Oct 2, 2017 - According to Brooks et al (2001), "A ... David Graddol (1997, 2000), "It is the language at ... Brooks, David W., Diane E. Nolan, and Susan M.
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· ture (ETCJELL) Vol. 4 Issue. 2 October 2017 ELT@l Tirupati Chapter Journal of English Language and L1tera • •. • -=-.
Teaching Speaking Skills Online: Prospects and PossJbJhtles .M
···K a Uepa II1 oum.... .h Postgrad uate, Department o fE ngIIS , · · y· kh A ndhra Umvers1ty, 1sa · apatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India_ 530003
Abstract: This paper deals with certain prospects and possibilities involve in teaching speaking online-related aspects. Since, speaking skill is much required for all students regardless of their courses and aspirations, the importance of speaking skill as well as its most essential subskills have been presented in the outset. Most importantly, the role of technology in teaching speaking skills including supra segmental foatures such as stress, rhythm and intonation. Further, the presentation of various online resources including applications as well as various media like audio, video, text, animation and graphics. The resources categori=ed as speaking practices/activities, voice recording. pronunciation practice, online presentations. video chats, and mobile apps including Voki, Vocaroo, AudioPal and others. Various issues in teaching speaking skills online is also briejly discussed Plan for teaching speaking skills including problems and prospects are presented Finally, the conclusion drawn is as per the review of literature indicated. Introduction: Speaking is the most basic part of communication and hence to be a good communicator one should speak competently and fluently, using appropriate grammar and vocabulary and apply proper social and cultural etiquettes apt to the situation. The goal of teaching speaking skills is to make the learner communicate effectively. Carol (2003) mentioned that the "technology is a force worthy of consideration, whether one wishes to focus on the technological potential, to examine pragmatic technology usc, or to criticize both" (Carol, p.9). The activities used to teach speaking skills should balance between language input, structured output and communicative output. The language input happens from language listened or read inside and outside the classroom. From listening
Simhacbalam Thamarana . Assistant Professor, Dept. of English, • K L Education FoundatiOn, Vaddeswaram · · . ' Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Ind1a- 522502 to language the speech from various sources, the listeners get material to produce speech by their own. Aspects in Teaching Pronunciation: Teachinn pronunciation though neglected in most of the classes: is an important aspect for focus. There are some basic aspects to be focused while teaching speaking skills in class. At the initial stages, one should monitor the teamer's fluency and ability to understand their speech and should not focus on the correctness and structure of their speech. Before starting the conversation, the students need to follow some etiquettes while speaking in public. Learners shoufd be interested and feel comfortable to speak on topics chosen for conversation. Speaking activities will be more effective if the students are divided into small groups or pairs. Small groups are preferable as learners might become more conscious if they are to speak in front of large groups. Teaching vocabulary apt to the topic must precede any speaking activity. As without knowing enough vocabulary the leaner will not be able to frame content needed to speak. Though the term 'pronunciation, is a simple one, it comprises some complex aspects and interrelated areas of sounds, stress, intonation and rhythm. Listening to the teachers pronouncing a sound and repeating after them is one of the common drills practised to teach sounds. Teachlng a sound at a time makes learners grasp better. Some teachers feel that they do not hold complete control over class while conducting communicative activities that make them under confident. However, pre-planning can help teachers to channelize their class in 0croal-oriented direction. Teachers can take the challenge to prepare . for a communicative as motivation. Po.1Q.Illati c
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Fig 1: Resources for Teaching Speaking Skills Online
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ELT@I Tlrupati Chapter Journal of English Language and Literature (ETCJELL) Vol. 41ssue. 2 October 2017
Vocaroo (http://vocaroo.com): Through Vocaroo, students and teachers can record their voice and create voice files of any length. Students can share their voice files with others by creating and sharing a link or embed code on their respective websites. Shaikh (2013) strongly opined that ICT with its technological advancement is trying to overhaul the educational system completely; we are forced to sit up and take note of this development (Shaikh, 222). Conversation activities can be made lively using Google Hangouts. This application is available on computers, Android and iPhone devices. Thamarana (20 16) stated that, "e-Iearning will only add value to the learning process if both statT and students alike approach it with a clear view of what is to be achieved (p. 62). Students can send photos and emoji while video chatting. This also has group video chatting option so students can do online group activities and presentations. AudioPal(http://ww""·audiopal.com/index.html): AudioPal is an online utility through which one can record audios and add them to their personal website. Through this application, students can be asked to record their assignments and upload them into the common website created by the teacher, for sharing and evaluation purpose. According to Thamarana (20 15) "to teach suitably the use of multimedia enables the teachers to have more flexibility and change while teaching (p.170). AudioPal is available free of cost and one need not have to register to use this app. Fotobabble(http://www.fotobabble.com/): Fotobabble is a simple photo-sharing platform where photos can be shared along with audio recording. This application useful in doing activities where students have to see a picture and describe it or else tell a story based on it. Students can record their voice and save in an embed code to share with others. Audioboo (https://audioboom.coml): Audioboo lets users to easily record and share podcasts with others. Audioboo is available free of cost but one has to get registration to use it. Other registered users can listen to and comment on the recordings posted. Spreaker (http://www.spreaker.com/): Spreaker is a free application which allows its users to create their personal radio shows. Spreaker is like an online broadcasting studio. According to Thamarana (2015), "the relationship between the instructor and the student is more real in a synchronous online context rather than in wide university classrooms where the instructor is not able to ''reach" every individual {p. 230). Role plays and storytelling can
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get a new dimension using this application. "Diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information" (Blurton 1999, p.46). QWiPS (http:/lqwips.com/ ): QWiPS is social voice platform, which will let learners easily record a thirty seconds audio clip and attach it to a photo, voice tag tweets or a Facebook posts. Students can create threaded voice conversations using this platform. Vokl (http://voki.com): It is a free application where teachers and students can create their own customised animated avatar which delivers the message. Students can create recording up to a minute in Voki. The audio recordings in Voki can be embedded into personal blogs or wikispace. English as a Second Language (ESL) Pronunciation Exercises Online (http://www.englishmedialab.com/pronunc.iation.html ): this website gives free speaking activities and learning material to students. According to Brooks et al (2001), "A major advantage of the Internet is that teachers do not have to worry about software and hardware issues as much as in other situations" (Brooks, 32). "With the rapid development of science and technology, the emerging and developing of multimedia technology and its application to teaching, featuring audio, visual, animation effects come into full play in English teaching class and sets a favourable platform to reform and to explore on English teaching model in the new era(Thamarana 2015, p.169). WhatsApp is a free messenger used by over 1 billion users in 180 countries around the world. Meanwhile, "ICT based language learning allows for widespread classrooms that provide qualitative, quantitative, and economical advantages'' (Thamarana 2015, p.232). Apart from sending text messages and sharing photos this application also has features of free calling, video chat and record and share audio messages. The registration for this app has to be done through personalised phone numbers. Students can do tasks by creating WhatsApp group from where they can take instructions and share their work. This application can be used on both mobiles and computers. The audio files can be created for uny duration. These audio files arc saved in form of MP3 audio clips, which can be uploaded to any websites. Strntegies for Teaching Speaking Skills: Speaking strategies help speakers to learn speaking appropriately and intelligibly. These strategies can be divided into three stages, which are pre-speaking strategies, while-speaking strategies and post-
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speaking strategies. Pre-speaking strategies involve factors like knowing who the listeners arc, the purpose of speaking, the knowledge of the topic speaker has and what more has to be known and the cross-cultural factors that would play a role in communication process. In addition, the format of message, arrangement of information, the tone in which the message has to be delivered has to be focused in this stage. While-speaking strategies involve observing non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and gestures for proper communication, focusing on important topics in discussion, using the of grammar, vocabulary and knowledge pronunciation to communicate clearly, using the conventions needed for proper communication and checking if the listeners understood the message properly. Post-speaking strategies involve analysis of how successfully the communication process has taken place. Activities should be in such a way that they demand students to communicate. Information-gap activities motivate students to communicate, as they have to put eaph other's knowledge to complete a task. Accuracy apart from fluency is also needed to communicate clearly. Therefore, form- focused activities and mechanical drills should be given to learners. Games can be played to achieve this motto, as games arc one of the interesting ways to give pattern drills. According to Chandra (2004), "Technology's capacity to reach learners in any place and at any time has the potential to promote revolutionary changes in the educational paradigm" (p. 19). Some ways through which quizzes or exams can be conducted are memorising and reciting dialogues, looking at picture anddescribing it, roleplaying, conducting group discussions and interviews. Prospects and Problems in Teaching Speaking Skills Teachers might face a number of challenges in making students perform speaking activities. These challenges can be from external sources, from students and teacher's confidence levels can be a challenge in itself. Speaking activities in large classes can produce noise and disturb the adjacent classes. To avoid this, teachers can suggest the students to do some activities in low voice; one can ask the teacher . next door to excuse the noise from the class for some time until students adjust. Secondly, the seating arrangement and space available in classroom can be a challenge. In this case, alternative seating arrangements can be made, activities where there is less student movement can be preferred, class can be ISSN: 2349 - 2295
.ft d to open area and student momtors for e.ach sh1 e . d , group can be arranged to momtor stu ent s progrc$s· David Graddol (1997, 2000), "It is the language at the leading edge of scientific and technological development, new thinking in economies and management, new literatures and entertainment skills using online genre." Hence, teaching speaking . . has its own merits and dements. However, ments are more in the hands of a competent teacher in terms of the ability to use technological, pedagogical, content and knowledge. References: Blurton, C. 1999. Chapter 2: New directions in In: UNESCO's World education. communication and information 1999-2000. Paris: UNESCO: 46-6. Brooks, David W., Diane E. Nolan, and Susan M. Gallagher. Web-teaching: A guide to designing interactive teaching for the World Wide Web. Vol.9. Springer Science & Business Media, 2001. Carol, Chapelle. English language learning and technology: Lectures on applied linguistics in the age of information and communication technology. John Benjamins Publishing, 2003. Print. Thamarana, Simhachalam. "Role of £-learning and Virtual Learning Environment in English language learning." in Teaching English Language and Literature: Innovative Methods and Practices, ELTAI Tirupati Chapter (20 16): 61-62. Print. Chandra, Ramesh. Technology in the Preparation of Teachers. Delhi: ISHA, 2004. Print. David Graddol. The Future of English? The British Council 1997, 2000. Thamarana, Simhachalam. "Role of Multimedia Resources in Teaching and Learning of English Language." Teaching English Language and Literature: Challenges and Soli/lions by ELTAI, Tirupati Chapter (2015): 187-192. Print. Thamarana, Simhachalam. "The role of rnforrnation and Communication Technologies in achieving standards in English Language Teaching." The Criterion: An International Journal in English (2015): 227-232. Print. Shaikh, Imran R. Introduction to Educational Technology & /CT. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, 2013.
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