak appropriately 0 using features of connected speech 0 using body language 0 producing different text types
Ф oral fluency (speaking at a normal speed, with little hesitation, repetition or self “Correction, and with smooth use of connected speech)
using interactive strategies (ways of keeping people interested and involved in what we are saying).
Our purpose in speaking is to communicate meaning and we do all these things to achieve this.
We can see that speaking involves a lot more than just using grammar and vocabulary accurately in speech. When we speak we constantly have in mind the person we are speaking to and our wish to communicate our meaning successfully
Unit В Speaking
to them, We use interactive strategies to help us achieve this. These include using body kin giirige s uch a sgestu res,: eye con tael,; fa cial expression s a n d movemen t to put our message across more strongly and clearly, and functions such as clarifying our meaning (e.g. T' mean ../, 'What I'm trying to say is ...'), asking for opinions (e.g, 'What do you think?'), agreeing (e.g. 'Yes, that's right') to keep the interaction (communication) going and check that it is successful. Turn-taking is another interactive strategy we use. it involves using intonation, language or body language to show you want to join a conversation or end one, keep speaking or invite other p a r t icipa n l s t о j oin i n. We u se i t. to ma ke s u r e we ge l о u r mess a ge a cross. Pa ra p h ra s i ng can also be thought of as an interactive strategy. We paraphrase when we judge our communication cannot be or has not been understood. We use other words to say the same thing in order to get our message across.
Speaking also involves making use of all the features of connected speech to convey our message. We use intonation, word and sentence stress, accurate individual sounds, linking and contractions to help convey our meaning
Fluency, accuracy and appropriacy also play a major part In successful oral communication. Fluency helps ensure that our listener will keep on listening to us without getting bored or irritated by too many hesitations or too slow a pace of speaking. Accuracy of grammar, use of vocabulary and the production of sounds help keep our message dear, and appropriacy is another way of keeping our listeners involved. We use the right register to treat our listener with the appropriate degree of formality or informality in order not to upset them or make them fed uncomfortable.
Finally, as with the other language skills, speaking also involves being able to deal with different text types, e.g. taking part in conversations, discussions or telephone calls, giving presentations, telling stories. All these text types have different features. Buying sweets in a shop, for example, involves different speaking skills from telling your friends about the exciting thing that happened to yon at the weekend or presenting the results of project work to classmates. Tire у involve using different functions, different levels of formality, different amounts of speaking, different amounts of interaction, different structures and vocabulary.
There are many aspects of speaking for a learner to learn. We can see that as with the other language skills, speaking is a complex activity.
■ Key concepts and the language teaching classroom
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