The value of discussion in the teaching of English as a foreign language

Abstract

Few teachers of English as a foreign language will gainsay the value of discussion sessions as a means of enabling students to attain fluency of expression. The role of the tutor, however, in such an activity tends to be misunderstood and very often abused. This paper is an attempt to define and determine the teacher's role in conducting discussion sessions with groups of advanced students of English who are normally conversant with the language and wish to achieve a high degree of fluency. The discussion session tends to be used as a soft option where the tutor can safely depart from the rigorous demands of a language lesson and ease the pressure a little by withdrawing to the background and allowing the students to engage in a free-for-all debate on a controversial topic of his choice. This line of procedure tends to find support among teachers who would argue that the inhibiting presence of the teacher is eliminated and the students are thus free to give vent to their feelings. They would further argue, with some justification, that such discussions enable the students to establish a kind of camaraderie through the medium of argument for it is here that students of various nationalities are given the opportunity of 'tuning in'.