Preterite/Imperfect (PI) usage is one of the hardest grammatical features of Spanish to learn. Some of the blame lies with misleading textbook explanations. A discussion of problematic P/I textbook explanations shows why the presentation of a more reliable set of principles is a preferable alternative to questionable rules of thumb. (18…

Reviews recent literature concerning what to do to help foreign learners of Italian develop communicative competence, i.e., a functional knowledge of the uses of the language. This literature shows that to be conceptually fluent in a language is to know how that language encodes concepts on the basis of metaphorical reasoning. (33 references) (CK)

Examines the criterion according to which the value of literary studies has been measured. The impact of new methodologies for the study of literature and the extension of culturally oriented studies to include more contemporary literature, film, and texts have greatly facilitated collaboration with language learning. (four references) (CK)

Argues for the development of tailor-made computer-assisted learning (CAL) tutorials with the aim of replacing traditional lectures in second-language instruction. Issues related to the production of multimedia modular templates and prototypes, including module design, design criteria, methodology, and learner interaction, are described. (seven…

A dramatic, eye-opening way for language teachers to improve their teaching skills is by studying another language. Useful and beneficial outcomes of further language study are that teachers can relieve frustrations of beginning language students, reconsider their own teaching principles, and experience another instructor's methods first hand.…

This paper summarizes and comments on recommendations of the Modern Foreign Languages Working Group concerning attainment targets, programs of study, and statements of attainment in Great Britain's National Curriculum. Strategies used in modern language instruction in Berkshire's special schools are described. (JDD)

Emphasizes the importance of pronunciation in the teaching of Italian as a second language and discusses a course in phonetics and phonology taught at the University for Foreigners in Perugia, Italy. Common difficulties are highlighted, and lab exercises to overcome these difficulties are provided. (27 references) (CFM)

"False beginners" are students who are ethnically Chinese but are not native speakers of Chinese, and their mixture in language classes with true beginners is problematic. Merits of an individualized teaching program in elementary Chinese for false beginners offered at Ohio State University is described. (JP)

Argues for a critical language awareness (LA) and for LA to be closely linked to the development of learners' practical language capabilities. The paper offers a critical evaluation of three major programmatic statements about LA: Committee for Linguistics in Education (1985); National Congress on Languages in Education (1985); and Hawkins (1984).…

The possible relationship between a teacher's or individual's position on the Transmission-Interpretation dimension, locus of control, and culture was examined. A pilot study with Malaysian and United Kingdom undergraduates suggests that promoting particular methodologies may be inappropriate and ineffective. Sample questionnaire items are…

A study of adults learning French as a second language showed that enhancing the pedagogical environment through development of a French phonetic training program resulted in improved discrimination and production ability among the students. (39 references) (LB)

Attempts to help teachers deal with English articles causing problems with English-as-a-Second-Language learners, particularly when the mother tongue of the learner has no equivalents. The discussion focuses on whether "a" and "the" should be taught and then looks at a description that may provide a relevant starting point for a reappraisal. (14…

Using the Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT) observation theme, this study compares the second-language-learning environments of elementary-level students of French in four submersion and four immersion classrooms in Montreal, Canada. Results indicate clear differences between the two environments. (Author/VWL)

Describes Total Physical Response, a teaching technique that teachers of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) use to instruct students who are in the process of learning a second language and modifications that can be made to the program to teach students with visual impairments. (CR)

These tips from the classroom showcase a variety of oral communication and performance activities that invite both teachers and students to explore the power and pleasure of using creative, kinesthetic strategies. (Author/VWL)