ELT Voices- International Journal for Teachers of English

Volume (5), Issue (6), 8-18 (2015)

ISSN Number: 2230-9136
(http://www.eltvoices.in)

Role of Sub-skill approach to Enhance Listening: A study in the Univer-

sity of Jaffna, Sri Lanka ESL Classrooms
Dr M Saravanapava Iyer
Senior Lecturer in ELT, English Language Teaching Centre, Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Corresponding email address
bavaneltc@yahoo.com
Article reference:
Iyer, M. (2015). Role of Sub-skill approach to Enhance Listening: A study in the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka ESL
Classrooms ELT Voices, 5 (6), 8-18.

Abstract: Many language scholars claim that mastering listening skill is primary to acquire and learn other basic language
skills: speaking, reading and writing. In order to teach and improve listening and understanding ability, there are various
approaches available in the English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching field at present; among these, two approaches are
most popularly adopted by the language teachers currently: (1) sub-skills and (2) extensive approaches. In most of the ESL
teaching situations, sub-skills approach is implemented by the teachers for two important reasons: (1) this approach provides
a clear guidance to the teacher what to teach in ESL classrooms and (2) learners also undoubtedly know what to learn during
the learning process. In this study, I attempted to find out whether this approach was really beneficial to the Tamil medium
ESL Faculty of Arts learners to improve their listening ability in the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. By employing qualitative
method for a period of three months (one semester) I conducted an investigation and finally found that sub-skills approach is
more appropriate in this situation. However, I never attempt to claim that other approaches are not beneficial to enhance
listening comprehension ability. The main aim of this investigation is providing pedagogical suggestions for the ESL lis-
tening teachers by demonstrating how to implement skill-based approach successfully. It is very important to note that I never
claim that skill based approach is the best one in the field; but after providing training by this approach learners can be trained
by whole language approach or any other suitable one according to the context and learners ability.

Index Terms: ESL, sub-skill approach

INTRODUCTION
Among four basic language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) listening skill plays important role to ac-
quire/learn any second language learning situation according to language scholars. These four basic skills are generally
called as macro-skills; there is a possibility of breaking down each macro-skill into many micro-skills based on the needs of
the learners; these micro-skills are sometimes called sub-skills. Appling this system in the teaching process is known as
sub-skill approach. Many language specialists accept that explicitly and separately teaching listening, speaking, reading and
writing skills is the best approach to provide training and prepare students for any local and national level examinations. It
is believed that skill based approach ensures adequate allocation of time for instruction to teach skills separately. This micro
level classroom focus on language skills guarantees students how to read, write, listen and speak a particular second lan-
guage; it is also reasonable to claim that skill based approach enhances students independent learning styles; this is desira-
ble in a second language learning situation.

The concept of the notion skill relevant to language learning has been demonstrated by many scholars. Very early, the
notion skill was explained as a compound element composed with a number of perceptual motor skill components, like
 ELT Voices-Volume (5), Issue (6), (2015) 9

playing football, volleyball, tennis, driving a car and so forth. Welford (1968) maintains that all skilled performance is
mental in the sense that perception, decision, knowledge and judgement are required There are thus many features
common to both sensory motor and mental skills. ... (1968, p. 12). Certainly Welford (1968) attempts to associate skill
abilities of a learner with his/her mental process. Thus language learning skills are related to mental skills and motor actions.
Of course at the early period, around 1960s, skill-based language teaching in classes was strongly influenced by the behav-
iourist approach in association with Skinners principle and structural linguistics; by these theorists language was considered
as a form of behaviour and this view was built up with habits according to those theorists view; therefore, it was thought that
a language could be mastered by practising habits; earliest examples for this type of language learning approaches are au-
dio-lingual and audio-visual methods. Now in the forthcoming section I try to present some details in association with lis-
tening comprehension (LC) since the main focus of this study is on enhancing LC by employing skill-based approach in
classrooms.

1.1 Skill-based approach

Generally advocates of the skill-based approach maintain that the teaching of any language as separated skills facilitates
learning and teaching processes easier because it does not require students to deal the complexity area of a language. Shuy
(1981) also claims that skill-based approach attempts to eliminate students' errors. Most of the ESL practitioners accept and
implement sub-skill approach to teach all the language skills comfortably because they consider this approach makes the
learners feel a kind of protection; teachers know and understand that what to teach in the classroom and learners are able to
understand clearly what to do and learn in the classes. Johnson (1996) also provides a summary of skill-based approach. He
claims that, skill is,

Goal - directed, hierarchically organized non-stereotyped behaviour. From the environment, the performer receives
information along various parameters. The performers response is selected from a large repertoire of possible re-
sponses. It must be appropriate along all the relevant parameters (hence exhibiting considerable combination skill)
and in many cases be executed speedily (Johnson, 1996, p.44).

Johnsons summary unmistakably mirrors the real picture of skill-based approach. He claims that performers response is
selected from large set of real life possible alternative responses. In a classroom bringing all the authentic chunks are not
possible by teachers; a teacher can only bring possible alternative chunks/utterances relevant to real life situations.

It is further claimed that this approach is easy to implement because it provides (a) a systematic plan and guide to imple-
ment the syllabus during teaching and learning process; (b) activities can be prepared according to sub-skill; (c) objective
can be set by the teacher; (d) learners progress can be easily checked; (e) evaluation can be performed appropriately. Some
advantages and disadvantages are presented below to facilitate readers understanding level.
Table 1.1.1 - Skill-based Approach
Advantages Disadvantages
1. Teachers can teach only selected skills Human brain does not store bits and pieces of input
data for a long period
2. Material can be prepared in association with Learners may wrongly apply strategies relevant to
selected skills one particular skill for other skills
3. Classroom activities can be designed within the Most of the time skills vary across learners
selected skills
4. Objective and outcome can be correlated Dependent learning system develops; thus self
learning system is delayed
10 Iyer (2015)

5. Progress can be checked Mostly it controls learners creativity and inde-

pendent thinking ability
6. Remedial programme can be designed if needed Encourages only passive roles of learners
7. Reliability and validity can be maintained dur- Productive skills and group/cooperative work can-
ing evaluation process not be accommodated
8. Better balance can be established among input, Real language use situations may not be created in
activities and outcome the classroom
9. Learners need and interest can be satisfied
10. Grading activities can be performed on par with
current proficiency level (i + 01)
11. Easy classroom management
12. Teaching programme can be planned within the
timeframe
13. Slow learners will obtain more support relevant
to classroom input during teaching process
14. More possibilities to reduce learners errors

Munby (1978) presents nineteen detailed micro-skills to enhance reading skill; these are very effective and accepted by
scholars. Some of the micro-skills related to reading are given below:

recognizing the script of a language,

deducing the meaning and use of unfamiliar lexical items,

understanding conceptual meaning,

understanding the communicative value of sentences,

recognizing indicators in discourse,

basic reference skills,

skimming,

scanning to locate specifically required information and so on.

Therefore sub-skill approach is an approach, which emphasizes that under the reading, writing, listening and spoken skills
there are a various micro-skills, which are called sub-skills and they can be selected based on learners needs and employed
in ESL classrooms by teachers. By employing and practising of each sub-skill, learners will be able to attain the ultimate
objectives of enhancing all the basic language skills. By adopting skill-based approach, the teacher is supposed to select
appropriate sub-skills of reading/writing/spoken/listening and attempt to coach learners to familiarize them until they can
use the relevant sub-skills independently.

1.2 Listening Comprehension (LC) skill

 ELT Voices-Volume (5), Issue (6), (2015) 11

Since the main task of this study is checking the effectiveness of LC by employing skill-based approach; our focus is chiefly
made on LC. Normally in English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum a general manner of articulating the skill-based
objectives of a particular language programme is to express the fluency of a learner at the end of the programme in terms of
micro-skills in connection with listening/reading/writing/speaking.

LC processes involve in various sub stages and these sub stages are considered by scholars as skills. Listening is given pri-
ority to learn a language in Ashers (1969) Total Physical Response approach (through non verbal action a language is learnt)
and in The Natural Approach, Nord (1981) suggests that reception enables a learners production. The table below presents
many definitions by different authors on LC and the relevant skills. These details on skills can be selected based on the
classroom needs and interests and activities can be designed on par with those skills. Before design appropriate classroom
activities it is suggested to select relevant sub-skills from the already established skill banks. The Table 1.2.1 presents some
details relevant to LC macro-skills (not micro-skills) explained by different scholars from 1948.

Table 1.2.1 - LC Definitions and Skills

N Author(s) and year skills
No.
0 Nichols, 1948 1. Receptive skills
1. 2. Reflective skills
0 Chastain, 1971, p.166 1. Ability to differentiate all the sounds
2. 2. Auditory memory
3. Comprehends content of the message
0 Scriven, 1972 (quoted in 1. understanding an event, phenomenon, or process as
3. Kennedy, 1978, p.05) contrasted with ignorance
2. understanding a theory, as contrasted with what he
calls mere knowing
3. understanding natural language, as contrasted with
misunderstanding
4. understanding as experience such as divorce or
childbirth as contrasted with believing one understands
5. understanding an entity on class of entities such as
sheep
0 Carroll & Freedle, 1972 1. Plain sense comprehension
4. 2. Interpretation
3. Evaluation and application
0 Carroll, 1972 1. The apprehension of linguistic information
5. 2. Connecting them to the broader context
0 Clark & Clark, 1977, p.43 1. Proposition construction
6. 2. Proposition utilization
0 Rivers, 1981 1. Identification
7. 2. Identification and selection without retention (lis-
tening for enjoyment/pleasure).
3. Identification and guided selection with short-term
retention.
4. Identification and retention with long-term retention
12 Iyer (2015)

(Creative skill)

0 Richards, 1983 1. Prepositional identification

8. 2. Interpretative illocutionary force
3. Activation of real word knowledge
0 Anderson, 1983, 1985 1. Perceptual processing
9. 2. Parsing
3. Utilization
1 Samuels, 1984, pp. 1. Listening comprehension process is interactive
10. 183-189 procedure
1 Anderson & Lynch, 1988, 1. Audiotape for bottom-up process
11. p.11 2. Active model builders for top-down process
1 Yagang, 1993 1. Understanding interlocutors pronunciation
12. 2. Grammatical aspects
3. Vocabularies
4. Acquiring meaning
1 Brown, 1995 (quoted in 1. Listeners build up shared mutual beliefs rather
13. Ellis, 2002, p.39) than shared mutual knowledge
1 Buck, 1997, p.27 1. Inferential process
14. 2. Constructing meaning
3. Interaction with the text with the contextual support
4. Listeners purpose plays a primary role
1 Lynch & Mendelsohn, 1. Making sense of spoken language
15. 2002, p.193 2. Bundle of related processes
3. Recognition of sounds & visual input
4. Perception of intonation patterns
5. Interpretation using prior knowledge in conjunction
with contextual support
1 Rost, 2005, p.503 1. A complex cognitive process
16.

Deeper understanding pertinent to these macro-skills is very essential for LC teachers to select appropriate sub-skills for the
classroom activities.

1.3 Sub-skills
For all the basic four language skills (listening, reading, writing and spoken skills) various scholars have presented sub-skills
to facilitate the teaching and learning processes. I have already presented the advantages of implementing skill-based ap-
proach in the Table 1.1.1. My intention in this section is presenting information appropriate to skill-banks published by
various scholars time to time. Carroll and Freedle (1972) present a remarkable list of LC sub-skills. These authors categorize
those sub-skills under three major headings: (1) plain sense comprehension, (2) interpretation skill and (3) evaluation and
application skills (Table 1.2.1). Valette (1977) categorizes taxonomies of LC skills into five levels, which are meant for
 ELT Voices-Volume (5), Issue (6), (2015) 13

developing LC test; all these sub-skills are called cognitive skills. Munby (1983) describes and presents huge number of
taxonomies of sub-skills and he calls them as enabling skills; these sub-skills are codified on par with communicative
day-to-day chunks. Aitken (1978) provides varieties of detailed sub-skills, which are essential to correlate fundamental
linguistic processing to wider communicative situations. Willis (1981) proposes a considerable number of micro-skills of LC,
and she also labels them as enabling skills. Richards (1983) also suggests thirty-three conversational micro-skills and
eighteen academic micro skills (p. 228-230). Boyle (1984) also proposes a number of LC skills. In addition to these au-
thors, scholars like Powers (1986) and Rost (1990) propose a large number of LC skills and Rost also labels them as ena-
bling skills and enacting skills (p.152-153). Nunan (1990) introduces a set of graded activities for LC macro-skills in
maintaining seven hierarchical orders as proficiency guidelines. These are very useful for the LC teachers and test makers
because activities are perfectly graded on par with seven proficiency levels.

Generally two important aspects can be suggested to LC curriculum skill-based approach designers. First consideration is
that these types of curriculum designers have to select sub-skills to enhance the ability to recognize fundamental linguistic
data and the ability to construct meaning from broader contexts. The following sub-skills are recommended by Buck et al.
(1997). These sub-skills are presented after conducted a classroom research by Buck et al. (1997).
Table 1.3.1 - LC sub-skills
The ability to process - faster input
- lower-frequency vocabulary
- text with higher vocabulary density
- more complex structure
- longer segments
- text with a higher information density
The ability to - scan short segments to determine listening pur-
pose
- synthesis scattered information
- use redundant information
- use word-matching strategies
- resist superficial word associations
- recall names
- make text-based inferences
- use background knowledge to make inferences

(Buck, 2001, p.58)

Anyhow, the selection of sub-skills depends on the purposes and proficiency level of the listeners. Therefore, teachers can
select sub-skills from the available skill bank and design suitable activities to master those specified skills.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The framework of this investigation was based on entirely qualitative method. The target group of this investigation were
41 first year first semester Tamil medium undergraduates in the Faculty of the Arts, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. They
studied English language at the school with their formal education from grade III, but never possess equal proficiency level
among them. A researcher-made questionnaire was administered among teachers. The questionnaire had a Likert Scale re-
sponse format ranging from very much and not at all. With this questionnaire, to triangulate the data, informal inter-
14 Iyer (2015)

view was conducted to cross-check the data collected through the questionnaire.

During informal interview, the responses of the target group were audio-recorded for analysis and recognize new insights.
In addition, participatory observation was presented by the researcher to systematically observe the changes in the class-
room; classroom observational element is very crucial in order to obtain clear picture regarding to the effectiveness of
skill-based approach. To complement the data which were obtained from participatory observation with teachers sugges-
tions, I administered questionnaires to the target group members.

The informal interview with the target group was conducted to enrich the result of the discussion, sharing experience, co-
operation and collaborative venture in the classrooms. The informal interviews revealed rich and more in-depth data rele-
vant to the benefits of skill-based approach in ESL classrooms. Together with these I conducted pre-test and post-test to
obtain the result numerically.

2.1 Intervention sub-skills model

Table 2.1.1 - Academic LC some major sub-skills

Recognizing,
1. - the chief purpose of the lecture/intentions
2. - the theme of the lecture by understanding the topic/key ideas
3. - sub ideas/themes
4. - appropriate discourse markers (e.g.: conjunctions, physical gestures/signals,
pitch, pronouns, etc.)
5. - new/hidden ideas by inferencing/guessing
6. - the relationship with teaching aids visual/non-verbal input with lecture
7. - spoken individual style
8. - individual delivery speed during a lecture
9. - instructions
10. - learners responsibility
11. - hints to associate with previous knowledge/experience
12. - note-taking skill

After playing an audio-tape (recorded lecture) questions were asked to check the achievement level of the above sub-skills.

Most of the activities are designed based on learner centered principle; group and peer error correction activities were given
priority; error was treated as learning processes.

FINDINGS
3.1 Informal group interviews
Expressions of target group, who are involved in this investigation is vital. This target group interview discloses important
information relevant to overall programme. From their verbal data it is found that skill-based approach greatly helped them
 ELT Voices-Volume (5), Issue (6), (2015) 15

enhance each individual language skill. This approach also assures that the learners ability to apply LC strategies in each
academic skill (LC). Although the general views of the language lectures are positive about the implementation of the
skill-based approach in the LC classrooms, those who like conventional teaching programme do not reveal their satisfac-
tion.

3.2 Questionnaire responses

As it can be observed from the target groups responses, 50% positive expression (strongly agree) have been identified re-
garding the skill-based teaching approach; 30% of the target group revealed agree responses and others disclose (10%)
neutral and 10% reveal disagree responses.

As I mentioned earlier, before beginning the investigation I conducted pre-LC test and after completing the intervention
programme a LC post-test was administered. When I compare these two tests it is recognised that the post-test scores indi-
cate vast improvement among target group members relevant to comprehension ability.

3.3 Observation report

They repeatedly and very openly declared that their English language proficiency was low. But the researcher observed that
they were all very good in their respective majors. They, on several occasions, during casual discussions, appealed to the
researcher to help them improve their proficiency level in English on par with their academic achievement.

From the observation we can conclude that my subjects were highly motivated to learn English in general and improve
their proficiency level. They had hiccups in comprehending a long text, hence requested for a short text. They requested
more time to comprehend the text. That again clearly shows that the subjects had issues in comprehending the text com-
pletely in one attempt. Their responses indicate me that they preferred texts which deal with known topics.

3.4 Post-test

A post-test was administered after completing the intervention programme. Most of the multiple choice questions were
constructed to check the abilities relevant to sub-skills which are specified in the Table 2.1.1.

Post-test was designed based on discrete-point testing principle; the test included the following items: multiple-choice,
true/false and fill in the blanks. The presented answers by the subjects were satisfied and they confirmed that our subjects
achievement level related to LC was significant.

SUGGESTIONS
At the beginning, it is very important that teachers have to plan their day-to-day curriculum appropriately based on
skill-based approach; this plan should be plainly articulated the ultimate goals/outcome and other relevant factors which
include needs of the institutions, learners, employers, society and evaluation scheme; after recognizing and planning the
curriculum, effective awareness programmes have to be organized for the lecturers and learners; effective awareness is im-
portant because lecturers have to construct a better balance among the important areas such as selection of sub-skill on par
with activities and objectives. It is also equally important to establish learners motivational level.

Major Steps:

Recognizing the purpose/needs

Considering stake holders views

16 Iyer (2015)

Identifying current proficiency level relevant to LC

Preparing the curriculum/setting the objectives

Selection of appropriate sub-skills from the skill-banks in collaboration with learners (bottom-up
sub-skills, top-down sub-skill, interactive sub-skills and academic sub-skills).

Sub-skills of bottom-up processes

Linguistic Elements Details

1 Phonology Processing of sound/acoustic input

2 Lexis/words Processing of word level meaning

3 Syntax Processing of phrases and clauses
4 Semantics Processing of propositions
5 Pragmatics Application of linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge in as
sociation with the context

Sub-skills of top-down processes

Language Elements Details

1 Pragmatics Application of linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge in
association with the context
2 Semantics Processing of propositions
3 Syntax Processing of phrases and clauses
4 Lexis/words Processing of word level meaning
5 Phonology Processing of sound/acoustic input

Selection of learning styles

Learning styles
Learning styles Descriptions
1 Visual learning by seeing/looking at things & learning
2 Auditory Learning by listening
3 Tactile Learning by hands on activities
4 Kinaesthetic Learning by involving themselves
5 Group Learning by group work
6. Individual Learning individually

Selection of strategies

Describing the outcome

Designing activities on par with selected sub-skills (comprehensible input/i+1); in Sri Lanka it is advisa-
ble to select sub-skills with University Test of English Language (UTEL) benchmark.
 ELT Voices-Volume (5), Issue (6), (2015) 17

Decision on assessment schemes

With these arrangements, objective and outcome have to be plainly articulated; it is also teachers responsibility to make a
suitable decision on evaluation method/s because it is the indicator of the whole teaching and learning programme at the
end; if reliability and validity are maintained reasonably in the evaluation method/s that will certainly confirm the effec-
tiveness of the teaching programme. If any drawback is identified in the achievement level, repeat programmes can be de-
signed.

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