Chapter 8: The Four Pillars of Language Skills
📖 PSTET English Language - Paper I & II
🎯 Chapter Overview
Welcome to the heart of language pedagogy! Language skills are traditionally divided into four fundamental pillars: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. These are often grouped into receptive skills (listening and reading) through which we receive information, and productive skills (speaking and writing) through which we produce language . For a PSTET aspirant, understanding these skills—their nature, sub-skills, and how to develop them in the classroom—is essential.
In this comprehensive chapter, you will learn:
✅ Listening: Its role in language development, sub-skills, and engaging classroom activities
✅ Speaking: Language as a tool for communication, and activities to build oral fluency
✅ Reading: Key skills like skimming, scanning, intensive and extensive reading, and the reading process
✅ Writing: The journey from controlled writing to free expression, and the stages of the writing process
💡 Teacher's Note: In PSTET, you will be tested not just on defining these skills but on applying this knowledge to classroom situations. Think of yourself as a teacher while you study this chapter—every concept has a practical implication for your future students.
👂 8.1 Listening: The Role of Listening in Language Development
🔑 The Importance of Listening
Listening is a receptive skill—it is the method by which we receive information . It is the first language skill that humans develop. A baby listens to voices and sounds for months before speaking their first word. In the classroom, listening serves as the primary channel through which students absorb new language input.
Why Listening Matters in Language Development
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Foundation for Speaking | Children learn to pronounce words correctly by first hearing them |
| Comprehension Basis | Understanding spoken language is the first step to overall comprehension |
| Vocabulary Acquisition | New words are often learned first through listening |
| Grammar Internalization | Sentence patterns are absorbed subconsciously through exposure |
| Social Integration | Listening enables participation in classroom interactions |
📌 PSTET Key Point: Listening skills do not require learners to produce any language, only to receive it. They also involve understanding non-verbal communication such as body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions .
🎯 Sub-Skills of Listening
Effective listening is not a single skill but a combination of several sub-skills. Good listeners can switch between these depending on their purpose.
| Sub-Skill | Definition | Classroom Example |
|---|---|---|
| Listening for Gist | Understanding the overall idea without focusing on details | Students listen to a story and answer "What was the story about?" |
| Listening for Specific Information | Focusing on particular details like names, dates, or numbers | Students listen to an announcement and note the time and venue |
| Inferential Listening | Reading between the lines to understand implied meaning | Students listen to a dialogue and decide how the speakers feel |
| Predictive Listening | Anticipating what will come next based on context | Teacher pauses an audio and asks "What do you think will happen next?" |
| Critical Listening | Evaluating what is heard for logic, bias, or opinion | Students listen to an advertisement and identify persuasive language |
🏫 Classroom Activities for Developing Listening Skills
Activity 1: Listen and Do (Total Physical Response)
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop listening for specific instructions |
| Procedure | Teacher gives commands; students perform actions |
| Example | "Touch your nose," "Point to the door," "Stand up and clap twice" |
| Variation | Simon Says game |
Activity 2: Story Retelling
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop listening for gist and main ideas |
| Procedure | Teacher tells a short story; students retell it in their own words |
| Example | The teacher narrates a fable; students summarize the plot |
| Variation | Students draw pictures based on the story they heard |
Activity 3: Information Gap
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop listening for specific information |
| Procedure | Students work in pairs with different information; they must listen to complete their task |
| Example | Student A has a map with some locations marked; Student B gives directions to find a place |
Activity 4: Spot the Mistake
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop careful, attentive listening |
| Procedure | Teacher reads a familiar story but changes some details; students identify the changes |
| Example | In "The Three Little Pigs," teacher says "straw house" correctly but says "wooden house" instead of "stick house" |
Activity 5: Listen and Draw
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop listening for descriptive details |
| Procedure | Teacher describes a scene or object; students draw what they hear |
| Example | "Draw a big tree on the left side. Draw a small house under the tree. Draw a sun in the top right corner." |
📋 Stages of a Listening Lesson
An effective listening lesson follows a three-stage structure:
| Stage | Purpose | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Listening | Activate prior knowledge, predict content, set context | Discussion of topic, prediction from pictures/vocabulary, setting listening task |
| While-Listening | Understand the content, complete specific tasks | Answering questions, filling in blanks, sequencing pictures, noting specific information |
| Post-Listening | Consolidate learning, integrate with other skills | Discussion, role-play, writing tasks, summarizing |
🗣️ 8.2 Speaking: The Function of Language as a Tool for Communication
🔑 The Nature of Speaking
Speaking is a productive skill. Unlike listening and reading, which are receptive, speaking requires learners to actively produce language. It is the primary tool for oral communication and serves multiple functions in human interaction.
Functions of Language as a Communication Tool
| Function | Description | Classroom Example |
|---|---|---|
| Informative | Sharing information or ideas | A student reports on a project |
| Interpersonal | Building and maintaining relationships | Greetings, small talk, expressing feelings |
| Regulatory | Influencing others' behavior | Giving instructions, making requests |
| Heuristic | Learning through exploration | Asking questions, seeking clarification |
| Imaginative | Creative expression | Storytelling, role-play, drama |
💡 Teacher's Note: When children enter your classroom, they already use their mother tongue fluently for all these functions. Your task is to help them develop the same functional ability in English.
🎯 Sub-Skills of Speaking
Effective speaking involves more than just vocabulary and grammar. Consider these sub-skills:
| Sub-Skill | What It Involves |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | Producing sounds correctly, using appropriate intonation and stress |
| Fluency | Speaking smoothly without unnatural pauses |
| Accuracy | Using correct grammar and vocabulary |
| Interactive Communication | Turn-taking, responding appropriately, initiating conversation |
| Coherence | Organizing ideas logically so listeners can follow |
| Paralinguistics | Using body language, gestures, and facial expressions to support meaning |
🏫 Activities to Develop Oral Fluency
Activity 1: Show and Tell
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop sustained speaking and descriptive skills |
| Procedure | Students bring an object from home and describe it to the class |
| Example | A student brings a favorite toy and explains why they like it |
| Variation | Students talk about a photograph or a drawing |
Activity 2: Role-Play
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Practice real-life communication in a safe environment |
| Procedure | Students act out situations using appropriate language |
| Example | Shopping at a store, ordering food at a restaurant, visiting a doctor |
| Benefits | Builds confidence, practices functional language |
Activity 3: Information Gap Activities
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Create genuine need for communication |
| Procedure | Pairs have different information; they must talk to complete their task |
| Example | Student A has a completed timetable; Student B has a blank timetable and must ask questions to fill it in |
Activity 4: Discussions and Debates
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop ability to express and justify opinions |
| Procedure | Students discuss a topic in small groups or debate opposing views |
| Example | "Should homework be given every day?" Students argue for or against |
| Note | Suitable for upper primary; provide language support frames |
Activity 5: Storytelling Circles
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop narrative skills and creativity |
| Procedure | One student starts a story; others add sentences in turn |
| Example | "Once upon a time..." → "There was a little girl named Priya..." → "She lived in a small village..." |
Activity 6: Picture Description
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Build descriptive vocabulary and sentence formation |
| Procedure | Students describe a picture to a partner who cannot see it |
| Example | "In my picture, there is a big tree. Under the tree, a boy is reading a book." |
🗣️ Balancing Fluency and Accuracy
A key decision in teaching speaking is when to focus on fluency (smooth, confident communication) and when to focus on accuracy (correct grammar and pronunciation).
| Aspect | Fluency-Focused Activities | Accuracy-Focused Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Free communication, building confidence | Correct use of specific language items |
| Error Treatment | Minimal interruption; note errors for later | Immediate correction and practice |
| Examples | Discussions, role-plays, storytelling | Drills, pronunciation practice, grammar games |
| Teacher Role | Facilitator, observer | Model, corrector, guide |
✅ PSTET Insight: The syllabus emphasizes language as a tool for communication. Remember that the ultimate goal is enabling students to use English for real purposes, not just to recite rules.
📖 8.3 Reading: Skills and the Reading Process
🔑 What is Reading?
Reading is a receptive skill through which we receive written information . It is a complex cognitive process involving decoding symbols, understanding meaning, and connecting it to prior knowledge.
📚 Types of Reading
Based on purpose and approach, reading can be classified into four main types :
1. Skimming
2. Scanning
3. Intensive Reading
4. Extensive Reading
📊 Comparison of Reading Types
| Aspect | Skimming | Scanning | Intensive | Extensive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Get main idea | Find specific info | Deep understanding | Pleasure, general understanding |
| Speed | Very fast | Fast | Slow | Comfortable |
| Coverage | Entire text quickly | Selective | Limited text | Longer texts |
| Focus | Overall meaning | Keywords/details | Language and meaning | Content and enjoyment |
| Classroom Use | Pre-reading | Research tasks | Textbook lessons | Library reading |
🔍 The Reading Process
Reading is not a single act but a process involving several stages:
| Stage | What Happens | Teacher's Role |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Reading | Activate prior knowledge; predict content; set purpose | Discuss topic; show pictures; pre-teach key vocabulary |
| While-Reading | Read using appropriate strategies; comprehend; complete tasks | Guide strategy use; provide comprehension questions |
| Post-Reading | Consolidate; connect to other skills; respond | Discussion; writing tasks; extension activities |
🧩 Reading Sub-Skills
Effective readers use multiple sub-skills, often simultaneously :
🏫 Classroom Activities for Reading Skills
Activity 1: Skimming Practice
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Give students a short time (1-2 minutes) to get the main idea of a text |
| Task | "Read this quickly and tell me what it's about in one sentence." |
| Text Type | Newspaper articles, short stories, textbook sections |
Activity 2: Scanning Race
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Give students a list of questions requiring specific information; the first to find all answers wins |
| Task | "Find: What time does the train leave? How much is the ticket? Which platform?" |
| Text Type | Timetables, menus, advertisements, class schedules |
Activity 3: Jigsaw Reading
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Different groups read different parts of a text; they share information to complete a task |
| Task | Each group becomes "expert" on their section; then regroup to share |
| Benefits | Promotes cooperative learning; creates authentic information gap |
Activity 4: Directed Reading-Thinking Activity
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Teacher stops at key points and asks students to predict what comes next |
| Task | "What do you think will happen now? Why do you think so?" |
| Benefits | Develops prediction and inference skills; keeps students engaged |
Activity 5: Reading for Details
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Students read intensively to answer detailed comprehension questions |
| Task | Answer multiple-choice questions; complete a table; sequence events |
| Focus | Accurate understanding, careful reading |
📌 Important Quotations for PSTET
✍️ 8.4 Writing: From Controlled Writing to Free Expression
🔑 The Nature of Writing
Writing is a productive skill—it requires learners to produce language in written form. Unlike speaking, writing is permanent and can be revised. It is also more formal and requires greater attention to accuracy.
📊 Stages of Writing Development
Writing ability develops gradually. In the primary classroom, students move through these stages:
| Stage | Description | Classroom Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Writing | Students are not yet writing independently | Tracing letters, copying words, labelling pictures |
| Controlled Writing | Students write within strict limits | Fill-in-the-blanks, completing sentences, guided paragraphs |
| Guided Writing | Students have some freedom within a framework | Paragraph frames, model-based writing, parallel writing |
| Free Writing | Students write independently for real purposes | Stories, letters, journals, creative writing |
📝 From Controlled to Free Expression: A Progression
Level 1: Controlled Writing Activities
At this level, students focus on accuracy. There is little room for error.
| Activity Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Copying | Copy words, sentences, or short paragraphs from the board |
| Dictation | Teacher reads; students write exactly what they hear |
| Fill in the Blanks | "I ___ to school every day." (go/goes) |
| Sentence Completion | "My favorite color is ___." |
| Substitution Tables | Students create sentences by choosing from columns |
Level 2: Guided Writing Activities
Students work within a framework but have some choices.
| Activity Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Paragraph Frames | "My name is ___. I am ___ years old. I live in ___. My favorite subject is ___." |
| Model-Based Writing | After reading a simple description, students write a similar one about themselves |
| Parallel Writing | Students follow the structure of a model but change key elements |
| Picture-Based Writing | Students write sentences describing a picture |
Level 3: Free Writing Activities
Students write independently for authentic purposes.
| Activity Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Diary/Journal Writing | Students write about their day, their feelings, their experiences |
| Letter Writing | Write a letter to a friend, family member, or fictional character |
| Story Writing | Create original stories with characters, setting, and plot |
| Descriptive Writing | Describe a person, place, or object in detail |
| Persuasive Writing | Write a paragraph convincing someone to agree with an opinion |
📋 The Writing Process
Effective writing is not a single act but a process involving several stages. Good writers move back and forth between these stages.
| Stage | What Happens | Teacher's Role |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Writing / Brainstorming | Generating ideas, planning content | Provide prompts, group discussion, mind maps, word banks |
| Drafting | Writing a first version focusing on ideas, not perfection | Encourage getting ideas down; don't focus on errors yet |
| Revising | Improving content, organization, clarity | Peer feedback, checklists, teacher conferences |
| Editing | Correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation | Mini-lessons on common errors, editing checklists |
| Publishing | Sharing the final product | Class books, display on bulletin board, reading aloud |
✅ PSTET Key Point: The stages of the writing process, in order, are: Brainstorming → Drafting → Revising → Editing → Publishing
🏫 Classroom Activities for Writing Skills
Activity 1: Guided Paragraph Writing
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Develop ability to write organized paragraphs |
| Procedure | Provide a topic sentence and supporting questions |
| Example | "My Favorite Game" → What is it? How do you play it? Why do you like it? |
Activity 2: Picture Composition
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Stimulate ideas through visual input |
| Procedure | Show a picture; students write sentences or a paragraph about it |
| Variation | Sequence of pictures for story writing |
Activity 3: Dialogue Writing
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Practice conversational language in written form |
| Procedure | Students write conversations between two characters in a given situation |
| Example | "Write a conversation between a shopkeeper and a customer buying a pencil." |
Activity 4: Process Writing Workshop
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Guide students through all stages of the writing process |
| Procedure | Day 1: Brainstorm; Day 2: Draft; Day 3: Revise (peer feedback); Day 4: Edit; Day 5: Publish |
| Benefits | Students learn that good writing takes time and multiple drafts |
Activity 5: Creative Writing Prompts
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Stimulate imagination and free expression |
| Procedure | Provide engaging prompts to spark ideas |
| Examples | "If I could fly...", "The day my pencil talked...", "If animals could talk..." |
📝 Chapter Summary: Quick Reference Guide
🔑 Key Terms for PSTET
📊 The Four Pillars at a Glance
| Skill | Type | Sub-Skills | Classroom Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 👂 Listening | Receptive | Gist, specific info, inference, prediction, critical | TPR, story retelling, information gap, spot the mistake |
| 🗣️ Speaking | Productive | Pronunciation, fluency, accuracy, interaction | Role-play, show and tell, discussions, storytelling |
| 📖 Reading | Receptive | Skimming, scanning, intensive, extensive | Jigsaw reading, scanning race, DR-TA |
| ✍️ Writing | Productive | Controlled, guided, free | Paragraph frames, process writing, creative prompts |
📚 Practice Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Reading quickly to understand the overall idea of a text is known as:
a) Scanning
b) Skimming
c) Intensive reading
d) Extensive reading
Q2. Which of the following is a receptive skill?
a) Speaking
b) Writing
c) Listening
d) All of the above
Q3. "Reading aloud is barking at print" was said by:
a) Krashen
b) Piaget
c) Ballard
d) Vygotsky
Q4. The correct order of the writing process is:
a) Drafting → Brainstorming → Revising → Editing → Publishing
b) Brainstorming → Drafting → Revising → Editing → Publishing
c) Brainstorming → Drafting → Editing → Revising → Publishing
d) Drafting → Brainstorming → Editing → Revising → Publishing
Answer: b) Brainstorming → Drafting → Revising → Editing → Publishing
Q5. A teacher asks students to look at a train timetable and find the departure time for a specific train. This is an example of:
a) Skimming
b) Scanning
c) Intensive reading
d) Extensive reading
Short Answer Questions
Q6. Differentiate between intensive and extensive reading with suitable examples.
Suggested answer: Intensive reading involves reading short texts carefully for detailed understanding, such as studying a textbook chapter to answer comprehension questions. Extensive reading involves reading longer texts for pleasure and general understanding, such as reading a storybook for enjoyment. Intensive reading focuses on accuracy and language learning, while extensive reading focuses on fluency and overall meaning .
Q7. Why is listening considered a foundation for other language skills?
Suggested answer: Listening is the first skill developed naturally. It provides input that learners need to acquire vocabulary, pronunciation, and sentence patterns. Without listening, speaking cannot develop properly, and reading comprehension is also affected because internalized sound patterns help with decoding written words.
🌟 Final Words of Encouragement
Dear future teacher,
The four pillars of language skills are not separate compartments—they support each other. Listening provides the input that feeds speaking. Reading provides models for writing. In your classroom, integrate these skills as they are integrated in real life.
Remember these key principles:
✅ Receptive skills (listening and reading) come before productive skills (speaking and writing)
✅ Variety of activities keeps students engaged and develops different sub-skills
✅ Purpose matters—teach students why they are using each skill
✅ Process over product—especially in writing, how students get there matters
Your success mantra:
"I develop listeners who become speakers, readers who become writers. I teach skills, not just content."
📖 Preview of Chapter 9
In Chapter 9, we'll explore The Grammar Debate—a critical examination of the role of grammar in language learning. Should we teach grammar explicitly? How can grammar support communication? These questions and more await you.
