When it comes to teaching vocabulary in foreign language classes words are often taught in isolation, without regard to the context in which they appear. The paper draws attention to the importance of teaching words in context so that the meaning of a word often results from the meaning of a larger construction it is part of. After presenting the…

Discusses the value of having occasional native speakers visit the second language classroom as a way of providing students with an opportunity to use their second language. (EKN)

Discusses language fieldwork (direct personal contact with native speakers) as an adjunct activity in German conversation and composition courses and as a means of encouraging contacts between students and native speakers of German. Discusses the author's personal experience with such an activity, evaluates the project, and draws conclusions based…

The advantages of using authentic cultural materials in teaching second languages and the development of productive activities to accompany these materials are described. Based on the notion that comprehension precedes production, authentic texts provide the second language learner with a foundation of concepts and vocabulary from which…

Filmed on location in East Java, Indonesia, the Mari Belajar Sopan Santun Bahasa Indonesia set consists of two videotapes, a manual, and extended notes on the individual video scenarios. The videos present interactions among Indonesian native speakers and foreign language learners as they engage in tasks and activities of everyday life. The…

Teachers can give their non-English-speaking children the extra help they need by using a set of students (buddies) who can help the new student with vocabulary, reading, writing, spelling, and listening skills. Included are ways to orient these "buddies" and ways to demonstrate particularly useful teaching techniques. (JMK)

Today, there are about four nonnative-speaking English teachers for every teacher who is a native speaker. More English teachers work in non-English-speaking settings than in English-speaking settings, and most are natives of the countries in which they teach. This volume focuses on the challenges faced by English teachers for whom English is a…

This textbook tapescript is a component of "Beginning Pashto," a set of materials (including a textbook, student workbook, and glossary) that teaches the Pashto language. The textbook tapescript consists of the dialogues, readings, example sentences, and vocabulary contained in the units of the Textbook, recast in tapescript form. The tapescript…

This teachers' manual is a component of "Beginning Pashto," a set of materials (including a textbook, student workbook, tapescripts, and a glossary) that teaches the Pashto language. The teacher's manual is written for the native speaker of Pashto who is educated but does not have a background in language teaching or an extensive background in…

Discusses the need to integrate teaching civilization with modern language teaching. The term civilization, as it applies to language teaching, is defined. How civilization is taught in the language classroom and how this teaching can be improved is also discussed. (SED)

Provides sample listening comprehension and oral production activities in Spanish that teachers can use to help students develop sociolinguistic competence and skills. The exercises highlight native speakers' linguistic choices in different situations and focus on their use of deference markers. (Author/CB)

An electronic mail project designed to create personal dialogue between native speakers and college students in a modern French civilization course is described. It was found that French participants added nuance to generalizations about their culture and brought understanding to certain historical events occurring during the course. Linguistic…

Discusses the use of intercultural e-mail via the Internet to provide language students with real audiences, authentic language experiences, and immediate feedback from native speakers. Highlights include examples from high school classes in Florida and Mexico City, task-based learning activities, and problems and possible solutions. (LRW)

Use of the writing workshop format to introduce creative writing in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes is discussed. The reasons for including creative writing and using the writing workshop format are outlined, and the author's experience using this format in three very different teaching situations (basic ESL writing, academic ESL, and…

This workbook tapescript is a component of "Beginning Pashto," a set of materials (including a textbook, student workbook, teacher's manual and glossary) that teaches the Pashto language. The tapescript consists of the prompts for the exercises marked with a T in the workbook. The workbook tapescript has been designed for the would-be Pashto…