How to Teach Speaking to EFL Learners

Source : Biju Sukumaran, ehow.com 

 

 

Speaking is an important part of learning any language. Many people who learn English as a foreign language (EFL) are especially interested in learning English for conversation while traveling or for use in business, as it is considered an international standard language for communication. Speaking helps EFL learners attain greater levels of fluency.

 Instructions

 

1. Teach real-life speaking patterns to students. Native speakers of English have a natural flow, emphasizing certain words and running others together. Drill these patterns in practice in the classroom.
2. Require students to speak to native speakers. Bring guests into the classroom who are native speakers in order to expose your students to real speech patterns and speeds. English teachers often change their speaking patterns to allow for better understanding; this helps students learn in the classroom, but they need practice for real-world speaking scenarios. 
3. Show movies in the classroom. Movies build passive comprehension skills needed for conversation. Define terms for students beforehand and give out comprehension quizzes or worksheets to assess students' understanding of the videos.
4. Teach functional lessons in group scenarios. For example, teach one topic, like restaurant language, and the many possible dialogues and vocabulary that could occur in such a setting. Have students role play with each other to practice. Throw in changes in the scenario to help students adapt to different situations in real life.
5. Drill pronunciation and clarity in your class. Consistently correct common pronunciation mistakes. Build better pronunciation by using tongue twisters.