When learning the English language, there are four macro skills you must master in order to be able to communicate effectively with native speakers. The four skills are reading, writing, speaking and listening. Mastering these skills will help a learner become more competent in speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and spelling.
There is no one area that is more important than the others either, as each of these skills should be regarded as being important as the next as each skill is interrelated.
So what can you do to improve your skills in each of the macro skills areas?
Listening: Tune in to English speaking radio stations or try to watch some television shows with subtitles. Although it may be difficult at first, you will soon find you are able to pick up words and phrases which you will then be able to use in your own speech.
Speaking and pronunciation: Try to meet up with a native speaker for some one-to-one conversation. Perhaps you could spend some time speaking in your native language and the rest in English. Also record your voice reading out passages of text to highlight where you are going wrong and help improve your pronunciation.
Reading: Make sure to surround yourself with English newspapers or read websites online to get yourself used to reading the language. If you do not understand a particular word, keep reading and you can always then come back to the word at the end if you still don't know what it means. Record any new vocabulary in a notebook as you come across it.
Writing: This will come with practice. Spend time studying written articles in magazines and newspapers to see how grammatical constructions and verbs are put into practical use. You could also try keeping a diary in English too.
Macro skills refer to the primary, key, main, largest etc skill set relative to a particular context. Macro skills are most commonly referred to in English language and refer to listening, speaking, reading and writing. Listening; This is a communication technique that requires the listener to understand, interpret and evaluate what he or she hears. Listening effectively improves personal relationships through the reduction of conflict and strengthens cooperation through a collective understanding. Writing; Writing is the representation of language in text form. Its needed for transmitting information effectively , keeping records of information and experiences, and relating information from user to user. Writing is the creation of meaning, where the information derived from it can then be passed on. Reading; Reading is a means of language acquisition in the communicative process. Reading comprehension involves decoding symbols with the intention of deriving meaning from the text. This can then be used for further processes such as sharing knowledge, self development or simply relaxation and escapism into the realms of fiction. Reading can also significantly improve other micro skills such as spelling, evaluative processes and the imagination. Speaking; Speaking is vocalization of human communication. Being able to iterate an idea, concept or opinion etc through speech is essential in the communicative process. Being able to relate what you are thinking in effective, concise and direct manner allows you to present communicate effectively with others in a variety of situations, this avoids elements of confusion that may lead to conflict, allows for self development and growth ( especially if your idea is presented effectively in the workplace) and can help provide an element of control to any given situation by self management. These skills are essential for the communication process and can make a huge difference to your effectivity in the work place, social situations and your personal life. Being good at only one of these communicative skills will not help you to smooth away any difficulties which arise during a communication process, approach or solve future problems or successfully achieve objectives which essentially derive from effective communication, i.e learning, presenting, holding a successful meeting. Each skill is equally vital as each is interrelated. Each macro skill is made up of a combination of micro skills, for example, writing consists of spelling, speaking of vocabulary etc. As mentioned in the examples. Learning and consistently seeking to improve these four macro skills are important for self development, effective communication and success in many different environments and contexts.
Macro skills refer to the primary, key, main, largest etc skill set relative to a particular context. Macro skills are most commonly referred to in English language and refer to listening, speaking, reading and writing. Listening; This is a communication technique that requires the listener to understand, interpret and evaluate what he or she hears. Listening effectively improves personal relationships through the reduction of conflict and strengthens cooperation through a collective understanding. Writing; Writing is the representation of language in text form. Its needed for transmitting information effectively , keeping records of information and experiences, and relating information from user to user. Writing is the creation of meaning, where the information derived from it can then be passed on. Reading; Reading is a means of language acquisition in the communicative process. Reading comprehension involves decoding symbols with the intention of deriving meaning from the text. This can then be used for further processes such as sharing knowledge, self development or simply relaxation and escapism into the realms of fiction. Reading can also significantly improve other micro skills such as spelling, evaluative processes and the imagination. Speaking; Speaking is vocalization of human communication. Being able to iterate an idea, concept or opinion etc through speech is essential in the communicative process. Being able to relate what you are thinking in effective, concise and direct manner allows you to present communicate effectively with others in a variety of situations, this avoids elements of confusion that may lead to conflict, allows for self development and growth ( especially if your idea is presented effectively in the workplace) and can help provide an element of control to any given situation by self management. These skills are essential for the communication process and can make a huge difference to your effectivity in the work place, social situations and your personal life. Being good at only one of these communicative skills will not help you to smooth away any difficulties which arise during a communication process, approach or solve future problems or successfully achieve objectives which essentially derive from effective communication, i.e learning, presenting, holding a successful meeting. Each skill is equally vital as each is interrelated. Each macro skill is made up of a combination of micro skills, for example, writing consists of spelling, speaking of vocabulary etc. As mentioned in the examples. Learning and consistently seeking to improve these four macro skills are important for self development, effective communication and success in many different environments and contexts.
