Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com

ScienceDirect
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
Procedia Computer Science 00 (2019) 000–000

ScienceDirect www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
Procedia Computer Science 172 (2020) 60–65

9th World Engineering Education Forum 2019, WEEF 2019

DEVELOPING SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH TASK-BASED MATERIALS

Jyothi Masuram, Pushpa Nagini Sripada

Research Scholar, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Chennai 600 119

Professor of English, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Chennai 600 119

Abstract

English is a global language and of wider communication. It is needed in the fields of science and technology, medicine, law and
administration of the country and with the speakers of other languages across the globe. English is the international language and
means of communication than any other language in the world. Developing communication skills may give scope to the talented
students to express their ideas to the world. Access to spoken English enables to transform our ideas, views, opinions, thoughts,
emotions, to obtain information from others and to solve problems and issues. Spoken English is a gateway to improve and
achieve success in career of the students. Hence English occupies a prominent place in the education system too. It is taught
compulsorily in almost all the states of India so that it can be means of communication of people belonging to different states as
well as countries. The present study is an attempt to study the needs of the students to use English as the medium of
communication and explore the ways of helping the students to speak fluently and confidently which is useful for them in
seeking employment and achieve success in their career. The use of correct pronunciation and intonation, speaking coherently on
a topic are the objectives of this study.
Method: The study was conducted in two phases – Pre intervention stage and Intervention stage. In Pre-intervention stage
students voices were recorded to know whether their pronunciation is well and later the students’ questionnaire, teachers’
questionnaire were administered and analysed. Finally information about the selection process and the expectations were
collected from the employers. Learners need to be fluent and accurate in speech production. The fear of being inaccurate is a
barrier which hinders fluent speech in the learners. Data was collected about students’ and their problems related to spoken
English. The teachers’ and students’ opinion prescribed textbook and the teaching methodology was collected. The gathered
information was used to develop the materials keeping in mind the students’ needs required for employment. Tasks have been
widely used to elicit language production, negotiation of meaning, processing of input and focus on form, all of which are
believed to foster the second language. The supplementary materials were designed in which undergraduate level students were
exposed to different tasks and activities to practice communication skills in English in real life settings. The students participated
in performing the tasks and activities individually and in a group.
Conclusions: The study has catered to enhance the language skills required for academic and employment purposes. The primary
concern was to enable the students able to communicate confidently and fluently in English. The gap between the prescribed
textbook and present competence of the students was found by the research. The research has bought a friendly and relaxed
atmosphere in the language classroom. The focus was on two-way communication and students felt they are part of the group and
need to work together to reach higher outcomes, while the teacher was encouraged to facilitate and monitor her teaching making

1877-0509 © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of WEEF 2019

1877-0509 © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 9th World Engineering Education Forum 2019.
10.1016/j.procs.2020.05.009
 Jyothi Masuram et al. / Procedia Computer Science 172 (2020) 60–65 61
2 Error! Bookmark not defined.Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2019) 000–000

to reduce her talk time and allow students to practice the activities such as role-play, problem-solving, brain-storming,
2information gathering, opinion sharing, information
Error! Bookmark transfer,
not defined.Author namereasoning
/ Procediagap. With the
Computer introduction
Science 00 (2019) of these activities the students’
000–000
tend to learn fluently and accurately in the language classroom. The study allowed the students’ to speak fluently with proper
pronunciation
to reduce herandtalkintonation.
time and allow students to practice the activities such as role-play, problem-solving, brain-storming,
information gathering, opinion sharing, information transfer, reasoning gap. With the introduction of these activities the students’
© 2020 The
Keywords: Authors. materials;
Task-based Publishedpronunciation;
by Elsevier B.V.
intonation;classroom.
fluency; accuracy
tend to learn fluently and accurately in the language The study allowed the students’ to speak fluently with proper
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
pronunciation and intonation.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 9th World Engineering Education Forum 2019.
1. INTRODUCTION
Keywords: Task-based materials; pronunciation; intonation; fluency; accuracy

Speaking is one of the difficult skills in second language teaching and learning process. Teaching speaking is a
1. INTRODUCTION
productive skill that is generally considered to be difficult to learn, as it needs rigorous practice and strong
determination to achieve high proficiency. During an interaction, a speaker has to pay attention to planning, editing,
Speaking is one
re-correcting andofsimplifying
the difficultthe
skills in secondsolanguage
utterances teachingthe
as to achieve andspeaking
learning ability.
process. Speaking
Teaching also
speaking is a
involves
productive skillintonation;
pronunciation, that is generally considered
stress patterns to be difficult
and mastering to learn,
these prosodic as it can
features needsbe rigorous
a difficultpractice
task for and strong
non-native
determination to achieve high proficiency. During an interaction, a speaker has to pay attention to planning, editing,
speakers of English.
re-correcting
According to and Nunan simplifying
(2004:48) the utterances
speaking involvesso producing
as to achieve the speaking
systematic ability. Speaking
verbal utterances to conveyalso involves
meaning. In
pronunciation,
spoken language, intonation;
speakingstress
must patterns and mastering
have ability thesebyprosodic
to be listened features
others. It can be a and
has temporary difficult task forreception.
immediate non-nativeIt
speakers
has of English.feedback from the listener during the conversation with others.
an intermediate
According to Nunan (2004:48) speaking involves producing systematic verbal utterances to convey meaning. In
spoken
1.1 language,
Sub-skills speaking must have ability to be listened by others. It has temporary and immediate reception. It
of speaking
has an intermediate feedback from the listener during the conversation with others.
Lackman (2010) identified the following as important and integral to develop speaking skills. Functions, fluency,
1.1 Sub-skills
accuracy, of speaking grammar, turn taking skills, relevant length, responding and initiating, repair and
appropriateness,
repetition, range of words and discourse markers.
Lackman (2010) identified the following as important and integral to develop speaking skills. Functions, fluency,
accuracy, appropriateness, grammar, Table1.turn taking sub-skills
Speaking skills, relevant
and theirlength, responding and initiating, repair and
applications
repetition, range of words and discourse markers.
Speaking sub-skills Application
Fluency – students speak with a Table1. logical Speaking
flow withoutsub-skills and theirrequire
Students applications
to focus on meaning in
planning or rehearsal communication than accuracy in activities
Speaking –sub-skills
Accuracy students speak using words, pronunciation Students Applicationrequire to focus on pronunciation of words
Fluency
and – students speak with a logical flow without and
structures Students require
structures to focus on meaning in
in activities
planning or rehearsal
Using functions – students use phrases for giving communicationRole-plays andthan accuracy inwhich
simulations activities
require verbal
Accuracy – students
advice, request, apologies speak using words, pronunciation Students require to focus on
communication for a reason or function pronunciation of words
and structures and structures in activities
Using functions
Appropriacy – –students
studentsrequire
use phrases
to speakfor giving
with Role-plays and simulations
Students require to stress onwhich require
purpose verbal
of talking
advice, request,
appropriacy for apologies communication
a situation or deciding for a choice of determining whatforlanguage
a reasonisorappropriate
function
vocabulary and grammar
Appropriacy skills
Turn-taking – students requirepractice
– students to speak wayswithof Students require
need to totake stress
turnonwithout
purposeirritating
of talking
the
appropriacy for a situation or deciding for a choice of speaker.
interjecting determining what language
Listening practice is is required
appropriate
vocabulary
Relevant and grammar
length – students require to speak at a length Students practice activities which demonstrate that the
Turn-taking to skills
appropriate – students practice ways of purpose
a situation Students ofneed to take
speaking or turn withoutdetermines
the context irritating the
interjecting speaker. Listening
appropriate length practice
of a turn.is required
A one-word answer is
Relevant length – students require to speak at a length acceptable Students practice activities
for a store researchwhich demonstrate
survey but wouldthatnotthe
be
appropriate to a situation purpose of speaking or the context determines the
sufficient
appropriate length of a turn. A one-word answer is
for a job interview.
Responding and Initiating – students practice by Students practice acceptable for a store research
conversationsurvey activities
but would not be
using
starting a new topic or by making responses. sufficient words and phrases.
appropriate
Repair and repetition – students practice rephrasing Students for a job interview.
practice repairing when they suspect they
Responding
sentences whenandtheInitiating
speaker feel– what
students practice
was said by haven't
was not Students been practice conversation
understood activities
or correction fromusing
the
starting a new topic or by making responses.
understand appropriate words and phrases.
speaker.
Repair of
Range andWords
repetition
and –Grammar
students -practice
studentsrephrasing
practice Students need practice repairing
to know a rangewhen they and
of words suspect they
grammar
sentences when the speaker feel what was said was not haven't been understood or correction from the
understand speaker.
Range of Words and Grammar - students practice Students need to know a range of words and grammar
62 Jyothi Masuram et al. / Procedia Computer Science 172 (2020) 60–65
Error! Bookmark not defined.Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2019) 000–000 3

using grammar and vocabulary for speaking on a that are taught or made aware of words or structures
specific topic. appropriate for specific purpose or contexts

Discourse Markers - students practice using When speakers giving a presentation, they use
words or phrases which organize a speech specific words and phrases to help the listener
(connectives such as firstly, secondly, on the other recognize words and phrases to help the listener
hand, to summarize)

Table1. Applications of sub-skills of speaking

1.2 Essential Elements of Speaking

According to Harmer (2001, p. 269) Fluency in speaking needs language knowledge and ability to process
information and language spontaneously without much effort. The essential elements for speaking fluently are as
follows:

Connected speech: Effective speakers need to be able not only to produce the individual phonemes of English (as
in saying I would have gone) but also to use fluent 'connected speech' (as in I’d’ve gone). In connected speech
sounds are modified (assimilation), omitted (elision), added (linking), or weakened (through contractions and stress
patterning). We should involve students in activities designed specifically to improve and use the connected speech.

Expressive devices: Native speakers of English change the pitch and stress of utterances, change volume and speed,
and show by other physical and non-verbal (paralinguistic) in face-to-face conversations. The use of these devices
contributes to the ability to convey meaning and message of the speaker. Students must be able to use at least some
of the supra segmental features and devices if they are to be fully effective communicators.

Lexis and grammar: Spontaneous speech is spoken by using a number of common lexical
phrases, particularly in the performance of certain language functions. Teachers should therefore
use a variety of phrases for different functions such as agreeing or disagreeing, expressing surprise, shock, or
approval. Where students are conversing in specific speaking contexts such as a job interview, we can train them in
the same way, with certain useful phrases which they can
produce at various stages of a conversation.
Negotiation language: Effective speaking benefits from the negotiation of language we use for clarification and to
show what we are saying.

1.3 Functions of Speaking

Various researchers have given the functions of speaking in different ways. Bygate (1987, p.7) views the skill as
comprising two components:
Production skills: modify the oral production with the help of facilitation devices such as
simplifying structures, formulaic expressions, and using fillers and hesitation devices or compensation.
Interaction skills: being good communicator, in other words being able to say what they intended to say in a way
which the listener can easily understand.
Nunan (1989: 27) refers to functions of speaking as:
1. Monologue
2. Dialogue
A monologue focuses on giving an interrupted oral presentation and a dialogue on interacting
to other speakers.

2 Task-Based Language Teaching

 Jyothi Masuram et al. / Procedia Computer Science 172 (2020) 60–65 63
4 Error! Bookmark not defined.Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2019) 000–000

Task-Based Language Teaching is marked on the belief that through specially designed
Instructional tasks and activities, the right kinds of teaching processes can be created in the classroom for language
learning to take place. Rather than teaching a conventional syllabus in a traditional way, particularly a grammar-
based syllabus, advocates of TBL T argue that grammar and other dimensions of communicative competence can be
developed as a by-product of involving learners in conversational tasks through spontaneous personal experiences. It
is believed that intellectual growth takes place when learners actively participate and engage on application of tasks.
Thus, the idea is "learning by doing" (Nunan, 2004, p. 12) or what is called experiential learning where a hands-on
experience positively enhances a student’s cognitive skills, and this will allow learners move from what they already
have knowledge and can do, to the incorporation of new knowledge and skills. This is done when learners make
sense of some immediate experience, and then go beyond it through a process of reflection and transformation
(Kolb, 1984, as cited in Nunan, 2004).
Hence, tasks are useful tool to engage learners in the communicative classroom where learners become more
creative, spontaneous and interact with one another to reach desired outcomes through contemplating and
strategizing. Since learners use their existing language resources to carry out tasks, the outcome may not simply
involve language learning but language acquisition as well, and it involves a focus on meaning, and develops the use
of communication strategies and interactional skills (Richards, 2006). Tasks are activities in which the target
language is used for communicative purpose to achieve an outcome.

2.1 Input and Materials used for tasks

It refers to the spoken, written and visual data that learners work within the course in completing a task.

Inputs:
• Articles from newspapers, magazines and journals
• Radio and television scripts and documentaries
• Comic books for entertainment
• Publicity brochures and posters
• Short stories, poems and plays
• Shopping lists
• Business cards
• Post cards
• Picture stories
• Street map

2.2 Procedures: It specifies what learners will actually do with the input that forms the point of departure for the
learning task.

Teacher role: Teacher's role is to facilitate learning.

Learner role: Learners should engage in the process of their personal growth, they should participate actively and
they should take the responsibility of their own learning and gaining knowledge, developing autonomy and skills in
learning how-to-learn.
Settings: It refers to the classroom arrangements specified or implied in the task.

2.3 The Framework for Task based Instruction

The Task-based language teaching framework consists of three main phrases:

Pre-task: Prepares students to perform tasks in ways that promote acquisition of a language and to make them
aware of the tasks.

Task cycle: It offers learners the chance to use whatever language they already know
So that they can carry out the task and improve their language under the teacher's guidance while planning their
64 Jyothi Masuram et al. / Procedia Computer Science 172 (2020) 60–65
Error! Bookmark not defined.Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2019) 000–000 5

progress on the task. There are three components of task cycle.

Task: learners use whatever language they can master, working simultaneously, in pairs or groups to achieve goals
of the task.
Planning: Learners plan their progress effectively and maximize their learning opportunities.
Report: It is natural condition of the task cycle. In this stage learners discuss with the class about their outcome and
findings.

Post-task stage: Provides opportunities for learners to reflect on their task and encourages attention to form
particular to problematic forms when learners have accomplished the task.

2.4 Role of Tasks in Developing Speaking

Tasks enable language learning by employing the target language primarily for conveying meaning (Ellis 2003). It
develops learners' confidence by providing chances for "free and meaningful use of target language" (Willis, 1996,
p. 30). They are liberal to use their existing linguistic knowledge with their limited grammar resources to
accomplish the task which eventually leads to confident use of the target language. Willis (2012, p. 139) states that
most of the tasks are derived from everyday language; real world tasks and the pedagogic tasks are very closely
connected together. While performing a task learners have the facility to use their own knowledge and their
perceptions, and this makes language learning interesting.
Nunan (2004) mentions five features of task-based approach: an emphasis on learning to communicate through
interaction in the target language, introducing authentic texts into the learning situation, enhancing learners' own
personal experiences, as important contributing elements to classroom learning, and linking classroom language
learning with language activation outside the classroom. Hence task plays the role of a facilitator; it gives
opportunities and challenges the language learners in various stages. It also works as motivator as it encourages the
learners by providing real world experience of using language in the form of pedagogical tasks. Pedagogical tasks
provide learners opportunity to produce language in a natural context which is relevant and blend with their own
personal experiences.
While doing a task, learners play a vital role; they interact and negotiators who have the authority to control their
language (Nunan, 2004). Learners who are engaged in tasks produce language more spontaneously as there is less
pressure and more freedom in performing it.

2.5 Principles of Task-Based Materials Development

Tomlinson (2011, p. 7) proposes six basic principles for designing task-based materials for second language
acquisition (SLA) research. They are as follows:
A prerequisite for language learning is that the learners are exposed to a rich, meaningful and comprehensible input
of language in use. To increase their exposure to language in use, they need to be engaged both effectively and
cognitively in the language experience. Language learners who achieve positive impact are much more likely to
achieve communicative competence than those who cannot.. L2 language learners can benefit from noticing
important features of the input and from discovering how they are used. Learners need opportunities to use language
for academic and interacting purposes.
He emphasized that task based materials will have impact through novelty, variety, attractive presentation, appealing
content and achievable challenge. The basic steps to design task based materials have been mentioned so that the
rationale of the study to promote oral skills can be established through designing appropriate speaking activities
such as role-play, information-gap activity, story-telling, reasoning-gap activity.

2.6 Role of Materials

Materials in the language classroom plays a significant role in assisting teachers in bringing motivation, curiosity,
enthusiasm and interest to the learners in learning process. Also materials can instruct leaners to use, elicit, guide
and encourage them to use the language. Furthermore, materials are driven by factors outside the classroom such as
 Jyothi Masuram et al. / Procedia Computer Science 172 (2020) 60–65 65
6 Error! Bookmark not defined.Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2019) 000–000

the community they live in. Hence, Tomlinson defined materials as anything used by teachers and learners to learn
the language which brings improvement in the learning process.

3 Approaches Adapted for the Materials Design

Communicative activities such as talk about a picture, ask and answer after reading a text, act out a dialogue, ask
and answer questions to fill up a chart, listen to a story and answer the questions to fill up a chart, listen to a passage
and fill in gaps are generally in the curriculum of text books. Therefore the current study proposes supplementary
materials which can help students to enrich their communication skills. The materials are aimed to make the lives of
both teachers and learners easier and less monotonous. They consist of songs, poems, magazines, newspapers,
articles, pictures, projects, cue cards and can be used extra resources by trained teachers for developing speaking
skill effectively in the classroom. The tasks and activities given in this study to the students are as follows
Theme: People and places, food and drinks, festivals, entertainment and so on.
Functions: Introducing others, narrating, expressing opinions and feelings, ageing and disagreeing, about future
plans, requesting, clarifying, suggesting, listing, giving instructions, describing, comparing and contrasting, inviting
and declining and so on.
Sub-skills of speaking: to produce chunks of language where length varies, produce reduced forms of words and
phrases; orally produce differences among the English phones and allophonic variants, giving oral presentation on
assigned topic, listening for specific information, using correct pronunciation and intonation and so on.
Task type: Information gathering, information gap, sorting and opinion sharing, reasoning, guessing game, picture
description, role-play, information transfer, matching and opinion sharing and so on.

4 CONCLUSIONS

It is hoped that materials developed for developing the speaking skills of the students will give a positive response
as they work in pair and group which enhances lively discussion, exchanging ideas and bring confidence in them. It
is also believed that these materials will have far reaching positive outcomes for the language learners and will pave
away for effective communication by developing fluency, accuracy, pronunciation of the learners’. Furthermore,
materials will also inspire teachers to be creative and by sharing to other teachers gives scope to improve their
students’ oral communication. At the same time, the materials must be adapted to suit the need of learners according
to their settings. Practice of these materials can help learners to think and express themselves more creative and
innovative. The development of critical thinking would eventually lead to a more realistic assessment of learner
proficiency. Hence task-based materials must be designed and utilised by every teacher in the language classroom.

References

[1] Bygate, Martin. 1987. Speaking. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[2] Ellis, Rod. 2003. Task-Based Language Teaching and Learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[3] Harmer, Jeremy. 2001. Practice of English Language Teaching. England: Pearson Longman.
[4] Ken Lackman. 2010. Teaching speaking sub-skills: Activities for improving speaking. Toronto, Canada: Lackman & Associates.
[5] Nunan, David. 2004. Task-Based Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[6] Nunan, David. 1989. Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[7] Nunan, David. 2004. Task-Based Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[8] Richards, Jack, and T. Rodgers. 1986. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[9] Tomlinson, B. (2010). Principles of Effective Materials Development. In N. Harwood (Ed.) English Language Teaching Materials: Theory
and Practice (pp. 81-108). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[10] Willis, D. (1996). A Framework for Task-based Learning: London: Longman.
[11] Willis, D. (2012). A Framework for Task-based Learning: London: Longman.