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Chapter 20 - Developing Discussion Skills in the ESL Classroom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 November 2010

Jack C. Richards
Affiliation:
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Language Centre (RELC), Singapore
Willy A. Renandya
Affiliation:
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Language Centre (RELC), Singapore
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Summary

INTRODUCTION

Discussion skills are often undeveloped in the EFL/ESL classroom. A combination of potent inhibitors are responsible for this situation: large class size, students' level of proficiency and time constraints. As a result, many teachers never attempt discussions or, as a result of negative experiences, simply stop holding them. A solution adopted by many teachers involves the use of structured or guided discussions. These typically provide a framework within which learners are constrained to operate. Learners receive content input just before the discussion itself; they are then given roles to play, and follow predetermined steps through to the end of the discussion. Language prompts or appropriate wordings are usually provided. Finally, the teacher provides feedback on the whole performance. Examples of this approach, including some exceptionally good ones, are to be found in Alexander (1968), Wallace (1980), Hargreaves and Fletcher (1981), Heyworth (1984) and Ur (1981).

Although the guided approach provides some security for learners, and may help prevent communication breakdown, there is little direct learner involvement in the discussion process. Learners do not choose the topic, or decide on specific lines of enquiry to pursue; nor are they engaged in observing and evaluating their peers or themselves. The learner's perception may be that there is no real reason to participate actively in the discussion. As a result, learner cognitive engagement with the task, and motivation to develop the topic to any significant degree, are likely to be poor.

Type
Chapter
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Methodology in Language Teaching
An Anthology of Current Practice
, pp. 225 - 234
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2002

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References

Alexander, L. G. (1968). For and against. London: Longman
Buzan, T. (1974). Use your head. London: BBC
Buzan, T. (1988). Make the most of your mind. London: Pan
Buzan, T. (1989). Use your memory. London: BBC
Ellis, R. (1990). Instructed second language acquisition. Oxford: Blackwell
Green, C. F. (1993). Learner drives in second language acquisition. English Teaching Forum 31(1), 2–5, 11Google Scholar
Hargreaves, R., & Fletcher, M. (1981). Arguing and discussing. London: Evans
Haswell, R. (1993). Student self-evaluations and developmental change. In J. Macgregor (Ed.), Student self-evaluation: Fostering reflective learning. San Francisco: Jossey-BassCrossRef
Heyworth, F. (1984). Discussions: Advanced role play for EFL. London: Hodder and Stoughton
Krashen, S. D. (1981). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Oxford: Pergamon
Slimani, Y. (1992). Evaluating classroom interaction. In J. C. Alderson & A. Beretta (Eds.), Evaluating second language education. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressCrossRef
Ur, P. (1981). Discussions that work: Task-centered fluency practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Wallace, M. J. (1980). Study skills in English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

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