THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FOUR SKILLS

It is an obvious fact that languages are spoken before they are written. There are people who communicate perfectly in the spoken language without being able to express themselves in writing.When introducing the skills we should know:

- What stage the learners are at in the acquisition of their first language skills,
- To ensure that we do not interfere with the learning process of their own language.
- Only when reading and writing have been acquired in L1 can we begin the task with L2.

• At beginner levels in particular writing practice should be aimed at:
- Reinforcing the learning of linguistic elements which have been practiced orally,
- Without forgetting to introduce our pupils to vocabulary practice and the structures of written language itself

• Integrated skills: It means that we can create activities, tasks where the four basic skills are practiced.
• Integrated reading and writing: Reading and writing are closely related:
a) Reading is a source of input and model for written language.
b) There is a continual process of feedback between the two skills.

A) Reading as a source of input and model for written language:
- Students need to receive language, a comprehensible input, by means of reading a sufficient amount in order to develop their capacity.
- Beginners should be given models adapted to their level.
B) Continual process of feedback between the two skills
- We constantly read what we have written to revise content and grammar, organise the text, etc. so there is a continuous feedback.
• Integrating speaking and writing: When we are writing something we usually “try it out” by pronouncing it internally in what is known as “inner speech”.