Approaches to teaching speaking
Approaches to teaching speaking have been changing for many centuries now. Toward the nineteenth century a new approach to teaching speaking was born as a desire to communicate among Europeans demanded the oral version of languages. Hence, a new method appeared, whose goal was teaching students to speak a foreign language only by speaking to them. According to Brown (2001: 43), François Gouin and Charles Berlitz were the precursors of the new method. We owe to them the appearance of the Direct Method which, as Brown (2001: 45) points out puts an emphasis on communication skills- including speaking. The foreign language was taught orally.
The twentieth century and the outbreak of World War II resulted in the development of a new language teaching methodology. The USA participation in this international conflict demanded both the knowledge of languages of their enemies and allies. Hence, the “Army Method” based on oral and communication practice was development. It gave the basic for the Audiolingual Method which aimed at the development of communication skills. According to Brown (2001: 51), much emphases was attached to pronunciation as well as practising oral utterances. In Dakowska’s (2005: 231) opinion “audiolingualism derived its focus on speaking”. It was assumed that “language is speak and not writing”.
In Curran’s Community Language Learning, language was taught orally in a conversation form. Lozanov in his Suggestiopedia also uses speaking activities such as drama or role-plays. The Silent Way and the Total Physical Response, according to Richards and Rogers (1986: 99), aimed at teaching communication skills. In the 1980s, Krashen proposed his model of teaching a foreign language. His method was based on everyday language situations and the role of the teacher was to give students comprehensible input. However, as Brown (2001: 108) underlines, the Natural Approaches in the form proposed by Krashen delayed the oral production till the students feel they are ready for speaking.
The spoken language has become superior to other skills, therefore, Communicative Language Teaching method was introduced. In Littlewood’s view (1981: 1), this method “…pays systematic attention to functional as well as structural aspects of language, combining these into a more fully communicative view”.
Being able to communicate and express their ideas orally started to be the main and the most desirable objective of teaching and learning a foreign language.

Wyświetleń: 716