Rising enrollments of students for whom English is not a first language mean that every teacher -- whether teaching kindergarten or high school algebra -- is a language teacher. This book explains what teachers need to know about language in order to be more effective in the classroom, and it shows how teacher education might help them gain that…

Presents a novel approach, relying on linguistic principles of semantics, to teach grammatical usage in Spanish as a second language. (AM)

Discusses the polarization between the linguistic and the communicative approaches to foreign language teaching, and suggests a compromise. Illustrates this with the treatment of English verb tenses in teaching beginners, and outlines a teaching plan. (IFS/WGA)

Examines the impact of phonetics and phonology on the teaching of French as a native language in teacher colleges. (AM)

Applies Reid's notion of verbal focus to explain the distinction between preterite (high focus) and imperfect (low focus) to determine tense in Spanish. Data from two contemporary short stories document variables affecting focus. Techniques for teaching preterite and imperfect and some class activities are suggested. (LMO)

Linguistics can be used explicitly in the teaching of foreign languages to mature students. Eight guidelines derived from this statement guide the discussion of the application of linguistics to the teaching of Latin verb paradigms to beginning students. The five tense/mood paradigms that are based on the present stem, that is, the present,…

Proposes a modification of the rule for the position of adjectives in French and indicates a method for applying the modified rule. The method can be used with any textbook. It is recognized to be useful but not infallible. (AMH)

Discusses some of the problems involved in teaching linguistics to teachers of French as a native language on the elementary level. (AM)

Examines the variety of approaches currently found in the teaching of French as a native language in the French elementary school system and in teacher colleges, in the wake of the rise of linguistics. (AM)

Discusses a sociolinguistic approach to the teaching of French as a native language in the elementary schools. (AM)

Several articles of interest to teachers of English as a second language (ESL) are included. "The Three-Tier Approach to Reading in the Subject Area" described by Trevor McQuinn consists of a procedure for developing lessons based on the need to teach vocabulary, comprehension, and literacy. "Teaching Beginning Reading: An Interview with Virginia…

Applies the principles of linguistics to the teaching of vocabulary in the French elementary schools, and to the training of teachers of French on the elementary level. (AM)

Teaching nonnative speakers of English to listen for the discriminating nuances of the language is an important but neglected aspect of American English language training. A discriminating listening process follows a sequence of distinguishing phonemes, supra segmental phonemes, morphemes, and syntax. Certain phonetic differences can be noted…

Discusses the professional development of educators of French language teachers, with particular reference to the role of linguistics in this development. (AM)

Stresses the importance of "teacher talk" in the foreign language classroom. Recommendations include fitting the level of language to the learner, balancing practice of both lexicon and grammar, limiting redundancy, and suiting content of the language to each sentence's specific purpose. Examples of faulty teacher talk in Spanish are…