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Unit 12 regards productive, communication skills: speaking and writing. Both are important in different ways and require different emphasis. Humans tend to communicate in order to convey, learn, or because of interest. (Evolutionarily, humans communicate to obtain sustenance, shelter, sex, or status.) This interest should be integral to lessons so that communication seems relevant. We commonly distinguish between accuracy (producing the correct language) and fluency (effective, creative, quick) activities. Activities for teaching accuracy may include drilling, prompting, model dialogs, and guided role-play. Fluency activities are more creative, such as discussions, acting roles, and games. It is very important for the teacher to create an atmosphere in which the students feel comfortable and able to freely express themselves. This can be difficult as students may lack confidence for many reasons or it may be inappropriate in their culture to address the teacher or speak in class. Being prepared will help a great deal to establish this atmosphere. When teaching writing skills the teacher should help students to improve handwriting as this can be very difficult and requires a great deal of dexterity and practice. Spelling in English is a nightmare as so many words are spelled differently yet are spoken the same. While there are many spelling rules that are helpful, a vast number of words need to be learned by rote. Reading a large amount of material is one of the best ways to learn English spelling. When teaching layout and punctuation it is again important to give the students opportunities to practice: to create their own documents and learn by emulation. For creative writing the students must again be motivated by making the writing assignment relevant and interesting. Finally, games are very useful activities for teaching English as they are enjoyed by all types of people and can be used to create interest and a friendly atmosphere.
