本书作者在国外学习深造时搜集了大量国外相关著述，结合中国情景下口语及其教学的研究，从语言学、教育学、心理学、应用语言学等角度，对英语口语的本质、影响口语能力发展的因素及口语活动的设计、评价等进行深入、系统、全面地探索，以期对国内的研究起到抛砖引玉的作用，对口语活动的设计及评价提供新的视角。值得一提的是，作者将诊断性评价、形成性评价及成就性评价引入英语口语能力的评价体系，改变了过去对口语能力单一、静态的评价方式，对不同阶段的口语发展起到了积极的导向作用。

Chapter 1 HISTORICAL REVIEW OF APPROACHES ASSOCIATED WITH ORAL ENGLISH TEACHING

1.1 Direct Method (1)

1.2 Oral Approach (4)

1.3 Audiolingual Method (7)

1.4 Communicative Approach ( 11 )

Chapter 2 UNDERSTANDING COLLOQUIAL ENGLISH

2.1 Nature of Speaking (14)

2.2 Reasons for Speaking (16)

2.3 Comparisons between Spoken and Written Language ( 18 )

2.4 Reasons for Teaching Speaking (27)

2.5 Colloquial English Competence (28)

Chapter 3 FACTORS INVOLVED IN SPEAKING ENGLISH COMPETENTLY

3.1 Characteristics of a Successful Speaking Activity  (31)

3.2 Error-correction (33)

3.3 Motivation (42)

3.4 Managing Interaction (74)

3.5 Communication Strategies (77)

3.6 Aural Medium (79)

3.7 Socio-cuhural Factors (80)

3.8 Affective Factors (82)

3.9 Classroom Atmosphere (83)

Chapter 4 PROBLEMS WITH COLLOQUIAL ENGLISH TEACHING AT PRESENT

4.1 Problems Exposed in Oral Test (92)

4.2 Problems with Speaking Activities (93)

4.3 Problems in Teaching Colloquial English (94)

Chapter 5 DESIGNING SPEAKING ACTIVITIES IN THE CLASSROOM

5.1 Selecting Spoken Texts (96)

5.2 Methodology in Teaching Colloquial English (104)

5.3 Types of Activities in English Speaking Classroom (153)

5.4 Encouraging Students to Speak English out of Class ( 171 )

Chapter 6 ASSESSING SPEAKING ACTIVITIES IN THE CLASSROOM

6.1 Diagnostic Assessment (192)

6.2 Formative Assessment (196)

6.3 Achievement and Summary Assessment (197)

6.4 Criterion-referenced and Norm-referenced Assessment (197)

6.5 Assessment Principles (199)

Chapter 7 FOCUSING ON FLUENCY OR ACCURACY

7.1 Scale of Oral Testing Criteria (202)

7.2 Developing Fluency or Accuracy (203)

7.3 Fluency-based Activities (206)

7.4 Accuracy-based Activities (220)

Abbreviations Used in This Book (225)

Bibliography (226)