PolyU Library
Journal Call no.L64.E45
AuthorSze, Paul.
Article TitleTeaching conversation in the second language classroom : problems and prospects / Paul Sze.
Is Part OfEducation journal ; v.23, no.2, Win 1995, p.229-250.
AbstractThe current skills orientation to second language teaching and communication activities employed in communicative approaches have increased the amount of speaking practice in the classroom. Yet, the level of conversational competence reached by most instructed second lanuguage learners is far from satisfactory. This paper draws on concepts from conversational analysis, classroom discourse, and communicative competence in arguing for a direct approach to the teaching of conversation skills. It shows that materials and classroom activities used in communicative language teaching often fail to address the interactional dimension of conversation. This paper suggests principles and activities for the development of conversational competence in the classroom.