Sub-skills

The language skills of speaking, listening, writing and reading are often divided into sub-skills, wich are specific behaviours that language users do in order to be effective in each of the skills, 

Example: 

Learners developing the skill of listening need to have the sub-skills to being able to recognize contracted forms in connected speech. In the classroom learners spend time developing a wide range of sub-skills as they build each of the four skills. Amongst the sub-skills focussed on are scanning and skimming in reading, organizational and editing skills in writing, recognition of connected speech and understanding in listening, pronuntiation and intonation in speaking. 

Listening Sub-skills 

*Listening for gist. This is when we listen to something to get a general idea of what it’s about, of what’s being said. We don’t want or need to understand every word. 

*Listening for specific information. This is when we listen to something because we want to discover a particular piece of information. We know in advance what we’re hoping to find out. We can ignore other information which doesn’t interest us.

*Listening in detail. This is when we listen we listen very closely, paying attention to all the words and trying to understand as much information as possible. 

Harmer, J., (2007) How to Teach English (new edition), Pearson-Longman, – chapter 10

Speaking sub-skills 

Depending on the level and ability of your students, in the sphere of speaking there are several sub-skills worth looking at:

*Pronunciation

*Stress, rhythm and intonation

*Using the correct form of words 

*Word order

*Using appropiate vocavulary 

*Language register 

*Building an argument 

Writing sub-skills 

* Know Orthography

*Know the system of the second language 

*Word order

*Use good standar grammar 

*Know how to express a particular meaning using different grammatical forms

*Use of synonyms and antonyms 

*Writing strategies

*Be able to structure a text into paragraphs 

Reading sub-skills

*Comprehension

*Understanding the plan of the text

*Making predictions 

*Guessing the meaning of unfamiliar words

*Skimming and scanning 

*Understanding the organization of the text

*Note-making