ABSTRACT
Students learn through talking (Britton, 1990; Gambrell & Almassi, 1996; Goldenberg, 1992–1993; Palinscar, 1986; Rubin, 1990; Swain, 1994; Vygotsky, 1986; Wells, 1990) and there is a documented need for more student talk in the classroom (Ernst, 1994; Johnson, 1995; Nystrand & Gamoran, 1991; Smagorinsky & Fly, 1993). Furthermore, the importance of student talk in the target language has been increasingly recognized in second language learning (Lantolf, 1994; Pica, 1987, 1991, 1994; Platt & Brooks, 1994; Swain, 1994). Through talk we learn not only the structural components of a language but also the communicative application of them. Swain (1994) proposed three functions of talk that promote second language learning: noticing of structural characteristics, practice in using them, and opportunities to reflect on them. However, not all talk exploits these potential functions.
