Abstract:

These days, the importance of good spoken English is generally accepted. The language is used not only at international academic and business events, but also for everyday communication with foreign counterparts. Thus, university English teaching program includes teaching spoken English, but does not always succeed in achieving this aim because of lacking effectivity.

Many students come to university with rather superficial knowledge of English having in their heads a mixture of random words, phrases and odd lines from popular songs and films. Such students, “false beginners”, need quick systematizing of their knowledge and gaining speaking skills. This is easier said than done, as it takes overcoming various learning problems inherent in such students.

These problems include poor listening comprehension, ignorance of grammar and/or inability to use it; problems with vocabulary memorizing; inability to speak while having good reading and writing skills, fear of making mistakes and others.

In this paper, the authors analyze teaching methods that result in the above mentioned student’s problems and ways to overcome them proposed by some private English courses, with a view to apply some of these strategies in university teaching practice.

Keywords:

Methods, strategies, teaching, effective, spoken English.