Iaterpretatioo / 163
Considering now the type of controlled oral practice that Is suggested to
Mozamblcan teachers for use In the classroom (see page 87 and 88), it
seems that the Dialogue Texts examined are as good as any other 'non-
genulne, text for the teacher to present, explain, apply and check the
comprehension of linguistic items, from phonology to syntax. The
methodology suggested includes standard language exercises to explore the
linguistic items introduced, like focusing on a particular structure and
using it in a variety of forms and in combination with different other
structures. This is expected to be done mainly by means of the teacher
nominating the pupil who would repeat, expand or apply the target
linguistic item contained in the teacher's utterance. In practice, because
of the large number of pupils (55 per class in average, see 3.2.3), chorus
repetitions of the teacher's sentences are the norm (see page 94).
The code-communication dilemma ('to what extent should Instruction be
directed at raising learners' consciousness about the formal properties of
the L2, as opposed to providing opportunities for them to engage in
natural communication?', Ellis,1985:243) is a key issue in language
pedagogy, but if no firm conclusion on the role and effectiveness of
formal instruction in its various forms is considered safe enough to be
drawn from research (Ellis, 1985), no firm criticism of the chorus
repetition as an effective method is possible either. Chorus drills are
perhaps an extreme form of non-engagement in communicative activity by
the learner, but even in individual or small group 'situational' drills,
the language used 'is not discourse: it is language put on display'
(Viddowson,19878:53).
A useful distinction is that between accuracy and fluency:
Ve need ... classroom activities for accuracy, and these will
relate to new input as specified by the syllabus, and we need
classroom activities for fluency, and these will relate to the
most effective language use possible with the systea which the
student currently operates. (Brumfit,1985.*68)
The study of discourse patterns in Ll is more likely to be relevant for
fluency work, and that is where the discussion will be focused. The
syllabus and the Teacher's Manuals examined in this study in fact make