Debate:Accuracy versus fluency

This is a Teflpedia debate page started by a teacher. Debate pages are used for discussing issues in English language teaching. Please be civil. No matter how much you may disagree with another user, please criticize what has been said and not the person saying it.

The ongoing debate between accuracy versus fluency in learning and using a language is one that affects both students and teachers. Where do you stand on this issue?

Put simply, students who need to speak in public, often reading aloud from texts or negotiating might need to concentrate more on the accuracy of their pronunciation, for instance, as opposed to those students who need to use English more on a one-to-one basis or possibly need English for their own interests, leisure activities, and so on, and may therefore prefer to aim for fluency. Issues such as when and how to correct mistakes may also need to be taken into acount.

Accuracy

Pros

• Many students have this as an objective.
• If a high level is actually achieved then student is happy and will progress.

Cons

• Student speaks more slowly.

Fluency

Pros

• In reality listeners will be more patient with a foreign speaker who speaks fluently but who makes mistakes than they will be with one who speaks perfectly but very slowly.

Cons

• Students may think that they can happily ignore rules. They may get away with this when speaking but will have problems when they need to write.

Your opinion

Obviously each have importance in differing situations. But which do you tend to concentrate on in class and why? Please sign your comments.

• I tend to concentrate on fluency. Most of my students have had grammar rammed down their throats since they were five and don't really have much stomach for much more of it. In my opinion it's far more important to teach them how to communicate.--Bob M 20:05, 7 May 2009 (UTC)

• Ditto. What I provide - and what the students request - is a "safe" setting and the opportunity to rehearse the kind of situations they come up against. Although they are invariably more or less expert in their respective professional areas, and can express themselves adequately in formal situations where accuracy is required, their biggest difficulty always seems to be the "small talk" associated with pre- or post meeting situations, etc. where fluency is more desirable.--Technopat 05:37, 8 May 2009 (UTC)