1. INTRODUCTION
The following Comparative essay is based on a skill of language acquisition, which
is speaking. We have focused on the view of three different authors; Jeremy Harmer (How
to Teach English), David Nunan (Practical English Language Teaching), and H.D Brown
(principles for teaching speaking skill). They explain how the speaking is, and how it
should be taught in a lesson. The first author states that the purpose for speaking is not just
linguistic, because the activities are not based on grammar or structural forms, whereas
activities are focused on the fluency of the spoken language. Thus, both teacher and
students have the opportunity to get feedback and rehearsal. Another important point
mentioned is the method of correct mistakes; it is not interrupting while the students are
developing a speech or some ideas, but giving feedback later. Besides, teachers need to get
involve with the situation but do not dominating the whole situation. The second author
states that years ago speaking was thought based on audio-lingual repetition; however,
lately it was realized that learners did not learn properly in that way. During the late
twentieth century, language acquisition has been reformed, it reform is based on
communicative language teaching. Moreover, language has levels which operate when we
speak. Language teachers have to take into consideration this levels and how they worked
together. It is also important to highlight the five principles for teaching speaking. Finally,
the author points out some techniques and tasks for teaching language. The third author is
focused on principles for teaching speaking skills. First of all, he mentions the importance
of both, fluency and accuracy. It is also pointed out the importance of providing teaching
techniques and to encourage students in the use of authentic language, giving them
appropriate feedback and corrections. He also contrasts speaking with listening.

2. In a general view we can compare the three authors when they mention the
importance of fluency and accuracy of the speaking skill in language acquisition. They
state that it is important to get the students involved in real contexts of speech in order to
learn the target language and to express it in a natural way, becoming autonomous
language users. It means they should be able to use not only words, but also phrases,
fluently. Plus, it is a very well known fact, that people learn a language by interacting;
hence, students must be exposed to a communicative language teaching. Moreover, they
highlight that when a language is acquired, the interaction and communication are more
important than linguistic and grammatical structures.
A second point which could be compare, and it is covered by the three of them, is
the use of some classroom techniques and tasks in order to encourage and motivate
students to practice speaking as a skill. Some of these activities are information gap
activities, role plays, telling stories, favorite objects, surveys, student’s presentations,
famous people, moral dilemmas, etc. These kinds of activities are completely useful in the
language acquisition, because help students to communicate each other and being accurate
within the target language, researches have demonstrated that learners make progress by
communicating in the target language with these types of techniques.
Thirdly, we can contrast the three authors, pointing out the form in which teachers
evaluate students. According to Numan (Practical English Language Teaching), it is
necessary for teachers to correct mistakes during activities; it could destroy the
conversational flow. Teachers should not correct while students are talking, they should
provide them feedback later. The author also mentions other ways to correct speaking
mistakes, for example, the teacher can discuss with the class about the correction. On the
other side, teachers can write mistakes n the boar, in order to make students memorize the
spelling mistakes. Plus, it is also a good idea to give feedback individually and give a
gentle correction. It is important, and according to the text, the best way to correct, to
speak with the students about the mistakes. But do not signal a single student for particular
criticism, on the contrary it is better to generalize. Whereas, Jeremy Harmer (How to
Teach English) emphasise in the fact that students form habits when they practice or repeat
the spoken language. According to this, students are not supposed to have bad habits, thus,
teachers must correct mistakes as soon as possible. Otherwise, Brown states that it is
essential to provide appropriate feedback; therefore, teachers have to take advantage of

3. their knowledge of English to inject the kinds of corrective feedback that are appropriate
for the moment.
Finally, we noticed that the three of them have related the speaking skill with other
communicative skill, but they differ because, on one hand, Harmer, does not focus on a
specific skill in deeply, but he just mention some of the skills as listening and writing, he
says that those skills are helpful in order to develop a speaking activity.
According to David Nunan (Practical English Language Teaching), there is a
contrast within the spoken language and the written language, he says that both differ in
many aspects, such as; spoken language is auditory, whereas, writing is visual. Speaking is
temporary and has immediate reception, but writing has permanent reception. Plus, writing
has rhythm and stress intonation, while spoken language has punctuation. Moreover,
spoken language has immediate feedback and written language has delayed or not
feedback. And also speaking is planned and edited limited by channel, whereas written
language has unlimited planning and edited revision. On the other hand, Brown states the
capitalization on the natural link between speaking and listening. He thinks that the two
skills can reinforced each other, because skills in producing language are often initiated
trough comprehension.

4. CONCLUSION
As a conclusion we can say that, although the speaking as a skill is seen from different
point of views, there is a common factor in the process of teaching it, which is learn the target
language in context , using real situations. Besides, the activities are not based on grammar or
structural forms, because when language is learned by practicing grammatical structures, the result
is an unnatural communication, which is difficult to understand by a native speaker. In order to
acquire the target language properly it is necessary that the activities are focused on the fluency of
the spoken language. It is necessary that students are familiarizes with structural patters and sound
of the target language, in order to learn it and acquire it. Another important point is the moment of
feedback, we as future teachers must know how and when make an appropriate correction, because
it will be essential in the development of the language acquisition. Moreover, the feedback is not
only for the students, but also for the teacher. Finally we can say that speaking is one of the most
difficult skills to learn, it is very important to rehearse the language in context in order to learn how
to use it properly.
Students: Karla Essmann
Paola Neira