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The Importance of Improving Oral English Competence
At the beginning of the Fall Semester 2007,many students from Business College and Law School at Suzhou University asked me the same question:“How could I improve my oral English?” As China has entered the age of globalization,the need for the skills in public speaking in the English language continues to grow.On the university campus,the students’ interest in improving their oral English competencies also grows.This question is no longer raised only by the English majors; it has become increasingly popular with non-English major students.Obviously,more and more students come to realize the importance of developing oral English skills.
According to the English course objectives,in developing English speaking skills,students should be able to communicate in English with correct pronunciation and intonation or give a short talk with a clear articulation.Students all work hard to achieve their goal:they wish to speak English fluently and naturally just like the native English speakers do.However,improving oral English competencies could not be done overnight.Like all other skill building processes,improving oral English skills needs students’ persistently hard-working effort and a long time self-disciplined training.
Many English instructors will recommend that students listen to the native English speakers’ tape recordings in the University Language Lab,imitate their pronunciation and intonation and say the sounds aloud to let the student learner hear his or her own voices in English.English instructors will also encourage students to take the chance to speak English in a class.No matter it is to answer a simple question in English or it is to participate in an oral presentation as required,students should grab every possible chance to speak up in English in a class.Outside class,students could schedule a time to speak English with their classmates or friends or any other English speaking people.English Corner is a good example for people to practice spoken English in public.This could be fun in learning from each other.To enrich outside class school life,students could organize English plays,English singing competitions,English poetry readings,English parties for after school curriculum activities.There is one English saying:Practice makes perfect.If a student practices hard,his or her oral English competency will make remarkable progress.
Recently,Dr.Stephen E.Lucas,an English professor from the Department of Communication Arts,University of Wisconsin,USA,gave a keynote speech at English Public Speaking Conference in Beijing on November 17,2007.Dr.Lucas raised six questions in his talk entitled “The Role of Public Speaking in China’s English-Language Curriculum”
1.Is there a permanent place for public speaking instruction in China’s English-language curriculum?
2.What is the relationship between instruction in public speaking and courses in Oral English?
3.Where does a course in public speaking fit in the English-language curriculum?
4.What are the major topics to be covered in a public speaking course?
5.What are the most effective methods of instruction in a public speaking course?
6.Are there other courses related to public speaking that,in the long run,would contribute to the English-language curriculum?Lucas’s questions help us think how we could better meet the students’ needs and how we could better serve the needs of the Chinese society or of the world at large.
It is necessary to strengthen our awareness of the importance in improving the oral English competencies on the campus of Suzhou University.
