What approach is most beneficial for developing verbal skills in ELL students?

The approach that focuses on practice through small group discussions and presentations is most beneficial for developing verbal skills in English Language Learners (ELL) students for several reasons. Engaging in small group discussions allows students to interact with their peers, which encourages communication, listening, and speaking in a more relaxed environment. This interaction fosters language acquisition as students receive immediate feedback from their peers, can clarify misunderstandings, and practice conversational skills in real-time.

Additionally, presentations promote language use in a structured format, pushing students to prepare and articulate their thoughts clearly. This process helps strengthen their vocabulary and improves their confidence in speaking. The social aspect of discussions and presentations is crucial in language development, as it provides a context where students can connect language learning to practical, everyday communication.

In contrast, long lectures can often lead to passive learning, where students might not have the opportunity to actively engage with the language being taught. Listening to podcasts and reading silently are also valuable activities, but they do not provide the same level of interactive practice that small group discussions and presentations do, which are essential for verbal skill enhancement.