improving speaking skills through skype

They justconcentrate on grammar and neglect others skills, especially speaking skill - an integral part in the process of learning English.. With the purpose of helping the English learn

GRADUATION THESIS B.A DEGREE IN ENGLISH STUDIES

IMPROVING SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH

“SKYPE”

Supervisor : Nguyễn Thanh Bình, M.A Student : Nguyễn Thị Huyền Ngân Date of birth: 21/11/1991

Course : K16A11 (2009 – 2013)

HANOI, 2013

Title: Improving speaking skills through “skype”

(Graduation paper submitted in Partial Fulfillment for B.A Degree in English)

I certify no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced from anyperson’s work without acknowledgement and that the report is originallywritten by me under strict guidance of my supervisor

Date submitted: Ha Noi, April 26th, 2013

Student Supervisor

During the process of completing this graduation paper, I have receivedmuch of help, encouragement and support.

First of all, I would like to give my profound gratitude to my supervisor –Mrs Nguyen Thanh Binh, who has given me a lot of useful suggestions andguidance Mrs Nguyen Thanh Binh supplied me with many valuable booksconcerning with the topic of my graduation thesis I would have nevercompleted my research without her help

Also, I am very grateful to all the teachers at the Faculty of English andModern Languages, Ha Noi Open University for their interesting and usefullectures which have built in me a firm foundation with immense ideas for thefulfillment of this paper

In particular, my special thanks go to my parents who have, as it alwaysgoes, encouraged and support me so much in all respects They have givengood conditions for me to study and complete my graduation paper

Last but not least, I should also express many thanks to my dear friendswho have shared with me a lot during my studies and my research work aswell

Ha Noi, April 2013

Nguyen Thi Huyen Ngan

PART A : INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

It is widely accepted that English has become an essential part in variousfields of life The global language of English is used in not only politics,tourism, computing, diplomacy but also music, television programme, andeven on the internet Not only that, there are more websites made in Englishthan anywhere else.Many countries have taken it on as a second language.According to BBC, about 1,500,000,000 people in the world speak Englishand another 1,000,000,000 are learning it 75% of the world’s letters andpostcards are written in English Almost all international organizations andcompetitions are using English as the main language In Vietnam, English hasbeen a compulsory subject in many schools and universities However,Vietnamese students are studying English in passive resistance They justconcentrate on grammar and neglect others skills, especially speaking skill -

an integral part in the process of learning English Nevertheless, the reasonswhy Vietnamese students are not good at speaking skills are not only theirsense of studying but also limited speaking environment, teachers’ teachingmethods and practicing speaking English

With the purpose of helping the English learners to aware some ofdifficulties and factors affecting speaking skills, since then propose somestrategies to improve students’ English speaking skills through software

named “Skype”, the author conducted the study about “improving speaking skills through “skype”.

2 Aims of the study

The study is to aim at introducing a new way for learners to improvespeaking skills through “skype” The study also gives out some purposes asfollows :

- To give an overview and outlook of “skype” in the process of learningEnglish

- To prove the benefits of using “skype” to improve speaking skills

- To propose some tips to apply “skype” in the process of learning English

3 Scope of the study

Due to the limitation of time and the length of the thesis, the study is only

concentrate on some common difficulties in learning English speaking skills

of Vietnamese learners and some strategies to improve English speaking skills through “skype”.

4 Research questions

In this paper, the author is going to answer these questions:

- What is speaking?

- What difficulties do you have when speaking English?

- What have you done to develop English speaking skills?

- Have you ever applied “skype” to improve English speaking skills?

5 Methods of the study

The paper has used some research methods:

- Collecting data via survey questionnaire and classroom observation

- Analyzing materials in libraries, books, websites and data collected

- Presenting data and drawing conclusions, since then propose somerecommendations to enhance English speaking skills

6 Design of the study

The study is composed of 3 main parts, each of which focuses on a

particular issue:

- Part A: introduction

- Part B: development consists of four chapters:

Chapter 1: literature review, gives an overview of speaking definition, its

importance and factors affecting speaking skills

Chapter 2: in this chapter, the paper introduces “skype” as a useful tool for

improving speaking skills

Chapter 3: describes methods used to collect data of the research and then

analyze data collected to find out some common difficulties of Vietnameselearners in English speaking skills

Chapter 4: recommendations for Vietnamese students of English in

improving speaking skills through “skype”

- Part C: conclusion

References

Appendix

PART B : DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW

Language is an extremely important way of interacting with the peoplearound us We use language to let others know how we feel, what we need,and to ask questions We can modify our language to each situation There arefour skills we need for complete communication when learning a language:listening, speaking, writing and reading However, as Nunan (1995)comments that the single important aspect to learn English successfully is bymastering speaking skills So, what is speaking? It will be presented in details

in the following parts

Together with this idea, speaking definition is mentioned by Merrian, the

author of “Webster Online Dictionary” (2002):

“Speaking is uttering words or articulating sound with ordinary voice Speaking is the way to convey thought, opinion, emotion orally, or to express oneself.”

This means speaking is performing thoughts, feelings, attitudes and soforth understandably through using words

Meanwhile, speaking, from Bygates’s point of view, is:

“A skill by which learners are most frequently judged and through which

they make and lose friends It is the vehicle par excellence of social solidarity, social ranking, of professional advancement and of business It is also the medium through which much language is learnt.” (1987:1)

He also emphasizes “speaking is not only knowledge about language, it

is a skill which cannot be developed without adequate training and practice.”

(Bygate, 1987:3) Speaking is the most effective tool to communicate witheach other In daily life, we have to face with many complicated situationswhich require us to solve cleverly Moreover, speaking also shows speaker’slevel Therefore, a successful speaker is a person who must be good atchoosing the reasonable form of speaking and knows how to expressopinions In short, it’s impossible for learners to be successful in speakingwith the basic knowledge of the language such as: vocabulary, grammar,pronunciation,…without any practice

Continuing with that concept, Brown also comments that:

“Speaking is an interactive process of contructing meaning that involved producing information Its form and meaning are dependent on the context, in which it occurs, including the participants themselves, their collective experience, the physical environment and the purpose of speaking.” (1983:17)

This means that when speaking, we need to take notices of factorsaffecting successful communication such as: the content we are talking about,the person we are talking to, the context of the communication, the reasonwhy we are taking part in this communication, the way we express ideas inour minds and so on

Furthermore, Finocchiaro (1974:2) persuades us that all normal humanbeings are able to speak and no tribe is found without an oral language Fromthis, it is belived that speaking is a language skill that is absolutely possessed

by every normal human being The ability to speak can be seen from dailyactivities He also said that all languages are a very essential instrument that

enables speakers to state their existence and others ask something, expressagreement and refusal Thus, oral language is considered principle.

To sum up, speaking is considered as the most important skill of thelearner, most of the time the proficiency of this skill judges the knowledge ofthe learner of the second language Even though, the development of this skill

is not an easy task for anybody, there are many aspects that have to be takeninto account in the learning process, the learner must be active and dynamicpracticing and exchanging patterns that are important in the development ofthe skill

1.2 The importance of speaking skills

1.2.1 Importance of speaking skills in communication

We have established the importance of communication skills in any andall aspects of our lives What one needs to remember is that communication is

a two-way process involving the speaker and the listener Communication canonly be considered effective if both aspects are achieved successfully

Every single day, we are given opportunities to speak At home, weinteract with family members and neighbors We ask driving directions frompassersby We converse with the waitress at the local pub At work, we talk tocolleagues and superiors We discuss business issues and concerns duringbusiness meetings We educate customers on products and services beingoffered Indeed, such skill is being utilized anywhere and everywhere

Now imagine if a person does not possess good speaking skills It would

be very difficult to express thoughts and ideas to others; it would be almostimpossible to gain understanding from these people if we cannot even conveyour message clearly and accurately

People with below average communication skills, particularly speakingskills, will have difficulty presiding over gatherings, whether social, personal,

or business-related It is either that he does not know how to put his thoughts

and ideas into words or he simply does not have enough confidence to speak

in the presence of other people Regardless of what may be the reason for this,

it leads to one thing: ineffective communication And a person who cannotcommunicate effectively would find it difficult to strike a good impression on

others, especially on their superiors.

1.2.2 The importance of speaking skills in the process of learning English Language learning is a complicated process that entails all skills

integrated A successful language learner also means a good speaker who isable to communicate perfectly in the language

The importance of speaking skills in language learning process is alsodescribed by its relationship with the rest three main skills: listening, writingand reading Sworth (1984) highly appreciates the connection of the fourlanguage skills: speaking, listening, writing and reading He comments that

“these skills are linked together so as to accelerate the learning process” Similarly, Hammer (1991) states that “none of the language skills can be performed without another” Listening and speaking are closed in

conversation, and it should be give opportunities to practice and to be

improved as the idea of Sworth (1984): “Listening and speaking are inseparable and associated components in oral communication.” Then, we

cannot pass over the link between speaking and writing

Quintilian felt that writing aided speaking and speaking aided writing:

“But they are so intimately and inseparably connected, that if one of them be neglected, we shall but waste the labour which we have devoted to others”.(1987)

And, “as regards writing, this is certainly never more necessary than we have frequently to speak extempore For it maintains the solidity of our speech and gives depth to superficial facility…Writing will give us greater precision of speech, while speaking will make us write with greater facility.”.

(1987)

While speaking is emphasized in the early years and writing in the later,both forms of language persist concurrently Finally, the relationship betweenspeaking and reading cannot be denied Speaking can be done naturally withany topic the learners interest and also with the reading text given They willfind it fun, they can share with other speakers about their ideas,experiences and they can express themselves about it This results in theirpractice for language fluency.

In short, from those relationships, the position of speaking is emphasizedcompletely in the process of language learning

1.3 Main factors affecting speaking skills

1.3.1 Cultural differences

According to the authors of the book “Language and learning”(2003): “Cultural may be described as the ideas, customs, skills, arts, and tools that characterise a given group of people in a given period of time Speaking

is a part of all this Cultural provides guidelines for behavior It establishes for each of us a context of cognitive and affective behaviour-ways of thinking, feelings, especially speaking.”

Each country has its own customs, culture and social rules It willstrongly affect on learners’ability and interest to speak in a foreign language.For instance, in some coutries, students are not active in studying English,especially in speaking They are not expected to speak until teachers ask them

to do This makes conversations hard to start smoothly Also, in somecultures, grammar and writing play important roles in exams Therefore,speaking becomes “bonus” lesson Another example, a speaker’s level ofeducation may affect the language, specific words and the level of formalitythey use

1.3.2 Personal differences

Learners’ability to learn a new language and succeed in speaking skillsalso depends on the type of learners we are For example, if speaker is a shyand introvert person, he tends to be afraid of speaking in front of the crowd.When he makes mistakes, he will be embarrassed and does not want tocontinue his speech This may affect the development of speaking skills later.While a speaker is ready to try anything new, he may have more opportunities

to develop his speaking skills Another example, did you already know how

to ride a bike the moment you were born? Of course not You had to study it(by yourself or someone teaching you how to do it), practice, fall down attimes and learn from your mistakes, until you finally got it right If you juststudied about how to ride a bike and did not even try it, would you learn? No

If you are a confident person, even you fall down many times, you still want

to study how to ride a bike until you get it Otherwise, if you are a timidperson, as soon as you fall down, you will give up Therefore, personaldifferences are also a remarkable issue affecting the speaking process

1.3.3 Vocabulary

According to Zimmerman’s point of view,is:

“Vocabualry is central to language and of critical importance to the typical language learner Lack of vocabulary knowledge will result in lack of meaningful combination.” (1997:5)

Similarly, Merriam – Webster Online Dictionary has another definitionabout vocabulary that:

“Vocabualry is a list of collection of words and phrases usually alphabetically arranged and explained or defined It is a sum or stock of words employed by a language, group, individual, or work or in a field of knowledge.”

Vocabulary is also an integral part in speaking process Vocabulary is the

body of words that make up a language, and the importance of vocabulary inspeaking skills cannot be overstated Learning vocabulary in English plays avital role in foundation of all training, and speaking is not exception Poorvocabulary makes communication ineffective It also reduces speaker’slistening due to the lack of exposure to a variety of vocabulary Dialoguesbecome boring because speaker just uses a few words several times This alsoleads to failing in communicating fluently in English language, which againleads to losing confidence and lack of motivation to speak.

In conclusion, to have the ability to speak well, enhancing vocabularybank is very necessary

1.3.4 Pronunciation

When speakers complain about difficulties in speaking skills, they areoften talking about pronunciation Hence, pronunciation also affects speakingprocess Derwing and Munro emphasize:

“Having a good pronunciation of the language can be help in normal communication, particularly intelligibility.”(2005)

“If learners do not have a stable pronunciation for a word, it cannot easily enter long-term memory because it cannot be held in the phonological loop”

(Singleton, 1999:148-151)

Pronunciation is usually the hardest obstacle which speakers have toovercome when trying speaking English fluently Many non-native speakersmay be good at grammar but they cannot speak English like native-speakerdue to their poor knowledge to pronounce the sound of words decently It’sextremely essential for speakers to know grammar and vocabulary well;however, those knowledge will become useless if speakers are unable topronoune the structures of words correctly During a conversation, native-speakers still understand what you say if you pronounce words correctly, even

though your grammatical knowledge is not good.

Briefly, pronunciation takes time but if you practice often you will soonimprove and be able to pronounce words naturally like native-speakers

1.3.5 Grammar accuracy

According to Tran Huu Manh and Nguyen Van Co (2000:1), “Grammar

is an indispensable and essential part of any language which any student and user should make a deep insight into.”

It is very important for speakers to focus on knowledge of grammar whenlearning English To speak English accurately means that speakers know how

to use correct grammatical structures to express exactly what they mean.Some words, phrases and structures can have different meanings in differentcontexts; therefore, speakers should pay special attention to the context andchoose the most approriate words, phrases and structures If speakers uselanguages inaccurately, this will lead to misunderstanding or crush thecommunication

In conclusion, grammar accuracy is an important factors affectingspeaking process Thus, speakers need to be good at grammar to use words,phrases and structures correctly

1.3.6 Fluency

Becoming a more fluent speaker of English is an important goal for themajority of English language learners If grammatical accuracy, culturaldifferences, personal differences, pronunciation and vocabulary contribute alot to speaking skill, being fluent in communication will make the speakersperfect

Fluency is the area of language ability which relates to the speed and easewith which a language learner performs in one of the four core language skills

of speaking, listening, reading and writing Although the concept of fluency

relates to all four language skills, it tends to be most closely associated withspeaking.

Speaking fluency is:

“The ability to link units of speech together with facility and without strain or inappropriate slowness or undue hesitation”

(Hedge 2000)

“The speech of non-fluent English learners tends to be characterized by

‘frequent pauses, repetitions and self-corrections”

1.4 Introduction of “skype”

Skype ( /skaip/ ) is a proprietary Voice over IP service and software application By the way, Voice over IP (VoIP, abbreviation of voice over Internet Protocol) commonly refers to the communication protocols,technologies, methodologies, and transmission techniques involved in thedelivery of voicecommunications and multimedia sessions over InternetProtocol(IP) networks, such as the Internet

“Skype” was created in 2003 by Estonian and Jaan Tallinn However, itwas bought by Microsoft in 2011 According to Telecompaper (2011),

“skype” has 663 million registered users The network is operated byMicrosoft, which has its “skype” division headquaters in Luxembourg

The service allows users to communicate with peers by voice using a

microphone, video by using a webcam, and instant messaging over theInternet Phone calls may be placed to recipients on the traditional telephonenetworks Calls to other users within the “skype” service are free of charge,while calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged via a debit-based user account system “Skype” has also become popular for itsadditional features, including file transfer and video conferencing.

Unlike most other VoIP services, “skype is a hybrid peer and client–server system It makes use of background processing oncomputers running “skype” software Skype's original proposed name (SkyPeer-to-Peer) reflects this fact

1.5 Summary of the chapter

In this chapter, a brief overview about speaking was presented

The first part is a review of definitions of speaking given by well-knownauthors It also comprised other relating criteria such as how importantspeaking skills are

The second part is focused on main factors affecting speaking skills,which provides some vital factors contributing to success of speaking

The third part is an introduction of software “skype” – to enhance Englishspeaking skills

Finally, the author of this thesis also expressed personal ideas aboutspeaking and its importance

The chapter is completed based on materials collected from documentslike books, magazines, internet and the previous graduation papers

CHAPTER II: USING “SKYPE” IN THE PROCESS OF

LEARNING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS

As we can see, software “skype” is available for many countries, learnerscan study a lot of languages, especially speaking skills via “skype” However,due to the limitation of time and the length of the thesis, the author just focus

on enhancing English speaking skills through “skype”

2.1 Features of “skype”

According to Voip.com.vn, “skype” has ten basic features:

2.1.1 Make calls

You can call using

• contact names (select the contact and click dial)

• the dial pad (dial a number using the softphone interface)

• received calls (select the contact who called and call back withautomatic dialing)

2.1.2 Receive calls

• Accept or reject a call

• View caller’s profile

• Accept or reject an authorization for another to see your profile

• Block calls from unknown or unwanted callers

2.1.3 Manage contacts

• Search for contacts (here is where you can meet people and make newfriends)

• View contacts and edit their profiles

• Start a conference call

• Add to participants to a conference call or remove them from it

• Start a video call

• Start a call within an IM (chat) session

• View call list

2.1.4 Voicemail

• record a personal greeting in your own voice

• send a voice message (to any person without ringing her)

• listen to voicemails that people have sent you

• delete voice mails from your inbox

2.1.5 Set your preferences

• Change your online status (say whether you are available or not, andhow)

• Set your privacy settings to specify who can and who can’t contact you

• Configure notifications specifying how you want Skype to notify youabout an event

• Configure sound and video alerts and other settings

• Configure your voicemail settings

• Create hotkeys (shortcuts for basic tasks)

2.1.6 Chat or use IM (Instant Messaging)

• Start a chat session, in private or with a group

• Respond to an instant message (which has been sent while you wereoffline)

• Start a new chat topic and invite people to it

• Bookmark a chat session (keep the session open and use it over a longperiod of time)

• View and clear your chat history

2.1.7 Share files

• Send one file or multiple files to an individual or a group

• Drag and drop files to contacts list

• Drag and drop files to a chat session (and it will be transferred to thepeople you are chatting with)

• Accept files from a person

• Block all file transfers

2.1.8 Manage your profile

• Manage your public profile

• Manage your private (hidden) profile (including your email address)

• Show your local time

• Add a picture to your profile (so others can link a face to a name)

• Create other Skype accounts

• Import contacts from other accounts

2.1.9 Manage your account

View account records (numbers called, financial transactions, downloads, freegifts etc.)

2.1.10 Configure your account settings

(See the e-mail address you registered; and change your password, registerede-mail address, and displayed currency format)

2.2 The benefits of learning English via “skype”

There are 5 basic benefits of learning English via “Skype”

2.2.1 The distance is endless when studying English speaking skills

Learning via “skype” means you can learn a language though you do nothave teachers locally where you live If you do not live in a big city that hasschools with English is a compulsory subject, it is will be difficult for you tofind an English teacher The other choice for learners is to go to big cities andtake an intensive course It will be an effective option but may be anexpensive one for many learners Hence, learning English through “skype”means you just need to turn on your computer and learn, regardless of whereyou live

2.2.2 Improve listening and speaking skills at the same time

“Skype” has two main features: voice chat and voice chat with video.When learning speaking English, learners should using voice chat with video.Whereas many people regard the face-to-face tuition as negative thing,actually it is very good for learners This builds confidence for both speakingand listening skills, and it stops the learners relying on body language – whichoften happens when trying to communicate face-to-face Of course, webcamcan be used too, if there are situations where this would be beneficial

2.2.3 Using the chat box to check spelling and emphasize other aspects

Learners can type directly into the chat box, therefore receivingimmediate feedback on their writing as well as on their speaking In “skype”,there are other features that can be used during a language lesson Bothlearner and tutor can use the chat box in “skype” in real-time, to check

spelling and to emphasize other aspects For instance, when you are listening

to the speakers and then, find you that there are some new words you do notknow, you can immediately type into the chatbox The speakers will sendback to you at the same time Moreover, learners can study more aboutgrammar through chat box It is very convenient

2.2.4 Transfering files, sharing screens/links and giving examples

Sitting in front of your computer means more flexibility The learners caninstantly transfer files or documents that can be useful in addition to thelesson material They also can share links and use images to exemplifymeanings and concepts A picture says more than 1,000 words, as the sayinggoes, and learners will find it highly effective to sometimes be able to quicklyfind a picture on the internet that illustrates exactly what they mean It alsoprovides the learners with a more varied learning experience “Skype” alsogives them an option to share their screen, which they use when they want toshow websites, or play around with grammar using Powerpoint, for example.This level of flexibility is not possible in face-to-face tuition

2.2.5 Saving time

Learners can save time and money while learning online through

“skype” Travelling cost is zero Travelling time is, if not completelyeliminated, minimized to however long it takes to turn the computer on, orwalk down the stairs to the office/kitchen/lounge, or wherever the computer islocated Maybe some learners are worrying about internet crashing and

“skype” is not connecting) But this situation happens very rarely Andnowadays, most people have powerful broadbands and internet connectionsare not as unreliable as they were 10 years ago

2.3 “Skype” – The useful tool for improving English speaking skills

As we can see above, “skype” is one of the most used software to connectand communicate with your friends, family and different people all around

world with many features Gradually, it has become one of the most importantsoftwares to improve one’s speaking skills by talking to different people Wecan study English by ourselves but how to speak and read? The use of

“skype” enables us to say those words which we can read and write in aproper way It enables us to have different friends from different parts ofworld or form a community of friends or people who try to interact together

to improve their speaking skills, to learn different accents by talking to eachother This part is going to explain why “skype” is the useful tool forimproving speaking skills

There is a speaking assessment criteria to scale, assess and improve aperson’s speaking skills A person can increase and assess the level of hisspeaking skill by looking at some basic parts of speaking We also can seehow useful “skype” help learners to enhance their speaking skills throughthese parts

• Pronunciation: This refers to the way each word is said or deliveredcorrectly and clearly By talking to our friends from different parts ofworld we can improve our pronunciation by asking them to speak thosewords of whose pronunciation we do not know and after their help wecan practice to say that word properly

• Vocabulary: This refers to the choice of words Vocabulary is veryimportant for speaking skills If we know a wide range of words we canspeak and verbalize our thoughts and ideas more clearly By talking todifferent people through “skype”, we are kind of accessing differentthesaurus because people from different parts in world have differentknow ledge so we can come to know a wide range of words whichenhances our vocabulary

• Stress and emphasis: This refers to how certain words and phrases aregiven emphasis, as well as the correct rise and fall of pitch Stress andintonation is a very important part of speaking skills For example: if

we tell someone that “Yes, I can do it” in a normal manner The personwill not believe us or he will have a doubt about us because I had noemotion and surety in my voice but on the other hand if I say the sameword by just putting more emphasis on the sentence the person will bemore likely to believe us Why? Because now we have emotion andstress in our sentence which shows our agreement to our sentence Also

if a person is delivering a speech and he just speak smoothly withoutany pauses and breaks and he has no rise and fall of voice people whoare listening to him will get bored and will not be able to concentrate

on what he is saying and will not understand him But proper use of riseand fall and pauses make a speech much more interesting makingpeople to concentrate on the words and they will easily understand it

We can practice to put emphasize and stress on words and also the riseand fall and pauses in our conversation by talking to friendsindividually or a group of people on “skype”

• Correctness: This refers to grammar, construction and syntax Theseaspects need to be correctly used; errors and mistakes can give anegative impression on the listeners and create confusion Correctness

is not so easy to attain, we need to constantly rehearse and practice ourconversation so we can not get wrong We can talk to people on

“skype” who will point out our mistakes and we can rehearse it to avoidmistakes in future

• Fluency: This refers to the ability to use the required language in amanner that is smooth and spontaneous Fluency in a language is noteasy to acquire we need to practice the language again and again to befluent “Skype” allows us to talk to our friends about our daily routine,life, school, study, culture etc By talking on these different aspects oflife we get fluent in speaking language in daily life matters and onoccasions

• Accent: Accent means the way to speak a language Different people indifferent countries have different accents Like in America, people havedifferent accent to say “Hello”, in Britain they say it differently and inAustralia they have some other accents to say the same word So byinteracting with these people through “skype”, we can imitate theiraccent Speaking properly in one accent is one of the most importantthings which by using “skype” can easily be attained.

• Meaning of words: When we are talking to people via “skype”, theyuse many different words which we do not understand So we can askthem the meaning of those words and now we know a new word whichincreases our vocabulary plus our speaking skills

• Formal and informal speaking: We must speak formally when we have

to talk to our boss, teacher etc And we can speak informally to ourfriends and family “Skype” allows us to practice formal and informalspeaking online by talking to people from different communities Likepeople working in organizations can help us improve our formalspeaking skills and other people can help us to speak informally

2.4 Summary of the chapter

In this chapter, the author presents an overview of “skype” such as itsbasic features, benefits in learning English, since then introduces “skype” as auseful tool to improve speaking skills Each part has been presented logicallybasing on the materials collected from other sources of documents like books,assignments and from the internet so as to cover all parts of the paper