Integrating Language Skills

“It’s like dividing water; it flows back together again.” p.225 Language skills, such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing all go together hand in hand. We know from Krashen’s stages of second language acquisition that the first skill to develop usually is listening, followed then by speaking, reading, and writing. However, they are all interwoven and interconnected. I had parent conferences last week and this was a fact I was relaying to parents. As their children progress in their reading we will probably see their writing improve as well. I explained it worked both ways. We also discussed their child’s abilities at the moment for speaking and listening in English and how these are also connected. As their listening improves, so will their speaking. I know there are still many institutes and schools that offer classes whose focus is on an isolated language skill, such as reading or listening. I understand their purpose but I don’t think it’s possible to isolate a language skill. They must be integrated. If you are working on listening skills, how would you assess comprehension without speaking or writing? Is it possible to isolate language skills? And if you do, is that going to be best for the student or is it all context dependant?