A model dialogue should do two jobs: present the target language in context and show how people really talk.
scripts/dialogue_check.py checks a draft for the target phrases, role balance, turn length for the level and
natural spoken features.
Trigger Conditions
Activate this skill when the user:
- Needs a dialogue for a functional language lesson (ordering, booking, complaining, inviting)
- Wants a script to record for a listening task
- Has a stiff coursebook dialogue to rewrite
- Needs role-play material derived from a model dialogue
Listening tasks on the recording: listening-task-builder. Role play activities: communicative-activity-generator.
Workflow
1. SITUATION -> place, speakers, relationship (register), each speaker's goal, a small complication
2. TARGET -> 3-6 phrases and where they naturally occur
3. DRAFT -> opening -> purpose -> complication -> resolution -> closing
4. NATURAL -> contractions, reactions, discourse markers for the level (references/natural-dialogue-features.md)
5. CHECK -> python scripts/dialogue_check.py dialogue.txt --level A2 --target "Can I have" "How much"
6. READ -> read aloud; cut anything nobody would say
7. EXPLOIT -> listening tasks, drills, disappearing dialogue, role cards (references/dialogue-exploitation.md)Review Codes (dialogue_check.py)
| Code | Severity | Problem |
|---|---|---|
| DC001 | high | Target phrase missing |
| DC002 | high | Fewer than two speakers |
| DC003 | medium | One speaker has over 65% of the words |
| DC004 | medium | Turn too long for the level |
| DC005 | low | Full forms with no contractions |
| DC006 | low | No reactions, fillers or discourse markers |
| DC007 | low | Too few or too many turns for the level |
Output Format
The dialogue in "Speaker: line" format with target phrases in bold, a one-line situation, then the
dialogue_check.py result and an exploitation plan (listening tasks, drill lines with stress marked,
practice steps, role cards for the freer stage).
Scripts
python scripts/dialogue_check.py dialogue.txt [--level A2] [--target "Can I have" "How much"]One turn per line as Name: text. Exit codes: 0 no high findings, 1 high findings, 2 read error.
Additional Resources
| File | Content |
|---|---|
| natural-dialogue-features.md | Spoken features by level, adjacency pairs, length by level, writing process, complications, register, representation |
| dialogue-exploitation.md | Lesson stages for a dialogue, disappearing and jumbled dialogues, role cards, recording tips |
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