Debating in English is a vital part of second-language acquisition. Not only does it help students with their speaking skills, but it also is an excellent way to prepare them to write opinionated essays. This article explores how educators can use "place mats" to organize a debate that gives each student the chance to speak, and then how…

Mindful of the fact that one of the most important ingredients in learning to write in a foreign language is motivation, the authors have experimented in their classes with a wide range of exercises from a very useful source: Gianni Rodari's "Grammatico della Fantasia: lntroduzione all'arte di inventare storie" (Torino: Piccola Biblioteca Einandi,…

Demonstrates some of the many ways in which a text can be used, not only as a basis for comprehension, but also for practicing grammatical structures, writing, and conversation skills. Such a variety of activities with one text can help to alleviate students' boredom. Sample texts are given. (Author/PJM)