The document discusses integrated skills teaching and group/pair work activities in the English language classroom. It begins by defining integrated skills as teaching the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) together by relating activities across multiple skills. Several approaches for achieving integration are described, along with examples of situations requiring integrated skills in daily life. The document then discusses implementing integrated skills teaching through general materials, task-based activities, oral presentations, role plays, and project work. It outlines principles for effective group and pair work interactions and considers benefits and drawbacks of each approach. Finally, two sample project activities integrating multiple skills through group work are described in detail.

1. Integrated Skills,
Groupwork and Pairwork
Banatul Murtafi’ah 16716251003
Andyani Larasati 16716251004
Fitri Hidayati 16716251005
English Education Study Program
Presented in the Resource-based Learning Materials Development Subject

2. Outlines
Integrated skill
• Introduction
• Situations
requiring skills
integration
• Integrated skills in
the classroom
• Advantages and
disadvantages
Groupwork and
pairwork
• Introduction
• Functions
• Interaction and
classroom
structure
• Benefits or
Drawbacks?
The
Implementation
• Project-based
learning activities:
1. Design an outfit
for a pop star
2. To tech or not
to tech is not the
question

3. Integrated Skills

4. Introduction
According to Richards and Schmidt (2010) as cited in McDonough
et al (2013), an integrated approach means “the teaching of the
language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking in
conjunction with each other as when a lesson involves activities
that relate listening and speaking to reading and writing.”

5. Integration of the four skills can be achieved
through various approach:
1. Oxford (2001) suggested : CBLT, Task-based language instruction
or some hybrid form
2. Coyle et al (2010) suggested cross-curricular approaches to
subject and language teaching in CLIL – CBLT in European
context
3. Tomlinson (2003b) introduced Text-driven approach
4. CALL
Note that, nowadays, ‘integrated skills’ may also be used to include some other kinds of skills
as well as the four language skills in different context. For example: cognitive skills such as
doing research and problem solving.
McDonough et al (2013)

6. Situations Requiring Skills Integration
Several illustrations in daily life:
1. We may read about a film or a concert in a newspaper or
magazine
2. We may need to read lecture notes/articles/a paper in
order to write a composition or an essay
McDonough et al (2013)

7. Integrated skills in the classroom
Ellis (2010) as cited in McDonough et al (2013), explores the application of SLA
research to language teaching materials through specific examples of task-based
materials.
Tomlinson (2011), as cited in McDonough et al (2013), summarizes 6 basic principles
as a guide for materials development:
1. the learners are exposed to a rich, meaningful and comprehensible input of
language use
2. Engaging learners both affectively and cognitively in the language experience
3. Positive affect influence communicative competence
4. Learners can benefit from using those mental resources which typically utilize
when acquiring and using their L1
5. Learners can benefit from noticing salient features of the input and from
discovering how they are used
6. Learners need opportunities to use language to try to achieve communicative
approach

8. McDonough et al (2013) proposes 6 ways of integrating
the language skills in the classroom for different types
of EFL classroom:
1. General
materials
• Providing a variety of
authentic contemporary
topics, texts and genres
for exposure to
language in use (e.g.,
stories, news, magazine
and book extracts,
emails, blogs, etc.)
2. EAP materials
• Providing students with
language skills that are
integrated in university
life to make students
more motivated and
better prepared for the
next step in their
academic careers
(Caplan, 2016)

9. 3. Task-based
materials
• Engaging activity to
attain an objective
requiring the use of
language
• Providing meaning-
focused language
learning involving
integrated skills
4. Oral
Presentation
• Useful way in
achieving skill
integration in the
classroom
Cont.
McDonough et al (2013)

10. 5. Role
play/simulation
• Involving the
learners in “role
assumption”
• Simulation requires
the learners to take
part in
communication
involving personal
experience and
emotion.
6. Project-work
• Providing a
pertinent way of
giving learners an
effective forum in
which to develop
language skills
Cont.
McDonough et al (2013)

11. Advantages
Benefits of teaching integrated skills according to Oxford (2001):
• Exposing language learners to authentic language and challenges
them to interact naturally in the language.
• Learners rapidly gain a true picture of the richness and complexity of
the English language as employed for communication.
• To emphasize that English is not just an object of academic interest
nor merely a key to passing an examination, instead becomes a real
means of interaction and sharing among people.
• Promoting the learning of real content, not just the dissection of
language forms.
• Can be highly motivating to students of all ages and backgrounds.

12. Disadvantages
The teaching of integrated language skills can also have a number of
disadvantages (e.g., McDonough and Shaw 2003; Widdowson, 1978, 1993;
2003) as cited in Hinkle (2012):
• A curriculum that concentrates on a single language skill all the time can
permit more teaching and more intensive learning
• Curricula and syllabi that integrate a range of language skills require the
teacher to be reasonably versatile and well-trained.
• Many (if not most) learners have unevenly developed proficiencies
across the four macro skills (Hinkel, 2002; 2003; Stern, 1983)
• Some experts and methodological authorities also stated that integrated
language teaching with its main focus on the learning process tends to
overlook the quality of the learning products (e.g., 2005; Widdowson,
1990; 2003).

13. Groupwork and Pairwork

14. Introduction
•The materials related to the selected target for learning
•e.g. Vocabulary, lexical chunks, grammar, discourse,
subject matter, genre.
Content
• How classes are managed
• e.g. who works with whom, in what possible groupings.
Structure
McDonough et al (2013)

15. The Classroom Setting: Functions of
Groupwork and Pairwork
A. The social organization of the classroom
 Two objections to the groupwork or pairwork:
1. They may not be congenial to the learning styles of individuals;
2. They may pay less attention to the relationship between an activity
and its purpose.
 Therefore, the choice of group or pairwork should:
1. be based on the sound principles;
2. lead to developing real communicative competence.
McDonough et al (2013)

16. B. Functions of groupwork and pairwork
They fit into the communicative approaches
very well and enable various patterns of
interaction.
SLA and Co-operative Learning (CL) studies also
support the use of them.
Learners of different levels and learning styles
are able to share and pool their resources in a
smaller and informal environment.
Learners are able to negotiate meaning in
optimal ways that suit themselves.
McDonough et al (2013)

17. C. Pairwork and Groupwork
McDonough et al (2013)
Aspects Pairwork Groupwork
Nature little organization,
e.g. having the learners to
work with the person
sitting next to them
complex structure,
i.e. require greater role
differentiation between
individuals
Timescale need not be extensive need to be more extended,
to allow greater number of
interacting participants
Tasks A large range of possible
task throughout the
structure
The selection of tasks
match the ability of the
group (Ur, 1996 as cited in
McDonough, et.al., 2013).
*Pairwork and groupwork are not mutually exclusive.

18. Interaction and classroom structure
A. Interaction patterns in the classroom
Figure 1. Patterns of classroom organization.
Note:
T: Teacher
S: Student
The lines: main directions and interactions

19. A. Interaction patterns in the classroom
Disdvantages
• Teacher stimulus  students answer  teacher comments
• Students are locked into the same activity at the same time and
at the same pace, while teacher is the primary initiator.
• Limited and amount of interactions.
Advantages
• practically useful when teachers need to give instructions and
explanations;
• serving as affective role in reinforcing a sense of ‘belonging’;
• a good way of providing the necessary meaningful exposure to
language (Harmer, 2007 as cited in McDonough et al 2013).
1. Teacher-fronted classes (Lockstep classes)

20. 2. Group structure
Teacher specifies both the group and the nature of the task in detail.
According to Harmer (2007) as cited in McDonough et al, (2013):
• Friendship
• Streaming
• Chance
According to Jacob as cited in McDonough et al, (2013):
• Heterogeneous grouping (e.g. Gender, ethnicity, language proficiency,
diligent)
Principles

21. B. Learning Styles
• In relation to lockstep classes, learners are assumed to learn what
teachers choose to teach them, leaving no room for individual
differences.
• Gardner (2006) as cited in McDonough, et.al., (2013) maintains that
learners are different because they have different combinations of
intelligences.
• Group or pairwork may possibly favour the learners with dominant
‘interpersonal intelligence’ who are good at working with other people
but alienate the learners with ‘intrapersonal intelligence’ who prefer
to work alone.
• Learners learn best if the ways of learning suit their own styles.
McDonough et al (2013)

22. Benefits or Drawbacks?
Benefits
• An individual’s learning preferences being engaged is correspondingly
increased.
• Groupwork in particular is potentially dynamic.
• Different tasks can be assigned to different groups or pairs.
• Each student has proportionally more chance to speak and to be
involved in language use.
• Groupwork can promote a positive atmosphere or ‘affective climate’
(Arnold, 1999).
• Learners themselves favour working in smaller groupings (Millar, 2011).
McDonough et al (2013)

23. Benefits or Drawbacks?
Drawbacks
• Other students will probably not provide such a good ‘language
model’ as the teacher (Barker, 2011).
• There are several possible institutional objections to rearranging the
classroom and to an increased communicative environment.
• Some monolingual classes readily use their mother tongue instead of
the target language.
• Learners often have strong preferences.
• If the class is divided into smaller units, there may be problems of
‘group dynamics’.
• The most commonly heard objection is the class size.
McDonough et al (2013)

24. The Implementation

25. 1. Design an Outfit for a Pop Star
Description:
 The students make posters and design an
outfit for a member of a pop band. They
label their posters, write short descriptions,
and present their posters.
Language Features:
 Present continuous to describe what
someone is wearing, vocabulary about
clothes
Skills:
 Integrated skills (listening, reading, writing,
speaking)
Activities:
 Making a collage, drawing, working
cooperatively
Interaction:
 Pair-work
Level:
 JHS, Grade X

26. Materials:
 Audio recording about types of clothes
 A selection of pop and fashion magazines
 Some clothing for the students to look at
(optional) – it is more interesting if the
clothes are bizarre, perhaps something
the students will think very old-
fashioned

27. Preparation:
 Find some pictures of
famous pop bands or ask the
students to bring some
pictures from home
 Make flashcards of clothing
items, colours, and patterns
 Make a poster by cutting out
a picture of a famous pop
star and labelling the
clothing
 Write a model description of
the famous pop star on your
poster. The students can use
it as a guide.

28. 1. The students listen to an audio about
clothes and match the description in the
audio to the picture
In Class Activities
2. The teacher presents vocabulary of clothing,
patterns, and colours using flashcards and
examples of clothing
3. Show the students your labelled poster and ask the
students to give a description of the person. Write up
the description on the board, for example: He is
wearing a brown and white T-shirt.

29. 4. The students work in pairs. They need to design a poster
about an outfit for a member of their favourite pop band. The
students can either draw a figure or make one using picture
cut out of magazine and newspapers. Encourage the students
to make unusual outfits.
5. The students then label their posters with the name of
their pop star and label the various items of clothing. Give
a strict time limit, for example 20 minutes.
6. Tell the students to write a short description of what
their pop star is wearing and glue the description to the
poster.
7. The students present their poster to their classmates and display their posters
on the wall.

30. Description:
 The students make a flipchart about the
advantages and disadvantages of using
smartphones.
Language Features:
 Present tense to describe the
advantages and disadvantages
Skills:
 Integrated skills (listening, reading,
writing, speaking)
Activities:
 Making a flipchart, drawing, working
cooperatively
Interaction:
 Group work (in a group of 3 or 4)
Level:
 B2 CEFR
2. To Tech or Not to Tech Is Not the Question

31. Materials:
Pen, coloring pens, paper, flip
chart, scissors, glue, sticky
tape, magazine, newspaper,
articles on the internet

32. Activity Procedures
1. The teacher starts by brainstorming the
students' opinion about smartphone. Ask them
to work in groups of three or four. Make sure
the students in one group have the same point
of view about smartphone whether all believe
it is good or all believe it is bad.
2. The teacher asks the students to use flip charts to
describe their opinion. The teacher shows the example
of flip charts to the students. Tell the students that they
are free to draw anything and/or to use any picture to
generate ideas. They may take any picture from
magazines, newspaper, or internet using their laptop,
computer, or smartphone.

33. 3. The students are asked to take a survey and interview
classmates, friends, or family to gather data. Students may
ask questions related to the topic (e.g. Do you agree or
disagree with this statement: “Smartphone is a bad influence
for people”?; Why do you think it is bad or good?; How many
hours a day do you glue with your smartphone?; etc.). Ask
them to compile and summarize the responses from their
respondents.
4. Each group, then, is asked to present
their viewpoint using the flip chart in front
of the other groups in the next meeting.
Remind the students that this is not a one-
day project. You will give several days for
the students to do this project.

34. Conclusion
Nowadays, the combination of four macro skills is more effective
simply because, in reality, communication does not take place in terms
of discrete linguistic skills.
With careful reflection and planning, any teacher can integrate the
language skills and strengthen the tapestry of language teaching and
learning. When the tapestry is woven well, learners can use English
effectively for communication.

35. For suggestions, teacher should consider taking these steps in integrating
the language skills (Oxford, 2001):
• Learn more about the various ways to integrate language skills in the
classroom (e.g., content-based, task-based, or a combination).
• Reflect on their current approach and evaluate the extent to which the
skills are integrated
• Choose instructional materials, textbooks, and technologies that
promote the integration of listening, reading, speaking, and writing, as
well as the associated skills of syntax, vocabulary, and so on.
• Teach language learning strategies and emphasize that a given strategy
can often enhance performance in multiple skills.

36. “No teaching environment can be regarded as fixed
for all the time.”
(McDonough et al, 2013)
According to McDonough et al (2013), all the arrangements including
group and pairwork have to be assessed based on teaching situation in
wider context such as the syllabus and materials, teacher’s and
students’ roles, the practicalities of physical space, the institution
(e.g. school) and the educational system.

37. References
Caplan, N. (2016). Putting it together: integrated skills in EAP. Modern English teacher 25(1),
28-30.
Dobie, R. (2017). Clothing and fashion. Retrieved from
http://www.allthingstopics.com/clothing-and-fashion.html
Hinkel, E. (2010). Integrating the four skills: Current and historical perspectives. In R.B.
Kaplan (Ed.), Oxford Handbook in Applied Linguistics, (pp. 110-126). 2nd ed. Oxford
University Press.
McDonough, J., Shaw, C., & Masuhara, H. (2013). Materials and Methods in ELT: A Teacher’s
Guide, Third Edition. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Oxford, R. (2001). Integrated skills in the ESL/EFL classroom. Washington, DC: Center for
Applied Linguistics, ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics.
Phillips, D., Burwood, S., & Dunford, H. (1999). Project with young learners. Oxford: Oxford
Unviersity Press
Taha, F. (2016). To tech or not to tech is not the question. Retrieved from
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/fatimataha/tech-or-not-tech-not-question

38. Questions
• How will you design meaningful activities for children by
integrating the four language skills?
• Do you prefer managing the class to work in group, in
pairs, or individually? Please explain the reason.