Speaking...

One thing that has always puzzled me about teaching and learning a foreign language:

Why is speaking in a foreign language so scary?

Reading...a breeze
Writing....easy with direction
Listening....difficult but not terrifying

Speaking.....NO WAY - OH NO.....

Kids freeze up when I call on them. I tell them again and again that making mistakes is part of learning a new language. Yet, the fear continues.

Sometimes, I try to help them overcome their fears by making the speaking activities silly and fun. I've used tongue twisters, jokes, silly questions etc. . . I also do activities in which they come up with all the required speaking on their own. I often give them a scenario and they have to act it out in class or discuss it with a partner.

The short of it is this: Speaking = no man's land. Speaking = palms sweating, dry mouth, bad feeling in the pit of the stomach. Speaking = TERRIFYING

Nevertheless, I will continue to try to figure this one out!

Luego