Summary of "Do we need theory to teach speaking skills?"

Summary of the Webinar: "Do we need theory to teach speaking skills?"

Main Ideas and Concepts

Purpose and Context of the Webinar
- Hosted by Tamsin Hart (Cambridge University Press) with speaker Peter Lucantoni.
- Focus on teaching speaking skills in English as a Second Language (ESL), especially in remote learning contexts.
- Emphasis on supporting teachers and students adapting to new teaching environments.
Challenges in Teaching Speaking
- Speaking is a complex and difficult skill for learners to acquire.
- Experts agree that getting students to talk is one of the biggest challenges in language teaching.
- Fluency and accuracy are both crucial and should not be seen as opposing goals.
What Experts Say About Speaking
- Jack Richards: Speaking a second language well is complex; communicative language teaching (CLT) focuses on using language to do things and communicate.
- Chris Candlin: Getting students to talk is a major challenge for teachers.
- Paul Seligson: Few students become fluent, but educators should help them become more confident and comfortable speaking.
- Penny Ur: Fluency without accuracy is a major threat to effective communication.
- Hemmings: Successful language users need both fluency and accuracy; fluency and accuracy should be goals together, not in opposition.
Fluency vs. Accuracy
- Fluency: Natural, smooth use of language without excessive pausing.
- Accuracy: Correct use of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
- Both fluency and accuracy are necessary for effective communication.
- Teachers should balance fluency and accuracy activities, using each to support the other.
- Feedback is essential for students to understand their progress and effectiveness.
Conditions for Effective Fluency Activities (Paul Nation)
- Language items used must be familiar to students.
- Focus should be on communication, not form, during the activity.
- Activities should have supports to help students perform beyond their usual proficiency.
Six Characteristics of Effective Fluency Activities
- Practical: Easy to set up and manage in the classroom.
- Focused: Clear purpose and goal for the activity.
- Predictable: Language output can be anticipated and prepared for.
- Natural: Encourages language use in a natural way.
- Generative: Produces a variety of language beyond the target language.
- Versatile: Can be adapted for different levels and contexts.
What Speaking Involves (Kang Shumin)
- Speaking requires more than grammar and vocabulary knowledge.
- Five key components:
  1. Recall and select appropriate words.
  2. Organize words into phrases or chunks.
  3. Produce intelligible sounds (pronunciation).
  4. Monitor and correct speech as needed.
  5. Be aware of social and cultural conventions in communication.
- Pronunciation is often neglected but is crucial; teachers serve as key models.
Use of First Language (L1) in the Classroom
- Debate exists on whether L1 should be used.
- Some contexts ban L1 use, but in reality, limited use often occurs.
- David Atkinson argues occasional L1 use can help students express complex ideas and build confidence.
- Factors influencing L1 use include:
  - Students’ prior learning experiences.
  - Level of proficiency.
  - Stage of the course.
  - Lesson timing (beginning or end).
- Jane Willis suggests brief L1 use can save time, especially for explaining abstract concepts, instructions, or checking understanding.
- Contrastive analysis (comparing L1 and L2) can support learning.
Reciprocal Speaking and Listening Activity
- Students work in groups of four, each taking a role:
  - Summarizer: Highlights key ideas.
  - Questioner: Asks questions about the content.
  - Clarifier: Answers questions and resolves confusion.
  - Predictor: Predicts what will come next.
- The teacher models and guides but allows students to take ownership.
- Activity promotes fluency and accuracy, collaboration, and use of predictable language.
- Can be adapted for different group sizes and used with reading or listening texts.
Conclusions
- Focus on how students speak, not just what they say.
- Confidence and comfort are essential for speaking development.
- Listening is an integral part of speaking.
- Fluency and accuracy are both important; neither should be sacrificed for the other.
- Scaffolding and support (predictable language, models, feedback) are critical for effective speaking activities.
- Use coursebooks and materials that provide structured support for pronunciation and language.