Module 6

Teaching a foreign language
makes mandatory the domain of assessing communicative skills’ progress. Instructors
have to be aware of the characteristics of effective language users in order to
direct
appropriate processes. Scaffolding is useful when teachers have clear what their
goals are and how they are developed. Although there are some exceptions, most
of the cases learners wish to develop as many skills as possible, they expect
to be exposed to several activities that support their learning of listening, speaking,
reading and writing skills.

Regarding speaking, teachers should have clear
what a proficient speaker does, what an effective speaker is. Being a fluent
speaker means someone who speaks without difficulty, with accurate language structures;
the words are always ready and connected easily according to the context. In my
personal experience speaking is considered the most difficult of the four
language skills (words, grammar, intonation, pronunciation, phrasing, meaning, context),
especially when learners are adult or elderly. Learners may have problems not for
interaction with others but creating language and being spontaneous and natural.
Learners express their anxiety of making grammar mistakes when talking. Having clear
for example, the stages of verbal communication conceptualization, formulation and
articulation makes possible to identify learners’ levels to provide them
appropriate tasks.

Teaching the wide variety of forms in a
language may not be difficult but demanding for learners, although the
communicative approach facilitates language in different situations: it contributes
with aspects such as Socio-cultural (grammar, vocabulary), Pragmatics, Tone and
register, etc, I consider complex to teach spontaneity in those circumstances since
the classroom is an artificial setting to practice “real language”.