Recently, I've told you about a term Comprehensible Input. But actually there exist another branch of language learning skills. It is called Output language learning skills. But what are they? This is the thing I would like to tell you about today. Let's get started!
What Are Output Language Learning Skills?
There are four language learning skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing. We have already figured out that Input language learning skills are listening and reading. But what are Output language learning skills? Actually, they are the rest of the ones. Output language learning skills include speaking and writing. This is the very way we express our thoughts about the world where we live. And Input language learning skills is the way we comprehend that information. Now let's try to discuss both speaking and writing as an Output language learning skills.
Speaking As An Output Language Learning Skill
As I've mentioned earlier speaking is the way we express our thoughts because it is related to Output language learning skills. More accurately, speaking is the way we express our thoughts orally. Speaking is considered to be the most important language learning skill in all of the language learning. But why is it? There's one simple answer to this question. But firstly, try to answer the following one: what do you do with the language? Of course, we read using the language, we listen to it, but most importantly we use language to successfully communicate with people. That why speaking plays a crucial role in our life. But how to improve your speaking in a foreign language? Here are some methods that you might use:
How to improve your speaking in a foreign language
1. Talking to yourself
One way you can apply speaking in a foreign language is talking to yourself. Try to express your thoughts about everything that worries, amazes, scares or makes you ecstatic today.
2. Finding a langauge partner
Finding a language learning partner is another really good way to practice your speaking skills. One benefit of finding language partners is that you can really talk to someone and not just say something to yourself.
3. Describing everything
You may also describe everything that surrounds you. It may be just anything: your house, your pets, your life etc.
4. Immerse yourself in the langauge
This technique is really similar to the previous one. You just need to speak in your language all the time and try to surround yourself by it. You may also discuss something you think about in a foreign language using this technique.
5. Retell something
You may also try to retell some piece of content of the language that you are learning. Try to watch some videos or read some books in your target language and retell everything you understood in simple words.
6. Practice a lot
There are a lot of people who do not practice at all. They want to achieve some results but nothing works without actually trying to speak. They say: «I want to speak English fluently.» And then you ask: «How often do you speak English?» And they answer: «Well, never.» Don't be such a person. Try to practice every day.
Writing As An Output Language Learning Skill
Writing is another Output language learning skill that we are going to debate in this article. Many people think that writing is the same language learning skill as speaking. And I agree with this statement. One thing that distinguishes them is that writing is the way we express our thoughts on the paper. Now if you ask how to apply and practice your writing skills in your target language, you may use the very same techniques mentioned above. You may describe something on the paper, you may retell something on the paper, you may talk to your language learning partner on the paper.
Conclusion
In this article we've talked about two Output language learning skills: speaking and writing. They are almost the same. It is really important to practice your Output language learning skills to truly master the language you are learning.