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Unit 12 Teaching Productive skills Speaking and writing are very different in many ways, but they are both used for the same purpose - to communicate. However, writing is the most neglected skill in the TEFL world, as many teachers don't like to see the classroom hours being devoted to 'quiet time'. Teachers must make sure that writing is not ignored and should be practised in the classroom environment under the teachers supervision. As, this will enable the students to gain more confidence with their writing skills and allows the teacher to aid her students writing by correcting or making positive comments to build the students' self-esteem. In many ways writing is the most difficult skill, requiring a greater deal of accuracy. Conversely, when speaking, any misunderstandings can be cleared up 'on the spot', whereas this is not possible with writing. Additionally, speaking also requires a greater degree of fluency as the speaker will rarely have time to think and plan an answer. Furthermore, there are many reasons why people communicate, which include the following: - They have some communicative purpose. - They want to say something. - They want to listen to something. - They are interested in what is being said. Another important point that needs to be clarified is the teacher wanting to create the need and desire, in the students to communicate. If these factors are not present, the activity will be unsuccessful that the teacher had not envisaged.