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##  Integrated Skills in the ESL/EFL Classroom. ERIC Digest.                     

One image for teaching English as a second or foreign                           language (ESL/EFL) is that of a tapestry. The tapestry is woven from            many strands, such as the characteristics of the teacher, the                   learner, the setting, and the relevant languages (i.e., English and             the native languages of the learners and the teacher). For the                  instructional loom to produce a large, strong, beautiful, colorful              tapestry, all of these strands must be interwoven in positive ways.             For example, the instructor's teaching style must address the                   learning style of the learner, the learner must be motivated, and               the setting must provide resources and values that strongly support             the teaching of the language. However, if the strands are not woven             together effectively, the instructional loom is likely to produce               something small, weak, ragged, and pale--not recognizable as a                  tapestry at all. 
In addition to the four strands mentioned                    above--teacher, learner, setting, and relevant languages--other                 important strands exist in the tapestry. In a practical sense, one              of the most crucial of these strands consists of the four primary               skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing. This strand                also includes associated or related skills such as knowledge of                 vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, syntax, meaning, and usage. The            skill strand of the tapestry leads to optimal ESL/EFL communication             when the skills are interwoven during instruction. This is known as             the integrated-skill approach. 
If this weaving together does not              occur, the strand consists merely of discrete, segregated                       skills--parallel threads that do not touch, support, or interact                with each other. This is sometimes known as the segregated-skill                approach. Another title for this mode of instruction is the                     language-based approach, because the language itself is the focus of            instruction (language for language's sake). In this approach, the               emphasis is not on learning for authentic communication. 
By                   examining segregated-skill instruction, we can see the advantages of            integrating the skills and move toward improving teaching for                   English language learners. SEGREGATED-SKILL INSTRUCTIONIn the             segregated-skill approach, the mastery of discrete language skills              such as reading and speaking is seen as the key to successful                   learning, and language learning is typically separate from content              learning (Mohan, 1986). This is contrary to the integrated way that             people use language skills in normal communication, and it clashes              with the direction in which language teaching experts have been                 moving in recent years. 
Skill segregation is reflected in                     traditional ESL/EFL programs that offer classes focusing on                     segregated language skills. Why do they offer such classes? Perhaps             teachers and administrators think it is logistically easier to                  present courses on writing divorced from speaking, or on listening              isolated from reading. They may believe that it is instructionally              impossible to concentrate on more than one skill at a time. 
Even              if it were possible to fully develop one or two skills in the                   absence of all the others, such an approach would not ensure                    adequate preparation for later success in academic communication,               career-related language use, or everyday interaction in the                     language. An extreme example is the grammar-translation method,                 which teaches students to analyze grammar and to translate (usually             in writing) from one language to another. This method restricts                 language learning to a very narrow, noncommunicative range that does            not prepare students to use the language in everyday                            life. 
Frequently, segregated-skill ESL/EFL classes present                    instruction in terms of skill-linked learning strategies: reading               strategies, listening strategies, speaking strategies, and writing              strategies (see Peregoy & Boyle, 2001). Learning strategies are                 strategies that students employ, most often consciously, to improve             their learning. Examples are guessing meaning based on context,                 breaking a sentence or word down into parts to understand the                   meaning, and practicing the language with someone else. 
Very                  frequently, experts demonstrate strategies as though they were                  linked to only one particular skill, such as reading or                         writing (e.g., Peregoy & Boyle, 2001). However, it can be confusing             or misleading to believe that a given strategy is associated with               only one specific language skill. Many strategies, such as paying               selective attention, self-evaluating, asking questions, analyzing,              synthesizing, planning, and predicting, are applicable across skill             areas (see Oxford, 1990). Common strategies help weave the skills               together. Teaching students to improve their learning strategies in             one skill area can often enhance performance in all language                    skills (Oxford, 1996). 
Fortunately, in many instances where an ESL            or EFL course is labeled by a single skill, the segregation of                  language skills might be only partial or even illusory. If the                  teacher is creative, a course bearing a discrete-skill title might              actually involve multiple, integrated skills. For example, in a                 course on intermediate reading, the teacher probably gives all of               the directions orally in English, thus causing students to use their            listening ability to understand the assignment. In this course,                 students might discuss their readings, thus employing speaking and              listening skills and certain associated skills, such as                         pronunciation, syntax, and social usage. Students might be asked to             summarize or analyze readings in written form, thus activating their            writing skills. In a real sense, then, some courses that are labeled            according to one specific skill might actually reflect an                       integrated-skill approach after all. 
The same can be said for                 ESL/EFL textbooks. A particular series might highlight certain                  skills in one book or another, but all the language skills might                nevertheless be present in the tasks in each book. In this way,                 students have the benefit of practicing all the language skills in              an integrated, natural, communicative way, even if one skill is the             main focus of a given volume. 
In contrast to segregated-skill                 instruction, both actual and apparent, there are at least two forms             of instruction that are clearly oriented toward integrating the                 skills. TWO FORMS OF INTEGRATED-SKILL INSTRUCTIONTwo types of             integrated-skill instruction are content-based language instruction             and task-based instruction. The first of these emphasizes learning              content through language, while the second stresses doing tasks that            require communicative language use. Both of these benefit from a                diverse range of materials, textbooks, and technologies for the ESL             or EFL classroom. 
"Content-Based Instruction." In content-based               instruction, students practice all the language skills in a highly              integrated, communicative fashion while learning content such as                science, mathematics, and social studies. Content-based language                instruction is valuable at all levels of proficiency, but the nature            of the content might differ by proficiency level. For beginners, the            content often involves basic social and interpersonal communication             skills, but past the beginning level, the content can become                    increasingly academic and complex. The Cognitive Academic Language              Learning Approach (CALLA), created by Chamot and O'Malley (1994)                shows how language learning strategies can be integrated into the               simultaneous learning of content and language. 
At least three                 general models of content-based language instruction exist:                     theme-based, adjunct, and sheltered (Scarcella & Oxford, 1992). The             theme-based model integrates the language skills into the study of a            theme (e.g., urban violence, cross-cultural differences in marriage             practices, natural wonders of the world, or a broad topic such as               change). The theme must be very interesting to students and must                allow a wide variety of language skills to be practiced, always in              the service of communicating about the theme. This is the most                  useful and widespread form of content-based instruction today, and              it is found in many innovative ESL and EFL textbooks. In the adjunct            model, language and content courses are taught separately but are               carefully coordinated. In the sheltered model, the subject matter is            taught in simplified English tailored to students' English                      proficiency level. 
"Task-Based Instruction." In task-based                    instruction, students participate in communicative tasks in English.            Tasks are defined as activities that can stand alone as fundamental             units and that require comprehending, producing, manipulating, or               interacting in authentic language while attention is principally                paid to meaning rather than form (Nunan, 1989). 
The task-based                model is beginning to influence the measurement of learning                     strategies, not just the teaching of ESL and EFL. In task-based                 instruction, basic pair work and group work are often used to                   increase student interaction and collaboration. For instance,                   students work together to write and edit a class newspaper, develop             a television commercial, enact scenes from a play, or take part in              other joint tasks. More structured cooperative learning formats can             also be used in task-based instruction. Task-based instruction is               relevant to all levels of language proficiency, but the nature of               the task varies from one level to the other. Tasks become                       increasingly complex at higher proficiency levels. For instance,                beginners might be asked to introduce each other and share one item             of information about each other. More advanced students might do                more intricate and demanding tasks, such as taking a public opinion             poll at school, the university, or a shopping mall. ADVANTAGES OF             THE INTEGRATED-SKILL APPROACHThe integrated-skill approach, as              contrasted with the purely segregated approach, exposes English                 language learners to authentic language and challenges them to                  interact naturally in the language. Learners rapidly gain a true                picture of the richness and complexity of the English language as               employed for communication. Moreover, this approach stresses that               English is not just an object of academic interest nor merely a key             to passing an examination; instead, English becomes a real means of             interaction and sharing among people. This approach allows teachers             to track students' progress in multiple skills at the same time.                Integrating the language skills also promotes the learning of real              content, not just the dissection of language forms. Finally, the                integrated-skill approach, whether found in content-based or                    task-based language instruction or some hybrid form, can be highly              motivating to students of all ages and backgrounds. 
INTEGRATING               THE LANGUAGE SKILLS
    In order to integrate the language skills              in ESL/EFL instruction,teachers should consider taking these                    steps:
* Learn more about the various ways to integrate language               skills in theclassroom (e.g., content-based, task-based, or a                   combination).
* Reflect on their current approach and evaluate the             extent to which theskills are integrated.
* Choose instructional               materials, textbooks, and technologies that promotethe integration              of listening, reading, speaking, and writing, as well as                        theassociated skills of syntax, vocabulary, and so on.
* Even if a             given course is labeled according to just one skill, rememberthat it            is possible to integrate the other language skills                              throughappropriate tasks.
* Teach language learning strategies and             emphasize that a given strategycan often enhance performance in                 multiple skills.CONCLUSIONWith careful reflection and                     planning, any teacher can integrate the language skills and                     strengthen the tapestry of language teaching and learning. When the             tapestry is woven well, learners can use English effectively for                communication. 
<REFS>REFERENCES

Chamot, A. U., & O'Malley,                 J.M. (1994). "The CALLA handbook: Implementing the                              cognitive-academic language learning approach." Reading: MA: Addison            Wesley. 
O'Malley, J.M., & Valdez Pierce, L. (1996)."Authentic                 assessment for English language learners: Practical approaches for              teachers." New York: Addison Wesley. 
Mohan, B. (1986). "Language              and content." Reading, MA: Addison Wesley. 
Nunan ,                            D. (1989). "Designing tasks for the communicative classroom."                   Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 
Oxford,                            R. (1990). "Language learning strategies. What every teacher should             know." Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle. 
Oxford, R. (1996). "Language              learning strategies around the world. Cross-cultural perspectives."             Manoa: University of Hawaii Press. 
Peregoy, S.F., & Boyle,                    O.F. (2001). "Reading, writing, and learning in ESL." New York:                 Addison Wesley Longman. 
Scarcella, R., & Oxford, R. (1992). "The              tapestry of language learning: The individual in the communicative              classroom." Boston: Heinle & Heinle. -----A full-length                   version of this article appeared in "ESL Magazine," Vol. 6, No. 1,              January/February 2001. 
This digest was prepared with funding from             the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Educational Research and                 Improvement, National Library of Education, under contract no.                  ED-99-CO-0008. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the            positions or policies of ED, OERI, or NLE.                                   **Title:** Integrated Skills in the ESL/EFL Classroom. ERIC Digest.                     **Note:** Full length article in "ESL Magazine," Vol. 6, No. 1,                           January/February 2001.                                                       **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics, 4646 40th Street,              NW, Washington, DC 20016. Tel: 202-362-0700; For full text:                     http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest.                                           **Descriptors:**  English (Second Language),  Language Skills, Second Language                   Instruction, Second Language Learning,  Skill Development,  Teaching            Methods                                                                      **Identifiers:** Content Area Teaching, ERIC Digests                                          
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