Asks why the keyword method is not being used to teach foreign language vocabulary. The article addresses the possible concerns of language teachers, provides a rationale for using the keyword method to teach foreign language vocabulary, and describes a procedure for implementing the method into the language class. (22 references) (JL)

A detailed comparison of the National Association of Secondary School Principals "An Agenda for Excellence at the Middle Level" and literature on content-based foreign language instruction reveals significant similarities in the curricular and instructional goals endorsed for middle level learners. (34 references) (JL)

Observational studies have shown that very little time is devoted to comprehension instruction in reading classes. This paper presents some techniques for comprehension instruction and some guidance on how to teach students to apply the reading skills they have learned. (26 references) (Author/LB)

Discusses recent debates on the teaching of critical thinking. Draws a distinction between critical thinking and dialogic thinking and demonstrates how critical dialog can help students explore their own views as well as views to which they have not been previously exposed. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that from a pedagogical perspective, there is a cost to associating grammar with rules. Discusses reasons for underlying rules and gives implications for a reason-based approach to teaching grammar. (Author/VWL)

Presents a fresh way for teaching reading comprehension skills to learners of a language. Gives theoretical background, illustrates the basic steps used in the model for teaching reading comprehension, and discusses the advantages and features of this new model for teaching reading comprehension. (Author/VWL)

Looks at the difference between a focus on form and a focus on forms in the second language classroom. (Author/VWL)

Looks at the dynamics of poetry in relation to language learning. Explores prediction in poetry reading, with examples, and the way in which this helps learners to familiarize themselves with common and unusual collocations in the predictive process. (Author/VWL)

Introduces activities designed to wean students from equivalency thinking in the German as a foreign language classroom. Suggests that with sufficient prior linguistic awareness and some target language knowledge, use of a bilingual dictionary--in book form or on a computer--can become a successful learning experience. (Author/VWL)

This article is a response to Sheen and O'Neill's (2005) critique of our paper entitled "Teachers' stated beliefs about incidental focus on form and their classroom practice" (Basturkmen et al., 2004). In addition, it seeks to clarify a number of common misunderstandings about focus on form (e.g. that "form" refers exclusively to grammar and that…

Effective second language vocabulary acquisition is particularly important for English as a foreign language (EFL) learners who frequently acquire impoverished lexicons despite years of formal study. This paper comprehensively reviews and critiques second language (L2) reading vocabulary research and proposes that EFL teachers and administrators…

The frame of reference for this article is second or foreign language (L2 or FL) acquisition, but the pragmatic bootstrapping hypothesis applies to language processing and acquisition in any context or modality. It is relevant to teaching children to read. It shows how connections between target language surface forms and their content can be made…

The Lexical Approach (LA) is founded on the belief that, in order to achieve a high level of accuracy "with fluency," learners of a foreign language need to commit to memory vast numbers of multi-word expressions. However, since it is far from clear that the methodology currently associated with the LA holds out well-founded hope that phrase…

The study aimed at finding out whether teachers can identify the courses of reading disabilities in learners. It intended to establish whether teachers have adequate knowledge of identifying learners with reading disabilities, determine the proportion of non-readers in grade five. It also investigated the existing methods and materials teachers…

Why are many teachers around the world moving toward task-based learning (TBL)? This shift is based on the strong belief that TBL facilitates second language acquisition and makes second language learning and teaching more principled and effective. Based on insights gained from using tasks as research tools, this volume shows how teachers can use…