This book presents a set of compelling essays collectively making a persuasive case for why a usage-based perspective on language is fast becoming a leading theoretical framework for investigating second language (L2) learning and the foundation for effective, innovative, engaging pedagogy. Drawing on 20 years of research in psychology,…

The chapters in this volume, all written by experts in the field, present an array of new research on second language acquisition (SLA) that touches on several current theoretical debates in the field and present a rich range of new empirical data and a number of innovative findings. The studies address questions relating to ultimate attainment,…

This qualitative study provides preliminary insight into the role of the first language (L1) when pairs of intermediate-level college learners of French and Spanish are engaged in consciousness-raising, form-focused grammar tasks. Using conversation analysis of audiotaped interactions and stimulated recall sessions, we explored the ways students…

Due to differences in the grammars of English and French, "pendant" and "depuis" are as difficult to master for English speakers as their equivalents "for" and "since" are for French speakers. To the former, three facts are crucial: (1) "depuis" corresponds to both "for" and "since," which creates ambiguities; (2) "depuis" applies to an…

This textbook is a French reader containing translations of the principal words, a progressive development of the forms of the verb, designations of the use of prepositions and particles, and idioms. The design of this book is to interest the pupil in the task of acquiring a vocabulary by short historical anecdotes. The stories, although selected…

In an effort to untangle theories of French verb tense for second language classroom use, an instructional approach that moves the learner progressively through the tenses and their meanings is presented. The system focuses on the relationship of each tense to the present tense. (MSE)

A technique used in an advanced French writing class to encourage student self-correction is described. The technique focused on correction of verbs and their tenses; reduction of repetition; appropriate use of "on" and "nous;" and verification of possessive adjectives, negatives, personal pronouns, spelling, and punctuation.…

Four activities for the French language classroom are described, including exploration of the relationships between the perfect, imperfect, and pluperfect tenses; an introductory French geography activity; vocabulary development through creation of new words; and exercises to enhance comprehension of the titles and subtitles of newspaper articles.…

A questionnaire used to elicit from university students their uses for, attitudes about, and problem areas in French vocabulary learning is presented and discussed. In the questionnaire, a series of brief lexical exercises tests understanding of word similarities and commonalities, lexical functions, registers, antonyms, paraphrasing,…

Proposes that a traditional rule of French grammar concerning the impersonal expression (il + est + adjective + de + infinitive) is so oversimplified as to be fallacious and untenable. (MSE)

A discussion of textual, as contrasted with traditional, grammar for French second-language instruction argues that textual grammar is essential for acquisition of communicative competence because it identifies grammatical facts relevant to everyday communication and allows the student to experience the construction of meaning through them. (MSE)

Grammar is not a four-letter word. Learning vocabulary is not a form of punishment. They are the basis of any language, and a student who wants more than a tourist's booklet of useful phrases will need to learn them sooner or later. The second edition of this popular little book takes the sting out of the exercise and even makes it a pleasant…

Describes a method whereby students of French apply small increments of grammar and vocabulary immediately in daily 15-minute writing sessions in which they write brief, structurally sound compositions and focus on language use rather than on translation of ideas from English to French. (MSE)

Textual grammar provides a means of examining the relationship between the sentence and the text as a whole, and it is in that context that the problems of learning a second language become clear and that it becomes important for the teacher to understand how the text functions so as to impart it to students. (MSE)

A broader view of grammar looks at text rather than the sentence as the framework for communication from thematic, semantic, and pragmatic points of view. (MSE)