Oral Skills Research Articles

Utilizing Communicative Activities to Teach Oral English Skills to Students at Tuyen Quang School for Excellence (TSE)

This study investigates the efficacy of utilizing communicative activities to enhance oral English skills among students at Tuyen Quang School for Excellence (TSE). Recognizing the paramount importance of oral proficiency in mastering a foreign language, this research aims to address the challenges faced by students in traditional English classrooms where communicative opportunities are limited. Through a structured implementation of various communicative activities, such as role-plays, discussions, and problem-solving tasks, we observed significant improvements in students' speaking abilities. Data were collected through pre- and post-intervention assessments, surveys, and interviews, providing a comprehensive understanding of the impact of these activities. The findings reveal that not only do communicative activities significantly improve oral skills, but they also boost students' confidence and willingness to participate in speaking tasks. This study underscores the necessity of incorporating interactive and student-centered approaches in English language teaching to foster better communicative competence.

Contextualized, Multicomponent Language Instruction: From Theory to Randomized Controlled Trial.

Clinicians address a wide range of oral language skills when working with school-age students with language and literacy difficulties (LLDs). Therefore, there is a critical need for carefully designed, rigorously tested, multicomponent contextualized language interventions (CLIs) that have a high likelihood of successful implementation and measurable academic impacts. This clinical focus article summarizes the development and testing of a CLI entitled Supporting Knowledge in Language and Literacy (SKILL), which is a supplementary narrative intervention program for elementary school-age children. Our aims are to (a) to review the foundational theoretical models that are the foundation of SKILL; (b) describe the iterative process used to develop the phases, lessons, procedures, materials, and progress monitoring tool; (c) summarize recent findings of the randomized controlled trial that was conducted to test its efficacy; and (d) discuss factors that may contribute to successful implementation of multicomponent language interventions. A total of 357 students in Grades 1-4 with LLDs were randomized to a treatment group or to a business-as-usual control group. The treatment group received the SKILL curriculum in small groups during 30-min lessons by trained speech-language pathologists, teachers, and special educators. Students who received SKILL significantly outperformed those who did not on oral and written measures of storytelling and comprehension immediately after treatment and after 5-months at follow-up. Gains were similar among students with different levels of language ability (at-risk, language impaired) and language status (monolingual, bilingual) at pretest. There is growing support for the use of multicomponent CLIs to bring about educationally relevant outcomes for students with LLDs. The authors present this review of how SKILL was designed, manualized, and rigorously tested by a team of researchers and practitioners with the hope that this approach will serve as a springboard for the development of future multicomponent CLIs that may meaningfully improve communicative and educational outcomes for students with LLDs.

LanguageScreen: The Development, Validation, and Standardization of an Automated Language Assessment App.

Oral language skills provide a critical foundation for formal education and especially for the development of children's literacy (reading and spelling) skills. It is therefore important for teachers to be able to assess children's language skills, especially if they are concerned about their learning. We report the development and standardization of a mobile app-LanguageScreen-that can be used by education professionals to assess children's language ability. The standardization sample included data from approximately 350,000 children aged 3;06 (years;months) to 8;11 who were screened for receptive and expressive language skills using LanguageScreen. Rasch scaling was used to select items of appropriate difficulty on a single unidimensional scale. LanguageScreen has excellent psychometric properties, including high reliability, good fit to the Rasch model, and minimal differential item functioning across key student groups. Girls outperformed boys, and children with English as an additional language scored less well compared to monolingual English speakers. LanguageScreen provides an easy-to-use, reliable, child-friendly means of identifying children with language difficulties. Its use in schools may serve to raise teachers' awareness of variations in language skills and their importance for educational practice.

Using Mobile-Assisted Language Learning to Enhance EFL Oral Language Skills of Faculty of Education English Majors

Using Mobile-Assisted Language Learning to Enhance EFL Oral Language Skills of Faculty of Education English Majors

Dr. Hasnaa Sabry Abdel-Hamid Ahmed Helwa: Using Critical Friend Groups Model for Developing EFL Oral Presentation Skills and Self-Esteem of Third Year English Section Students at Faculty of Education

Dr. Hasnaa Sabry Abdel-Hamid Ahmed Helwa: Using Critical Friend Groups Model for Developing EFL Oral Presentation Skills and Self-Esteem of Third Year English Section Students at Faculty of Education

Using podcasting to enhance EFL prospective teachers’ oral presentation skills

Using podcasting to enhance EFL prospective teachers’ oral presentation skills

Impact of YouTube on Non-verbal aspects of Pakistani ESL Learners’ Oral Presentation Skills

Impact of YouTube on Non-verbal aspects of Pakistani ESL Learners’ Oral Presentation Skills

Practices in Assessment for Learning in English Language Classrooms within Government Secondary Schools in Tanga City, Tanzania

This qualitative study investigated assessment practices in English language classrooms in six government secondary schools in Tanga City, Tanzania. Employing a case study design, the study involved 12 English language teachers and Form Three students. Specifically, the study aimed to identify assessment strategies employed by English language teachers, delineate the timing of assessments during instructional sessions and ascertain the language skills evaluated during the instructional process. The study findings revealed that teachers employ both oral and written assessment strategies. The finding also showed that assessment occurs systematically throughout all stages of lesson development. However, while writing skills and grammar received considerable assessment attention, speaking skills appeared to be relatively neglected. The study concludes by discussing its implications and highlighting a critical necessity for teacher training to enhance assessment literacy, particularly in assessing oral skills during instructional sessions.

Early skills that predict English reading ability: A longitudinal study of bilingual children from 5 to 10 years

Despite substantial research, the contribution of oral language skills acquired in Spanish to Spanish–English bilingual children’s acquisition of English reading skill is unclear. The current study addressed this question with data on the oral language and pre-literacy skills of 101 Spanish–English bilingual learners at 5 years of age and their English word reading (i.e., decoding) and reading comprehension skills at 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 years. Separate multilevel models using English language, Spanish language, and pre-literacy skills as predictors of these outcomes identified English phonological awareness, Spanish phonological awareness, and concepts of print knowledge as positive predictors of word reading. A final model including all these significant predictors found only Spanish phonological awareness and concept of print to be significant predictors. Significant predictors of reading comprehension in separate models were English vocabulary, Spanish phonological awareness, and concepts about print. In the final model, only English vocabulary and Spanish phonological awareness predicted English reading comprehension. These findings provide evidence that phonological awareness is a language-general skill that supports reading across languages, consistent with the common underlying proficiency model of bilingual reading development. The finding that only English vocabulary predicts English reading comprehension suggests that vocabulary knowledge is not part of a common underlying proficiency but is language specific in its value to reading ability.

Interdisciplinary assessment and treatment of paediatric drooling: two decades of experience by the Nijmegen saliva control team reflected in a stepwise algorithm

Anterior and posterior drooling are prevalent comorbidities in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Considering the heterogeneity of the patient population and the multifactorial aetiology of drooling, an interdisciplinary and individualised treatment approach is indispensable. However, no tool for stepwise decision-making in the treatment of paediatric drooling has been developed previously. Within the Radboudumc Amalia Children’s Hospital, care for children with anterior and/or posterior drooling secondary to neurodevelopmental disabilities is coordinated by a saliva control team with healthcare professionals from six disciplines. In alignment with international literature, published guidelines, and evidence gained from two decades of experience and research by our team, this paper proposes an algorithm reflecting the assessment and treatment approach applied in our clinic. First, directions are provided to decide on the necessity of saliva control treatment, taking type of drooling, the child’s age, and the severity and impact of drooling into account. Second, the algorithm offers guidance on the choice between available treatment options, highlighting the importance of accounting for child characteristics and child and caregiver preferences in clinical (shared) decision-making.Conclusions: With this algorithm, we aim to emphasise the importance of repeated stepwise decision-making in the assessment and treatment of drooling in children during their childhood, encouraging healthcare professionals to apply a holistic approach.What is Known:• Children with anterior or posterior drooling secondary to neurodevelopmental disabilities comprise a heterogeneous group, necessitating an individualised treatment approach.• No stepwise decision-making tool is available for the treatment of paediatric drooling.What is New:• Deciding on the necessity of saliva control treatment should be a conscious process, based on type of drooling, age, and drooling severity and impact.• Type of drooling, age, cognition, oral motor skills, self-awareness, posture, diagnosis, and child/caregiver preferences need to be considered to decide on the optimal treatment.

Investigating Teachers and Students’ Views on Debate Activities as a Tool to Improve English Speaking Skills: A Case of Rulindo District, Rwanda

This research is entitled ‘investigating teachers and students’ views on debate activities as a tool to improve English-speaking skills. Its main objective was to examine the role of debate activities in the English-speaking proficiency of lower-level secondary school students in Rulindo District. The study was guided by the theory of Vygotsky, titled Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). To achieve the current study’s objective, a technique of questionnaires that contains open-ended and closed-ended questions was used to gather needed information. The research design used was a descriptive research design with a mixed method of data interpretation. The target population was 598, including students, teachers, and school authorities. For the learners’ sampling technique, we purposefully chose all students who participated in debate activities who were equal to 57 students. In this regard, 72 respondents (4 school leaders, 11 teachers, and 57 students) were surveyed. Findings revealed different benefits of participating in debates, including but not limited to acquiring speaking skills, improving critical thinking skills, and enhancing teamwork skills and collaboration. In addition, some challenges are faced, such as anxiety, nervousness, and limited language proficiency. Some strategies to improve oral skills in English, as proposed by the surveyed respondents, include providing practice opportunities and offering constructive feedback. Students were recommended to give value to English, the medium of instruction, and the official language and make efforts to practice through different techniques to learn and improve their oral skills in English. Teachers were recommended to define clear learning objectives for debate activities in English learning and help students make real-world connections through debate.

Optimizing Arabic Oral Skills Instruction: Exploring Learner Demographics And Preferred Teaching Methods

Optimizing Arabic Oral Skills Instruction: Exploring Learner Demographics And Preferred Teaching Methods

Time to Proficiency in Young English Learners and Factors That Affect Progress

AbstractWe investigated the time it takes 54,146 English learners (ELs) to attain English proficiency as they progressed from age 5 to 11 on average (Kindergarten through fifth grade in the United States). We also examine to what extent the time‐to‐proficiency estimate is affected by child‐internal and child‐external factors, including primary disability status, primary home language, home English use, instructional programming, and retention status. We used discrete‐time survival analysis to analyze the children's English growth. Survival analysis often concerns time from treatment until death: Here, “survival” is the time from EL‐program entry until “proficiency,” indicated via standardized testing. Half of the students attained proficiency in 5 years. Literacy skills (reading and writing) in general developed at slower rates than oral language skills (speaking and listening), with writing being ELs' biggest barrier to proficiency. While time to proficiency was significantly related to primary disability status, primary home language, and retention status, exposing ELs to their home language at home or at school does not have a substantial effect on their rates of English acquisition. The results are discussed for their research and practical implications.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY OF EARLY GRADE IP LEARNERS: BASIS FOR A BRIDGING PROGRAM

The general purpose of this study is to look into the language proficiency level of the Early Grade IP learners which eventually be the basis of a bridging program that will be designed.This study employed the non-experimental descriptive survey research design in investigating the research problem. It is descriptive because the data are presented in quantitative descriptions on the “Language Competence of IP Learners: Basis for a Bridging Program. According to Good (2020), this method of research shows merely description of tasks presenting the conditions regarding the nature of the group of persons or class of events that involved procedure of analysis, classification, and measurement. It involves varied information regarding the current or present condition (Deauna, 2021). This study was conducted in the schools of Sulop district. The respondents in this study were the 210 IP learners of the research locale. The respondents answered a researcher made assessment test on their oral and comprehension skills. This study makes use of the universal sampling procedure considering the manageable number of respondents in the research locale. This revealed that Early Grade IP learners display basic skills in reading which means that their reading skills need to be developed further so that when reading stories, they do not comprehend the stories literally but they will read between the lines in order to have a broad understanding of the literary piece that eventually brings lesson and new insights. KEYWORDS: english language, proficiency of early grade, learners, basis for a bridging program

Perceptions of families and healthcare providers about feeding preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: protocol for a qualitative systematic review

IntroductionThe underdevelopment of preterm infants can lead to delayed progression through key early milestones. Demonstration of safe oral feeding skills, constituting proper suck-swallow reflex are requirements for discharge from the...

Parental education level on the development of children's oral hygiene skills

Introduction. Dental caries is a significant public health issue due to its high incidence among the population. While modern scientific research highlights effective treatments for this condition, prevention remains crucial, directly impacting health and quality of life, especially when early preventive habits are instilled. This study aims to explore how parents' educational levels and other factors influence the acquisition, use, and proper application of oral hygiene knowledge among primary school children. Material and methods. The study surveyed 678 parents of primary school children across 9 administrative regions, including both urban and rural areas of the Republic of Moldova. It employed a randomized approach, involving respondents from all social groups. Results. This study found that parental education level is a crucial factor influencing the proper development of oral hygiene skills, which can prevent dental conditions. Higher parental education was positively associated with urban living environment and family income. Additionally, well-educated parents tend to visit dentists more regularly, which also reflects in better oral hygiene practices at home for their children. Conclusions. Children's oral hygiene habits are strongly shaped by socioeconomic factors and the care parents show. Increasing parental education levels, whether in urban or rural settings, plays a pivotal role in fostering correct dental hygiene practices early in life, thereby ensuring long-term oral health habits into adulthood.

A Case Study of Exploring Pedagogical Practices Applied to Enhance Critical Thinking and Oral Commmunication Skills

A Case Study of Exploring Pedagogical Practices Applied to Enhance Critical Thinking and Oral Commmunication Skills

The Impact of the Implementation of Storytelling as a Communicative Language Strategy in Developing the Oral Skills in Students from Nine Grade at Colegio Nacional Marco Tulio Salazar Sede Liceo de Poás during the Second Quarter of 2023

The Impact of the Implementation of Storytelling as a Communicative Language Strategy in Developing the Oral Skills in Students from Nine Grade at Colegio Nacional Marco Tulio Salazar Sede Liceo de Poás during the Second Quarter of 2023

Impact of a YouTube Channel on ESL Students' Oral Skills in a Peruvian Higher Institute

According to experts and stakeholders, speaking English language skills are the most complex to learn and teach. Likewise, these skills are necessary and mandatory in this globalized world. One common strategy to overcome these difficulties is outside classroom activities such as recording videos and then comment them. In this way, the present paper presents the results of a YouTube channel project on Peruvian ESL students’ speaking skills in a higher technological institute. In addition, the perception and views of making and commenting on videos on a YouTube channel were researched bearing in mind three factors: oral skills, psychological aspects, and time availability. Therefore, a mixed-methods approach was applied to achieve these goals, and the data was gathered from 51 accounting students. A pre-experimental design was carried out to establish the YouTube project’s effects on oral skills, for this reason, a pre and post-test were carried out, moreover, a survey with 5-point Likert-type and open-ended questions was completed by the mentioned students and conducted immediately after the project. Among the highlights of the results were the meaningful improvement in these students’ oral skills on one hand, and on the other, positive perceptions about the completed project were noticeable.

The Effectiveness of a Program Based on the ALLBS-R Program in Developing Oral Skills Among Autistic Children

The Effectiveness of a Program Based on the ALLBS-R Program in Developing Oral Skills Among Autistic Children