DEVELOPMENT OF ORAL SKILLS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION!

Language skills ,speech,listening ,reading and writing are very important in the development of communication techniques.
The mutual development of oral skills (aural) is very important in the learning of second language especially when this second language used officially in commercial and other social activities like in Zimbabwe where English is the second language and the most in important in doing business,science and employment communications.It should be also comparatively easy for other skills that's reading and writing.
Oral skills has much benefits as it is foundation of learning especially the second language.It is vital for social and personal development through internalisation of grammar -listening to conversation reflects in grammar of the speech made.A child who practising language orally absorbs this grammar subconsciously. Time and effort is saved as the practice is essential in language learning.The oral practice gives room to a number of repetitions by pupils before get involved in writing exercise. Oral skill practice gives motivation to the slow learner to gain confidence and it is easier for evaluation.
The skills of listening help children to understand the spoken language and the teacher helps to recognise characteristics of spoken sounds both in isolation and in combination. Distinguished sounds of the second language from similar one of the first language help children to understand lexical meanings of words in context and in grammartical meanings of language structures. This help pupils to understand the meaning conveyed by stress and intonation patterns. Pupils grasp the unfamiliar words from the context through getting the mood of the speaker and the theme of the discourse.
The skills of speaking will assist the learners to be able to produce characteristics of speaking sounds again in isolation and in combination. The teacher should use appropriate stress and intonation through use of appropriate words and structures for intended meaning which will help children to reuse the words and structure in meaningful communication.
Ear training is due to the disparity between standard language and second language sounds in pronunciation of vowels ,the first step in developing oral skills to learn to listen for the language speech sounds including stress and intonation sounds.
Activities: Teacher says words in pairs or sentences for the learners to identify whether they are the same or different. Teacher writes pairs of minimum words or sentences on the board for pupils to identify pairs of stress and intonation ,That's highness of the words and lowness ,the difference in words meanings and tones.
Drills chorus give opportunities for initiative repetition as language teaching can encourages shy children.
The disadvantages are that it may disturb neighbours ,children are far away from actual communication and they don't use language composition. The teacher might detect individual at the front and at the back who are not being attended.
In intensive listening children should be taught in detail comprehension of meaning and identification of particular aspects of grammar ,vocabulary or pronunciation.
Extensively teach pupils to listen by gathering information , enjoy stories or plays and innovation use of audio tape materials.
Further Reading
Baruah, T.C(1991)The English Teacher's handbook.

Byrne ,D.(1983)English Teaching Perspective.

Sprosty ,L.(1995)Teaching the language Arts in Primary schools.