This pocket-sized guide is designed to enable the learner to carry on simple conversations in Spanish. It is not intended to give a complete command of the Spanish language. The first section, "Useful Words and Phrases," includes these topics: Greetings and General Phrases, Location (e.g. Where is the restaurant?), Directions (e.g. to the right),…

The initial stage of second language learning usually aims to develop the ability to converse. This conversational ability is, however, rarely the ultimate object of second language instruction. The student may want access to the literature of the culture of the second language, or to get an education in it. For these reasons, interest shifts…

Transformational grammar is briefly defined in this paper, and some of the key literature on the subject is indicated. Examples of transformational operation on Spanish sentences are used to demonstrate how this approach makes the teaching-learning process easier and more efficient. (SS)

This is an analysis of the linguistic problems posed by vocabulary instruction in an introductory English course. Three criteria should govern any method chosen for the teaching of vocabulary in an introductory course in English as a second language: (1) semantic relations within the lexicon; (2) vocabulary progression independent of grammar and…

The study of foreign languages provides advantages both to the individual and to society. These include a perspective on one's native language, as well as the fostering of a facility for learning other languages, international understanding, and industrial prosperity. In addition, the study of language reveals the close interrelationship between…

One of the responsibilities of language teachers is to instruct their students on the use of the dictionary. Teachers should familiarize their students with the various kinds of dictionaries and their uses. Perhaps most important is encouraging the student to read the preface to the dictionary, which provides a description of the type of…

This article addresses the question, "Does the introduction of a language laboratory improve the functioning of a given teaching method?" Four experiments with the language laboratory are described and analyzed: the Keating and Lorge experiments in New York, the Jalling experiment in Sweden, and the Freedman experiment in Great Britain. These…

In order to learn to read successfully in a foreign language, students must first have well-developed auditory and visual skills. Students can be made to recognize the importance of attention to detail by means of frequent copying exercises. Translation must be avoided if real reading skills are to develop. The teacher should insist that the…

Foreign language enrollment at every level is dropping, and French courses in particular have felt the effects of this reduction. Teachers must begin to see the importance of considering the students' basic attitudes, and they must actively seek to get the students interested in learning a language. Success depends on the teacher's ability to…

In recent times there has been undue emphasis placed on the utilitarian byproducts of language study: the kinds of positions open for language majors, the practical purposes to which languages may be put, and job openings in the areas of translation, diplomacy, and commerce. These motives for the study of a language are commendable, but they do…

This paper describes how role-playing was used in a French culture and civilization class at Eastern Washington State College. The class was conducted entirely in French, and each class member read the same material for each day. L. Wylie's "Les Francais" was used as the class text, and "Comment vivent les Francais" by Girod and Grand-Clement was…

This paper discusses the ambiguous potential of teaching culture and civilization in the foreign language classroom and stresses the need for content, objectives, and methods to be more clearly defined than they have been to date. Particular reference is made to two articles on the subject of teaching culture. The first is John Troyanovich's…

This booklet describes the Urdu writing system, and is part of a series of teaching materials for teaching Urdu. A general introduction outlining the main characteristics of the system is followed by a presentation of the alphabet. Letters symbolizing the same sound are then discussed, followed by the vowels. Non-connectors, or letters not having…

This bibliography cites dictionaries and glossaries for learners of English as a foreign language. It also lists articles dealing with the making of English dictionaries. All entries are American or British, and most have been published since 1965. (CLK)

The Language by Radio Interest Group (LBRIG) Newsletter, volume 4, number 1, opens with an appeal to subscribers to contribute articles, reports, notes etc. The annual ACTFL workshop held on 29 Nov. 1975 is then described. It features a report by Dolores Zesiger, instructor in Spanish at Logan (Ohio) High School, on the interesting use of local…