Suggests that while slavish, excessive memorization is a habit that hinders the development of critical skills while stifling originality and precision, in certain cases the best approach is to accept the memorization habit partially, in order to exploit it for its own eventual elimination. Capitalizing on students' intellectual curiosity…

Mnemonic techniques for teaching French verbs and their corresponding prepositions to native English speakers are presented. The devices are outlined by category of verb and preposition. Then specific techniques for presentation, memorization, and further uses are described. (Contains six references.) (MSE)

Describes a continuum of types of drama activities to be used in second language learning. Activities near the top end of the continuum are more suitable for teaching the forms of the target language; activities near the bottom end are more suitable for teaching the functions of the language. (SED)

A variety of games for beginning second language learners are described. The games are designed to develop the student's confidence in communicating in the target language and to help establish his interlanguage. They include: a bilingual guessing game, to be played by a learner and a native speaker; a game to match words, pictures, and…

A discussion of the ease or difficulty of learning vocabulary words in a second language looks at a variety of issues in second language instruction. Research on factors in vocabulary learning is discussed, focusing on such factors as similarity in form and morphology, deceptive morphological structure, different syntactic patterning in the native…

This paper asserts that memorization is an under-valued language acquisition strategy, noting that by including memorization in communication classrooms through oral question-and-answer prompts, songs, and memorized dialogues/skits, second language teachers can enhance student learning. The paper explains how oral questions offer a cooperative…

English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers should not reject traditional methods of imparting knowledge. Storytelling, repetition through chanting, memorizing, and logical analysis all have a place in EFL instruction alongside contemporary approaches. Each child has a different mind and deserves to be taught appropriately. Whole brain teaching,…

Explains the need for and operations of computerized instructional and drill programs for teaching beginning college-level Russian. Describes two such programs developed at the University of Minnesota. States that these programs provide individualized, out-of-class instruction and teach preproficiency semantic and morphological skills without…

A variety of ideas and strategies for homework assignments that can be stimulating and useful to second language learners are presented. Underlying principles are that homework can: give control; develop confidence; promote creativity; support differentiation by task and outcome; encourage pupil independence; support parent-school communication;…