Issues in Teaching, Learning and Testing Speaking in a Second Language

The volume constitutes a state-of-the-art account of issues related to teaching, learning and testing speaking in a second language. It brings together contributions by Polish and international scholars which seek to create links between theory, research and classroom practice, report the findings of studies investigating the impact of linguistic, cognitive and affective factors on the development and use of speaking skills, and provide concrete pedagogic proposals for instruction and assessment in this area. As such, the book will be of interest not only to second language acquisition theorists and researchers, but also to foreign language teachers willing to enhance the quality of speaking instruction in their classrooms.

Table of Contents

Part I Mediating Between Theory, Research and Classroom Practice
Chapter 1 Conversational English: Teaching Spontaneity
Chapter 2 Local Cultures in English: Intercultural Communication in an International Educational Context
Chapter 3 Developing Second Language Oral Competence Through an Integrated Discursive Approach: The Conceptual Framework of the Project and Results of a Pilot Study
Chapter 4 It’s Small Words that Make a Big Difference
Chapter 5 Preparing Tertiary Students for Study Abroad Programs—The Identity Negotiation Perspective

Part II Empirical Investigations of Factors Influencing Speaking Skills
Chapter 6 Correlates and Predictors of L2 Willingness to Communicate in Polish Adolescents
Chapter 7 Investigating Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Among Advanced Learners of English
Chapter 8 Advanced Learners’ Use of Communication Strategies in Spontaneous Language Performance
Chapter 9 Oral Communication Strategies Used by Turkish Students Learning English as a Foreign Language
Chapter 10 The Effect of Diacritics on Kinetic Tone Direction and Placement
Chapter 11 Is There Any Place for Silence in the Communication-Oriented Process of Adult Language Learning?

Part III Teaching and Assessing Speaking Skills
Chapter 12 Videoconferencing as a Tool for Developing Speaking Skills
Chapter 13 Using Storybooks as a Catalyst for Negotiating Meaning and Enhancing Speaking Among Very Young Learners of L2: Evidence from a Case Study
Chapter 14 Business Meetings as a Genre—Pedagogical Implications for Teaching Business English
Chapter 15 Developing and Testing Speaking Skills in Academic Discourse
Chapter 16 Designing a Self-Assessment Instrument for Developing the Speaking Skill at the Advanced Level