https://www.teachingenglish.org.

uk/article/discrete-item

In the classroom

 A discrete item approach to teaching language isolates the language and enables
teachers and learners to focus on the item itself.

It is useful to practise sounds as discrete items, then in words and connected

speech. Discrete items often appear in testing, where there is a need to focus on
knowledge of specific items. Discrete teaching of skills can be beneficial in
certain classroom contexts. In case of discrete teaching of skills the learners
have the opportunity to learn the skills thoroughly in an isolated manner. Here,
they progress in each skill individually. This is supported by Hinkel (2010) as he
points out that, teaching discrete language skills on class allows more focused
teaching and more intensive learning. In some cases, using multiple skills at a
time can be confusing for the learners; especially if they lack somewhat
proficiency on the language skills. The learner will struggle a lot if they are face
with complex task including a lot of skills which may demotivate them. Here,
Richards (2005) explains that, “teaching of grammar and vocabulary, as well as
accuracy in learner language production, may receive less emphasis” in
integrated skills class room setting, as a result learners' productive language
lacked accuracy and sociocultural appropriateness (as cited in Hinkel, 2010).

Hinkel, E. (2010). Integrating the Four Skills: Current and Historical Perspective. The
Oxford Handbook of Applied Linguistics. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Richards, J.C. & Schmidt, R. (2002). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and
Applied Linguistics (3rd Ed.). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Edwards, F. 2006. Reflective Teaching Practices: An Approach to Teaching

Communication Skills in a Small-Group Setting. Association of American Medical
Colleges

 lthough, discrete skills approach can teach the learners the language skills in
an orderly manner, but integrating them allows them to use these skills
simultaneously during communication.

 the segregated approach focuses on form, mastery of language, accuracy.

  Discrete skills approach is teacher centered as the teacher sets the tasks and
activities.

The skills presented in the DSI make lesson planning easier for teachers. Using the
Discrete skills inventory DSI, teachers can fashion lesson plans and implement
classroom activities that provide their students with an understanding of the parts of
speech, how they combine to form phrases and sentences, and the overarching
structure of the English language. The discrete teaching skills we observed included a
variety of established practices, such as goal setting, eliciting and giving feedback. In
addition to these basic teaching skills, our analysis identified a set of teaching practices
that provide a reflective, process-oriented framework to extend these skills for small-
group teaching: identifying a “learning edge,” proposing and testing hypotheses, and
calibrating learners’ self-assessments. These teaching practices were used by faculty
throughout their teaching sessions, including while setting up, conducting, and
wrapping up the skill practice sessions.

 Generally speaking, the design of discrete-point tests (also called discrete item tests)
assumes that language proficiency and its measurements encompass an array of
components, such as speaking, listening, reading, and writing and their smaller
increments -- e.g., the sound system, vocabulary, clause- and phrase-level grammar, or

 morphology (word forms and word grammar) (see, e.g., Bachman, 1990; Bachman &
Palmer, 1996; Brindley, 2001; for earlier discussions, see Jones & Spolsky, 1975; Harris,
1969; Lado, 1961; NEC, 1962; Oller & Perkins, 1978; Valette, 1977). These incremental
units of language -- i.e., the discrete points -- have been the backbone of language testing
for the more than a century in practically all regions of the world.