The problem of teaching the use of the verbs "ser" and "estar" in Spanish can be only partially addressed by current linguistic explanations. In the absence of rules that will enable the student to predict correct sentences using the verbs, the most effective teaching technique is to use a situational-functional approach providing students with…

Explains how the orientation process, using a functional/notional approach to language teaching, provides for specification and ordering of activities in the classroom. Models can be worked out for particular activities and resources can be collected so that the models can be adopted as needed to include a variety of content. (Author/PJM)

The notion of a communicative approach has developed considerably since it first began to influence teaching practice and as teacher-researchers have refined their understanding of the concept of communicative competence. At present, adopting a communicative approach has two aspects: (1) it means formulating teaching/learning problems in terms of…

A discussion of the functional approach to second language teaching looks at its theoretical foundations and their relationship to communicative language instruction. It locates the origins of the functional approach in early twentieth-century British linguistics and the three key concepts of context of situation, language function, and meaning…

Proposes a taxonomy for the many roles a second language learner must play in real-life interactions. Three types of roles are established and illustrated via dialogs: social, emotive, and maturational. Students practice these roles, and in doing so, acquire the grammatical structures of the target language. (Author/PJM)

Language is used to realize different intentions, and the patterns of wording that have evolved in language bear a natural relationship to the meanings they have evolved to express. Despite the diversity in the way texts (content) are encoded, they may be traced to the contexts in which they communicate meaning, indicating a form-function…

A Russian Function Catalog and Instructor and Advisor Rolebooks for Russian are presented. The catalog and rolebooks are part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. The C/LOBS projects, which is described in 13 volumes…

The job position of military advisory and assistance group (MAAG) officer for the Air Force as performed in Iberian Spanish is described in terms of terminal skill objectives (TSOs) and enabling objectives (EOs). This analysis is part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of…

This Iberian Spanish Function Catalog presents sentences, phrases, and patterns organized by language functions and functional categories. This catalog is part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. The C/LOBS project,…

The job position of infantryman of special forces as performed in Russian is described in terms of terminal skill objectives (TSOs) and enabling objectives (EOs). This analysis is part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language…

The job position of operations/intelligence specialist as performed in Mandarin Chinese is described in terms of terminal skill objectives (TSOs) and enabling objectives (EOs). This analysis is part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute…

A Mandarin Chinese Function Catalog and Instructor Rolebook for Mandarin Chinese are presented. The catalog and rolebook are part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. The C/LOBS project, which is described in 13…

The position of radio specialist for special forces as performed in Russian is described in terms of terminal skill objectives (TSOs) and enabling objectives (EOs). This analysis is part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language…

An English function catalog and rolebooks are presented as part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS) that supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. The C/LOBS project, which is described in 13 volumes and an executive summary, functions as a subsystem of the…

The conceptual tools used in the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, are examined. The C/LOBS project, which is described in 13 volumes and an executive summary, functions as a subsystem of the instructional systems…