“Students learn best when they already know something about the subject matter and can draw from this prior knowledge” (Díaz-Rico, 2008, p. 146). Thus, students’ knowledge of their first language and in their knowledge does carry great importance in their second language learning. According to Vygotsky, the natural sociability of children in their first language lays the foundation for their intellectual development (Díaz-Rico, 2008). Based on these assertions, we can assume that children can more successfully attain their academic goals in second language learning when they are based on well-established competence in the first language. This signifies that students benefit more when they maintain cultural and linguistic identities while learning another language in bilingual education. With equal emphasis on both in the mother tongue and the target language in lessons, I believe, teacher can help students have more balanced perspectives as to language and in turn successfully to cope with the threats to their identity while learning a new language.
Oracy skills include listening and speaking interaction; thus, are integral to communicative competence. Although listening is a receptive skill, it is by no means a passive act; rather, from the sociocognitive perspective, listening is an act of constructing meaning. “Teachers of English must become aware that oracy is inextricably joined with cultural identity and social differences, and that opportunities to listen and speak are differentiated according to the individual’s relationship to institutions and sociocultural contexts” (Díaz-Rico, 2008, p. 152).
Among a variety of useful activities for listening and speaking, the instructional conversation (IC) model caught my attention as a way to promote oral participation in the classroom. The instructional elements highlight the establishment of a thematic focus. By sharing ideas about reading the text before beginning the conversation, students have the opportunity to develop a more complex understanding on a topic, and each member will be flexibly engaged in discussion sharing the responsibility for the discussion. In addition, conversational elements also lower anxiety and promotes verbal interactions. Through these discussions, students can develop cross-cultural understanding as well as critical thinking abilities. Students will feel more prepared for real world interactions outside the classroom.
Oracy skills include listening and speaking interaction; thus, are integral to communicative competence. Although listening is a receptive skill, it is by no means a passive act; rather, from the sociocognitive perspective, listening is an act of constructing meaning. “Teachers of English must become aware that oracy is inextricably joined with cultural identity and social differences, and that opportunities to listen and speak are differentiated according to the individual’s relationship to institutions and sociocultural contexts” (Díaz-Rico, 2008, p. 152).
Among a variety of useful activities for listening and speaking, the instructional conversation (IC) model caught my attention as a way to promote oral participation in the classroom. The instructional elements highlight the establishment of a thematic focus. By sharing ideas about reading the text before beginning the conversation, students have the opportunity to develop a more complex understanding on a topic, and each member will be flexibly engaged in discussion sharing the responsibility for the discussion. In addition, conversational elements also lower anxiety and promotes verbal interactions. Through these discussions, students can develop cross-cultural understanding as well as critical thinking abilities. Students will feel more prepared for real world interactions outside the classroom.
Response to Taehyun Kim
As Taehyun indicated, “Oracy skills are important to participate to society. Speaking involves in number of complex skills and strategies –not only the stringing together of words in proper grammatical sequence but also the organizing the words into coherent, powerful messages that help the speaker attain personal goals”. We need to well aware the importance of communicative competence to ensure the success in foreign language learning. Oracy skills are not only the most necessary life skills, but the most sophiscated skills for a non-native speaker to acquire in order to be integrated into the dominant language speaking communities.
Response to Sohee Kim
Sohee also emphasized the importance of oracy skills in second language learning. “According to Diaz-Rico, the goal is to balance fluency ad accuracy in English with respect for the communicative needs of the learners, so they can listen and speak with power, expressing their point of view and listening respectfully to others, contributing positively to their bilingual words”. Balancing fluency and accuracy is very important. I’ve many times seen students who are fluent in speaking, yet lacks accuracy while communicating. If students are at an intermediate level and above, students should be encouraged to focus on accuracy as well. Learning fluency without accuracy will be a great threat to the wellbeing of students in the long run.
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