Speaking and Listening

“I didn’t speak any English when I came to this country and I couldn’t communicate with people, but now I feel a lot more confident with my English. I know I have still a long ways to go, but I will learn.” – Natalia Giefer, Literacy Source Student

“For me, I can read English, but sometimes when I am on the street or in a store and I cannot express all that I need to ask, and all that I need to tell about something, that makes me feel shy. Now when I meet people from other countries, or even people from my country, we talk in English. I have more self-confidence. That is the most important part…” – Laura Gonzalez, Literacy Source Student

Never underestimate the power of conversation. Students' confidence can rise exponentially after they become familiar with a few basic phrases and learn how to communicate in daily situations.

Even as participants enter our ESL program with unique life experiences, they share some common goals: to become successful employees, involved parents, and contributing members of the community. Their achievement of these goals depends on their ability to communicate in English, and research indicates that we spend more than forty percent of our daily communication time listening, thirty-five percent speaking, sixteen percent reading, and just nine percent writing[1]. There are creative, engaging strategies for teaching verbal language skills at every level of instruction.

Students who need to improve their listening comprehension and speaking abilities can benefit from both classes and one-to-one tutoring. Classes such as Community Club, Pronunciation & Grammar, Public Speaking, and Reading Tools for Life all focus specifically on listening and speaking skills.

[1] Burely-Allen, M. (1995). Listening: The Forgotten Skill. New York: John Wily & Sons, Inc.

In addition to the information on the pages below, check out the "Learning to Listen" and "Non-Stop Talking" handouts, attached at the bottom of this page!