By: Ainur Riza
In
some ways, English skills are important to improve the students learning.
Hence, English language is universal language used the people in this world,
especially English department students. Many types of English skills can help the
students to improve their English ability including speaking, writing, reading,
and listening skill. When the students learn them seriously and do a lot of
practices and exercises in their daily activities, automatically they will get
many advantages from every English skills such as speaking, writing, reading,
and listening skill.
One of the English skills which give
advantages is speaking skill. The students can develop their speaking skill if
they always make themselves engaged in a daily conversation, a short talk, or a
friendly chat with native speakers. These activities are useful to improve
their speaking skill. Our English will be fluent and better than before by speak
English regularly. Moreover, English is a
highly sophisticated language and we can express our self clearly with superior
English skills. Lack of English can limit our dream growth as student is
getting world. We will not get access to knowledge to enlarge our thinking. We
may not be able to communicate
with some successful people. According to educational psychologist, an adult
mind resists developing English and can learn only through a subject we are
passionate about. As well as we know, English as a Second Language (ESL) is
acquired only through Theme Based Learning. Hence reading favorite columns in
newspaper and magazines is effective way to learn and also by listening to
English movies builds our articulation and speaking skills.
The
second English skill which provides advantages is writing. Many students argue that
writing skill is difficult to practice. As matter of fact, They are all in
the wind with arrangement
of words. Although it seems difficult, truly the students can take many
advantages from writing skill such as growing their own ideas, criticism and
opinion that they like, Individuality, self-expression, and independent
thinking in a well-rounded curriculum. In individuality, writing is personal and
individual. It forces the students to use their own words to express their own
thoughts and feelings. In a world of
peer pressure and sameness, elementary grades through high school writing is a
valuable way for students to nurture individuality and deal with younger kids'
and teenagers' issues (On
Topics: Study Skills and Academics. Pamela
Zinkosky, 2012). Self-expression, writing can be a way for students to express
problems or feelings. It provides an alternate means for communication that can
liberate them from embarrassment, shame or fear that may cause them to keep
feelings to themselves. The last is Independent thinking, Roy Peter Clark,
teacher and journalist, says that learning to write also means learning to
think. “The writing process gives students a path for clear thinking,” he says.
The act of writing involves understanding the world and our self. Young writers
must think independently and respond to criticism of their work.
Another English skill is reading skill. It is prominent skill because
this skill is crucial for the students in understanding academic reading
material and of course many advantages that the students can get from it, such
as building up vocabulary, helping self-esteem, and improving creativity.
Reading skill can build our vocabulary, remembering in elementary school when
we learned how to infer the meaning of one word by reading the context of the
other words in the sentence; we get the same benefits from reading a book.
While reading books, especially challenging ones, we will find our self exposed
many new words we have not known before. Reading skill also helps self-esteem,
if we often read books, magazines, and newspapers, automatically we will get
more knowledge. More knowledge comes more confidence. More confidence builds
self esteem. So it’s a chain reaction. Since we are so well read, people look
to us for answers. Our feelings about our self can only get better than before.
According to Suzan James in Benefits of Reading, reading about the
diversity of life and exposing yourself to new ideas and more information helps
to develop the creative side of the brain as it imbibes innovation into your
thinking process, perhaps the best reading benefit of all. So, it means that
reading skill can also improve our creativity.
The other skill is listening. It is the ability
to accurately receive messages in the communication process. Listening is a key to all effective communication, without
the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood –
communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily
become frustrated or irritated. Good listening skill also has benefits in our
personal lives, i.e. a greater number of
friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, and higher
grades in academic work. Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises
blood pressure, listening brings it down. We can see the quotation “The most
basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just
listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our
attention.” Rachel Naomi Remen. It demonstrates that listening
skill are important and beneficial for us.
Upon the whole, English
skills including speaking, reading, writing, and listening skill have many
advantages for the students to improve their knowledge. Our English can be
better than before if we practice and exercise regularly in daily activities. Using
English well will be easier to reach what we want to. Especially in global era,
English is the one of prominent pillar in many ways such as finding good job,
and enhancing our social life. Thus, English skills are so important for facing
our life.
References
Educational psychologist. 2013, retrieved May 16, 2013 from http://www.timenews.com/2013/06/developing-English/
Zinkosky, Pamela. 2012. Study Skills and
Academics. From http://www.eduguide.org/library/view-article/273/
Roy Peter Clark, teacher and journalist from http://www.timenews.com/learning-of-writing/
James, Suzan. 2012 in Benefits of
Reading, Retrieved May 8, 2012, from http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/reading.html
Rachel Naomi Remen’s quotation. 2009 From
http://fulledit.com/2009/06/on-the-practice-of-listening-yourself/
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