The differences between speaking and writing

a) What do you think are the important differences between speaking and writing?
b) Work in groups of three and write out your response on poster sheets. The
respective group leaders must be prepared to present their opinions and
display their poster sheets on the wall.
c) You can do a gallery walk when all the groups have done their presentations.
Note the common responses provided by the members of the other groups.
d) You may want to write your response in Tasksheet 3 below.

List the differences between Speaking and Writing.

SPEAKING WRITING

1.We can always ask the speaker 1. It is unlikely for us to get the
writer to clarify the points he/she
to clarify what he/she has said has made earlier because he/she
earlier. is usually not with us.

2. Response / feedback from the

2. The speaker can usually give
immediate response/ feedback to the
listener or vice versa
3. The use of fillers like “em”, “aaa”
etc.
4. The use of repetitions &
paralinguistic features to clarify
meaning
5. The speaker can restart his
sentences
6. The speaking discourse is
disorganized and as the speaker
improvises what he says (ongoing
alteration)
7. Speed: Production is faster but
understanding is slower
readers is not immediate but
delayed
3. There are no fillers and writers
have to spell out every word
properly
4. Writer do not stop in mid-
sentence and restart his
sentences
5. The written discourse is more
organized and more carefully
written (the writer is able to edit
the text)
6. Speed:
i. The production of a written text
is much slower
ii. Understanding of text is faster