Strategies To Enhance Students’ Communication Skills

Introduction

My teaching experience with young learners has confirmed that speaking plays a momentous role in the language classroom. Although most of the activities aim to cater for good opportunities to talk, in fact, a little explicit teaching of speaking occurs (Goh & Burns: 2012). An interview conducted recently with some international students from eight different countries (China, Morocco, Spain, India, Haïti, Jordan, Iraq and France) has shown that their primary objective to take English classes is to speak fluently, correctly, and confidently; they also added that they face a lot of difficulties with this skill when they want to make and respond to introductions/conversations as they lack strategies or don’t know how to speak as they worded (Appendix#1). Unfortunately, these learners fail awfully when they have to speak to native speakers. Fundamental to this fact, I have witnessed that my students are unable for example to take turns, to ask for clarification and repetition and alsoto communicate well in formal situations maintaining good use of prosodic features, body language and repair (Ellis: 1985). Therefore, a choice of this skill has been perceived based on this data to help them enhance their speaking strategies and teach them speaking better.

Analysis

What is conversation?In order to better understanding of speaking strategies, we need to understand what the word “conversation” means. In a conversation, we usually have two or more members who are part of a collective activity in which they communicate interactively using nonverbal signals and linguistic patterns (Brennan: 2005).

Strategy #1: Formulaic language

According to Wray (2002), formulaic language is a linguistic term related to verbal standard form of expressions that lack authenticity in meaning incorporating implications that are attitudinal and connected to a context that is pragmatically communicative. Formulaic language favors a big percentage of authentic native-speaker discourse. This encompasses pause fillers e. g. , “Like”, “Er” or “Uhm” and some formulas of conversational speech e. g. , “You’ve got to be joking,” “Excuse me?” or “Hold on a minute” (e. g. Biber et al. 1999: Erman and Warren 2000).

Strategy #2: Prosodic features

Prosodic features, also knowns as suprasegmental phonology are features that come up when sounds in connected speech are put together (Svartvik: 1980). One significant component of prosodic features in English is intonation. This is a concerted term as it is used to depict change in pitch, tempo, loudness, and rhythm. These features are also part of intonation, stress, and rhythm. Weak and strong syllables in English relate highly to loudness which is also mentioned in the nuclear syllables extra prominence. In some conversations, loudness is linked to other effects like anger, which can be also noticed in extended speech. (Seuss: 2009). Word StressThere is usually one important syllable that is "stressed" more if compared to the others.

Strategy #3: Turn-taking

The success of the conversation is measured by knowing how speakers take, hold on and also abandon turns in a conversation (Richards: 1980). The first feature to clarify is taking control. In a formal conversation e. g. speech or a debate, the norm doesn’t accept one-sided conversations. However, in an informal conversation, with one conversant speaking at a time, there is an absolute absence of officially consideration to control the conversation flow. Thus, all speakers are supposed to take part in the conversation (Jefferson: 1974). A speaker can take turn in a conversation through adhering to the following strategies: (Richards: 1990)To alert for a request of a turn by using rising intonation and interjections e. g. “Mm-hmm,” “Yeah,”To use facial expressions or other gestures that show you wish to take a turnTo respond to a question through accepting a turn attempted by another speakerThe second feature is holding a turn. This strategy can be applied when the speaker wants to show they aren’t finished speaking and wants to hold their turn. One way to do it is to “fill in the silence at a special moment” e. g. “well, erm, er (in any order) with pauses. These fillers are very practical as they help the speaker to have time to think and plan ahead what they want to say (Brown and Yule: 1983). The third and last one is abandoning a turn. The speaker’s turn here is “bowed out” and the ball is is passed on to someone else.

A general useful “exit technique” is tag questions e. g. “you know?” or “don’t you agree?” (Schegloff: 1974). Yet, Richards (1990) proposes a using adjacency pairs strategy which invites the other person to bring a sequence such as the challenge-denial technique: A: You look sad. B: I feel fine.

Strategy #4: Requesting and giving clarification

One reason for making communication difficult is probably sensitive emotions dealt with or the complexity of information we listen to. Extending reflection includes clarifying to reassure that there is real communication between the speaker and the listener who is trying to understand the messages being expressed. Clarifying can take the form of questions, summarize what the speaker has contributed, asking for repetition and maybe providing some examples e. g. “Can you repeat, please?”, “can you give me an example?” (2011 - 2018 SkillsYouNeed. com). Example: A: Hey, can you give those lemons, please?B: Sorry? I didn’t get that. A: No problem. I was just asking you to give me those lemons. B: Oh melons. A: No, I didn’t say melons. Lemons pleaseB: Oh sorry. You meant lemons.

Strategy #5: Asking follow-up questions and making comments

Making comments along with asking questions is a very practical way to check the degrees of involvement in one’s conversation. Again, making the speaker feel that there is an interest in what they say can always come through asking for more details and adding one’s own ideas. Therefore, this is a sure sign that listener wants the speaker to continue talking (Kebir: 1994).

Strategy #6: Watching without sound

This strategy helps learners know certain words and language the speaker might use based on the visual support. Again, the listener uses their schematic knowledge to predict the desirable information to hear. Thus, predicting the topic of the conversation will brainstorm automatically some vocabulary which will be stored in the brain and stay activated as echoed by Loveday (1982) to better understanding of what we hear.

Strategy #7: Changing the subject

Lack of interest in a topic and comfort for the person being talked with is a valid reason to make the conversation take a different direction. One strategy to change the conversation subject is reintroducing a preceding topic e. g. “that was really interesting what we talked about earlier – could you please tell me more?”. Also, using “yes, but” technique is a good way to set-up a bridge then use “but” to shift to another topic e. g. if you don’t like romantic movies, say “ I love romantic movies! But I’m definitely into action movies (Rost: 1994).

Learner Problems and Teaching Issues

Problem #1: difficulties with changing the subject

Teaching Moroccan and Chinese learners has shown that there is sometimes an intention to change the subject which is clearly expressed by their facials. However, lacking the strategy and the phrases to do so force them to keep on a conversation that they wish it could take another direction. My low-level learners can’t distinguish between formal and informal language. They use informal words and phrases like “no, I don’t want” “look this topic please” “hey listen” “hey friend: I don’t like”, these would replace "I'd rather not talk about it (that). " My observation of many lessons revealed that they use a lot of informal language when they have to use only formal to change a topic. Again, encouraging breakdown correctly in communication is a good strategy to develop.

Problem #2: Cultural barriers in turn-taking

I was amazed to see how culture impacts turn-taking in one of my conversation classes, where I had Chinese, Latinos and Japanese students. I agree with Nolasco (1987) that disturbing or disagreeing with other speakers is a big challenge as it’s disapproving in their L1. Leaving a period of silence for Japanese speakers is something very likely to happen before they take up a turn. Sometimes, this can sound strange for the other non-Japanese speakers in the room. Same thing for Moroccan learners who tend to jump in a turn without being permitted to do so or give any indication to justify their behavior. Therefore, this makes people lose their turn. Within a multicultural classroom, the use of body language to take a turn might be very difficult as it’s an inherited aspect and students neither use such gestures properly nor be able to recognize them (Thornbury: 2005).

Problem #3: Asking follow-up questions and making comment

Active listening is an issue for many people. A case in point is Moroccan learners who don’t demonstrate very often a willingness in asking questions or making comments for effective conversation contributions while listening to others talking or making introductions. They rather wait until the speaker is done so that they can take their turn. In fact, not asking questions or making comments does show lack of interest in what another person is saying. Therefore, this can lead to boredom and lack of motivation to speak and the whole conversation might shake, and communication breaks down (Clennell: 1994).

Problem #4: Dependence on the teacher in a classroom setting

A significant issue that I’ve noticed many times in my classrooms is how frequently students address their comments and questions to the teacher instead of repairing, although they are involved in a conversation with other people in their groups. This issue has come up many times in my Moroccan classroom especially with low-levels. My developmental observations have shown that no matter how the instructions clarify that students need to be conversing with the peers concerned and even if I position myself differently in the room, they still see the teacher as a focal point and address their comments and questions to him/her as if he/she is part of the group and is supposed to take a turn or is in charge of answering a question.

Teaching Suggestions

Solution #1: Magic word

Aim: To use subtle strategies to repair and further develop communication breakdowns. Procedure: This activity has two main stages. The first one necessitates that each pair should be given one or some secret words. These words should be used in a conversation which lasts for 1-3 minutes. The difficulty is to the use of many words where fewer would do and make the subject take another direction. The second one aims to give learners one or more secret words again; they should try to get their partners to alter them within 1-3 minutes. This stage promotes paraphrases e. g. “What’s another word for X?” (Maynard: 1986). Evaluation: This activity is an enjoyable challenge in that it offers learners the opportunity to practice initiating and interacting forcefully avoiding breakdown. It’s a learner training task which develops this strategy and activates the acquisition process.

Solution #2: Watching without sound

Aim: To raise students’ awareness of turn-taking cultural skills and provide an opportunity for verbal and nonverbal practice and feedback. Procedure: Teacher shows students a recorded conversation and asks them to figure out the content. This will help them realize some paralinguistic features related to gesture and body language. It gives a chance to students to know the degree in which they can target attitudes, feelings and the intentions of the turn-taker. As a while watching task, students are asked to answer questions connected with the behavior of the speakers and completing a questionnaire too. E. g. How does Jack stop the others from interrupting? Do you think Morgan is interested in or bored by the self-introductions? Then, the teacher asks students to say how they know this as it goes with the value of highlighting certain signals. At last, they can compare in pairs then watch with the sound to check their answers (English Teaching professional 2014).

Evaluation: This activity helps students reach another level of awareness which doesn’t concern only the transfer of turn-taking across languages and cultures but as a nonverbal process to develop through close observation of people's behaviors and body language.

Solution #3: Follow-up questions and comments activity

Aim: To increase proficiency in questioning through engaging active listening and effective collaborationProcedure: Teacher asks students to watch some video-taped conversations. They are required to listen to some statements during conversation one, then, after each statement, write up the follow-up questions/comments they hear. First Conversation: A: We sang with the new singers. B: (students write: Who are the new singers?) A: Lady Gaga and Adele. B: (students write: That's great!)A: Our teacher is Mr. Turpin B: (students write: Is he handsome?)For the next conversation, the teacher asks students to listen, then provide a possible follow-up question or comment after each. Conversation two video: A: I went there to encourage our team, but we lost the semi-final.

Evaluation: This activity is very practical in terms of asking the right question from the right student at the right time and in the right way following correct norms of listening. The aim is to advocate for learning and discovery, maximizing students’ interest, leading to dynamic conversations/discussions.

Solution #4: Talking to each other

Aim: To make students talk to each other through directing questions and comments to concerned speakers and keep the conversation process outside the circle of the teacher. Procedure: One practicable solution is for the teacher to act as a recorder. I agree with Weimer (2014) that informing student about the new role of teacher before the conversation to take place will deviate the attention to other members and keep it only within the groups as each group will be busy arranging their conversations. This method is processed as follows:

The teacher (recorder) type or write comments on the board instantly made by students.

Teacher maintains eye contact with student speaking, keeping the eyes on comments recorded.

It will be of good use to write on the board, as the teacher will give his/her back to students and this is a normal position. Hence, being unable to talk to students as it’s rude to talk to somebody’s back.

Listeners can respond by: showing eye contact nodding your head saying, “Is that so?” saying, “Really?” saying, “Uh-huh”

Evaluation: This method is useful in that it promotes peer interaction and teaches students how to listen and respond to each other’s comments and practice with ways of showing interest when someone is taking a particularly long turn.