Critical Review on the Meaning, Purposes and Techniques of Integrative Language Skills Teaching Approach

In an age of globalization, the objectives of language skill learning and teaching is for meaningful communication and the development of learners‘communicative competence. Meaningful communication requires the integration of the various language skills. In the integrated language skills instruction, learners are exposed to authentic language and are involved in activities that are meaningful and interesting. The four macro English language skills are all an integral part of typical language proficiency and use. For example, by practicing conversational skills the learner can focus not only on speaking but also listening, in order to react and ask appropriate follow-up question. Skill integration also happens when students are involved in project work, which may well involve examining through reading, listening, speaking (e.g. in discussions or when giving a presentation to the audiences and writing to submitting a report. Thus, the four English skills should not be taught in isolation but integratively in the classroom through an integrated approach. An integrated language skills teaching approach is an approach whereby language skills are taught integratively. With this regard, the main objective of this article is to critically review the meaning, purposes and techniques of integrative language skills teaching approach. To achieve this objectives various, books, book chapters, guidelines, research findings and documents were critically reviewed and analyzed. Therefore, this article describes the features and problems of segregated approach to language teaching. Then, it explains the meaning and purpose of the integrative language skill teaching and historical background and current perspective of it. Finally, the article describes the methods and techniques of integrative language skills teaching approach. Keywords: Integrative, Language Skills, Teaching, Approach, methods, techniques, language teaching approach, learning DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/58-03 Publication date:July 31st 201