Teaching and learning conversational skills in the English speaking classroom

Abstract

Teaching and learning English in the Spanish educational system from a communicative perspective has been the object of study of numerous investigations. In this area of study, the teaching and learning of the speaking skill is considered essential in order to develop learner’s full communicative competence. However, little emphasis is placed on teaching this skill in the classroom and particularly conversational skills (Dörnyei and Thurrell, 1994). Given this need, this paper attempts to present a research-based pedagogical proposal that enables learners to tackle conversational difficulties in order to improve their speaking skill. With that aim in mind, the paper first outlines the advances that have been made in teaching and learning the skill of speaking over the last decades following Martínez-Flor et al. (2006). Then a description of the nature of speaking, its functions and the importance of addressing conversational skills in the classroom are provided. Finally, the pedagogical proposal that has been elaborated to teach conversational rules and strategies in instructed settings is presented.