By: Melanie Gay Y. Tagaylo
In developing one’s speaking skills, language learners must be able to recognize that speaking involves three areas of knowledge; and these are mechanics, functions, and the social and cultural rules and norms. These three factors are really very necessary to have fluency in the specific language and that fluency does not only mean, the ability to read, write, or comprehend oral language since it has a deeper meaning which is the ability to converse one’s thoughts and messages or exchange ideas to others effectively.
In teaching speaking, one must be aware of the mechanics, functions, and social and cultural rules and norms that are called the three areas of knowledge that must be considered not only by the language learners but, as to language teachers as well. The first one is the mechanics. Mechanics include one’s pronunciation of individual words, grammar or the correct structure of sentences and the correct usage of words, and the vocabulary that may include how does the speaker uses the words correctively or appropriately. Second is the function which means that the speaker must be able to converse his messages with clarity and it must also be precise. Lastly is the social and cultural rules and norms which includes the turn-taking, rate of speech, length of pauses between speakers and the relative roles of participants.
These three factors are very essential for the teachers for them to effectively help students develop their fluency in language. Language teachers should help their students develop this body of knowledge by providing authentic practice that prepares students for real-life communication situations. They help their students develop the ability to produce grammatically correct, logically connects sentences that are appropriate to specific contexts, and to do so using acceptable and comprehensible pronunciation.
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