Based on interviews with teachers and students, the paper looks at some of the ways in which teachers' use of English as a medium of instruction sometimes frustrates the students' learning efforts instead of facilitating them. While options for change may include adopting mother tongue as an alternative medium, there are theoretical reasons for believing that it would not necessarily lead to a great improvement, since the problem is not just one of linguistic competence but has deeper roots in dominant modes of teacher-pupil communication. In addition, there are the wellknown practical difficulties with education through the mother tongue. The maintenance of English may be an easier option, with careful adoption of a bilingual-based, communication-oriented approach to instruction. To facilitate learners' comprehension and analysis of classroom talk, it is argued that teachers should be trained in two basic elements. They should have the skills necessary for supporting learning through an analytical understanding of language-related barriers. In addition, they should be fluent in the two critical skills of questioning and explaining.