Aural/Oral Communication

WHAT IS SPEAKING?

Speaking is the delivery of language through the mouth. To speak, we create sounds using many parts of our body, including the lungs, vocal tract, vocal chords, tongue, teeth and lips.  This vocalized form of language usually requires at least one listener. When two or more people speak or talk to each other, the conversation is called a "dialogue".  Speech can flow naturally from one person to another in the form of dialogue. It can also be planned and rehearsed, as in the delivery of a speech or presentation. Of course, some people talk to themselves! In fact, some English learners practice speaking standing alone in front of a mirror.
Speaking can be formal or informal:

• Informal speaking is typically used with family and friends, or people you know well.
• Formal speaking occurs in business or academic situations, or when meeting people for the first time.

Speaking is probably the language skill that most language learners wish to perfect as soon as possible. It used to be the only language skill that was difficult to practice online. This is no longer the case. English learners can practice speaking online using voice or video chat and services like Skype. They can also record and upload their voice for other people to listen to and possibly critique.

WHAT IS LISTENING?

Listening is receiving language through the ears. Listening involves identifying the sounds of speech and processing them into words and sentences. When we listen, we use our ears to receive individual sounds (letters, stress, rhythm and pauses) and we use our brain to convert these into messages that mean something to us.

Listening in any language requires focus and attention. It is a skill that some people need to work at harder than others. People who have difficulty concentrating are typically poor listeners. Listening in a second language requires even greater focus and attention.

Like babies, we learn this skill by listening to people who already know how to speak the language. This may or may not include native speakers. For practice, one may listen to live or recorded voices. The most important thing is to listen to a variety of voices as often as possible.

To become a fluent speaker in English, development of strong listening skills is essential. Listening facilitates understanding of what people are saying, but It also helps one to be able to speak clearly with others, learning how to pronounce words properly, use intonation appropriately, and place stress on words and sentences to communicate effectively and clearly.

So how does this process begin? How is a new language heard, understood, owned, and then reproduced? It is a process that requires meaningful practice, patience, constructive feedback.

What is the difference between hearing and listening? Let’s consider the following sentences:

Sandra is a good listener.
I didn’t hear anything.
Listen to your mother.
Time to go home. I hear that!

Considering the questions above as well as your own understanding, how are hearing and listening different? Think about another situation: the television is on while you are in the other room. Are you hearing or listening to it? Perhaps if something you are not interested is on, you tune out, but when something of interest comes on, your attention is grabbed. Therein lies the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing can be a passive activity that does not require your participation. Listening, on the other hand, requires action on your part in the form of paying attention. While it is considered a receptive skill, listening implies interpretation and understanding, which require action on the receiver’s end. It is important to point out that it is common for newcomer English learners to experience an initial silent period that some teachers misunderstand as passivity or apathy. Students during this stage are engaged in active listening where they are accumulating the language input necessary to take the leap of faith into production (speaking). Our role as language teachers is to gently encourage growth by creating a safe learning environment where errors and mispronunciations will not be a source of ridicule or hyper-correction, and content is so engaging that even new students can’t wait to participate.