Teaching Spoken Fluency in ELT

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Questions and Answers

What is the focus of most approaches to teaching speaking skills in ELT?

Fluency

Meaning-focused, communicative tasks (correct)

Accuracy

Complexity

What does the trade-off hypothesis suggest about learners' attention to CAF components?

Learners give preferential attention to accuracy and fluency

Learners give preferential attention to complexity and fluency

Learners' limited cognitive resources lead them to give preferential attention to certain CAF components (correct)

Learners give preferential attention to all three components

What does research show about planning time prior to an oral production task?

It leads to more accurate and complex language production

It leads to more complex and fluent language production

It leads to more fluent and accurate language production (correct)

It does not have an impact on language production

What is the 4-3-2 activity?

A speaking activity Signup and view all the answers

What did the empirical study by De Jong and Perfetti (2011) find about the 4-3-2 activity?

It improves fluency Signup and view all the answers

What is required to develop fluency in ELT?

Extensive and repetitive practice Signup and view all the answers

What may curricula underestimate in ELT?

The effort required to build fluency Signup and view all the answers

What is necessary for fluency development in large ELT classes?

Meaning-focused activities within learners' previous experience Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of most approaches to teaching speaking skills?

Meaning-focused communicative tasks Signup and view all the answers

What is the trade-off hypothesis?

Learners give preferential attention to certain CAF components Signup and view all the answers

What does research show about planning time prior to an oral production task?

It leads to more fluent and accurate language production Signup and view all the answers

What is the 4-3-2 activity?

An activity that involves learners giving a short talk on a familiar topic three times consecutively, each time to a different partner, with the time reducing from four to three to two minutes on each occasion. Signup and view all the answers

What is required for higher skill performance in ELT?

Fluent control over language material Signup and view all the answers

What is necessary for developing fluency in speaking?

Extensive and repetitive practice Signup and view all the answers

What did an empirical study by De Jong and Perfetti find about the 4-3-2 activity?

It improves fluency and speech repetition in this task may cause changes in underlying cognitive mechanisms resulting in long-term and transferable effects on performance fluency. Signup and view all the answers

Why may curricula underestimate the effort required to build fluency in speaking?

Because high stakes assessment may not give due weight to speaking Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Teaching Spoken Fluency in ELT

Most approaches to teaching speaking skills aim to engage learners in meaning-focused, communicative tasks.
Debate exists on where communicative practice belongs in a teaching/learning cycle and how teachers can ensure attention is given to complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF).
The trade-off hypothesis suggests that learners' limited cognitive resources lead them to give preferential attention to certain CAF components.
Research shows that planning time prior to an oral production task leads to more fluent and accurate or complex language production, but not both.
The type of planning provided and task complexity affect how learners allocate their attention to the three aspects of speaking.
ELT curricula may overlook opportunities for learners to develop fluent control over language material, which is essential for higher skill performance.
Developing fluency requires extensive and repetitive practice, which is often overlooked in ELT due to various reasons.
Spoken fluency is likely to develop when activities are meaning-focused and within learners' previous experience, with support and encouragement for higher-level performance.
The 4-3-2 activity meets all three conditions for fluency development and involves learners giving a short talk on a familiar topic three times consecutively, each time to a different partner, with the time reducing from four to three to two minutes on each occasion.
An empirical study by De Jong and Perfetti (2011) found that the 4-3-2 activity improves fluency, and speech repetition in this task may cause changes in underlying cognitive mechanisms resulting in long-term and transferable effects on performance fluency.
Curricula may underestimate the effort required to build fluency, and high stakes assessment may not give due weight to speaking.
Communicative activities associated with fluency may be seen as impractical in large ELT classes, but research shows that fluency can be developed with meaning-focused activities that are within learners' previous experience and with support for higher-level performance.

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Description

Test your knowledge on teaching spoken fluency in ELT with this informative quiz! From the trade-off hypothesis to the 4-3-2 activity, this quiz will challenge your understanding of the best approaches for developing fluency in language learners. Whether you're an experienced ELT teacher or just starting out, this quiz is a great way to learn more about how to help your students become confident and fluent speakers. Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and improve your teaching skills!