We propose five research tasks targeting grammar teaching and learning, focusing on extending previous research and exploring under-studied features and contexts. The first two tasks outline replications and extensions of seminal studies on pedagogical grammar, Toth (2008) and Samuda (2001), designed to advance our understanding of the teacher…

The paper claims that free reading is a crucial ingredient in acquiring a second or foreign language. It contributes to the development of all measures of language competence which include grammar, vocabulary, spelling, syntax, fluency and style. The review supports the claim that readers acquire language subconsciously when they receive…

This paper introduces video-game based language instruction as a teaching approach catering to the different socio-economic and learning needs of English as a Foreign Language students. First, this paper reviews statistical data revealing the low participation of Colombian students in English as a second language programs abroad (U.S. context…

In 2007, the Modern Language Association Ad Hoc Committee on Foreign Languages advocated for revising postsecondary second language programs to cultivate students' "translingual and transcultural competence." Since then, the meaning, merits, and difficulties of these goals have been much discussed. This article presents the concept of linguistic…

Teaching English became a professional and academic field from a half century ago. Many researches for teacher education and teacher training have been conducted in order to raise the English as well as the foreign language trainers' knowledge and capabilities in carrying out effective lessons in classroom. During second millennium of speedily…

Ensuring that students spend time preparing for class has always been one of the challenges of teaching. Indeed, when students are given an assignment that they are required to do before coming to the next lecture--whether it be written exercises or just studying--one wonders how often they are actually doing it. There are many ways in which…

A discussion of Krashen's monitor theory and its applications to foreign language teaching includes consideration of the very important role input plays in language development and examination of the relationship between the development of grammatical competence and traditional instruction in grammar. (CB)

The revision of an intermediate-level college French grammar course whose enrollment had been falling steadily is described. The three goals were (1) building on aural-oral competence gained earlier; (2) rigorous and systematic introduction to reading and writing skills; and (3) preservation of enthusiasm built in a newly revamped introductory…

Overviews the most recently published or revised version of North American second-year Italian textbooks. Notes that each of the six textbooks reviewed provides sound pedagogical materials designed to enhance instruction. (55 references) (CK)

Describes a fifth-semester university course in German in which students analyze the stylistic features of the language and its function in specific cultural contexts, such as films, speeches, songs, and newspapers. The course is conducted entirely in German and focuses on a single stylistic theme each week. (SED)

Communication-based teaching techniques are described that lead German language students from input to output in a stimulating and motivating learning environment. Input activities are most useful for presenting speech acts, vocabulary, and grammar; output activities, for fine-tuning those areas as well as for expanding students' productive…

The 12-week program described here was designed to improve a Hebrew language immersion class' ability to correctly use the simple past and present tenses. The target group was a sixth-grade class that achieved a 65.68 percent error-free rate on a pre-test; the project's objective was to achieve 90 percent error free tests, using student…

A university faculty member developed first-year French instructional materials with a computer authoring program. The materials covered three classes of regular verb conjugations, noncognate vocabulary, and major grammatical structures. Initial results indicate the exercises helped students learn the material and successfully transfer it to other…

Discusses the presence and significance of linguistics in Italian departments at universities in Australia and worldwide against the background of multiculturalism, the politicization of the Italian population in Australia, and the emergence of Italy as a major economic and political power. Argues that the boundary lines between linguistics and…

Saskatchewan's Japanese second-language curriculum for grades 10-12 are presented, including goals and objectives in speaking, listening, reading, and writing defined for each level. Curriculum design and structure are discussed briefly, and the importance of cultural awareness and evaluation procedures are emphasized. (Contains 19 references.)…