Communication Practice

Topics  2

Communication practice vs. Pattern practice

Introduction:

    A language course has two components: the course content, and the presentation of that content. This article deals with the presentation component. Its main thesis is this: Since the ultimate goal of language learning is communication, classroom presentation should, from the outset,
be directed toward the development of communication skills. Learning requires practice, but this practice should be communication practice, not mere pattern practice.  I will develop this theme by considering the following four topics:
1. The nature and form of communication-practice drills.
2. The psychological preparation for communication.
3. The introduction of new content in communication practice.
4. The relationship of communication practice to textbook and curriculum.

1. The nature and form of communication-practice drills.

In communication-practice (CP) drills, the student finds pleasure in producing a response that is not only linguistically acceptable but which also conveys information personally relevant to himself and other people.when we have our students practice sentences that illustrate a new pattern, we should make sure that they pay attention to the meanings of the sentences as well as to their form. If we discover that our drills require the student to make only mechanical responses, then we should use some other techniques to lead him back into communication and away from mere pattern practice.

2-The Psychological Preparation for Communication
A language teacher should instill in his students a number of skills that are more directly related to the students’ psychological attitude toward new languages than to their direct knowledge about the language they are learning. The importance of developing these skills becomes obvious when we teach by communication practice, since effective communication requires their constant use.

Criticizing one’s own performance
To communicate effectively in a second language, the speaker must be skilled in evaluating and criticizing his own speech. The teacher’s role includes more than simply mproviding a model for the student, calling attention to his mistakes, and teaching him how to correct them. A teacher
should train the student to listen to himself as he speaks, to recall what he has said, and to pass judgment on his own correctness. In other words, train the student to become his own critic.

Understanding unexpected utterances
Communication implies novelty. If all responses were predictable, there would be no communication. Therefore, the teacher should train the student to take the proper attitude toward the unknown, both in understanding and in producing speech.

Expressing concepts
Often a student has ideas that he would like to express in a second language, but he fails to do so simply because he lacks the imagination and initiative to try.This situation often arises when the student’s native language does not have word-for-word equivalents with the language he is learning.When a student balks at expressing a new concept, the teacher might simply say: “You already know these words W1 W2 W3, etc. Now think of a way you might put them together to express what you want to say.” Then the student can struggle with the problem on his own and benefit from the teacher’s evaluation of his efforts. He has been forced to take a big step in language learning.

3-The Introduction of New Content in Communication Practice

Another important part of language teaching is the introduction of new vocabulary and grammar material. Certain ways of doing this are particularly effective because they take advantage of the teacher’s feeling for “the appropriate moment” and his knowledge of the direction in which the course is headed. The principle to follow is this: Recognize that certain things have to be “mastered” in English: a course, but introduce items as they are needed, in context, and defer “mastery” until the appropriate time.

4-The Relationship of Communication Practice to Textbook and Curriculum

A textbook can be evaluated from two points of view: usefulness to the student and usefulness to the teacher.  The student appreciates a textbook that provides him with a clear guide for home study. In this respect many PP texts are satisfactory, for they provide a second—that is, a visual—means of evaluating the correctness of the student’s responses to taped drills.
The student should also be able to use his textbook as a reference book. Therefore, it should provide an index for vocabulary items, showing, among other things, where the item is introduced. If the language is one that lends itself to a systematic display of grammatical material in the form of paradigms or declensions, the textbook should include such information. The same can be said of phonology if a special learning alphabet is required.  Finally, the text should provide some material in the form of stories or dialogues that will introduce the language in a natural way and summarize the new material in each lesson.

My personal view:

I see that the writer focuses on communication that deals with a daily life situation not just a pattern practice.  That is right.  The pattern practice becomes alive only if it is related to a real situation to be implemented.   We must function the pattern in situations that relate to our daily life or to the  environment we live in.  This will result in acquiring new skills and experiences that will result in a behavioral change in learner's character.  It provides him with self- esteem and self- confidence.   A correct meaning is as important as a correct form.

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An Example:                                      The pattern is: (Be Fond of )

1-Guided practice:

                                                                              / Football   -     Basketball /     

Learner 1 :  What are you fond of ?

Learner 2 : I am fond of...................  . What about you?

Learner 1 : Me? I am fond of...........................................

2-Free Practice :

                                                      / Swimming        -    Diving  /

Learner 1 :  What are you fond of ?

Learner 2 : I am fond of....................... What about you?

Learner 1 : Me? I am fond of..............................................

                                     /sports          -     Diving                         /

                                 /reading          -     Writing                    /

                             /running            - Walking                     /

                         /riding horses      - Paddling in a boat /

                     /traveling outdoors -SAtaying indoord/

3-Elicitation:

I elicit the rule form from the students themselves. How?

I ask my learners questions like the following

1-What repeated words have you practiced?

2-What does the structure consist of?

3-What comes before the pattern?

4-What comes after the pattern?

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Extension:

This communication can be transferred to be implemented between the learner and his peer, pair, friend or parent at home or with people in the street.

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