integrated-skills approach: teaching vs. practice in l2 acquisition
TRANSCRIPT
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Integrated-skills Approach: Teaching vs. Practice in L2 Acquisition
Nasr D. Abdrabo, EdD
Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC)
May 2014
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ABSTRACT
This article is devoted to distinguish between integrated-skills approach and
segregated-skills approach in L2 acquisition: teaching receptive skills (listening and
reading) and productive skills (speaking and writing) inseparably vs. teaching these main
four skills separately in foreign language learning classroom. The article will discuss the
opposing two perspectives of each teaching approach advocates, as well as the
rationale(s) provided by each team to support the effectiveness of their foreign language
teaching approach: Integrated-skills Approach vs. Segregated-skills Approach.
The researcher will also provide a new teaching strategy/technique of how
receptive and productive skills can be integrated in foreign language classroom, that is
Cause, Means, Result-Based Analysis (CMRBA): A model of student-learning center
whereby L2 instructor can integrate the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and
writing in language learning process.
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Integrated-skills Approach: Teaching vs. Practice in L2 Acquisition
Introduction
Teaching listening and reading (receptive skills and writing and speaking
(productive skills) separately in language learning setting, has been defined as ‘traditional
approach to teaching second or foreign language’ (Su, 2007), or what is known as
“segregated-skills approach”. When adopting traditional approach or ‘segregated-skills
approach’ in language learning settings, L2 instructors stress skill orientation and rote
memorization where they pay a great deal of attention to specific skills instruction such
as: reading and writing, and tend to provide class activities that focus on word-decoding,
phonetic identification and grammar drills. Thus, adopting the segregated-skills approach
in language learning classrooms, significantly, participates in isolating the four language
components: listening, reading, writing, and speaking from their use in communicative
and authentic contexts (Chen, 1999).
Furthermore, segregated-skills approach” limits students’ motivation and interest
in learning [languages]” (Su, 2003). Criticizing this teaching approach, Chen (2002)
argues that students are driven to identify a large number of individual words, idioms,
and grammatical structures to enhance their language competence other than use the
language for real communicative purposes. Chen (2002) contends that “it is impossible to
teach reading without the extensive use of writing, speaking, and listening”, and that
“students can benefit from practicing all of the language skills in integrated, meaningful
and communicative ways”.
Communicative Language Teaching Theory (CLT)
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Communicative language teaching (CLT) is a set of principles determining the
goals of language teaching, the mechanism that learners use to learn a language, the
characteristics of the classroom activities that best facilitate language learning, and the
roles of both teachers and learners in the language learning setting (Richards, 2006, p. 2)
CLT operates on the theory that the primary function of language use is communication
that “lies in the moves and strategies of the participants” (Savignon, n.d, p. 15).
The primary goal of CLT is for learners to develop communicative competence
and to make use of real-life situations that necessitate communication. Based on the CLT
notion, communicative competence is defined as the ability to interpret and enact
appropriate social behavior that requires the learners’ active involvement in producing
the target language. According to Principles of Communicative Language Teaching and
Task-Based Instruction (2007, pp. 5-6), communicative competence encompasses four
sub-competences: linguistic competence, sociolinguistic competence, discourse
competence, and strategic competence.
1. Linguistic competence: the learner’s knowledge of how to use language for a range of
different purposes and functions (Richards, 2006). Linguistic competence is also
defined as “knowing how to use the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of a language”
(Tolstykh & Khomutova, 2012, p. 38).
2. Sociolinguistic competence: the learner’s knowledge of how to vary the use of
language according to the setting and the participants. In other words, when to use
formal and informal registers, as well as what language is appropriate for written as
opposed to spoken communication (Richards, 2006). According to Tolstykh &
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Khomutova (2012), sociolinguistic competence concerns the specific words and
phrases that fit a specific setting and topic, the extent to which the learner can express
a specific attitude (courtesy, authority, friendliness, and respect) when he needs to, as
well as recognizing other peoples’ attitudes when they express them.
3. Discourse competence: the learner’s knowledge of how to produce and differentiate
various text types, including: narratives, reports, interviews and conversations
(Richards, 2006). As Tolstykh & Khomutova (2002) state, discourse competence
indicates how the learner can interpret the larger context, and how to instruct longer
stretches of language so the parts make up a coherent whole.
4. Strategic competence: the leaner’s ability to use different kinds of communication
strategies to maintain communication, despite having limited language knowledge
(Richards, 2006). According to Tolstykh & Khomutova (2012), strategic competence
concerns how the learner can recognize and repair communication breakdowns, work
around gaps in his knowledge of the language, and learn more about the language and
in the context.
Communicative Language Teaching theory (CLT) aims to promote the
development of real-life language skills, and highlights engaging the learner in
contextualized, meaningful, and communicative-oriented learning tasks. CLT includes
eight methodologies or principles that embrace an eclectic approach to teaching:
1. Using tasks as an organizational principle
2. Promoting learning by doing
3. Enriching input
4. Serving input needs to be meaningful, comprehensible, and elaborated
5. Promoting cooperative and collaborative learning
6. Focusing on form
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7. Providing effective error feedback
8. Recognizing and respecting affective factors of learning. (Principles of communicative
language teaching and task-based instruction, 2007, pp. 7-21)
Richards (2006) provides ten core assumptions, which shed more light on the
importance of adopting CLT as a strategy and approach for L2 instruction, as well as a
curriculum development framework in the L2 acquisition spectrum:
1. Second language learning is facilitated when learners are engaged in interaction and
meaningful communication.
2. Effective classroom learning tasks and exercises provide opportunities for students to
negotiate meaning, expand their language resources, notice how language is used, and
take part in meaningful interpersonal exchanges.
3. Meaningful communication results from students processing content that is relevant,
purposeful, interesting, and engaging.
4. Communication is a holistic process that often calls upon the use of several language
skills or modalities.
5. Language learning is facilitated both by activities that involve inductive or discovery
learning of underlying rules of language use and organization, as well as by activities
involving language analysis and reflection.
6. Language learning is a gradual process that involves creative use of language, and trial
and error.
7. Learners develop their own routes to language learning, progress at different rates, and
have different needs and motivations for language learning.
8. Successful language learning involves the use of effective learning and
communication strategies.
9. The role of the teacher in the language classroom is that of a facilitator, who creates a
classroom climate conductive to language learning and provides opportunities for
students to use and practice the language and to reflect on language use and learning.
10. The classroom is a community where learners learn through collaboration and
sharing. (pp. 22-23)
Linguistic Competence vs. Communicative Competence
Foreign language teachers have a set of responsibilities in facilitating L2
acquisition: to develop in the learner linguistic competence as defined by Chomsky
(1965), who made the distinction between people’s knowledge of language defined as
‘competence’, and that knowledge put to use in real situations or ‘performance’ (Paradis,
n.d). Language teachers should also develop learners’ communicative competence
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defined as: “the ability to use language in a social context”, and to “observe
sociolinguistic norms of appropriateness” (Savignon, 2002, p. 2). Communicative
competence also assists learners “ develop the ability to produce and understand
grammatical utterances, to distinguish between grammatical from ungrammatical
sequences, and to know when to select the one which is appropriate to the context, both
linguistic and situation (Sanchez, 2000).
Savignon (2002) provides a classroom model (figure1) that shows the
hypothetical integration of the four components of communicative competence:
grammatical (or linguistic) competence, discourse competence, strategic competence, and
sociocultural competence. According to Savignon (2002), this model shows how learners
gradually expand their communicative competence; grammatical, discourse, strategic,
and sociocultural through practice in an increasingly wide range of communicative
contests and events. Savignon argues that, “although the relative importance of the
various components depends on the overall level of communicative competence, each
[component] is essential” (Savignon, 2002, p. 8).
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Segregated vs. Integrated Approach
Proponents of the segregated-skills approach argue that the mastery of discrete
language skills, such as reading and speaking, is the key to successful learning.
According to this approach, language learning is typically separated from content
learning (Mohan, 1986). Brown (2000, cited in Moghadam & Adel, 2011) states that
segregated-skill-oriented courses “have language itself as the focus of instruction to the
extent that excessive emphasis on rules and paradigms teaches students a lot about
language at the expense of teaching language itself”.
The philosophy of the ‘integrated-skills approach’ (ISA) was derived from the
notion that in natural, day-to-day experience, “oral and written languages are not kept
separate and isolated from one another” (Su, 2007). Peregoy & Boyle (2001) argue that
oral and written languages are integrated in most communication events and often occur
together. Integrated-skills approach, similarly, functions just as both communicative
language teaching (CLT) and whole language do since they both emphasize meaningful
and authentic language use and link oral and written language development (Su, 2007).
Educators contend that the principles of CLT emphasize the importance of using a
language to communicate in order to learn it (Larsen-Freeman, 2000; Savignon, 1991; &
Oxford, Lavine & Crookall, 1989). As stated by whole language advocates, “language
(oral and written) functions to serve authentic purposes by facilitating meaningful
communication” (Brooks-Harper & Shelton, 2003; Schwarzer 2001; Edelsky, Altweger
& Flores, 1991; Weaver, 1990; & Goodman, 1986).
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Educators argue that listening, speaking, reading, and writing should be treated –
in the language learning process – as integrated, interdependent, and inseparable elements
of language, and that “No language process” should be separated from the whole teaching
task. When a student reads, writes, speaks, or listens, this language encounter feeds into a
common “data pool”, and that in subsequent encounters with language, this student can
draw on this pool (Su, 2007).
Rather than assuming that speaking, listening, reading, and writing should be kept
separate, Su (2007) contends that these four skills “stress that all expressions of language
support growth and development in literacy”, and suggests that “reading and writing as
well as speaking and listening should be integral parts of all language activities because
all these processes interact with one another”. Guiding L2 instructors, Su suggests that
“Teachers should provide opportunities and resources for students to engage in authentic
speech and literacy activities” (p. 29).
In ISA, learners are exposed to authentic language and are involved in activities
that are meaningful and interesting, which stresses the adoption of a content-based and
task-oriented instruction (Shen, 2003). ISA has a goal of dealing with the four macro
skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking as one integral part of typical language
proficiency and use (Akram & Malik, 2010).
Akram & Malik (2010) view successful integrative approach as inevitable support
that would assist language teachers to make the lessons dynamic, involve the learners in
diverse activities and interactions. A vivid and effective communicative class is supposed
to be involving the integration of the four language skills, in which the teacher needs to
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establish a positive atmosphere, plan appropriate activities encourage learners and deal
with problems sensitively (Davis & Pearse , 2000).
Interconnectedness of skills in language learning process
1. Writing and other skills
Sanchez (2000) argues that writing activities give the students practice in
manipulating structures and selecting and combining lexical elements, and that these
activities help to consolidate the knowledge for use in other areas. According to the same
source “written questions based on a reading passage encourage the student to read the
text more attentively and discover areas which were misinterpreted on the first reading”
(Sanchez, 2000, p. 29).
Sanchez (2000) contends that the most effective writing practice will have a close
connection with what is being practiced in relation to other skills: when students have
read, heard and said to themselves or others what they are expected to write, they are
more likely to write it correctly. More effective results will be achieved in writing
exercises if there is a continual integration of practice in all the kills.
In order to ensure the potential contribution of other skill areas, Sanchez (2000)
suggests that “the teacher should promote active class discussion of what has been heard
or read and encourage the presentation of short oral reports. This “will follow the
communicative principle of task-dependency, which is essential to make the lessons
meaningful from the students’ point of view” (p. 30).
2. Listening and other skills
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Sanchez (2000, p. 31) stated that when listening is integrated into a longer
sequence of work, students feel the effort they have put into understanding is not wasted
based on the following reasons:
a. The listening skill could be regarded as the most difficult to develop, whether
we look at it from a cognitive perspective or due to the added difficulties that derive from
the acoustics,
b. It is a vital part of the teacher’s job to help students to improve their listening to
spoken language, and
c. The better students understand what they hear, the better they will take part in
spoken interactions.
As such, listening comprehension activities should spring naturally from, or
provide material for, oral practice or reading, as well as provide a stimulus for writing
activities. Rivers (1981) argues that since listening and reading involve similar processes
(speech perception), we could expect the development of listening strategies through
intensive practice to carry over to reading. Rivers (1981) contends that “when various
skills are integrated into free-flowing in which one provides materials for the other;
students learn to operate confidently within the language, easily transferring knowledge
acquired in one area for active use in another” (p. 167).
3. Reading and other skills
When students learn to think in the L2, Sanchez (2000) argues these students
should be discouraged to stop whenever they come across a new or rather unfamiliar
word to insert a native-language gloss between the lines. Sanchez provides a suggestion
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to these students to increase their vocabulary: keeping individual notebooks in which they
copy down words they wish to remember in complete phrases or sentences, so that they
are reminded of the context in which they would be appropriately used, thus providing
written practice from reading input.
According to Sanchez (2000), extensive reading fosters vocabulary growth and
the acquisition of syntax in context. As such, students can, by reading, develop personal
intuitions about what good writing looks like; practicing and applying those intuitions in
writing is probably the best way for a student to become a good writer in second
language.
Based on studies which concluded that writing competence is acquired
subconsciously, without readers being aware that they have acquired it, Foong (1988)
argues that students who get pleasure from reading at all ages, are better writers, while
none of the poor writers seem to report “a lot” of pleasure reading. Foong concluded that
persons with good writing ability do more reading than persons with poor writing ability.
4. Speaking and other skills
Sanchez (2000) viewed oral speech as the “students’ output”, which can be based
on previous written (through reading) or oral input (through listening). Students’ output
can also lead to further activities in which the students continue to be involved. When
students are involved in speaking activities, they are given a chance for rehearsal: to
practice the real skill of speaking as preparation for using it outside the classroom.
Conducting questionnaires, surveys and other information-gap activities are
among speaking activities that include a task with a clear, achievable end product. These
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activities generate genuine discourse practices and lend themselves to an integration of
the skills and task dependency (Sanchez, 2000, p. 36). When a student conducts a
questionnaire or survey in target language, they practice speaking and listening skills,
while addressing the questions and receiving the response from the informant(s). Writing
the collected data/information in the questionnaire/survey form, will satisfy the student’s
writing skill practice, while reporting the outcome—in target language—will additionally
develop the student’s speaking skill.
Application of Integrated-skills Approach: CMRBA Strategy
Cause, Means, and Result-Based Analysis (CMRBA) strategy is a model of
student-learning center whereby L2 instructor can integrate the four skills of listening,
reading, speaking and writing in language learning process. This strategy aims to relating
cause to result based on means, and assisting the students to analyze the final product of
the task (Abdrabo, 2013, pp. 54-57). The CMRBA strategy consists of three steps.
Step 1: To enhance listening and reading skills
a. During the first stage of this step the teacher will group the class to three
groups; A, B, and C and each group will be divided into two subgroups; A1, A2; B1, B2
and C1, C2. The teacher will assign subgroups A1 and A2 to search for the cause(s) of a
specific phenomenon/event. Subgroups B1 and B2 will be assigned to search for the
means of this phenomenon/event taking place, while subgroups C1 and C2 will search for
the result(s) of the same phenomenon/event on the web.
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b. Subgroups A1, B1 and C1 will search for the phenomenon/event on the web for
reading materials on the same topic, while subgroups A2, B2 and C2 will search for
listening materials on the designated phenomenon/event.
c. The subgroups searching for “Cause(s)”; A1 and A2 will fill in the designated
section in the recording worksheet (Appendix A) with the findings of their search, the
subgroups searching “Means” of the phenomenon; B1 and B2 will fill the designated
section in the same recording worksheet with the means of the designated
phenomenon/event, and the subgroups searching for “Results”; C1 and C2 will fill the
appropriate section in the recording worksheet.
d. At the last stage of this step, subgroups A1 and A2 will meet to discuss the
cause(s) by exchanging the information obtained from the reading materials (A1) and that
information obtained from the listening materials (A2). Following the same procedure,
subgroups B1 and B2 will discuss the means, and subgroups C1 and C2 will discuss the
results (figure 2).
As a mediator, the teacher’s role in this step is to facilitate the listening and
reading tasks, and to fill any cultural, vocabulary, grammar, or linguistic gaps that may
arise during the search or exchanging information.
(Figure 2)
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Step 2: To enhance speaking skill
a. The teacher will combine the three main groups; Cause, Means, and Result in
CMR triangle shape (figure 3). The C group (A1 + A2), M group (B1 + B2) and R group
(C1 + C2).
b. Inside the CMR triangle setting the students from each group will report, in
target language (TL), their findings whereby the other 2 groups will be able to fill in the
missing 2 sections in the recording worksheet. For example, C group will receive from
group M the information pertaining to means and from group R the information
pertaining to results. In other words, each subgroup will have a complete picture of the
whole topic (causes, means, and results) of the phenomenon/event under investigation.
The teacher’s role in this step is to facilitate each group task either linguistically
or in the material content in TL.
Step 3: To enhance Writing skill and Analysis
After filling in the missing sections of the recording worksheet (Appendix A), the
students, individually, will write a full report in TL about the phenomenon/event under
(Figure 3)
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investigation, and then analyze it relating Results to Cause(s) based on the Means. The
report will be turned in to the teacher, whose role in this step is to review the students’
products in TL, and to give formative feedback to the students in open discussion, where
the students may take notes to avoid similar mistake(s) that they might make in upcoming
assignments or tasks.
The participants in this strategy will be able to enhance the four main skills of L2:
listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The subgroups may be rotated in future
practices. In other words, subgroup A1 & A2 may switch with B1 & B2 in the Mean
stage, and then C1 & C2 in the Result stage. As such, the students will be able to practice
all roles in CMRBA, within the same subgroup the students may switch from listening to
reading, and vice versa. Thus, the student will have the opportunity to enhance his or her
four learning modalities in the L2 learning process.
CONCLUSION
When receptive skills (listening and reading) and productive skills (writing and
speaking), are practiced in isolation within L2 acquisition, such a teaching approach
makes an artificial distinction between in-classroom language use and out-of-classroom
communicative practice.
While segregated-skills approach focuses on instruction that places excessive
emphasis on rules and paradigms, and teaches students a lot about language at the
expense of teaching language itself, integrated-skills approach strongly argues that
teaching language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking should not be taught
separately or isolated from one another in foreign language learning setting.
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Studies concluded that task-based courses become purposeless when nothing is
done with the students’ output, and when it does not lead anywhere. Scholars contend
that there is a crucial need to make the classroom contexts and situations come closer to
the real-life situations, regardless of how artificial or simulated the teaching/learning
environment itself is (Arnold, 1993) .
The basic goal of L2 language teaching and learning is to develop learners’
communicative competence: linguistic competence, sociolinguistic competence,
discourse competence, and strategic competence as a whole language approach, whereby
all language skills – listening, reading, writing, and speaking – are treated in an
interrelated approach. Practitioners contend that the heart of effective language learning
is having all language skills, whenever possible, integrated as they occur in actual
language use.
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Appendix A
Recording Worksheet (CMRBA Strategy)
Cause Group (A1 & A2)
The Cause(s) of the
phenomenon is/are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Means Group (B1 & B2) Result Group (C1 & C2)
The phenomenon can be
solved by Means of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Solving this phenomenon
will lead to these Results:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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