Talking Off the Tops of Their Heads.

Abstract

The problem of preparing students who can speak spontaneously in a foreign language is still far from solved. A new model of the processes to be considered in language learning is proposed which allots a full role to interaction (or skill-using) as an essential complement to skill-getting (cognition and production or pseudo-communication). Several recent proposals for communication drills are examined and found to be useful for preparing the student for spontaneous activity; they are still not yet examples of autonomous, student-originating interaction. It is proposed that, from an early stage of learning, situations should be devised in which the student is forced into use of the foreign language for the normal purposes of language. This type of activity is not intended as a replacement for the necessary skill-getting activities but as an essential complement to them with a full role in the program. Twelve categories of interaction activities are listed with suggestions for their implementation. There is a final discussion of the problem of correcting errors in such a way that the student's attitude of innovation and experimentation is not inhibited.