In the digital age, numerous technological tools are available to enhance educational practices. When used effectively, student engagement and mobile learning are significantly increased. "Social Media in Education: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice" contains a compendium of the latest academic material on the usage, strategies, and…

A review of pragmatic structures that are a part of second language learning is intended to provide insights for speech-language pathologists working with bilingual students in the schools. Among topics covered are conversational postulates, presuppositions, and performatives. Suggestions for helping the bilingual language learner are offered. (CL)

This paper describes a combining arrangement in which language learners work in teams and are forced to communicate with each other to obtain correct information to complete certain work. Active participation helps develop language and communication skills. Several variations on the technique are described. (CHK)

Starting with H.W. Seliger's distinction between second language learning strategies (abstract cognitive functions used to acquire knowledge) and learning tactics (activities learner uses to acquire language), presents the most important tactics and comments on which learner characteristics and teaching methods take advantage of them. Tactics…

A brief history of foreign language study in the U.S. is given and several popular language teaching theories described. Emphasizing the importance of learning communicative skills in the foreign language, various procedures for stimulating communication in the classroom are suggested. (CHK)

A report is made on the use of foreign language for spontaneous communication in an elementary language class. Four correction-free, peer communicative/interaction activities are outlined according to procedures, objectives, and evaluations. (Author/RM)

This article discusses nonverbal communication in its relation to teaching of foreign languages. Nonverbal communication is defined, evaluated, and discussed in terms of function, teacher personality, training techniques, and class arrangements. (CHK)

This paper describes a formal communication game which requires the students to process other players' utterances for implicit meaning before responding. The game can be adapted for content and difficulty level. Students choose between two alternatives on dimensions such as structure and style. Sample games are included. (SW)

Regular debating can be an effective way of improving the performance of ESL pupils and of assessing their language-learning propensities. It requires a lot of listening as well as speaking and generally seems to foster confidence in language use. The relationships set up in debating are pupil-pupil rather than pupil-teacher. (CFM)

Successful role playing results only from guided experience. The teacher must bring linguistic and extra-linguistic knowledge to deal with the social and personal situation. A series of speech activities is proposed, which approaches actual role playing progressively. Visual aids, pictures, learning cards, etc., are also discussed. (IFS/WGA)

A list of linguistics-related holdings in the Middlebury College (Vermont) library is presented as an example of a well-developed library collection for an undergraduate linguistics program. The materials are listed under 10 headings corresponding to the best-represented subareas in the collection: linguistics, semantics, grammar (comparative and…

This paper illustrates a method for teaching writing that focuses on both the grammatical and communicative aspects of writing. (CFM)

This curriculum unit focuses on the Aztec settlement in Mesoamerica comparing it with present-day Mexico. The unit is oriented to teach basic communicative skills to beginning English language learners in small groups of approximately five students. It helps Mexican Spanish-speaking students embrace their own culture and build on their prior…

Writing is an important part of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learning, though it is the least used of four language learning skills. It must be brought back to ESL classrooms to prepare students for the real world. Communication through computers will be an important skill for the future, with English an international language for computer…

Listening to native speakers' taped situational interchanges on a frequent basis from the onset of instruction offers numerous advantages to the language learner. Gives suggestions to the instructor on how to make, obtain, and use such tapes. (PMJ)