Oral Communication in TESOL: Integrating Speaking, Listening, and Pronunciation

This article discusses the teaching of oral communication skills (that is, speaking, listening, and pronunciation) in programs of English as a Second Language. The article is addressed to teachers who conduct courses in this area for ESL students in secondary schools, colleges, and universities although the guidelines presented can be adapted to other ESL contexts (e.g., continuing education, private tutorials). Speaking and listening are discussed as major skill areas; pronunciation is presented as a subset of both speaking and listening development. This article argues that attention to these three components of oral communication is viewed as indispensable to any coherent curriculum design. Although relative degrees of emphasis may vary for particular courses, speaking, listening, and pronunciation are characterized as reciprocally interdependent oral language processes.