What are the 4 skills of learning a language?

Listening, speaking, reading, and writing — the core language competencies every learner develops. Teaching language skills involves developing learners’ ability in the four core areas of communication: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In a primary school setting, this means designing lessons and activities that build these skills in a balanced, age-appropriate way. Effective language teaching includes phonics for sound awareness, speaking tasks for confidence, reading for comprehension, and writing to reinforce vocabulary and grammar. Teachers often use a range of strategies—such as scaffolding, visual aids, repetition, and games—to help pupils progress across all skill areas while keeping lessons engaging and accessible.