| 6 | The Language Learning Processes
<< BACK Communicative skills Naturally, the overall goal of language learning is the ability to use the new language as a means of exchanging information, experience, thoughts, and ideas with other people.

Such communication can be oral or written. It may be interactive, or it may be a kind of one-way communication like reading a novel or giving a speech on the radio. Traditionally language teachers talk about four communicative skills   understanding spoken language making yourself understood orally understanding written language making yourself understood in writing Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? What's the snag then? Well, there are a number of snags.   How does one define different levels of communicative skills? Who defines these levels in school? Are the grading criteria clear? How do you test communicative skills? You and your teacher ought to agree on both definitions and grading criteria. It would be ideal with good samples of student 'output', both written and oral performance. << BACK