What Are The Most Effective Strategies To Learn The Speaking Skills In The Second Language

The Most Effective Strategies To Learn Speaking in Second Language
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Abstract
Developing effective strategies for learning the second language is a challenge for many learning institutions and its learners because different learning strategies exist. Learning strategies and learning styles are key factors that help language learners learn the second language. Since verbal communication forms part of daily communication, learning language can be enhanced through daily interaction. Second language learners need to understand how different strategies that can impact on their learning process. For learners to fully participate in social life and academic process, educators of the second language need to analyze the best strategy and identify approaches that enable learners to acquire the second language.
Introduction
Learning strategies along with the learning styles of the second language are among the major factors that help in determining how well students can learn the foreign language. The second language refers to the language used for interaction as part of daily verbal communication, but is not the original language (Doan, 2011). Language learning is facilitated where there is abundant input in the language. To enable learners to have full participation in both social aspects of life and academic, educators of the second language need to recognize how different strategies used for teaching can impact the learning second language. It is important to identify approaches that support the development of language for second language learners (Lazi, 2012).
Developing the best strategies to promote efficient learning of second language remains to be the universal target of different learning institutions to its learners. The objective of this research paper is to show ways that can help in improving the strategies to a learning institution to improve learning of the second language. In other words, the paper focuses on ideas to ensure successful learning of the second language.
The most practical approaches that tend to improve learning of the second language are important factors within classroom settings. Classroom environment offers learners opportunity to interact with others, hence improve language comprehension (Rickerson& Barry, 2016). Acquiring the second language is a process that involves motivating learners, understanding their needs and developing appropriate strategies to aid learners to understand the language features. Language learning styles and strategies help determine how students can learn the second language. However, a good match of learning strategy combined with learning style brings about positive results (Lourdunathan & Menon, 2017).
Literature Review
Learning language requires an in-depth understanding of not only vocabularies, but also its cultural context. There are several ways of learning the second language, over the years; several amounts of research on strategies for language learning have been conducted. Research studies reveal that no single strategy that can be used in acquiring the second language. Instead second language learners use different strategies that include their own learning styles combined with personality within the context of cultural influences (Rickerson& Barry, 2016).
During my recent interview with a Chinese professor at Northeastern University, I gained insights on strategies for learning a second language. According to the professor, naturally, English is the preferred language. Children learn second languages at an early age. Having acquired a second language at an early age, he had the confidence to speak English hence felt motivated to learn English (Lourdunathan & Menon, 2017).
Some of the challenging issues when learning English as a second language include vocabulary construction, word selection and testing their usage through communication. Learners might not have enough confidence to express themselves using the second language keeping in mind that they have to use both the first and second language. In references to my recent interview with the Chinese professor, he stated that he still uses both languages depending on whom he is interacting with. He uses Chinese with his family and friend and uses English with other people who do not understand his first language, a factor that is also supported by (Al Hosni, 2014).
Research studies reveal that learning complex skills of language can be acquired through formal instruction and repeated practice. However, with time learners develop their own learning strategies, this includes how they can recall information, how they choose words and interact with other people (Mistar, Zuhairi & Umamah, 2014). Learners are likely to acquire the second language is they build on existing learning strategies. Learners communicate using existing knowledge to cope with communication barriers.
Research studies reveal that environment plays a significant role in learning a second language, learners requires allot of opportunity and exposure using the second language to develop language competence (Mistar, Zuhairi & Umamah, 2014). Social interaction is important in language processing. Knowledge acquired through interaction provides confidence for learners to want to understand the language better and the need to improve on is language skills (Mistar, Zuhairi & Umamah, 2014).
According to Doan, (2011), motivation is an important factor in learning the second language. Learners with strong motivation are likely to achieve more than those without strong motivation. Motivation is more of a directed effort from an individual to learn specific processor language. Doan, (2011), classifies motivation into two different categories, the integrative motivation, and instrumental motivation. In his view when learners study the specific language because they want to know more about the culture of the language, their main goal is to use the language for interaction purposes with other native speakers this is more of personal interest towards the people and their culture (Doan, 2011).
For instrumental motivation, these happen to those who want to learn the language for educational purposes or simply for work purposes. For these groups of individuals, they simply learn the language because of the school institutions regulation and fro job requirements (Doan, 2011). Age is also important in acquiring the second language; research studies reveal that biological factors influence the levels of understanding among individual. Young learner will be in a better position to acquire the second language faster than the older learners. The most critical period of learning is between two years to puberty where crucial development occurs (Mistar, Zuhairi & Umamah, 2014).
According to Mistar, Zuhairi & Umamah, (2014), second language acquisition involves identification of both social and academic language; the basic interpersonal communication skills acquired within the daily use of language with a supportive environment promote second language acquisition. Language learning processes that are not supported by a conducive environment does not facilitate second language learning. To develop communicative competence includes grammatical competence, grammatical competence that includes knowing the language structure, understanding the social language competence that includes the use of language for the different audience, the purpose and norms of communication (Luzi, 2012).
Age is also a factor that is often overlooked when studying second language acquisition. According to Kathrine Sprang (2005), while it might appear easy for children to learn language, adults often find it difficult to acquire a new language. Adults often acquire normal daily routine things fast but when it comes to language, a majority take a long time to construct even a single sentence. Children ‘pick up’ their mother tongue fast and to non-linguists, the process might appear effortless. However, on the contrary, it takes a lot of practice and time as well for the children to learn words and also to construct sentences. Picking or absorbing words is a simple task that even adults can master quickly. However, learning the grammar often presents one with a different challenge. Grammar entails more than just words and formation of coherent sentences and learning this takes a lot of time which a majority of adults are unwilling to dedicate to learning.
Learning a second language requires patience but currently, the word patience seems alien. The world is moving at a breathtaking speed and only the people who are able to adapt fast are able to cope with the speed. Inventions released at the start of 2017 seem to be outdated because newer and better ones are being processed or are already released. Moving from such speeds of development to the one’s that take months for change to manifest like second language learning can seem like an uphill task and for many individuals it is. However, as Sprang (2005) says, children also take more than 10 years to grow and develop their language (often their first language). Therefore, adults should also give their best and exercise patience because language acquisition is a continuous process.
Methods
Objective
To investigate the best strategies to acquire a second language, the objective of this research paper is to show ways that can help in improving the strategies to a learning institution to improve learning of the second language. The research conducted aims at identifying ways and strategies that are most useful for learning the second language.
Background
My interviewee is Hui Fang, a professor in Northeastern University. After the interview, I knew that his first language is Chinese because he born in china. And, his second language is English because he studied in America. he studied in UCB for undergraduate and graduate education, and studied in UIUC for PHD education. He is very confident in English since he have been learning English continuiously, even now. Furthermore, he is 35 years old now and he started to learn English at 12 years old in California. What is more, his motivation to learn English is to communicate effectively with my friends in social media
The following questions were used as part of the questionnaire used in the survey targeting students.
1 What is your first language and second language?
2 How long have you studied your L2?
3 What is your native country?
4 How often do you use your L1 and L2?
5 How old are you?
6 What is your highest level of education?
7 At what age did you start learning L2
8 What language do your parents speak; do they speak the same language?
9 How flexible can you use your second language now?
10. Where do you live when you study your L2?
11. What motivates you to learn the second language?
The following questions during the study will be essential in increasing the understanding of people to note the strategies that are most effective learning the second language. During the one on one interview with the two professors, the questions acted as guidelines.
1. What are the strategies you use to improve L2 speaking skills?
2. What is the relationship between L1 and L2?
3. How long do you spend on practicing speaking every day?
4. What culture aspects should I consider when communicating with the native speakers?
5. What motivates you to speak more?
6. What are some of the difficulties you face when speaking the second language?
7. How long have you been practicing your speaking?
8. When speaking with the native speaker, if you forget one word or do not know how to express your meaning, what will you do?
9. What method do you think it the most significant way to practice ...