This report presents ideas on the use of poetry in teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Chapter 1 describes beliefs about language and language learning, and offers a theoretical justification for including the reading and writing of poetry in the language classroom. Chapter 2 is a collection of poetry activities that have been…

A discussion of spelling instruction for learners of English as a second language (ESL) looks at writing systems, the literature of ESL instruction, and the literature of English language arts in general. It begins with a typology of writing systems, examining how they represent both grammatical and phonological features. The nature of English…

Teachers of English as a second language need classroom communication activities to help students develop communicative competence. A procedure which uses a group-learning approach and which ensures real communication is the "Strip Story," an adaptation of scrambled story exercises in which each student is given one sentence of a story…

This essay deals with the use of cartoons and comic strips to teach English as a second language. It illustrates, through past professional literature written on the subject and through specific lessons, the various instructional uses to which cartoons and comic strips lend themselves. Cartoons and comic strips can be applied to the following…

This study examines the changing role of the paraprofessional as viewed from the vantage point of the English as a Second Language (ESL) Bilingual classroom. The difficulty in encountering material on the role of the paraprofessional has led to some confusion in the minds of teachers as to how these assistants in the classroom are to be utilized.…

A discussion of the use of drama activities in Second Language instruction looks at the rationale for using such techniques in the language classroom, describes a progression of drama activities used for an intensive course in intermediate English as a Second Language, and examines other considerations in the use of drama in language teaching.…

The variety of language produced in school was examined with regard to the functions for which children use language and to elements of the context, emphasizing activities in which children engage and the expectations held by teachers and children. Language data was gathered from twelve children who wore a concealed, wireless recorder and were…

Use of group story writing in second language classes is discussed, and specific instructional techniques are outlined. In this activity, students sit in a circle and each begins to write a story. The story beginning is passed to the next student, who adds a portion and passes the story on. This pattern continues until stories are completed and…

The purpose of this project was to develop new materials for non-English speaking secondary school students of English as a second language that were meaningful and applicable to their immediate needs. The material was developed from audio and video tape recordings made of survival situations encountered by ESL students in an American high school.…

This report describes instructional strategies to decrease anxiety and frustration in the Spanish classroom. Participants were five 7th grade Spanish classes in two suburban middle schools. Student interventions included a study skills guide; partner and group presentations, skits, and activities; and group oral reading. Teacher interventions…

This study examined why preschool, kindergarten, and 4th grade students had poor comprehension of a second language. The reasons for this were threefold: learning a second language is not essential to a child's life at these ages; they are not motivated to learn a second language on their own; and it was widely thought that learning a second…

This paper presents a historical overview of research supporting whole language, discusses how the research is applied in kindergarten and first grade, and suggests new directions for whole language. The first part of the paper situates the whole language movement historically and offers a perspective of past research that supports the whole…

This project focused on the use of creative dramatics as a teaching tool in core academic subject classrooms. Research has shown that student-centered instructional activities, such as the use of creative dramatics, allow students to construct knowledge and make meaningful the new concepts being learned. This case study describes the classroom…

This study was designed to determine statistically whether the prolonged use of three prepared reading readiness activities has any influence on seventh-grade students' abilities to read unfamiliar literature; which of the readiness activities is most influential on students' abilities; and whether or not longevity of such influence exists. The…

The purpose of this study was to determine the reactions of ninth-grade students to a three-week language arts minicourse program offered for three consecutive years at a junior high school in Minnesota. The students registered each year for one minicourse from a selection of approximately six. The courses were primarily activity centered and were…