This chapter presented a general review of the literature that is related to the focus of
the current study. First, essential issues of the nature of speaking, including complexity,
70
accuracy, fluency and the distinction from the written language, were discussed. Next,
the various functions of speaking were described in more detail. Then, more insights
were presented, especially, with respect to the interaction skills. Speaking strategies
were provided, followed by a discussion of the conversational structure. Then, a range
of language teaching methodologies was presented, followed by a range of speaking
activities. Features of classroom discourse were also discussed in order to understand
communication in the second language classroom. Finally, the research questions of the
current study were outlined based on the theoretical conceptualisation of speaking
presented in this chapter and also based on the gap in the literature presented in Chapter