Step 6: Since it is possible for learners at different levels of proficiency to participate in these accuracy in usage games, teachers can choose one of the following two methods, whichever is more suitable for their particular classroom situations. For convenience, let's label them "Basic" and "Intermediate".

("Basic") For students belonging to this group, it might be best to begin by asking simple questions about the characters, action, or setting, such as "What does A want B (to do)?" or "Where is B?" When the students appear to have a good grasp of the situation, explain the meaning of the conversational expressions available in the Suggestion Key.

1. We need a ride. / I'll leave right now.
2.Can you give us a ride? / See you in ten minutes.
3. Can you pick us up? / I'm on my way.
4. Can you come pick us up?
/ I'll be there in about ten minutes.
5. Can you come and get us? / I'll be right there.
6. Can you pick us up at the station?
/ Sure(, I'll leave right away).
7. Can you come to the station and pick us up?
/ Sure (, I'll be there in about ten minutes).

It is possible to test students' grammatical competence by having them work in pairs and write conversational exchanges of their own. When they have completed this part of the activity, each pair of students should go to the board and write one set (no more!) of conversational exchanges. It is interesting to note that students seldom manage to come up with conventional language that a native speaker of American English would be likely to use, and herein is the value of the Suggestion Key. Non-American teachers who are teaching American conversational usage could use the key and audiotape as a standard to measure not only what students need to say in a particular situation, but also how to say it.

Next, the teacher should focus on mistakes related to grammar and meaning (e.g. are the conversational exchanges inside or outside the boundaries of the Communication Function?). When all the students have a list of the conversational exchanges from the key, in addition to the correct(ed?) version of their answers, they should go to the front of the class and read it in pairs. Always remind them to speak as naturally as possible and to maintain proper eye contact. The teacher should also correct any weakness in pronunciation and intonation and, of course, always remember to praise students who have made an effort or done well!

("Intermediate") At this level, too, students should be encouraged to make use of their knowledge of grammar in communicative language practice. However, at this stage we will also take a critical look at "(mis)usage". Students, as usual, participate in pairs but they have to speak first, and only then write their responses. Next, teachers could have each pair write one conversational exchange on the board, and then have students volunteer to correct them. Points should be given to any student who can correct a spelling, grammar, or usage mistake before giving them the answers from the Suggestion Key.

Finally, teachers should use each game as a "launching pad" for a short conversation. Ask students to choose any set of conversational expressions as a cue to begin their dialogues and be sure to applaud any pair who makes an effort or concludes a dialogue well. Players, in every possible way, should be encouraged to communicate and not to worry about making mistakes.
More than 90% of these games can be used to create mini-dialogues; it is, however, not always possible for conversational exchanges to be extended as when Character B is in agreement with Character A. In other instances, it might be more difficult to put together a dialogue than it is to come up with the language needed to express what students want to say. When a problem arises, I encourage my students to converse first in Japanese and then in English. Every teacher, however, will have to decide according to the classroom situation.

When I compared the abilities of the so-called basic and intermediate students to improvise conversations, there was an obvious discrepancy between the two in regard to fluency of speech. But, curiously enough, this was not the case with regard to accuracy of usage, especially colloquial and idiomatic usage.

As with any methodology there is an inevitable "tentativeness," which we need to come to terms with, since every method has its limitations in addition to the fact that we know so little about how learners' minds work (notwithstanding claims to the contrary). I am, however, aware of one thing: my students - so far at least! - have always appeared to be more than satisfied with this pic-word approach to learning a foreign language.