How does incorporating all four skills into English language teaching impact on lesson structures and students’ proficiency? We spoke to Mikiko Yamada, a teacher at Okayama Daianji Secondary School in Okayama Prefecture (head of first year students), who has participated in a British Council teacher training programme. We asked her about how she has applied and adapted the training into her classes.
——What significance does the four-skills approach have on English language skills?
“I believe that teaching all four skills enhances students’ ability to understand situations, their ability to quickly process multiple skills, and their empathy for and negotiation with the other speaker, all of which are necessary in real-life situations. The goal is to enable students to do in English what they can do in Japanese, and to nurture great speakers through English language learning. I believe that language skills are improved when native language [i.e. Japanese] and English complement each other.”
——How do you assess the four skills?
“I regularly assess their productive skills [speaking and writing]. For these skills, their short writing skills are evaluated based on a CAN-DO list [a list that indicates what students of a certain level are capable of doing] during each class and provide teacher feedback. For speaking and listening skills, I get students to act out NHK Radio English scripts before and after class and participate in monthly skit contests. Every semester, they take performance tests, which include things like interviews and quick impromptu debates. The language used in Radio English is useful for preparing to talk about ourselves in skits. We focus on this during secondary school [ages 12-15].
When I was in charge of older secondary school students [ages 15-18], I worked on teaching them summarisation skills through different activities. For reading, we first prepared several abstract concepts and asked students to think about the best way to express the concept. They practised speaking and listening by pairing up and exchanging opinions. Each semester, students were asked to participate in a group discussion about the abstract concept they chose and the reasons for their choice, and were assessed based on their performance. It was an effective activity that allowed us to evaluate the entire class in one class period. To strengthen writing skills, students wrote a summary along with reasons for their chosen abstract concept. Through this activity, students gained a deeper understanding of writing and were also able to think about underlying messages.”
——How has your participation in the British Council's teacher training programme affected your curriculum and your students’ skills?
“During the training, the teachers took on the role of the student and learned many of the latest teaching methods. This experience shifted the way I think about the classroom, from the teacher's perspective to the learner's perspective. I also had a sense that my English improved as I learned teaching methods that require the simultaneous use of multiple skills. My own experience once again showed me that teaching the four skills improves English proficiency. In addition, the training also provides teachers with the tools necessary to teach the four skills, such as how to ask questions and how to create teaching materials, so that they can use English confidently in the classroom.
As for the students, they showed improvement in all four skills. For example, after the training, I was in charge of older secondary school students [ages 15-18], and their listening skills improved as they had more opportunities to use English. The results of the semesterly performance test showed growth in their speaking and reading comprehension abilities through paraphrasing and conceptualisation of text. For the younger secondary school students [ages 12-15] I am currently teaching, the number of students who say they like English more now than when they first entered the school has increased. This demonstrates the positive effects of integrating all four skills.”
——What are the necessary elements for students to enjoy learning English?
“It is a delicate dance for both the teacher and the learner. Specifically, we are conscious of the following in our classes: 1. To expose them to real-life situations 2. To learn from each other, and 3. To share positive emotions.
For #1, we typically give them a real-life example after an initial explanation, and use ICQs (instruction checking questions) and gestures to confirm their understanding. For #2, when doing a communication-based activity, the students switch up their partners in pairs or groups to give meaning to the exchange. For #3, we use feedback to praise students for their efforts and build their confidence. We utilise self-assessments and teacher assessments, and try to provide constructive feedback that encourages student awareness of how to improve. This is because having fun and gaining understanding are the most important motivators for learning.
We also utilise the time outside of class. For example, if a student starts humming a Western song learned in class, they will be more open to learning in subsequent classes. It’s also important that teachers have fun.”