Research Forum: The Need to Teach Communication Strategies in the Foreign Language Classroom

Page No.: 
100
Writer(s): 
George Russell, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu; Lester Loschky, Nanzan University, Nagoya

In this article we argue for the need for instruction in lexical communication
strategies in foreign language classes. After comparing opposing views on
communication strategies and instruction, we recommend instruction in secondlanguage-
based lexical communication strategies ("recommended strategies")
for students who do not use them. We then report a study about the manner in
which our first year Japanese university students of English as a foreign language
conceptualized their communicative options in two situations in which they
lacked specific vocabulary. Since results suggest that many of our students think
of using first-language-based or non-linguistic strategies, we argue that these
students would benefit from instruction in the use of second-language-based
strategies.

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