Internet memes--usually taking the form of an image, GIF, or video with text--have become an important type of semiotic tool for meaning making. Due to the fact that memes can help learners leverage semiotic modes in social contexts, they hold great potential for language education. Integrating ecological social semiotic frameworks, this…

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…

For many students learning English as a second/foreign language is an uninteresting, dull experience. Quite often teachers present words, sentence patterns, and grammar rules in a very mechanical manner. As a result, people come to think of the teaching of grammar and vocabulary as a monotonous job. But a resourceful, imaginative and creative…

Cartoons can be a stimulating and motivational force in the language classroom and, used effectively, can become an indispensible tool in the acquisition of language and culture. (Author/DB)

American comic strips and cartoons can be useful in English-as-a-second-language classes. They introduce variety and provide an inside look into American life and thought. Many current popular comic strips have cultural, social, and political significance and discuss the American way of life, society, and the individual. The…

Presents an annotated guide to humorous materials in French, including cartoons, poems, brief texts, and comic books, which may be used to introduce humor in the French classroom. References to other articles on this subject appearing in this journal are also included. (AM)