The chapters in "Explorations in Second Language Reading" reveal the importance of reading in the classroom and how instructors can use reading as a bridge to improve learners' other linguistic and interpersonal skills. Most significantly, each author prompts us to rediscover how enjoyable ESOL reading can be and how it can increase learner…

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) professionals know that initial efforts to produce or adapt materials generally require evaluative review and revision. A review process that solicits feedback from teacher and student users is critical because materials writers often find it difficult to envision the problems others may have with their…

A review of research on writing textbooks suggests that in general, they do not reflect current theories in either content or instructional approach. Examination of some second language writing textbooks reveals three types: (1) those with a traditional approach emphasizing grammar, form, and models; (2) books acknowledging but not integrating new…

A kit using the concept of puzzles as a focus for developing self-correcting instructional materials for French language teaching is described. The kit, designed for teachers and including 47 ideas organized by theme, contains matrices and cards for a variety of exercises at various levels and suggestions for their use. (MSE)

Trivial Pursuit is a fascinating and popular game most students are familiar with in English. Most are also eager to play it in a foreign language, with the result that inhibitions about speaking are reduced or eliminated and many structures are used. The game is available in German, French, Italian, and Spanish. Some questions about…

The use of the learning task as a basic planning and instructional tool for communicative second language instruction is discussed, and considerations and procedures for designing such tasks are outlined. A task is defined as a piece of classroom work that involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing, or interacting in the target…

The design of instructional materials for second language listening comprehension is discussed, based on the premise that such materials must reflect a view of the nature and processes of listening. Two distinct kinds of cognitive processes involved in listening are examined: bottom-up processing, or the use of incoming data as a source of…

Suggestions for combining cultural exposure and language instruction through class activities geared to American holidays are outlined. General information about gathering holiday-related realia and instructional materials from local newspapers and magazines is provided, and four specific holidays are highlighted. For each holiday, sources of…

A study to develop a methodology for discovering how one important notion or semantic category, "frequency of occurrence," is expressed in words, phrases, or other linguistic devices in academic English began with a search for devices expressing that notion, by analyzing text from a news magazine, a New Zealand geography textbook, and a…

An examination of the role of the principle players in second language learning--teachers, students, and instructional material developers--offers insight into the field of language pedagogy during a period of rapid technological change. All are living in a technologically changing environment but are all affected in different ways. Materials…

An approach to teaching the paradigmatic and reciprocal uses of the "se" construction in Spanish is presented. A system of eight basic categories of the paradigmatic reflexives is outlined, including "do-it-yourself," reciprocal, reflexive of change, consumer, reflexive of interest, optional, change of meaning, and reflexive-only classifications.…

While most people know how conversations, narratives, and other types of discourse are created in their native language, it is difficult for students to know how they are created in a second language. To deal with texts in a new language, the learner needs extensive exposure to a variety of language in realistic situations. The immediate recall…

Discusses some of the reasons why idioms are difficult for second language learners to learn, including the fact that most materials for teaching idioms are inadequate. Criteria are suggested for choosing idioms to teach; 10 activities are described which will help students understand and produce idiomatic English. (Author/SED)

Describes the findings in foreign language research and the goals of global education that motivated the use of cities as a point of departure for activities and materials development. Suggests ideas for integrating city-based contextual information into activities for introductory classes and sources of information. Topics for study at…

The psychological and linguistic foundations of the cloze procedure are outlined, and standard approaches and terms used are reviewed. Notes are given on cloze in testing, in relation to language structure, and as a teaching device, focusing on the manipulation of the technique for a variety of purposes and situations. (MSE)