You must’ve heard that in order to become a well-rounded communicator you need to be proficient in each of the four language skills. These four skills give you opportunities to create contexts in which to use the language for the exchange of real information, evidence of their own ability (proof of learning) and, most importantly, confidence.
The 4 Essential Skills
Listening is a receptive language skill which learners usually find the most difficult. This often is because they feel under unnecessary pressure to understand every word. The listener has to get oriented to the listening portion and be all ears. The listener is also required to be attentive.
In everyday life, the situation, the speaker, and visual clues all help us to decode oral messages. In due course of listening, be on the lookout for the sign post words.
Speaking
Language is a tool for communication. We communicate with others, to express our ideas, and to know others’ ideas as well. We must take into account that the level of language input (listening) must be higher than the level of language production. In primary schools elocution and recitation are main sources to master the sounds, rhythms, and intonation of the English language through simple reproduction.
The manifestations of the language in games and pair work activities are encouraging sources to learn to speak the language. This assists the learners to begin to manipulate the language by presenting them with a certain amount of choice, albeit within a fairly controlled situation.
Reading
Reading is a learning skill. It helps you improve all parts of the English language – vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and writing. It helps to develop language intuition in the corrected form.
Then the brain imitates them, producing similar sentences to express the desired meaning. Using skimming or scanning techniques to read quickly is highly effective. While reading, underlining the keywords is a must. Reading Skills help the students grasp the content and draw conclusions.
The students should also make it a point to familiarize themselves with the jargon and new words by making reading a habit; be it reading newspapers, articles, books, magazines etc.
Writing
Writing provides a learner with physical evidence of his achievements and he can measure his improvement. It helps to consolidate their grasp of vocabulary and structure and complements the other language skills. It helps to understand the text and write compositions.
It can foster the learner’s ability to summarize and to use the language freely. To write flawless language one should excel in the Writing Skills with the help of various methods. Importance should be given to composition and creative writing. One should also focus on coherence and cohesiveness when it comes to writing a language.
With these four skills addressed equally while learning English, the learners can be assured of having good communication skills, a great necessity in today’s competitive world.
Also Read : Daily Use of English Sentences in Conversations: Spoken English Sentences for Everyday
Practical Ways to Enhance Your Skills
Listening
It plays a very important part in learning any language. Effective listening ensures understanding and it helps improve accuracy when speaking, among other things. How can you improve your listening skills? By listening actively, i.e. paying attention not only to what is said but also to how it is said. So, listen:
#1. To music –old or modern; the type you prefer, but pay attention to the lyrics. (sometimes reading the lyrics may help you understand the song)
#2. To movies, TV shows, news, entertainments, the radio – try the classics. If you can watch DVDs you can watch the movie several times. Watching with subtitles and then, when you feel more comfortable, without them. You can have an English radio at home or on your mobile phone. Even if you are not actually listening to it, your ears will be getting used to the sounds of the language.
#3. Attend plays, exhibitions, talks, etc. in English organized by English speaking schools or communities.
Speaking
It is often the hardest of the four language skills, but as soon as you can speak a little English there are lots of ways to improve quickly and have tons of fun.
#1. Join voiced chats. Technology has advanced a lot in terms of social networks so, wherever you live, you’ll find a chat room to join.
#2. Talk and record yourself. This may sound funny, but it will help you realize how you can improve by repeating the recording several times till you feel happy with the results.
#3. Talk to your classmates when you are not in class. You can even make a group to play games, have a meal or just chat together.
Reading
It is a process of the brain and it takes time to develop: your mind has to attach meaning to the words, phrases, and expressions represented by symbols, plus get to understand the grammar and structure of the language used in the passage to read. You can read:
#1. Books in English and articles on the web. Maybe, books you have already read in your mother tongue or which have been turned into movies. Try to start with easy books, even children’s books, and comics: The images will help you understand even if you don’t know all the words
#2. Switch the operating system of your mobile phone, your PC or tablet into English. Associating a function with a certain word will improve your vocabulary.
Writing
Even though it may be intimidating to a lot of people, anyone can get used to writing with a little discipline and a willingness to learn.
#1. Write down words or expressions you think are useful with their meaning and examples. If you see them in sentences you will remember them better. You can use them if you keep a diary.
#2. Write comments in English blogs. At present blogs are websites that resemble journals. Lots of people use them to expose their ideas on a certain topic or to explain things.
Also Read : What Are Homophones and Homographs And Why You Should Know Them
Steps Towards Fluency in English
It can appear to be a difficult task to become fluent in English. The most challenging part of any journey, however, is typically taking the first step. Start today by following these five simple actions to make your English seem more fluent.
Smile and Take a Deep Breath
Confidence is essential, regardless of your fluency. Smiling will make you feel more secure when speaking. It might even assist you in making new acquaintances. It’s also important to remember to breathe when you’re speaking. If you’re stumped for words, simply pause, take a deep breath, and your confidence will come.
Make a List Vocabularies
Don’t just remember word lists. Also, don’t forget to add examples. If you’re using flashcards, write a complete sentence for each so you can see how the words fit together. Make the instances as vivid as possible by telling a hilarious storey or using something personal to help you remember them.
Listen
Pay great attention to what you hear while listening to English music, news, or movies. Keep notes to jot down different phrases, and look them up or ask your teacher if you have any questions.
If you’re conversing with a native speaker, don’t be scared to ask them to clarify any idioms or expressions you’re not familiar with. Studying English from the actual world is more meaningful and intuitive than learning English from a handbook.
Exercise Your Mouth
English most likely includes sounds that you don’t hear in your own tongue. To make these sounds correctly, you must strengthen the muscles in your mouth through exercise.
At home, practise talking clearly and loudly while recording yourself to ensure you are doing it correctly. When you exercise alone, emphasize each sound to make it easier to speak properly in a regular conversation.
Imitate a Natural Speaker
Imitating the way a native English speaker speaks can teach you a lot. Find a clip of someone whose speech you like and listen to it. Choose a few sentences from the tape and practise pronouncing them aloud precisely as they are recorded. Take note of how each syllable sounds and which words are emphasized.
Keep it entertaining and relevant nevertheless, you practise your spoken English. To achieve your aim of speaking fluent English, practise a number of approaches on a daily basis.
Dedicate Everyday
Now that you’ve decided on a goal, it’s time to devise a method to achieve it. But, first and foremost, you must ensure that you will devote some time learning English each day.
If you remain committed, you will be able to learn English quickly and it will become second nature to you.
Also Read: The Formula of Present Perfect Continuous Tense: Facts and Rules to Know
Collect Materials
Because English is now a worldwide language, there are several online and offline resources for learning it. If you want to keep things old-school, you’ll need to find a competent teacher. However, if you want to adopt the most up-to-date and, of course, more efficient methods, you can go the internet path.
The internet provides you with everything you need to become fluent in English. Basic courses will help you understand the fundamentals of the language, followed by advanced lessons that will teach you the nuances of the language. Here’s what you need to do:
Books
Get yourself a few good books on basic English grammar. Move on to more sophisticated literature once you’ve grasped the fundamental principle. Purchase books and read the papers. This is an excellent approach to expanding your vocabulary. Make a list of all the new words you encounter and search for their definitions.
Apps
There are numerous applications specialised to meet the specific needs of English learners. There are apps that teach the fundamentals of English, as well as apps that teach complex English.
To learn vocabulary, you will need decent newspapers, journals, and novels. Also, while you’re watching TV, keep a journal and a pencil nearby to jot down new and fancy terms.
Television
Yes, you read that correctly. English-language films and television programmes are effective tools for teaching advanced English. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t start watching them until you’ve mastered the fundamentals.
Begin as soon as possible. Start viewing English movies and TV shows, even if you only have a basic understanding of the language. The process will be aided by surrounding oneself with English.
Conclusion
All the above-mentioned tips can be reduced to just one: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Whatever learning style you have, whatever your native language is, the key to acquiring and mastering a foreign language is PRACTICE as much and as often as possible.
Visit The Fluent Life to learn how to improve your English in a week!
Also Read: Telephone Conversation in English: Formal Phone Conversation Examples for Better Understanding
