Language Skills Essay

Teaching English as a foreign language is not always as easy as you might think, especially when teaching adults. Many of my adult students are at a very basic English level and it can be especially challenging to teach them. This is where an understanding of the four language skills helps out. It’s also especially helpful to look at how children learn their mother tongue, and the order they acquire the language skills. A good EFL teacher understands the four skills and has the ability to apply that knowledge to his/her students. If you plan to teach students independently, for example as a freelancer, you’ll have a bit more freedom to tailor your teaching style to the needs of each individual student. If you plan on teaching in a school or language company, you’ll most likely be required to follow some sort of curriculum. However, in either option, a thorough understanding of the four language skills, and language acquisition is essential. Teaching English as a foreign language is not always as easy as you might think, especially when teaching adults.

Many of my adult students are at a very basic English level and it can be especially challenging to teach them. This is where an understanding of the four language skills helps out. It’s also especially helpful to look at how children learn their mother tongue, and the order they acquire the language skills. A good EFL teacher understands the four skills and has the ability to apply that knowledge to his/her students. If you plan to teach students independently, for example as a freelancer, you’ll have a bit more freedom to tailor your teaching style to the needs of each individual student. If you plan on teaching in a school or language company, you’ll most likely be required to follow some sort of curriculum. However, in either option, a thorough understanding of the four language skills, and language acquisition is essential. As babies and children, we begin acquiring our mother tongue by first listening to the adults around us.

Of course, it’s not as easy as listening and doing. As the adults are talking, babies are absorbing the sounds. Around the second year, toddlers are beginning to understand the sounds and words produced by parents. Parents model the words to give them meaning and toddlers begin to understand through trial, error and correction by the adult. It often takes 2-4 years of listening to adults before we venture into practicing with the next skill, speaking. When children begin speaking, adults use different techniques to correct errors. The most common technique is repeating what the child said, but emphasizing the correct way of saying it. This technique is also an effective one in EFL classes. EFL students begin in a manner very similar to babies. A good EFL teacher understands that and can adapt to each student’s acquisition needs. Understanding how babies learn sounds is especially helpful when teaching the basic sounds of English.

English is a bit more guttural with some sounds and this can be especially difficult for speakers of other languages to absorb. This is true for many of my beginner Spanish students. Later, when children enter school, teachers begin to build on the first two skills already acquired. Teachers will begin expanding the child’s vocabulary and speaking skills. Additionally, teachers begin teaching children how to read. The alphabet is taught and then basic words and sentences. Children soon are able to read on their own. Of course, they are able to read only at a basic level. However, the foundation is there and in the years following, their vocabulary will mature and their level of reading comprehension will increase. Finally, soon after children begin reading, they are taught writing. As their reading comprehension and vocabulary skills increase, so will their writing skills. A good EFL teacher can put themselves in their students shoes and remember what it was like learning English as they were growing up. Remember the activities that we had to do in elementary and high school.