Significance and Role of Speaking Skills

in Upper Classes at Lithuanian

Secondary Schools

Made by Evelina Tutlytė

 Introduction
The problem of the research is the following:
there are not enough amount of speaking tasks
in upper classes English language student’s
book.
 Introduction
• The following question of the research has
been raised: What kinds of tasks are used for
speaking skills development in English
language student’s books for upper classes
students.
 Introduction
• The aim of the research is the following: To
analyze tasks for speaking skills development
in English language student’s books for upper
classes.
 Introduction
• The object of the research: speaking tasks in
English language student’s book for upper
classes.
 Introduction
The objectives of the research are following:
• Analyze speaking tasks in English language
student’s book for upper classes.
• Define the types of speaking tasks in English
language student’s book for upper classes.
• Compare and contrast monologue and
dialogue based speaking tasks
 The method of the Research
The method used in this research was product
oriented because the goal of this research was
to evaluate student’s books speaking tasks
though the survey.
There were analyzed 5 different the most
popular English student’s book for upper
classes. Each student book was evaluated by 5
students.
 The method of the Research
• Students were chosen from 2 different
gymnasiums.
• Students were fro three different classes
 Analyzed books
Title Author/s Years of Publishing Number of Total number Number of
publication house pages of speaking dialogues
tasks
Enterprise 4. Virginia Evans 2002 Express 197 96 45
Intermediate and Jenny Publishing
Student’s Course Dooley
Book
Total English. Rachael 2012 Pearson 176 108 60
Second edition Roberts,
Upper-
Intermediate Antonia Clare
Student’s Book and

JJ Wilson
Prime Time 5. Virginia Evans 2012 Express 150 90 35
Upper- and Jenny Publishing
Intermediate Dooley
Student’s Book
Solutions. Third Timm Falla and 2013 Oxford 144 107 50
edition Upper- Paul A Davies
Intermediate
Student’s Book
Insight. Upper- Jayne Wildman 2014 Oxford 143 130 40
Intermediate and Fiona
Student’s Book Beddall
 Types of the Speaking Tasks
Task Explanation Example

Public speaking (140) To speak about chosen Presentation, speaking

topic about a photo
Retelling (90) To talk about the text the To retell the text
students have read
 Types of the Speaking Tasks
Task Explanation Example

Information These kinds of tasks are appropriate for Interpretation of a

gap (104) students from elementary level because it is photo, describe and
very limited, and students can use known draw or storytelling.
grammar and vocabulary.
Surveys (90) Speaking tasks based on exchanging Questionnaire
information, students’ interaction and
expressing opinion. Also, students from
elementary level can start survey-type speaking
tasks because this type of task demand limited
vocabulary.
Discussion Students involved in discussion based speaking Discussion about
(109) task must be minimum intermediate level personal thoughts or
because required vocabulary is very flexible. debate.
Example
Insight. Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book
Insight. Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book pays bigger attention to public
speaking because there are more speaking tasks based on presenting some kind
of information in from of the class or talking and comparing pictures. Despite of
that there some tasks which are based on dialogues and discussions. Dialogue
tasks are based on exact questions about unit’s topic and it requires personal
student’s opinion, comparison with other student opinion and pointing
similarities and differences. Discussion based speaking tasks involve problem
solving or questioners where students need to get exact information from a group
of students. Also dialogue based and discussion tasks are implied together with
listening or reading tasks because in some cases students are asked to express
their personal opinion in a peer or a group about a text topic which they read
about. For example there are a few texts about a film review and after reading
tasks there are a small section with speaking questions for students to ask in a
peer or a group such as to reveal personal opinion about the film, has a student
ever seen the film, would he or she like to see the film and other questions.
 Enterprise 4. Intermediate Student’s Course
Book
• Enterprise 4. Intermediate Student’s Course Book emphasizes
grammar, vocabulary use and interaction in speaking tasks. Also there
are role play tasks there students are asked to imitate real life
situation and mainly these tasks are dialogues. For example, students
are asked to think about their dream job and after that to imitate a job
interview in pears. Monologue based speaking tasks provide a note
for use of exact grammatical structure or involve active vocabulary
which are new words from a unit. For example, answer question by
using present perfect or involve active vocabulary by answering
questions. This course book provides engaging speaking tasks where
students have to describe some kind of words to each other in pears
and these kinds of tasks are based on vocabulary teaching by
involving speaking.
 Solutions. Third edition Upper-Intermediate
Student’s Book
• Solutions. Third edition Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book has more dialogue
than monologues and key words and phrases are provided. Also there are
monologue speaking tasks for students to describe a picture, to speak about his or
her hobby, daily activities and some future plans in front of the class. In addition to
that, this work book has engaging tasks there students are encouraged to make a
speaking task based on real life. For example, one has to describe a class friend and
another student has to guess by making some extra questions. Some of speaking
tasks recommend using exact phrase for a speaking tasks and asking students to
write a dialogue and act it out in front of the class. After the task other students
have a possibility to ask questions. Questioning in this course book is included in
videos watching because each student while watching a video has to write down
some questions and after video to ask questions about the video in a peer. Another
feature of this student’s book is multi-tasking because in some speaking tasks
students have to make a questioner and present results for a class. These kind of
speaking tasks develop speaking skills needed for dialogue and monologue.
 Total English. Second edition Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book

• Total English. Second edition Upper-Intermediate Student’s

Book pays attention for student’s pronunciation and public
speaking skills in foreign language. This book contains tasks
such as answer to the questions below according your own
opinion and present the answers to the class. However, this
student’s book has smaller amount of dialogue based speaking
tasks. Most of dialogue based speaking tasks in this student’s
book encourage students to find differences and similarities in
student’s opinions and provide argumentative answers. Also
this student’s book encourages students to use online recourses
or make power point presentation for monologue based
speaking task.
Prime Time 5. Upper-Intermediate Student’s
Book
• Prime Time 5. Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book
speaking tasks are flexible because do not limit students
with possible answers but give plenty of examples and
ideas for full filling speaking tasks requirements. Also in
this course there are speaking tasks which include
together writing tasks. For example, discuss in pairs the
following questions and topics. After that write an
comparison essay. For the more this student’s book
speaking tasks also include reading and listening tasks
because after listening or reading tasks there are some
questions for speaking in pairs.
 Conclusion (I)
• Speaking tasks analyzes in student’s book have revealed that most of speaking
tasks are based on real life situations, developing public speaking and dialogue
skills. All analyzed student’s books also have discussion based speaking tasks
which have to be made in small groups and cover same speaking topics like
family, nowadays activities, free time, hobbies, occupations and sport. These
speaking topics are included in the State Examination of English. Also speaking
tasks are implemented together with reading and listening tasks where students
have to express their own personal opinion, practise flexibility and
argumentative agreeing and disagreeing by using different tools like photos or
illustrations. Enterprise 4. Intermediate Student’s Course Book and Solutions.
Third edition Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book involve more active grammar
and vocabulary use in speaking tasks by asking students to use active vocabulary
and exact grammatical structure. For the more, these two student’s books have
more engaging speaking tasks where students can use real life situations such as
describing their class friend or acting out a job interview.
 Questionnaire
Student’s survey on speaking tasks evaluation in student’s
books
1. Do you get enough speaking practice? Yes No
2. Are speaking tasks clear? Yes No

3. Are speaking tasks engaging? Yes No

4. Do you prefer dialogue based speaking Yes No

tasks?
5.Do you get enough help from the teacher Yes No
during your speaking tasks?
 Questionnaire
• Questions were arranged by the research
objectives and aims.
 Results. Insight. Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book

4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
YES
2 NO
1.5
1
0.5
0
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5
 Enterprise 4. Intermediate Student’s Course
Book
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
YES
2 NO
1.5
1
0.5
0
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5
 Solutions. Third edition Upper-Intermediate
Student’s Book
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
YES
2 NO
1.5
1
0.5
0
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5
 Total English. Second edition Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book

4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
YES
2 NO
1.5
1
0.5
0
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5
Prime Time 5. Upper-Intermediate Student’s
Book
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
YES
2 NO
1.5
1
0.5
0
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5
 Summarizing
• Most of the student are satisfied with their
English language speaking practice.
• Students think that speaking tasks are based
on real life situations.
• Some of the students do not prefere dialogue
based speaking tasks.
 Conclusion
• Comprehensive foreign language teaching is a core
principal in foreign language development which means
that speaking, writing, reading and listening skills must
be developed. Development of these fours skills in
foreign language development covers acquisition of
ability to understand and interpret information in oral
and written forms, use appropriate vocabulary and
phrases and grammatical patterns according purpose of
interaction, needs of recipient or interlocutor
depending on the context and situational background.
 List of References
• Enterprise 4. Intermediate Student’s Course Book, Virginia Evans and Jenny
Dooley (2002).Express Publishing

• Total English. Second edition Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book, Rachael

Roberts,Antonia Clare and JJ Wilson (2012)Pearson

• Prime Time 5. Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book ,Virginia Evans and Jenny

Dooley (2012), Express Publishing

• Solutions. Third edition Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book, Timm Falla and Paul
A Davies (2013),Oxford

• Insight. Upper-Intermediate Student’s Book, Jayne Wildman and Fiona Beddall

(2014), Oxford