Bygate M. (1987) Speaking Oxford University Press

Bygate M. (1987) Speaking Oxford University Press: A Review of a Classic Book on Language Teaching

Speaking is one of the four language skills that learners of a second or foreign language need to develop. However, speaking is not just a matter of producing words and sentences, but also a matter of interacting with others in various contexts and situations. How can teachers help learners improve their speaking skills and their communicative competence What are the main challenges and opportunities for teaching and learning speaking in the classroom

In this article, we will review a classic book on language teaching that addresses these questions and provides clear explanations of recent research and developments in methodology. The book is Speaking by Martin Bygate, published by Oxford University Press in 1987 as part of the Language Teaching: A Scheme for Teacher Education series. The book is divided into three parts: Part One deals with speaking as a skill, Part Two deals with interaction skills, and Part Three deals with oral classroom activities.

Part One: Speaking as a Skill

In this part, Bygate discusses the nature of speaking and the differences between speech and writing. He argues that speaking is a complex skill that involves both production and comprehension processes, as well as planning and monitoring. He also points out that speaking is influenced by various factors, such as the speaker's purpose, audience, topic, setting, and mode. He then compares speech and writing in terms of their typical grammatical, lexical, and discourse features, and explains how these features affect the difficulty and appropriateness of oral tasks.

Part Two: Interaction Skills

In this part, Bygate focuses on the skills that speakers need to interact with others effectively. He identifies four main types of interaction skills: turn-taking, topic management, negotiation of meaning, and feedback. He explains how these skills work in different types of conversations, such as dialogues, interviews, discussions, and simulations. He also suggests some ways of assessing learners' interaction skills and providing them with feedback.

Part Three: Oral Classroom Activities

In this part, Bygate provides practical guidance on how to design and implement oral classroom activities that promote learners' speaking development. He distinguishes between two main types of activities: activities for oral practice and activities for oral production. He describes the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of each type, and gives examples of various activities, such as drills, role plays, games, stories, presentations, and projects. He also discusses some issues related to students' participation, teacher's role, materials selection, task sequencing, and evaluation.

Conclusion

Speaking by Martin Bygate is a comprehensive and accessible book that covers both theoretical and practical aspects of teaching and learning speaking in a second or foreign language. It is based on current research and draws on examples from different languages and contexts. It is suitable for both novice and experienced teachers who want to gain a better understanding of the role of oral classroom activities and improve their teaching practice. 061ffe29dd