1. Unit 13 Integrated Skills

2. Aims of the Unit - to be aware of the reasons of integrating the four skills; - to learn two ways of integrating the four skills - to study the implications of integrating the four skills for teaching - to be aware of the limitations of integrating the four skills

3. I. Why Should We Integrate the Four Skills? There are many situations in which we use more than one language skills. For this reason alone, it is valuable to integrate the language skills. There are many other reasons why integration of skills can enhance the students’ communicative competence. Integrating the skills means that you are working at the level of realistic communication, not just at the level of vocabulary and sentence patterns. Integrating the four skills emphasizes the focus on realistic language and can therefore lead to the students’ all-round development of communicative competence in English.

4. II. How Can We Integrate the Four Skills? 1) Simple integration The easiest form of integration is within the same medium (either oral or written), from receptive to productive skills. Type of medium Receptive Skill Productive Skills Oral Medium Listening Speaking Written Medium Reading Writing

5. 2) Complex integration This involves constructing a series of activities that use a variety of skills. In each of the activities, there is realistic, communicative use of language.

6. III. What Are the Implications for Teaching? 1. Focus on discourse Teachers can help students understand the way that the text is organized by studying Its layout (for written text) The style of the language (formal or informal?) The register (the vocabulary that is commonly found in such discourse) 2. Adjusting the textbook contents Teachers need to make some changes to the contents. They can alter the order of the contents. 3. Adjusting the timetable Teachers should make the timetable arrangement more flexible so that we can integrate four skills better.

7. IV. What Are the Limitations of Integrating the Four Skills? 1) 1)Neglecting the role that a separate focus on individual aspects of vocabulary, grammar and skills can play. 2) The problem of designing suitable materials that account of ss’ different skill levels.