Tips for student fluent in reading but unable to listen?

[Erika]

Hi everyone,

You've all helped me out enormously in the past (under a different nickname - I can't for the life of me remember what I originally signed up as) so I'm back to beg for a little more.

I have a lovely student - a surgeon and senior executive with the Ministry of Health here in Mexico City - who can read English fluently (self-taught) and write comfortably, but who can barely speak and who cannot understand even the simplest spoken sentence. I have tried several article-based methods to try and get the words off the page (read and repeat, discussion, comprehension interview, grammar details), but he's convinced he can't do this and is getting frustrated. He's a linear thinker, and I'm guessing would benefit from structured activities. That being said, I've been hired as his conversation class teacher; he is taking beginner grammar classes several times a week in addition.

I'm at a loss. How do you teach listening and speaking skills to someone who a) can read fluently but doesn't know what the words sound like, b) is shockingly intelligent, c) is only interested in articles and videos about his specific area of work, and d) has convinced himself that he can't do this?

Help!

E.

[strider]

Hi Erika,

I have never experienced the same problem, so I'm just thinking aloud here.

First, have him read aloud. Work a lot on pronunciation. As his mouth is working on spoken English, his ears will be learning, too. At first, he can read the text directly. Later, try having him look at the page, then look at you to say the sentence, like a newsreader.

Later, you could read the text to him but change just one (really obvious) detail. For example, the action takes place on a Friday, not a Monday, etc. As he builds confidence, you could change more details, etc.

Eventually, just working with short texts, he will at least be able to get the gist of the story.

[eslweb]

You might find for this student it is quicker for him to discover the sounds of English through a set of rules... There is actually quite an extensive set of rules on pronunciation and he might be able to relate these rules to his reading abilities. A very good Website is: http://eleaston.com/pr/home.html

Teaching him IPA might be another good way to go, you can find a page on this at: http://www.jamesabela.co.uk/beginner/IPA.htm

Another idea, maybe for you to get audio books so that he can follow them as he goes. There should be some Podcasts or CDs available for his area of expertise.

James

[Muhsin]

Hello,
I'm completely new in this Forum, but I almost have same problem with this young guy mentioned. I use to write, writing of so many intriguing piece, aesthetic ones, etc. But, when it comes to speaking uh, I always stay at the back hearing, suprising and hoping to someday be like that speaker. Please, how can I do to extricate from this danger toward my future career? Help please!

[eslweb]

Ultimately it's about confidence and confidence starts with feeling safe... The way I learned to speak up in class was when I was 16 I took a course called a BTEC and we were pretty much forced to deliver a video-recorded presentation every week... At first we were pretty terrible and felt bad too, but each time we learned something and by the end of the course we were pretty good... I will be forever grateful for that course... You too can do the same thing, join your local toastmasters or just force yourself to speak in front of the mirror until you feel confident in yourself... Trust me confident people, didn't always start off that way!

James

P.S. Right now, I am doing the same thing to my Bio-medical students who have the same problem, the difference is already showing...

[emile]

I've had similar issues with Korean and Japanese students. I'm surprised a Mexican student would have this issue - the sounds in Spanish are not so different from the sounds in English.

I'd say first an attitude change is required - he must understand that he CAN do it, but it'll take time, probably longer than he bargains for. Also, he has to be prepared to talk about 'silly stuff' or at least stuff not related to his field.

Then you need to have a lot of activities where there is a link between written and spoken language. Read out loud to each other. Read an article and then discuss it. Email each other while out of class so he can build a confident relationship with you in a way he's comfortable with, then discuss in class what you wrote to each other.



my site: www.roadtogrammar.com

[menander]

Hi Erika, I would recommend relating spoken language to written language, at least initially, (i.e. speaking from transcripts, using transcripts of listening materials, etc); it may be that as he speaks/listens he's 'reading' the words rather than 'hearing' them. You could also use repetition, and as you suggest, structured learning situations that can be repeated. It may help to relate the learning to his area of interest initially otherwise he may not engage with the material. He may think of English as a medium for transfering information rather than chatting about the weather, so it might be useful to begin with formal material, and move on to language use in informal situations once his listening and speaking skills are more advanced.