The Dialogue Approach
To communicate rapidly and effectively in a foreign language

By Way Of Conclusion

As Jean-Claude Narcy reminds us, the student has four key thresholds to cross. They are, in chronological order, the psychological threshold (confidence in oneself), the listening threshold (understanding the message), the cultural threshold (interest in the “foreign” culture), and the linguistic threshold (think directly in the target language).

Dialogue’s way of promoting achievement, then of breaking rapidly through these four major barriers, has communication as its prime principle. Remember, however, that the Dialogue approach strives to be as natural as possible, in keeping always with the notion that it is always easier to prevent than to cure, to educate than to reeducate, and that it keeps, from the beginning, to the four key aspects. Learners get through the linguistic barrier only because of the preparation given them, from the first moments, by the trainers.

From the first session, the Dialogue trainer helps the learner attain his own true communications independence, a gift of linguistic ability that serves the student well in most real life situations. Also from the first session the instructor guides the student toward correct speaking, to think directly in the target language, and to use it as his own.