[Mr. E English]

Both accuracy and fluency are important - it is not an either or choice.

Ultimately your learners will need to demonstrate both simultaneously in their language production - written and spoken.

But in the process of learning and becoming advanced users of English accuracy and fluency will take on differnent levels of importance at different stages of learning and according to the language point / activity purpose being taught.

Generally, your elementary students are going to need lots of accuracy work - they simply don't have a large enough knowledge of vocabulary or grammar to produce fluent spoken English. At intermediate level, when all the main grammatical tenses have been reviewed and learners have a reasonable knowledge of vocabulary, a focus on fluency of spoken speech becomes important. At an upper-advanced level often the focus comes back to accuracy - already the learners are fluent speakers, they just need to iron out their mistakes.

The accuracy / fluency question also depends on the purpose of the activity you are doing in the class. Controlled speaking practice such as drills and information exchanges are working on accuracy. Freer speaking production is working on fluency.