SEMI-FINAL MODULE

IN
INTERACTIVE ENGLISH

Introduction:

Semi-final Lessons focused on Communication Arts: Speaking. The lessons are about the Nature of
Speaking Skill, Pronunciation, Stress, Intonation, Dialogues, etc. There are learning activities assigned to test
the speaking skills of students. After reading all the learning contents, make sure to answer all the questions
and do the activities assigned in the last part of this learning module.

Learning Content

 What is the nature of speaking?

Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing and receiving
information. All normal human being in this world understands and speak to carry out every activity in their
daily life. Every person speaks because they live in society that needs interaction with each other.

 What do you understand by speaking?

Speaking is the delivery of language through the mouth. To speak, we create sounds using many parts
of our body, including the lungs, vocal tract, vocal cords, tongue, teeth and lips. Speaking is the second of the
four language skills, which are: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

 What is the importance of speaking?

It allows us to form connections, influence decisions, and motivate change. Without communication
skills, the ability to progress in the working world and in life, itself, would be nearly impossible.
Public speaking is one of the most important and most dreaded forms of communication.

 What are the types of speaking?

Mastering public speaking requires first differentiating between four of the primary types of public
speaking: ceremonial, demonstrative, informative and persuasive.

Ceremonial Speaking. Ceremonial speaking, originally called epideictic oratory, includes graduation
speeches, wedding speeches, eulogy speeches, after-dinner speeches, award speeches, toast speeches, and
tribute speeches. The biggest thing that these have in common is that they have a heavy emphasis on pathos-
emotion. When listening to a ceremonial speech, an audience expects to feel something and to feel a part of
something. To achieve that, a good ceremonial speech will include identification, narration, and magnification.

Demonstrative Speaking. This has many similarities with an informative speech. A demonstrative
speech also teaches you something. The main difference lies in including a demonstration of how to do the
thing you’re teaching.

Informative Speaking. The goal of informative speaking is to teach an audience something using
objective factual information.

Persuasive Speaking. Persuasive speaking is the type of speaking that most people engage in the
most. This type of speech can involve everything from arguing about politics to talking about what to eat for
dinner. Persuasive speaking is very connected to the audience, as the speaker must, in a sense, meet the
audience halfway.

 What are 3 types of speeches?

To wrap it up, there are essentially three types of speeches public speakers use to influence their
audience. The informative speech conveys information, the persuasive speech is a call to action and the
special occasion speech is given to commemorate a person or event.

 What are the four methods of speaking?

There are four main kinds of speech delivery: impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript, and
memorized. Impromptu speaking involves delivering a message on the spur of the moment, as when someone
is asked to “say a few words.” Extemporaneous speaking consists of delivering a speech in a conversational
fashion using notes. This is the style most speeches call for. In a manuscript speech, the speaker maintains his
or her attention on the printed page except when using visual aids. The advantage to reading from a
manuscript is the exact repetition of original words. A memorized speech is when a speaker commits an entire
speech to memory. This style also harms relation with the audience because the speaker is more focused on
remembering the text of the speech rather than communicating with the audience.

 What are the six aspects of physical delivery?

Aspects of Physical Delivery. There are six aspects of physical delivery that will be covered in this
section: voice use, facial expressions, eye contact, gesturing, and movement.
  What are the five elements of good speech delivery?

The elements of good delivery are directness, spontaneity, animation, vocal and facial expressiveness,
and a lively sense of communication.

 How can students improve speaking skills?

Encourage conversation. Some people might need a little guidance from you to engage in
conversations, so spark interactions whenever you can. Ask questions, rephrase, and give prompts that
encourage oral conversations to continue.

 What is the importance of speaking skills in student’s life?

Oral Communication Skills Understanding how to communicate effectively with peers sets the stage for
positive self-esteem. Students feel empowered when they can “talk the talk” in their social lives. Effective use
of oral communication also allows students to advocate for themselves.

 How can I develop my speaking skills?

1. Expand your vocabulary. Learn New Words Every Day.
2. Improve your pronunciation.
3. Learn the natural flow of English.
4. Build English speaking confidence.
5. Speech shadowing.
6. Self-talk.
7. Think in English.
8. Retell a story in English.

 Why are students speaking skills important?

Good communication enables students to assimilate more from the learning process by empowering

them to ask relevant questions and discuss doubts. Effective verbal communication nurtures the process of
socialization by facilitating new friendships and these in turn aid the learning process.

 What are the advantages of speaking skills?

1. Career advancement.
2. Boost confidence.
3. Critical thinking.
4. Personal development.
5. Improve communication skills.
6. Make new social connections.
7. Personal satisfaction.
8. Expand your professional network.

 What are the objectives of speaking skills?

1. To make student teachers understand the concept and theories of communication.

2. To develop the various skills of listening that are useful in the classroom.

 Why speaking is the most important skill?

Professional Growth: Public speaking and knowing how to communicate help professionals boost their
self-confidence, help them motivate change, increases their chances of influencing decisions, and help them
form connections. Great public speakers master the art of influence and leadership.

 What are speaking skills and what is its importance?

They are techniques that enable a speaker to convey a message effectively. Speaking skills don't just
involve the use of the right words. Your body language also has a major role in conveying a message.

 What are the components of speaking skills?

According to Harris (1974) there are five components of speaking skill concerned with comprehension,
grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency.

 What is speaking skills and its types?

Speaking skills are defined as the skills which allow us to communicate effectively. They give us the
ability to convey information verbally and in a way that the listener can understand.

 What are the most important speaking skills in communication?

Communication skills are needed to speak appropriately with a wide variety of people whilst

maintaining good eye contact, demonstrate a varied vocabulary and tailor your language to your audience,
listen effectively, present your ideas appropriately, write clearly and concisely, and work well in a group.
  What are the speaking strategies?

Strategies to Prepare for Speaking Engagements

1. Practice makes perfect. Practice your speech a few weeks ahead of the big day.
2. Practice with an audience.
3. Hook your audience's attention.
4. Your body language is key.
5. Don't get stuck, move around.
6. Set your goal.
7. Get to know your audience.
8. Begin with an interesting question or story.

 What are the three basic purposes of speaking?

The general purpose of any speech will be either to Inform; Motivate/Persuade; or Entertain your
audience. As soon as you know the general purpose of your speech you can develop your Specific Purpose
Statement (What the speaker will accomplish). Your Specific Purpose Statement is used to develop your
speech.

 What are the 7 elements of public speaking?

The seven (7) elements of public speaking are the speaker, the message, the channel, the listener, the
feedback, the interference, and the situation. The speech communication process starts with the speaker – the
person who initiated the conversation or talk.

 What are effective speaking skills and strategies?

Pay Attention to Body Language Pay attention to your body language: stand up straight, take deep
breaths, look people in the eye, and smile. Don't lean on one leg or use gestures that feel unnatural. Many
people prefer to speak behind a podium when giving presentations.

 What are the qualities of a good speaker?

Know-How.
Passion and Purpose.
Personality.
Creativity.
Make Connections.
Speak Plainly.
Not Be Afraid to Fail.

 What makes a speech powerful?

The first, and most important law of powerful public speaking is to share something actionable with your
audience. Listen, whether you're speaking at your own event, a keynote, or on an Instagram story, people don't
care about you. They care about what you can teach them and what problems you can help them solve.

 What makes a speech successful?

Clarity is an essential feature of a good speech. A speech should be clear and unambiguous so that the
audience can understand it easily. If it is not clear enough to express its meaning to the audience, it will
become ineffective. The message of the speech should be definite and relevant to the subject matter.

 What are the main points of a speech?

The main points of any speech are the key pieces of information or arguments contained within the talk
or presentation. In other words, the main points are what your audience should remember from your talk.

 What is a perfect speech?

The beginning and end of your speech should be symmetrical in strength. If you start strong and end
weak, it will be noticeable. Attention grabbers like quotes, relevant questions and tasteful jokes are good ways
to start and end a speech. Your speech may far better if you end with a question or a joke.

 What makes an effective speech delivery?

Make eye contact before you start to speak, as you normally do in beginning a conversation. Don't start
with “um” or “OK.” Talk to your listeners as if you are having a conversation with them. Make plenty of genuine
eye-to-eye contact with members of the audience.

 The Importance of Speaking Skills

Why the importance of speaking skills? While a picture may be worth a thousand words, those words
will no doubt come in handy if the picture is distorted or poorly understood. After all, the most effective way to
communicate is through speech. Thus, speaking skills are a vitally important method of communication.
 The four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all interconnected. Proficiency in
each skill is necessary to become a well-rounded communicator, but the ability to speak skillfully provides the
speaker with several distinct advantages. The capacity to put words together in a meaningful way to reflect
thoughts, opinions, and feelings provides the speaker with these important advantages:

Ability to inform, persuade, and direct. Business managers, educators, military leaders, lawyers, and
politicians, among others, seek to develop their speaking skills to such a level that they are transformed into
master communicators. Speaking clearly and confidently can gain the attention of an audience, providing the
golden opportunity for the speaker to make the message known. Wise is the speaker who gains and then holds
the attention of an audience, with well-chosen words in a well-delivered presentation, forming a message that
is effective, informative, and understood.

Ability to stand out from the rest. When one thinks of speaking skills, one tends to think of it as a
common skill. Think again. The ability to stand before others and speak effectively is not an ordinary ability.
Many people are deathly afraid of public speaking; others have little ability to form thoughts into sentences and
then deliver those words in a believable way. The bad news is that at any given moment the world has
precious few with the speaking talents of, say, Winston Churchill or John F. Kennedy. The good news is that a
speaker whose skills are honed and developed with constant application and hard work can stand out.

Ability to benefit derivatively. Well-developed verbal skills can increase one’s negotiation skills. Self-
confidence is improved. A growing sense of comfort comes from speaking in front of larger and larger
audiences. A reputation for excellence in speaking can accrue over time, thereby imparting a certain credibility
to the speaker.

Career enhancement. Employers have always valued the ability to speak well. It is, and always will be,
an important skill, and well worth the effort in fully developing.

Personal satisfaction. Speakers who have experienced a connection with an appreciative audience
through a well-composed and well-delivered presentation often find a deep level of fulfillment that is seldom
achieved in other forms of communication. The normal sense of nervous tension can give way to feelings of
accomplishment and exuberance when an audience expresses its outward appreciation to a speaker. It’s a
reward, of sorts, for all the hard work and preparation that goes into honing your skills.

Speaking skills are important for career success, but certainly not limited to one’s professional
aspirations. Speaking skills can enhance one’s personal life and thereby bring about the well-rounded growth
that we should all seek.

 What speaking is

Speaking is an interactive process of constructing meaning that involves producing and receiving and

processing information (Brown, 1994; Burns & Joyce, 1997). Its form and meaning are dependent on the
context in which it occurs, including the participants themselves, their collective experiences, the physical
environment, and the purposes for speaking. It is often spontaneous, open-ended, and evolving. However,
speech is not always unpredictable. Language functions (or patterns) that tend to recur in certain discourse
situations (e.g., declining an invitation or requesting time off from work), can be identified and charted (Burns
&Joyce, 1997). For example, when a salesperson asks "May I help you?" the expected discourse sequence
includes a statement of need, response to the need, offer of appreciation, acknowledgement of the
appreciation, and a leave-taking exchange. Speaking requires that learners not only know how to produce
specific points of language such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary (linguistic competence), but also
that they understand when, why, and in what ways to produce language (sociolinguistic competence). Finally,
speech has its own skills, structures, and conventions different from written language (Burns & Joyce, 1997;
Carter & McCarthy, 1995; Cohen, 1996). A good speaker synthesizes this array of skills and knowledge to
succeed in a given speech act.

 What a good speaker does

A speaker's skills and speech habits have an impact on the success of any exchange (Van Duzer,
1997). Speakers must be able to anticipate and then produce the expected patterns of specific discourse
situations. They must also manage discrete elements such as turn-taking, rephrasing, providing feedback,
or redirecting (Burns & Joyce, 1997). For example, a learner involved in the exchange with the salesperson
described previously must know the usual pattern that such an interaction follows and access that knowledge
as the exchange progresses. The learner must also choose the correct vocabulary to describe the item
sought, rephrase or emphasize words to clarify the description if the clerk does not understand, and use
appropriate facial expressions to indicate satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the service. Other skills and
knowledge that instruction might address include the following: producing the sounds, stress patterns,
rhythmic structures, and intonations of the language; using grammar structures accurately; assessing
characteristics of the target audience, including shared knowledge or shared points of reference,
status and power relations of participants, interest levels, or differences in perspectives; selecting
vocabulary that is understandable and appropriate for the audience, the topic being discussed, and the setting
in which the speech act occurs; applying strategies to enhance comprehensibility, such as emphasizing key
words, rephrasing, or checking for listener comprehension; using gestures or body language; and paying
attention to the success of the interaction and adjusting components of speech such as vocabulary, rate of
speech, and complexity of grammar structures to maximize listener comprehension and involvement (Brown,
1994).

 The Components of Speaking Skill

Pronunciation. Pronunciation is the way for students to produce clearer language when they are speaking. It
means that the student can communicate effectively when they have good pronunciation and intonation even
though they have limited vocabulary and grammar. Pronunciation refers to the traditional or customary
utterance of words. From that statement can be concluded that pronunciation is the way for students to
produce the utterance words clearly when they are speaking (Kline, 2001:69). English pronunciation does not
amount to mastery of a list of sounds or isolated words. Instead, it amounts to learning and practicing the
specifically English way of making a speaker’s thoughts easy to follow (Gilbert, 2008:1). Moreover,
pronunciation includes all those aspects of speech which make for an easily intelligible flow of speech,
including segmental articulation, rhythm, intonation and phrasing, and more peripherally even gesture, body
language and eye contact (Fraser, 2001:6). Based on the statement above can be concluded that
Pronunciation includes many aspects that include articulation, rhythm, intonation and phrasing, and more
peripherally even gesture, body language and eye contact

Grammar. Grammar is needed for the students to arrange correct sentences in conversation both in written
and oral forms. Grammar is defined as a systematic way of accounting for and predicting an ideal speaker’s or
hearer’s knowledge of the language. This is done by a set of rules or principles that can be used to generate all
well-formed or grammatical utterances in the language (Purpura, 2004:6). Moreover, the other definition of
grammar stated by Greenbaum and Nelson (2002:1) argue that Grammar refers to the set of rules that allow
us to combine words in our language into larger units. The grammar of a language is the description of the
ways in which words can change their forms and can be combined into sentences in that language (Harmer,
2001:12). Thus, from the statements above can be concluded that the function of grammar is to arrange the
correct meaning of sentences based on the context; in addition, it is used to avoid misunderstanding in each
communicator. Moreover, Nelson (2001:1) states that grammar is the study of how words combine to form
sentences. Thus, from statement above can be concluded that grammar is a rule that is needed for the
students to combine correct sentences in conversation both in written and oral forms. Grammar refers to the
fundamental principles and structure of the language, including clear and correct sentence construction and
the proper forms of words (Batko, 2004:24).

Vocabulary. Vocabulary is essential for successful second language use because without an extensive
vocabulary, we will be unable to use the structure and function we may have learnt for comprehensible
communicative. It can be said that one key the success in communicative, which is the power of words.
Vocabulary means the appropriate diction or the most important thing in a language especially in speaking;
furthermore, knowing many vocabularies we will be easier to express our ideas, feeling and thoughts both in
oral or written form. In spoken language, the vocabulary tends to be familiar and every day (Turk, 2003:87). It
means that in spoken language or speaking, the vocabulary used must be very familiar and it is used in
everyday conversation in order to understand the spoken discourse. Vocabulary is a basic building block of
language learning. Students need to know words, their meanings, how they are spelt and how they are
pronounced. Thus, when teaching vocabulary, the teachers have to make sure that they explain the meaning
as well as the spelling and pronunciation. Vocabulary is the knowledge of meanings of words. What
complicates this definition is the fact that words come in at least two forms: oral and written. Oral vocabulary is
the set of words for which we know the meanings when we speak or read orally. Written vocabulary consists of
those words for which the meaning is known when we write or read silently. These are important distinctions
because the set of words that beginning readers know are mainly oral representations. As they learn to read,
written vocabulary comes to play an increasingly larger role in literacy than does the oral vocabulary (Hiebert
and Kamil, 2005:3). Moreover, Vocabulary is a set of lexemes including single words, compound words and
idioms (Richards and Schmidt, 2002:580).

Fluency. Fluency is defined as the ability to speak communicatively, fluently and accurately. Fluency usually
refers to express oral language freely without interruption. In teaching and learning process, if the teacher
wants to check students’ fluency, the teacher allows students to express themselves freely without interruption.
The aim is to help students speak fluently and with ease. The teacher does not correct immediately whereas
the idea being that too much correction interferes with the flow of conversation (Pollard, 2008:16).

Comprehension. Comprehension is an ability to perceive and process stretches of discourse, to formulate

representations the meaning of sentences. Comprehension of a second language is more difficult to study
since it is not; directly observable and must be inferred from overt verbal and nonverbal responses, by artificial
instruments, or by the intuition of the teacher or researcher. Comprehension refers to the fact that participants
fully understand the nature of the research project, even when procedures are complicated and entail risks
(Cohen et al., 2005:51). Therefore, in speaking can be concluded that the comprehension refers to the
speakers’ understanding about what are they saying to the listeners in order avoid misunderstanding
information; in addition, its function is to make the listeners easily to catch the information from the speaker.

 Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

NERVOUSNESS IS NORMAL. PRACTICE AND PREPARE!

 All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not
associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves
are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best
performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go
over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice—a lot.
Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. YOUR SPEECH IS ABOUT THEM, NOT YOU.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much
about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information,
organization pattern, and motivational statement.

ORGANIZE YOUR MATERIAL IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE MANNER TO ATTAIN YOUR PURPOSE.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central
idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

WATCH FOR FEEDBACK AND ADAPT TO IT.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible.
Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted
listeners.

LET YOUR PERSONALITY COME THROUGH.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head—in any type of communication. You will establish better
credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see
you as a real person.

USE HUMOR, TELL STORIES, AND USE EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention.
Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

DON’T READ UNLESS YOU HAVE TO. WORK FROM AN OUTLINE.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with
the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory
and keep you on task.

USE YOUR VOICE AND HANDS EFFECTIVELY. OMIT NERVOUS GESTURES.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself,
but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

GRAB ATTENTION AT THE BEGINNING, AND CLOSE WITH A DYNAMIC END.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t.
Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a
summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

USE AUDIOVISUAL AIDS WISELY.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should
enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

PRACTICE DOES NOT MAKE PERFECT

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the
requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves
entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

  How to Improve your English-Speaking Skills Quickly

Whether you are learning English for business or social purposes (or both), these are some of the most
commonly asked questions in terms of studying the language:
 ‘How can I learn to speak better English?’
‘How can I improve my speaking in English?’
‘How can I speak English more fluently and confidently?’

These are excellent questions to ask. It should be the ultimate aim of all trainees to want to improve
their speaking skills in English. Here are some practical tips to help you to achieve this ambition:

 Speak English to improve

This may sound like an obvious suggestion, but the most important thing to do is speak the language.

Don’t be afraid to speak. Fear is the single most important factor stopping you from speaking in English
and practicing all those things you have learned.

So, take the opportunity to speak with anyone, and speak with everyone, whether that is face-to-face or
online. Everything helps.

 Don’t focus on your mistakes

It is the fear of making a mistake often keeps people silent. And it is an unnecessary fear, although you
cannot help how you feel.

However, remember that making mistakes can be a good thing. Making mistakes is how we learn
everything.

If you can cook, I’m sure you didn’t make the perfect dish the first time. If you play sport, you will
remember the early days when you were not as effective. And certainly, in your job, there was a time when you
were new and inexperienced. It’s important to remember that every learning process is a journey.

So, make mistakes: it’s all part of the process. Just remember to learn from those mistakes.

 Ask the people around you to correct you

People will not correct your English unless you ask them to. The belief is that it is impolite to correct
someone, especially when you are probably doing a really good job anyway. (Most English speakers are
ineffective at speaking other languages, so will not want to judge your ability to speak in another language!)

But if you ask colleagues and friends to help by pointing out when you have made a mistake, and by
giving you the correct way to say it, you will soon find yourself well on your way to speaking fluently in English.

 Record yourself speaking

Every smartphone has an incredibly useful feature for when you are learning to speak another
language: the ‘record’ feature.

Now, no one particularly enjoys listening to themselves speak, but this is an incredibly useful activity for
you to follow in order to understand better how you pronounce your words, as well as to identify the rhythm of
your sentences.

Compare what you are saying to the correct pronunciation of words, and to the rhythm of native
speakers. You don’t need to sound exactly like a native speaker, that’s unrealistic, but you can always improve
through comparison and imitation.

 Cross-train (improving your listening, reading and writing will improve your speaking ability)

‘I want to talk in English fluently and confidently, so why am I practising my reading and writing skills?’

I have paraphrased a question that trainees often ask. Sometimes the value is not seen in practising
those other language skills. But everything is connected, and cross-training is the process of improving one
skill indirectly through improvement in the others.

In particular, give time to activities that focus on two skills at the same time. For example, watching a
movie while reading the subtitles: you are listening and reading at the same time, which means two key skills
are being developed.

Those who have the ability to listen well, in particular, will soon become proficient in speaking. So, don’t
neglect those other skills: everything is related when it comes to language.

 Speak about everything

 When seeking to improve at anything, you must take yourself out of your comfort zone. So that means
speaking about subjects that you don’t normally cover in English.

For example, your English connected to your specific business areas may be quite proficient, but the
difficulty will arise when you exit your ‘subject comfort zone’. Practicing speaking about other the activities of
other business units within your organization is a good idea here.

And then practically speaking, you might be okay ordering a coffee in a café, but what about explaining
how to cook your favorite dish?

In terms of discussion, how about an interesting debate on the future of robots? Or the benefits of
space travel? Not easy topics in any language.

Speak about subjects that really challenge you to take your English to the next level.

 But also speak particularly about the things you enjoy

An anecdote. I had a trainee who, for one reason or another, disliked learning English. Perhaps it was a
result of the way he was taught at school: boring grammar exercises that really didn’t motivate him.

But this same trainee was passionate about his business, and also loved football (soccer). So, in our 1-
2-1 classes, all we spoke about was these two subjects. And it’s amazing how one topic can translate to
another.

In terms of football, we spoke about previous results (past) the best players (present), the form of the
players and teams (present continuous) and made our predictions for future results (future).

You may wonder how this relates to business activities. And of course, the vocabulary, mostly, was
irrelevant.

However, we spoke using every possible verb tense and worked on his fluency almost without him
even realizing that he was improving his English. Because he was enjoying talking about a subject, he was
passionate about, gaining confidence in his English along the way.

That is a transferable skill whatever way you look at it. So, when practicing, speak about what you love,
but in English. The benefits will easily project to other areas.

 Play games (any games) in English to develop your subconscious language appreciation

Repetitive games are addictive. And when we stop playing, we continue thinking about them. That’s not
always a good thing, of course, and too many games may not be good for you.

However, spending a bit of time on simple vocabulary, pronunciation, or even strategy games in
English will help push the language deeper into your subconscious. Before long you will start thinking in the
language, and that is great for your oral skills: the ability to speak English fluently and confidently is now closer
than before.

So, whether you are improving your English primarily for business or for social reasons, you can see
that everything you practice does transfer. Make sure you are trying the suggestions above to help quickly
develop your speaking skills in English.

 Effective Speaking

Speaking effectively is defined as speaking in such a way that your message is clearly heard and, if
possible, acted upon. There are two main elements to speaking effectively: what you say, and how you say it.

What you say means your choice of words. The words you might use when chatting to a friend are
likely to be quite different from those used in a formal presentation or interview.

Similarly, the way that you speak will also vary in different situations. However, there are also likely to
be some common factors: for example, whether you naturally talk quietly or loudly, and how you use body
language.

 Aspects of Effective Speaking

Effective speaking means being able to say what you want to say in such a way that it is heard and
acted upon.
 Whether you are talking to a major conference about a new scientific discovery, your children about
their behavior, or your boss about a pay rise, you need to be able to speak effectively. This means considering
every possible tool and aspect to ensure that nothing distracts or detracts from your message.

There are three main elements of effective speaking

1. The words you use.

2. Your voice.
3. Your other non-verbal communication, particularly body language.

 Choosing Your Words

What you say—the words you choose—matters.

If in doubt about your meaning, your audience will come back to the words that you used and
double-check what you might have meant. It is therefore important to choose carefully, especially when
you are saying something important. Things to consider include:

Your audience. The words you choose will be different if you are talking to 200 people at a
conference, a trusted colleague, your boss, or your children. You need to think about your audience’s
overall level of understanding of the subject, and also the type of language that you use.

Shorter sentences are easier to process and understand. Using shorter sentences also creates
urgency.

Simpler words are also easier to understand. If you cannot explain something in simple terms,
you have probably not understood it yourself. This is particularly important if your audience are not all
native speakers of the language.

 Accents

Regional and ethnic accents are part of individual personality and add a unique element to the way
that you speak.

They may also, however, in some situations, create potential barriers to communication. For
example, if you have a very strong accent, people from another area or country may find it harder to
understand what you are saying. You may therefore need to slow down your speech to ensure that they
have time to process what you are saying.

It is worth remembering, however, that words are only a part of your overall communication and
message. The tone of voice and your body language also send strong messages.

 Your Voice

Your voice can reveal as much about your personal history as your appearance. The sound of a
voice and the content of speech can provide clues to an individual's emotional state.

For instance, if self-esteem is low, it may be reflected by hesitancy in the voice. A shy person may
speak quietly, but someone who is confident in themselves will be more likely to have command of their
voice and clarity of speech.

It is worth taking time to improve your command over your voice, especially if you find it hard to
speak in public. It can even help to boost your confidence!

It is important to get used to the sound of your own voice. Most people are more relaxed in a private
situation, particularly at home, where there are no pressures to conform to any other social rules and
expectations. This is not the case in public situations when there are all sorts of influences exerted upon
the way people speak.

An exercise to improve public speaking

o Try recording your own voice in an informal setting, such as at home.

o Listen carefully to how you sound. This will help you become accustomed to your own voice.

You might also note any aspects of your speech which reduce the overall effectiveness of your
message. This might include a tendency to say ‘um’ or ‘er’ a lot, to slur one or more letters together, or
stammer slightly.
 Often people don’t like the sound of their own recorded voice - in the same way that some people
don't like photographs of themselves - they can feel embarrassed.

Most of us are not used to hearing our own voices and these feelings are totally normal. Get past
the initial, ‘Do I really sound like that?’ stage and develop a better understanding of your voice.

The more you get used to the sound of your voice functioning in a slightly more formal way, the
easier it is when doing it 'for real'. In conversational mode, individuals tend to speak in short phrases, a few
at a time. Speaking or reading aloud helps you to become used to the more fluent sound of your voice.

An exercise to help develop your effective speaking skills:

Find a document to read, something about two pages in length - the first few pages of a book would
work well.

Read your document through silently first, then read it aloud in your normal speaking voice.  Don't
worry if you stumble or falter, just pick up and continue to the end.

Now read it a third time, recording your voice if possible and remember:

Slow down: It is a natural reaction to want to get it over as fast as possible and this often causes
people to stumble over their words. Speeding up also occurs when you are nervous and usually makes you
more difficult to understand.

Keep your head up: Try not to tuck your chin into the book as your voice is then addressing the
floor. Hold your book higher and project your voice.

Pause occasionally: Let the end of a sentence or the end of a paragraph give you a chance of a
small, two or three second rest. Pauses can be useful for emphasis.

Practice this exercise as often as you can.

Anyone can improve the sound of their voice and the way they speak in a matter of days through a
few simple exercises, like the one above. To improve you will need to maintain a certain commitment and
practice regularly for a few minutes.

 The Effect of Breath on Voice and Speech

The voice is responsive to emotions and sometimes gets 'blocked', which can prevent or hinder the
expression of a range of feelings.

When under stress an individual's breathing pattern will change. When your muscles are tense you
cannot use your lungs to their full capacity. When someone is frightened or nervous, a common symptom is
tension in the neck and shoulders. This occurs because, when under pressure, we tend to breath faster. This
means we inhale plenty of air, but there is not enough time to exhale fully and relax, so we do not get the full
benefit.

Good breathing is essential for two reasons:

By using full lung capacity, the breath will support the voice and the voice will become richer, fuller and
stronger.

This will benefit individuals who have a small voice and who worry that they cannot be heard when
speaking to a group of people. Volume is controlled in the abdomen not in the throat, so breathing to full
strength will allow for greater control of the voice.

Breathing deeply and rhythmically has a calming and therapeutic effect as it releases tension and
promotes relaxation. People who are relaxed are more balanced, receptive and confident.

It is no coincidence that many religions use rhythmic breathing techniques such as meditation, yoga
and silent contemplation, and vocal release in the form of chants, mantras or hymn singing as aids to their
devotions. By easing physical tension, mental stress decreases and the mind is effectively freed to follow
creative pursuits.

Breathing Exercise

 Stand in an easy position with your feet one pace apart, with the knees ‘unlocked’ and not rigidly
pushed back.  Keep spine straight, head balanced and face muscles relaxed.

 Breathe in to a slow count of three, then out to a slow count of three.

  Try not to raise your shoulders as you breathe. Breathe in through your nose and out through
your mouth. Consciously think of your breath 'filling down' to the bottom of your lungs.

 Put the palm of your hand flat against your abdomen and feel the movement. Push slightly
against your hand as you breathe in and out.

 Repeat this exercise ten times.

Depending on how you feel after several days of doing this exercise, extend the count of the out-going
breath from three to four, five and six gradually building up to ten before you need to take another breath.  
Then count out loud on the out-going breath from one to ten. Repeat five times.

By building up your control of out-going breath, you will never sound ‘breathy’ or feel you are 'running
out of breath’ when you speak to a group or a meeting.

 Vocal Production

The following three core elements of vocal production need to be understood for anyone wishing to
become an effective speaker:

 Volume  -  to be heard.
 Clarity  -  to be understood.
 Variety  -  to add interest.

Volume

This is not a question of treating the voice like the volume control on the TV remote. Some people have
naturally soft voices and physically cannot bellow. Additionally, if the voice is raised too much, tonal quality is
lost. Instead of raising the voice, it should be 'projected out'. Support the voice with lots of breath - the further
you want to project the voice out, the more breath you need. It also needs to come from the diaphragm, not the
throat.

When talking to a group or meeting, it is important not to aim your talk to the front row or just to the
people nearest you. Instead, you need to consciously project what you have to say to those furthest away. By
developing a strong voice, as opposed to a loud voice, you will be seen as someone positive.

Clarity

Some people tend to speak through clenched teeth and with little movement of their lips. It is this
inability to open mouths and failure to make speech sounds with precision that is the root cause of inaudibility.
The sound is locked into the mouth and not let out.

To have good articulation it is important to unclench the jaw, open the mouth and give full benefit to
each sound you make, paying particular attention to the ends of words. This will also help your audience as a
certain amount of lip-reading will be possible.

Variety

To make speech effective and interesting, certain techniques can be applied. However, it is important
not to sound false or as if you are giving a performance. Words convey meaning, but the way that they are said
reflects feelings and emotions. Vocal variety can be achieved by variations in:

Pace: This is the speed at which you talk. If speech is too fast, then listeners will not have time to
assimilate what is being said. It is also a good idea to vary the pace - quickening up at times and then slowing
down – because this will help to maintain interest.

Volume: By raising or lowering volume occasionally, you can create emphasis. If you drop your voice to
almost a whisper (as long as it is projected) for a sentence or two, it will make your audience suddenly alert. Be
careful not to overuse this technique, though, or it will lose its impact.

Pitch - Inflection - Emphasis:  When speaking in public, try to convey the information with as much
vocal energy and enthusiasm as possible. This does not mean your voice has to swoop and dive all over the
place in an uncontrolled manner. Try to make the talk interesting. Remember that when you are nervous or
excited, your vocal chords tense and shorten, causing the voice to get higher. Emphasize certain words and
phrases within the talk to convey their importance and help to add variety.

Pause: Pauses are powerful. They can be used for effect to highlight the preceding statement or to gain
attention before an important message. Pauses mean silence for a few seconds. Listeners interpret meaning
during pauses so have the courage to stay silent for up to five seconds – dramatic pauses like this convey
authority and confidence.
  Warm up your voice

Before any important speaking situation, whether it is an appointment, meeting or talk, it is beneficial to
have a voice warm-up.

The voice is an instrument - no musician arrives at a concert hall and launches into Beethoven without
first tuning up.  The length of time and frequency of a warm-up is up to you and will depend on how much
speaking you need to do.

There is more about using your voice effectively on our page non-verbal communication: face and
voice.

 Body Language

A considerably amount of communication—some estimates suggest over 50%—is non-verbal. Tone of

voice, pace and emphasis are all part of non-verbal communication.

However, your body language is also important. This includes how you stand, your facial expressions,
the way you use your hands to emphasize your speech, and even whether and with whom you make eye
contact.

There is more about how to use body language to communicate effectively in our page on Body
Language. This includes considering how far away you are from your audience, and therefore whether you
need to exaggerate your gestures to make them clearer.

The importance of congruence

Perhaps the most important aspect of effective communication is congruence.

For communication to be effective, your non-verbal communication needs to reinforce your words: the
two must say the same thing. Non-verbal communication is much harder to disguise than verbal—if you see
that someone’s body language is giving a different message from their words, it pays to listen to the non-verbal
communication first as it is more likely to reflect their real views.

You may therefore need to put some thought into how you want to use body language and other non-
verbal cues. This is particularly important if you are trying to get across a difficult or unwelcome message.

 Common Speaking Situations:

There are three kinds of speaking situations you will most commonly find yourself in:

Interactive Speaking Situations: Face-to-face conversations and telephone calls where you
alternatively speak and listen and where you can ask for clarification, repetition or slower pace of speech from
your speaking partner.

Partially Interactive Situations: A speech to a live audience where the audience is most likely not to
interrupt your speech. Here, the speaker can see the audience and judge from the expressions on their faces
and body language if you are being understood.

Non-interactive Situations: Recorded speeches and messages

 THE FOUR SPEAKING SKILLS

 It is a common desire for all of us to speak a second language well. To do this we need to know what
skills are required to become a good speaker. This short article will help you to understand four important skills
that you need to develop:

1. FLUENCY. Fluency is about how comfortable and confident you are in speaking English. If you can
speak for an extended period of time, that is an indicator of strong fluency. It is also about showing a
clear connection between each point that you are trying to make. This skill means that the listener
can follow what you are saying and does not get lost.

2. VOCABULARY. Of course, if you don’t have the words to say what you want to say, then you cannot
say it. Being a good speaker means constantly growing your vocabulary. The more interesting words
you know, the stronger your speaking skills. The best way to grow your vocabulary is to read in
English and make a note of any new words that you encounter in a vocabulary notebook.

3. GRAMMAR. The dreaded G word! Grammar does matter and the fewer mistakes you make, the
better your speaking skill will be. However, do not worry about making mistakes either! A good
speaker does not have to use perfect grammar. Certainly, though, it is a good idea to make sure that
you have mastered the major tenses.

4. PRONUNCIATION. Pronunciation is a complex area, with a lot of sub skills that can be practiced.
The basic rule of thumb is that an average speaker can speak and be understood. A skilled speaker
can use the sub skills of pronunciation to emphasize and make the communicative effect of their
speech more impactful. The sub skills of pronunciation include: word and sentence stress, intonation,
rhythm and the use of the individual sounds of a language. A good way to practice your pronunciation
is to copy! Simply listen to how someone with good pronunciation speaks, and try to imitate them as
closely as possible.

"Pronunciation" refers to the way in which we make the sound of words.

To pronounce words, we push air from our lungs up through our throat and vocal chords, through our
mouth, past our tongue and out between our teeth and lips. (Sometimes air also travels through our nose.)

To change the sound that we are making, we mainly use the muscles of our mouth, tongue and lips to
control the shape of our mouth and the flow of air. If we can control the shape of our mouth and the flow of air
correctly, then our pronunciation is clearer and other people understand us more easily.

Speakers of different languages tend to develop different muscles of the mouth for pronunciation. When
we speak a foreign language, our muscles may not be well developed for that language, and we will find
pronunciation more difficult. By practicing the foreign language pronunciation, our muscles develop and
pronunciation improves.

As well as creating correct vowel and consonant sounds using the muscles of our mouth, tongue and
lips, there are other important aspects of pronunciation, including:

 word stress - emphasis on certain syllables in a word

 sentence stress - emphasis on certain words in a sentence
 linking - joining certain words together
 intonation - the rise and fall of our voice as we speak
REFERENCES

https://philosophy-question.com/library/lecture/read/28793-what-is-the-nature-of-speaking
http://www.geraldgillis.com/importance-speaking-skills/
https://area.dge.mec.pt/gramatica/whatspeakingis.htm
https://adeprimarora.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/the-components-of-speaking-skill/
https://blog.dce.harvard.edu/professional-development/10-tips-improving-your-public-speaking-skills
https://alltalktraining.com/how-to-improve-your-english-speaking-skills-quickly/
https://educationalresearchtechniques.com/2017/07/21/types-of-speaking-in-esl/
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/effective-speaking.html
https://english.binus.ac.id/2018/10/11/the-four-speaking-skills/
https://www.scribd.com/document/271139532/Microskills-and-Macroskills-of-Four-Language-Skills
http://www.infoway24.com/104/importance-of-speaking-skills-and-common-speaking-situations.htm
https://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/what.htm

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1. What are the abilities/skills needed in order for you to communicate with others through English?
2. Is Good English speaking important? Why or Why not?
3. What are some of the issues that lead to struggles in learning and speaking English?
4. What is the key to overcome the struggles in learning and speaking English?
5. Give at least 5 activities that can improve your skills in speaking English.