The Four Skills in Learning a Language

The four skills in learning a language : What is the main reason for learning a second, third, or fourth foreign language? Most people would say they want to speak or communicate in that language. However, the matter is more complex than it seems.
When learning a language, a learner needs to develop the four essential skills that are crucial for mastering the language. These skills are listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and they collectively contribute to a comprehensive understanding and proficiency in the language being studied.

As quoted from the English club website the four language skills are related to each other in two ways:

1. The direction of communication (in [reception] or out [production])
2. The method of communication (spoken or written)

According to them, the four language skills are sometimes called the “macro-skills”, the primary abilities that help develop language knowledge and competence. They are in contrast with the “micro-skills” which are small, specific abilities that are important for success in a role or task. The micro-skills in learning a language are grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

Listening Skills

Listening helps you improve your pronunciation, vocabulary, expressions, and comprehension. If you enroll in a course, your teacher will provide various listening practices and exercises to ensure you understand the conversations in recordings and can catch the words spoken by the speakers. To improve this skill, you can also practice at home through songs, movies, news, podcasts, etc.

Be active and creative.

Reading Skills

Reading enhances your pronunciation, comprehension, and vocabulary too. It enables you to grasp both simple and complex information from texts, articles, and stories of varying lengths, etc.

Writing Skills

According to the British Council website, writing practice is to help you write clear, well-structured texts about complex subjects including essays, proposals, articles, reports, reviews, and emails.

To effectively communicate in a foreign language, it's essential to master all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Even if you plan to use the language in a basic way, it's still important to learn and develop proficiency in each of these skills.