This document discusses the differences between accuracy and fluency in language learning and teaching. It defines accuracy as the ability to produce grammatically correct sentences while fluency refers to the ease of producing spoken or written language. The amount of emphasis placed on accuracy versus fluency depends on the learning goals and needs of the students. The document also examines accuracy and fluency in the contexts of the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. It suggests incorporating both accuracy-focused and fluency-focused activities to develop students' language abilities in a balanced way.

1. 1. Accuracy and Fluency: Giving each its place JoAnn Miller, Editorial Macmillan [email_address]
www.efltasks.net
2. Fluency The ability to produce written and / or spoken language with ease Speak with a good but
not necessarily perfect command of intonation, vocabulary and grammar Communicate ideas
effectively Produce continuous speech without causing comprehension difficulties or a breakdown in
communication Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics
3. Accuracy Ability to produce grammatically correct sentences May not include the ability to speak
or write fluently. Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics
4. Self-Assessment The amount of emphasis you put on accuracy or fluency depends on your
students Tourism? Translation?
5. Four skills Reading Intensive vs. Extensive Listening Intensive vs. Extensive Writing Process vs. Free
Speaking Planned vs. Spontaneous
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7. Reading: Extensive Reading for overall understanding Longer piece of text Worry less about
individual words and sentences Get caught up in flow of ideas Jim Scrivener, Learning Teaching.
Heinemann, 1994, p. 152-3.
8. Reading: Intensive Short sections or sentences When we need to understand information in detail
9.
10. Listening Intensive vs. Extensive like in reading Intensive listening: Instructions Extensive
listening: A movie A conversation
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12. Process Writing Teacher doesn’t just assign a writing topic and receive the finished product for
correction with no intervention in the writing process itself. The process is as (or more) important
than the product Students plan, write, rewrite, edit individually and in groups with teacher
supervision Stanley, G. “Approaches to process writing”. Teaching English. British Council, BBC.
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/write/process_write.shtml
13. Freewriting Not just for brainstorming Practice for decreasing students’ inhibitions about writing
Allow them to increase written fluency Reassure students continually that whatever they write is OK
BUT must keep writing..write as much as possible Gretchen Jude (1999). Freewriting for fun and
fluency. http://langue.hyper.chubu.ac.jp/jalt/pub/tlt/99/jul/sh_jude.html
14. Now you try it…. Theme: The best class I ever had Rules: Don’t erase Don’t stop writing
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16. Speaking Fluency: “concerns the learner’s capacity to produce language in real time without
undue pausing or hesitation.” Accuracy: “how well language is produced in relation to the rule
system of the target language.” Peter Skehan, “Second language acquisition research and task-based

2. instruction”, Challenge and Change in Language Teaching, J. Willis and D. Willis, ed. Heinemann,
1996. P. 22.
17. Task-based methods Recommend fluency activities first Then follow up with accuracy activities
18. Accuracy in Tasks Whenever learners are involved in communication they are concerned with
accuracy… In spontaneous communication -- little time to reflect on the language they produce. If
given time to prepare, there will be more accuracy Dave Willis, “Accuracy, fluency and conformity”
Challenge and Change in Language Teaching, J. Willis and D. Willis, ed. Heinemann, 1996. P. 50.
19. Fluency in Tasks need opportunities to process language for communicative purposes as receivers
and producers. should be unfettered by the perceived need to conform to teacher expectations in
terms of the production of specific language forms. Dave Willis, “Accuracy, fluency and conformity”
Challenge and Change in Language Teaching, J. Willis and D. Willis, ed. Heinemann, 1996. P. 50
20.
21. The Task Cycle: Task (Fluency) Pairs or groups. use any language they have to express themselves
and say what they want to say. T walks around and monitors helps Ss formulate what they want to
say, but doesn’t correct errors in form Emphasis on spontaneous, exploratory talk and confidence
building in small group. Success helps Ss’ motivation.
22. The Task Cycle: Planning / Reporting (Accuracy) Planning Ss draft and rehearse what they want to
say or write. T helps advising Ss. Emphasis on clarity, organization and accuracy Reporting : T asks
some pairs to report briefly to whole class so everyone can compare findings--or begin a survey T
chairs, comments on content, rephrases but gives no public correction
23. Now you do it… In pairs, tell your partner about your worst teaching experience Now, write your
experience Change partners and tell the story again How did it change?
24. So, what to do in class… Reading: Encourage students to do free reading of longer passages
(fluency) as well as in class exercises (usually accuracy) Listening Encourage students to watch movies
and listen to songs in English (fluency) as well as class practices (accuracy)
25. Writing Include freewriting (fluency) daily or weekly for a few minutes Speaking Follow a task
cycle
26. Thank you very much…. JoAnn Miller [email_address] Handout available at: www.efltasks.net