Since most class activities revolve around the utilization of textbook, selecting an appropriate basis for teaching is one of the most important decisions a teacher is liable to make in shaping the content and nature of teaching and learning. While the quality of textbooks has improved dramatically in recent years, the process of selecting an…

A major issue that continues to challenge language teachers is how to ensure that learners develop accuracy and complexity in their speaking, as well as fluency. Teachers know that too much corrective feedback (CF) can make learners reluctant to speak, while not enough may allow their errors to become entrenched. Furthermore, there is controversy…

The replacement of the grammatical syllabus with a communicative syllabus is discussed in terms of foreign language teaching practice. A syllabus is a device to assist in effective teaching and an administrative tool which involves generalizing about the nature of learning and specifies a progression to a stated set of goals. Developments in…

Describes a speech course conducted recently with a group of Chinese graduate students who have minimal experience with spoken English. The students were highly competent in their field of study--engineering--but displayed low oral proficiency in English. The course encourages repetition of utterances and focuses on voice quality and reduced forms…

This paper describes the method adopted in a short course to improve group interaction in the foreign language classroom by giving students the opportunity to engage in group interaction and in this way sensitizing them to group dynamics. It provides the outline and rationale of the course, a detailed description of one unit, and evaluation…