It is proposed that communicative approaches to second language instruction have neglected to provide students with some essential tools of speech, particularly pronunciation skills. The place of remedial phonetics within the new language teaching methods is examined, and a more rigorous approach to pronunciation instruction is recommended. (MSE)

The process and elements of the actor's involvement in mounting a theatrical production are outlined and discussed, including vocal development, selecting a piece, verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and learning the part while working together onstage. Similar techniques may be used in foreign language learning activities. (MSE)

Describes French language class simulation activities, based on life inside a Parisian apartment building, that combine oral and written language practice. (MSE)

A class activity is described involving a panel discussion of the role of dogs in French culture and related issues of public administration such as animal protection laws. Panel members' roles (public officials, veterinarians, etc.), audience roles (dog owner, father of a bitten child, etc.), and followup activities are outlined. (MSE)

Reports on an experiment in which three groups of adolescents discussed the status of women. The discussions were recorded for the purpose of using the recordings as pedagogical tools in French instruction. (AM)

Describes an experiment at Birkbeck College, University of London, designed to encourage the spontaneous, uninhibited use of French by students. (PMP)

A discussion of the role that interpersonal interaction plays in the perception and interpretation of oral expression looks at language styles, the use of the body for communication, the speaker's perspective on the audience, and the importance of oral skills in politics, business, and job seeking. (MSE)

The debate over whether classroom verbal exchanges should be evaluated by pedagogical or discourse criteria, and how this evaluation should be accomplished in class, is reopened. An approach combining the two types of analysis through development of "communication profiles" is recommended as the best means of clearly viewing the phenomenon of…

Techniques for alleviating language students' fears of listening to themselves and making themselves heard and understood, using reading aloud, are presented and illustrated. (MSE)

Hesitation serves many purposes, allowing us to choose and combine words better, make discourse more cohesive and regulate its flow, and think. Frequency and length varies with the cognitive activity, but is not always easy to interpret. Foreign language instruction can help students interpret hesitations and use them to advantage. (MSE)

The process of teaching a class of adult students of diverse language background the linguistic and conceptual skills necessary for debate in French is described. Students studied the construction of persuasive discourse through the use of articulating terms and phrases and analyzed their use in producing coherent argument in texts. (MSE)

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 the elaboration, over a period of three years, of a French language and civilization program consisting of linguistic and cultural preparation in England, followed by a one-week intensive linguistic and cultural experience in France. (AM)