Examination of the cultural content in grammar exercises in recent college-level Spanish textbooks suggests a trend toward integration of cultural content with grammar, in accordance with recent research on form-based practice within a communicative context. Teachers can supplement their texts' offerings by creating form-focused activities with…

Reports Chinese university students views on appropriateness and effectiveness of communicative and non-communicative activities in English-as-a-Foreign-Language courses. Results reveal students' perceptions sometimes surprised their teachers, and students' perceived difficulties caused by communicative language teaching had their source in…

While a great deal of information exists to help physical education teachers respond to the increasing cultural diversity in United States schools, these teachers have received little help regarding how to cope with linguistic diversity. It is the responsibility of all teachers not only to ensure that students who are English-language learners…

Set in the context of Hong Kong's school curriculum reform initiative, which centers on development and implementation of task-based instruction, a study examined: (1) what teachers of English as a Second Language understand about language learning and what decisions they make when preparing a classroom task; (2) to what extent elementary and…

Discussion of the role of pragmatics research in language teaching looks at the role such research should play in the language classroom, and the role of researcher, teacher, and teacher educator in making that connection. It is noted that pragmatics research has discovered a number of differences in the ways in which first- and second-language…

An approach to reading used with adult students of English as a second language (ESL) is described. The approach has three components: communicating to students the role of reading in second language development; introducing students to popular novels; and assisting students in developing high levels of reading efficacy. The method was used in a…

Although she is now teaching Spanish in a new school full time, Linda Smrokowski, spent 9 years teaching in a once-per-week second language program. Because many once- or twice-per-week programs still exist, she shares strategies for writing and implementing detailed lesson plans that worked for her while she was teaching in a once-per-week…

In providing listening instruction in English as a Second Language, it is important to know the learner's listening needs and to match them to instruction as closely as possible. Important needs to consider are survival, tourism, social interaction, academic, business, vocational, and pleasure. Also of critical importance is the knowledge of the…

Communicative competence has at least three components: grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, and strategic competence. Strategic competence is the knowledge of how to use one's language to communicate intended meaning. Foreign language students may develop competence in each of these three areas at different rates, but all are…

A five-year course sequence focusing on the relationship of language and culture in world history is described. The program, beginning in grade 3, prepares students for later study of foreign and classical languages, develops English language skills, and cultivates general cultural interest. At the first level, students are introduced to some…

"Skill-using" in second-language learning is often given less priority than "skill-getting" activities. The first and second year of language instruction should concentrate on longer and more varied sequences of tasks in which the learner is communicating and using "real" language. In addition, the learner's focus should be shifted from his errors…

A card game designed to accompany "Andere Lander, Andere Sitten," a self-instructional unit for second-year high school students of German, is presented. The object of the game is to go through, in the proper order, a day of eating meals while traveling in Germany. There are cards for each event. The rules of the game are presented, and the cards,…

A description of an exchange between an American high school German class and one in West Germany to explore and compare the interests of German and American teenagers. Items of interest to teenagers were exchanged. Various ways in which student motivation was increased are noted. (Author/AMH)

Various activities designed to motivate adult learners of English as a second language are described, including the use of jokes, nicknames, evening news, card games, and short stories. (HP)

Four short articles discuss how to transcribe voice messages quickly and easily, how to learn to debate, new French expressions and games for language students. (Text is in French.) (MLA)