Basic Communication Skills

Posted on: 05/11/2009 13:16

One of the major activities I provide my English as a Second Language adult students is the opportunity to work with their new language tools in their own offices or homes as homework.

Even the brand-new-to-English students can write a basic two word sentence: "I run." I ask my students to use the sentence structure that we have in our curriculum books, in which there are several examples. If all else fails, I've had a few students take nearly all the words from the written example and re-write it with a different verb or different person (1st, 2nd, 3rd, singular or plural) so that not only are they working with the sentence structures, but with grammar concepts too. That's what I do with my Beginners! I expect Intermediate students to come up with their own sentences, then dissect them in class with me -- what is right or why not. The first two levels of Advanced students have to actually write paragraphs for homework. But they write about tangible articles, not abstract concepts. The last Advanced level writes about abstract concepts.

Oh, and we prepare a LOT of examples verbally before we even get into our books. I use whiteboards, drawings, pantomime, whatever to get meanings across. In fact, there is often so much laughter coming from our classrooms that other people in the offices will poke their heads in to find out what is happening. I may even start bringing a few items with me, if they're light enough; perhaps I can bring a piece of twine, a thumbtack, etc. My dang books weigh over 20 lbs. for my daily commute as it is, so I don't really like the concept of more weight!

So, if I, as an ESL teacher, can come up with a specific plan to teach all four aspects of language learning to beginners through to advanced adult students, why can't school boards write curricula which will include the same for our children?

We have to get in there, play with words, get a little nitty gritty dirty, have fun, and WORK with language: any teacher will tell you that students learn better when different teaching modalities are used. C'mon, politicians: municipal, state, province, and federal: let's get our acts together so that our young people can learn how to communicate properly.

Let's face it, my grandchildren will be working at jobs that I cannot even imagine at this point. Most likely they will work in customer service work, personnel areas, or sales, since that is the path almost our whole family follows. Since there are few goods manufacturers or production facilities, it stands to reason that the next generation of workers will be doing other things. But what? And if creativity is required in their employment, I pray that the regular school system has not taught creativity out of them! Nonetheless, they will still be required to communicate with others somewhere in the upcoming world.

As I used to state to my students back at the U of C:

"It is counter-productive to have a fabulous idea if you cannot TALK about it, WRITE about it and DEFEND it. Grants, money and research possibilities only open up for those people who communicate their ideas clearly."

Whatever will happen to our young people if they don't learn basic communication skills?

Whatever will happen to our countries if people no longer know how to clearly communicate ideas both in written and verbal form?

Aaaaagh!

Granny Janny's blog

Comments

Arminius

Posted on: 05/11/2009 21:08

Hi Granny Janny:

English is my second language, and I struggled long and hard to master it. I now realize that many people who grew up with the English language have a hard time expressing their ideas clearly. I wondered why that was, until I realized that they don't write much.

Writing down one's ideas clarifies them. By writing down our thoughts we train ourselves to put them in order. Writing down our thoughts helps us to become clearer thinkers; clear thinking helps us to become better writers. One enhances the other.

Granny Janny

Posted on: 05/11/2009 22:56

Hi Arminius,

Your reply further shows the impact of playing with words. I am pleased that you spent that extra time to really learn the English language. I am aware of the difficulty of such an accomplishment. Thank you for honouring the English language.

Clarity is terribly important, not only in work, but in our home lives as well.

Whenever I have some problems, whether it be with relationships, home projects, or teaching, once I "free-write", resolutions begin to come forward more readily. I've noticed a large number of similar problems over the years of my journal writing. Once I come across the way I handled the problem the last time, I can use those ideas, skills and experiences once more, and add my new knowledge and skills to resolve the new problem.

I taught my sons (I have four of them, no daughters) to love language: how it feels when the sounds roll over the tongue, past the teeth and through the lips; how words have patterns in them, so meanings become clearer faster; how writing clearly makes a huge difference in life.

I have one son who is a motivational speaker and job coach. Let me tell you, he took the lessons of home with him as he was growing and learning! He not only knows how to plan his talks, but he knows how to help others set priorities, goals and plans in gear. Two of my sons are true salemen: they sell different commodities, but they are good at what they do, and love using their language skills to accomplish their objectives. I have another son who travels a great deal, sets his goals and writes about his journeys. He has also published two novels to date, based on his creativity and loosely on different aspects of his life.

Focus, creativity and fun all factor into language use and intellectual development. As a matter of fact, I've discovered through studying English, Latin, French and Olde English that my understanding of the foundations of language has grown by leaps and bounds. I don't always understand every language I hear, but I enjoy hearing the sounds, the passion and the excitement when others speak.

Writing novels, using our ideas as concepts for a better or just a different world, all of these pursuits require at least a basic idea of how to clearly communicate.

And those are only the ideas I come up with regarding personal time. Imagine how much better our entire global village would be if only we all learned to "speak the same language". By that I'm referring not to the actual languages, but the ability to exchange priorities, value systems and dreams amongst all peoples of all nations.

What a wonderful utopia that could be . . .

Arminius

Posted on: 05/12/2009 01:31

Yes, Granny Janny, what a wonderful world it could be...

If we dream the dream long enough, and write it down and share it, then the utopia may become reality. The world-wide-web is an excellent tool for a free global sharing of ideas and dreams. Who would have thought, a mere 30 years ago when the first crude computers appeared on the scene, that this would lead to a system of free and easy global communication? Human creativity is proceeeding by quantum leaps!