Oral Communication in English Forms Functions and Strategies Contents in Malaysia
ESP World, Issue 1 (27), Volume 9, 2010, http://www.esp-world.info
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Teaching Oral Communication Skills: A Task-based Approach
M. Mojibur Rahman
Assistant Professor
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Indian School of Mines University, Dhanbad
Abstract
Oral communication fulfills a number of general and discipline-specific pedagogical functions. Learning to speak is an important goal in itself, for it equips students with a set of skills they can use for the rest of their lives. Speaking is the mode of communication most often used to express opinions, make arguments, offer explanations, transmit information, and make impressions upon others. Students need to speak well in their personal lives, future workplaces, social interactions, and political endeavors. They will have meetings to attend, presentations to make, discussions and arguments to participate in, and groups to work with. If basic instruction and opportunities to practice speaking are available, students position themselves to accomplish a wide range of goals and be useful members of their communities. (http://www.com.uri.edu/comfund/cxc.shtml) This paper describes the applications of the task-based approach to teach oral communication skills in an academic setting. A course ‘Oral Communication Skills’ is taught to the students of Engineering and Technology at Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad to make them proficient in oral skills. The present study tries to explore the possibility and feasibility of task-based approach to apply for the teaching of oral communication. Key Words: Oral Communication, Task-based approach, dimensions of oral communication, academic setting.
Introduction
The present study is based on the author’s four years classroom experience at Indian School of Mines. The author has been teaching Oral Communication Courses since 2005. At ISM students come from all over India through Joint Entrance Examination conducted by Indian Institute of Technology. Their
1
Teaching Oral Communication Skills: A Task-based Approach
M. Mojibur Rahman
Assistant Professor
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Indian School of Mines University, Dhanbad
Abstract
Oral communication fulfills a number of general and discipline-specific pedagogical functions. Learning to speak is an important goal in itself, for it equips students with a set of skills they can use for the rest of their lives. Speaking is the mode of communication most often used to express opinions, make arguments, offer explanations, transmit information, and make impressions upon others. Students need to speak well in their personal lives, future workplaces, social interactions, and political endeavors. They will have meetings to attend, presentations to make, discussions and arguments to participate in, and groups to work with. If basic instruction and opportunities to practice speaking are available, students position themselves to accomplish a wide range of goals and be useful members of their communities. (http://www.com.uri.edu/comfund/cxc.shtml) This paper describes the applications of the task-based approach to teach oral communication skills in an academic setting. A course ‘Oral Communication Skills’ is taught to the students of Engineering and Technology at Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad to make them proficient in oral skills. The present study tries to explore the possibility and feasibility of task-based approach to apply for the teaching of oral communication. Key Words: Oral Communication, Task-based approach, dimensions of oral communication, academic setting.
Introduction
The present study is based on the author’s four years classroom experience at Indian School of Mines. The author has been teaching Oral Communication Courses since 2005. At ISM students come from all over India through Joint Entrance Examination conducted by Indian Institute of Technology. Their
References: Teaching Oral Communication Skills: A Task-based Approach 10 M. Mojibur Rahman ESP World, Issue 1 (27), Volume 9, 2010, http://www.esp-world.info