The Five Qualitative Aspects of Speaking
Language learners with an intermediate-level of fluency frequently ask me, “Azren, how do I improve my speaking?” This question is difficult to answer because speaking ability can be broken down into multiple categories. Based on the CEFR, a widely used framework made by the Council of Europe to measure one’s proficiency in another language, there are five qualitative spoken aspects:
Range (i.e., vocabulary)
Accuracy (i.e., grammatical accuracy)
Fluency
Interaction
Coherence
To demonstrate what each of these mean, here are the requirements in each of the five spoken aspects to have a B1 (low-intermediate) level. If you’d like to see the communicative requirements for the other proficiency levels, check out this table.
Range (i.e., vocabulary) requirement: Has enough language to get by, with sufficient vocabulary to express him/herself with some hesitation and circumlocutions on topics such as family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current events.
Accuracy (i.e., grammar) requirement: Uses reasonably accurately a repertoire of frequently used "routines" and patterns associated with more predictable situations.
Fluency requirement: Can keep going comprehensibly, even though pausing for grammatical and lexical planning and repair is very evident, especially in longer stretches of free production.
Interaction requirement: Can initiate, maintain and close simple face-to-face conversation on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. Can repeat back part of what someone has said to confirm mutual understanding.
Coherence requirement: Can link a series of shorter, discrete simple elements into a connected, linear sequence of points.
Why Knowing this is Helpful
The problem with trying to get better at “speaking” (particularly for intermediate-level language learners) is that it is not a specific enough goal. I find it to be easier and more effective to concentrate most of your efforts on the 2-3 spoken aspects you struggle with the most. For example, back in 2018 I placed an emphasis on improving my Gujarati grammar since I didn’t know the gender of a significant percentage of the words I knew and frequently mis-conjugated verbs. I also concentrated heavily on improving my fluency and vocabulary.
Here are a few tips on how to improve in each of the 5 spoken aspects:
Range (i.e., vocabulary): Lots of comprehensible input. In other words, listen to content at your level and look up the new words that come up in a dictionary or translator. I would also recommend finding reading material at your level. You will know something is at your level if you understand the majority of what is being said without using a dictionary or translator. Writing down the new words you learn and quizzing yourself every couple of months can also help, but is not mandatory.
Accuracy (i.e., grammatical accuracy): Speak regularly, either out loud to yourself or to another person, in the target language. Think before you speak and ask yourself if you have any doubts about the correctness of the sentence you’re about to utter. It may also help to review the grammar rules of your target language, do practice worksheets, and write journal entries that you correct with a tutor. Lastly, lots of input (reading and listening) at your level and interaction with native speakers can help clean up your grammatical errors, provided you pay close attention to how they put sentences together and strive to imitate the way they speak.
Fluency. Talk, talk, talk! Speak with another person or out loud to yourself. Here is a list of speaking prompts to get you started: https://bilingualkidspot.com/2019/06/24/esl-english-conversation-topics-students/
Interaction. Speak with native or advanced speakers. This is the only way I know of to improve your interaction skills. Feel free to contact me if you don’t know where to find someone to practice with.
Coherence. My top tips for this at this point of time are to read and write frequently. Find a tutor who is a strong writer to correct your writing, paying close attention to the connectors you use (e.g., and, but, similarly, in addition, on the other hand, however, although, despite, in order to). Coherence likely should not be high on the priority list unless you have an upper-intermediate or advanced level.