The exploration of factors affecting English-speaking skills remains a cornerstone in English language teaching research. However, a notable gap exists concerning the nuanced understanding of the affecting factors, especially within undergraduate contexts through the lens of Stephen Krashen's Second Language Acquisition Theory. This study explored…

The recent world pandemic has highlighted the need for effective procedures to teach language in Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) environments. Fully online and asynchronous classrooms are especially challenged when addressing learning to speak a foreign language toward greater communicative competence. Current CALL research is…

Language teacher education is widely identified as one of the most important areas that needs addressing in order to improve early language instruction, yet research into teacher education for early language teachers remains relatively sparse. This volume responds to this gap by compiling studies with diverse methodological tenets from a wide…

Discusses how laughter and joke-telling can be channeled in such a way as to enhance second language teaching. In addition, it is suggested that jokes can act as a dynamic in overcoming problems (such as lassitude) that arise in situations involving group work. (SL)

The Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) field continues to experience increased valuing of experiential practitioner knowledge. A welcome result of this evolution has been the broadening of research perspectives. The 16 practitioner narratives in "Insights on Teaching Speaking in TESOL" are written by…

An examination is made of a foreign language teaching concept called pre-language that attempts to help foreign language students increase their speaking confidence and speaking abilities in the new language. The teaching method is designed for four distinct environments, including: (1) an independent mini-course for tourists or emergency needs;…

A number of devices for use in teaching foreign language conservation courses are described. Among them are hypothetical situations, group discussions, activities for improving oral comprehension, plays and skits, collective stories, dialogues, interviews, speeches, recorded songs, cartoon captions, television games, and card techniques. (RM)

Describes oral tests for different teaching levels that can be used by regular classroom teachers with normal size classes. At the beginning levels, oral assessment is done through role playing or "talk cards," and at the advanced levels, an oral interview is the major part of a mixed skill task. (EKN)

Describes a method of using "pesos" as a reward for prompt homework assignments, extra work and good grades, and also as a forfeit for using English in the Spanish class, unfinished assignments, or to buy points on a test. (CHK)

Eight different activities are suggested for the foreign language conversation class in order to vary the textbook emphasis. Among the suggested situations are a "last people on earth" session, sensitivity sessions, descriptions of paintings or photos, an improvised drama, and a mock trial. (CHK)

The use of an interview to test verbal ability in a second language and to establish a scale of oral proficiency is discussed. Sample questions are included in Spanish. (JB)

A discussion of the second-language teaching technique of creating "video letters" responds to the questions commonly asked by skeptics about the technique's effectiveness and place in the curriculum. Advantages cited include development of learner autonomy, use of a medium familiar to students, and potential for skill development. (MSE)

Describes classroom language as used in teaching an FL, recognizing it as belonging to an artificial rather than a real-life situation; this fact must be kept in mind and "the game played" in the classroom. Examples are given. (IFS/WGA)

Describes a method whereby sixth-form students assist the language instructor by leading small groups in oral practice. (AM)

To help close the gap between imitation of models and free expression, exercises are suggested, based on micro-dialogues with picture stories. Examples for pair and group work are given. (IFS/WGA)