|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Ask for help > writing and speaking
writing and speaking
|
napster
|
writing and speaking
|
|
Hi guys, I have a doubt in what ways is more difficult writing than speaking? |
17 Aug 2010
|
|
|
|
nanatinha
|
|
I think that the most difficult situation is to practice your speech. |
17 Aug 2010
|
|
|
lshorton99
|
Both have different kinds of difficulties. Both are productive rather than receptive (reading and listening) skills.
Here are some basics:
Speaking is in real time. This means you generally don �t have time to think about what you are going to say and �polish � it. Generally people make more mistakes in spoken English than in written. However, the emphasis in speaking is on communicating so, to a certain extent, fluency is prized over accuracy. If you are able to make yourself understood then you have fulfilled the �purpose � of speaking. In speaking there is the tendency to use the present tense more than any other tense because it is the first tense that learners master.
However, speaking requires (even from native speakers) much fewer complex structures and a far narrower range of vocabulary. Generally when speaking, only the simplest linkers are used so the overall complexity of a spoken text is much less than that of a written text.
Writing presents more problems in terms of range and accuracy. When learning to write in English, there is a much greater emphasis on the purpose of the writing, and every written text has it �s own conventions, including language. Generally, written structures are far more complex than spoken structures and a much greater variety is expected.
On the plus side, when writing you have time to edit, which you don �t when speaking. You still have to produce language, but you have time to revise what you have written and make it more accurate, as well as demonstrate a greater range.
I hope that starts to answer your question. By the way, you �ve posted the same message twice on the forums. You should be able to remove your other post as long as no one has replied to it!
Lindsey
|
17 Aug 2010
|
|
|
SueThom
|
Nice summary, Lindsey!
I �d add that in spoken language there are additional methods of communicating, such as intonation, speed, tone, volume, and more. If you can see the person, you also have body language and facial expression. You don �t have any of those tools available as an author/reader, so writing has to be more complex, more precise, and more complete to even attempt to convey the same amount of information accurately. It �s much easier to misunderstand a written message than a verbal one.
Also, I think there are usually higher expectations of written language.
Sue
|
18 Aug 2010
|
|
|
lshorton99
|
Thanks for your post too Sue! I completely agree with everything you put!
Lindsey
|
18 Aug 2010
|
|
|
