This study reports 15 types of activities that EFL, linguistics and translation instructors at a sample of Saudi universities used in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples include searching for linguistic and translation key terms and concepts, problem-solving questions, online debates, summarizing a research paper, attending a…

This paper reports on a case study in the experimental use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) in intermediate level language instruction. The resources come from three sources: the instructor, the students, and open content repositories. The objective of this action research project was to provide student-centered learning materials, enhance…

Focuses on use of student-created visuals in ESL classroom to cue relevant conversation and writing, reinforce vocabulary, strengthen personal identity, and enhance classroom atmosphere. Offers rationale for using personal art experiences; gives criteria and examples of implementation. (Author/BK)

A comparison between the second language learner and the native language learner provides the primary argument for the importance of listening without having to produce a response immediately. The fact that children listen to their native language for at least 8 hours a day implies that students need to spend more time in listening activities. In…

Second language reading is a vital skill that aids the communication process. It provides language input and reinforces spoken language. Because the modern world is print-oriented, foreign language and English-as-a-Second-Language learners need to develop reading skills as rapidly as possible. Reading must be taught rather than acquired passively.…

Student-generated materials are a means by which students may be brought into the role of active participant in their own second language learning processes. To create their own materials, students can engage in the following types of activities: (1) performance, or those in which the student prepares and delivers a message to the group (e.g.,…

A classroom activity using passport forms that students fill out themselves by interviewing classmates is described. The passport lesson is structured to be self-contained, presenting all necessary structures and vocabulary for successful functioning within the unit. It may be used any time during the language program to reinforce an aspect of the…

A discussion of the use of readily-available consumer videotape recorders and recordings that second language students can either respond to or dub with their own soundtracks emphasizes the usefulness of authentic recordings not tailored for instructional use. The recordings either originate abroad or are produced by the students. The playback…

Where English as a Second Language is taught as part of the regular school curriculum, student motivation may be limited. One solution is to encourage involvement in learning by having students write their own tests. For classroom tests used in formative evaluation, this approach can be applied to both group and individual work. A unit from an…

One of a group of modular courses developed for a college-level program in English as a second language (ESL) is an intermediate level course designed to help students develop their knowledge of the world through language. The course, modeled on the popular game Trivial Pursuit, requires students to learn library skills and perform research on a…

An experiment in teaching French in Sweden was based on a version of a Council of Europe proposal for a core language curriculum consisting of basic needs for language functions, notions, topics, vocabulary, and grammar. The model targets a variety of learning and age levels, but the Swedish program concerned secondary level teaching of French as…

Language learning games are dynamic, provide a change of pace, can be played individually or in groups, and can be integrated into classroom learning activities. Game-production activities are initially teacher-centered; gradually, students can work in groups with the teacher as resource person. During production activities, the four language…

One teacher's experience using student-written texts as a basis for testing other students has become a good way of integrating the four language skills in a natural progression and in pinpointing students' language weaknesses. Using students' texts has also reinforced the importance of choosing visual materials carefully. (MSE)

After the passage of a resolution by the South Dakota Board of Regents to place greater emphasis on the study of foreign language, Northern State College introduced commercial video programs in Spanish for classroom use. After installing a parabolic antenna and the other necessary equipment, the department selected and edited a series of programs,…

A technique for teaching English to English majors in a Taiwan university involves students' oral production of descriptive stories to accompany a piece of classical or folk music. The project provides practice in preparing a report in English, practice in speaking before a group, sensitivity toward and ability to talk about aural stimuli, and…