Natural Conversations as a Model for Textbook Dialogue

This paper considers the relevance for TESOL classes (and, indirectly, for any second language classes) of several studies of natural conversations involving native speakers of American English in direction-giving and also in directive use in service encounters. The study demonstrates all direction-givers show overwhelming uniformity in the structure of their direction-giving turn. Also, natural direction-giving contains many other turns and parts outside of the request for directions and the actual directions. In addition, findings show such exchanges make cognitive and interactional demands on the direction-seeker not normally taught in TESOL textbook dialogues. The directive studies present empirical evidence on how the unmarked (expected) directive form in American English varies across situations. The paper argues that unless classroom materials contain the interactional and peripheral parts characteristic of real direction-giving, the learner will have little chance to develop selective listening skills. Also, unless classroom directive exercises pay attention to what form is unmarked for what situation, the learner may use syntactically well-formed directives in marked ways.