Teaching Productive Skills to the Students: a secondary Level Scenario

2.2 
Four Skills of Language 
 
When we learn a language, there are four skills that we need to complete 
communication. When we learn our native language, we usually learn to listen first, then 
to speak, then to read, and finally to write. These are called the four "language skills". 
2.3 
The Importance of Language Skills 
 
Language is absolutely central to learning. Without it one cannot make sense or 
communicate his understanding of a subject.Learners need to develop their language 
skills, and specifically academic English, in order to: 
a. 
Understand and make the most effective use of study materials. 
b. 
Develop the specialized language and vocabulary relevant to subject. 
c. 
Interpret assignment questions and select relevant and appropriate material for 
response. 
d. 
Write well-structured and coherently presented assignments, without plagiarism. 
e. 
Communicate own needs to their tutors. 
f. 
Work productively with other students. 

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8 
2.4 
Receptive and Productive Skills 
Reading and Listening are called receptive skills because when we listen and 
read something we receive the language, understand it and decode the meaning. 
Speaking and writing are called productive skills because we use the language to 
produce a message through speech or written text. 
Receptive skills comprise silent reading and following the media. Productive skills 
consist of oral presentations, written studies and reports. In addition, they also consist of 
social values (i.e. making judgments of what has been submitted in writing or of fluency 
in speaking and delivering oral presentations). 
Productive skills, speaking and writing, are defined by Jaramillo and Medina 
(2011) as an important form of expression used to persuade or convince other people 
as well as to share ideas and feelings.