This study examines the use of teacher and student humor in the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom. A summary and synthesis of previous research on theories of humor, humor and its use in society, and applications of humor revealed its importance as an object of study. An analysis of audiotaped transcripts of samples of ESL classes…

This article stresses the idea that teaching communicative competence and the ability to deal with a variety of language situations should be the goal of foreign language teaching, with grammar instruction in a secondary position. Teaching by means of "dialogues with options" is discussed and sample dialogues for Italian instruction are given.…

This article discusses the advantage of using cassette recorders in Russian language instruction, specifically for teaching intonation and pronunciation, and for error analysis. A program in which cassette recorders were used at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels is outlined. (CLK)

"Learning Languages" celebrated ten years of publication with this issue. A Ten-year anniversary is one of those significant milestones that provide occasion for celebration, for looking back, and for reflection. Here, Carol Ann Dahlberg pauses for a few minutes to look back at the profession over the last decade and discuss some of the…

The development of second language skills through teaching modified subject matter content has the potential for assisting limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in development of the academic language skills they need to participate successfully in the mainstream classroom. Rather than focusing on language forms and functions alone,…

In recent years, a number of articles have been written concerning the value of instruction in second language acquisition and the type of instruction that is most valuable for second language learners. Consequently, the place of the teaching of grammar in the second language classroom is being questioned. Generally, much of the research seems to…

The origins of error analysis as a pedagogical tool can be traced to the beginnings of the notion of interference and the use of contrastive analysis (CA) to predict learners' errors. With the focus narrowing to actual errors committed by students, it was found that all learners of English as a second language seemed to make errors in the same…

This paper discusses the relevance of language content and language instruction in an interdisciplinary educational program, and explores the interrelationship of language and the interdisciplinary thrust as the basis for a pedagogical approach. One of the effects of the intense preoccupation in the late fifties and early sixties with education in…

This paper constitutes an analysis of the audiolingual concept in terms of what it was originally intended to mean and what it has come to mean in second language teaching. Basic to the concept is the notion that language was originally a matter of oral communication, and that although writing and writing systems are central, they have secondary…

This volume is a collection of articles, activities and resources in the foreign language field from both state and national sources. The collection deals with teaching methods, trends in the field, instructional materials, learning activities and creative student work. Various kinds of resources for foreign language teachers, including…

Examines the effects of Chomsky's theories of linguistics and language acquisition on language teaching methodology, specifically on the use of the audio-lingual method. Current trends in methodology move in two basic directions: 1) towards relaxation of the tighter restrictions of the audio-lingual method, and 2) towards development of techniques…

Secondary students of French interviewed a researcher posing as a French speaker. Error patterns and structures used were analyzed. Many errors were apparently due to interference; many others were apparently the result of reduction processes. Results suggested that errors might be corrected in terms of comprehensibility to a native speaker.…

A description of an intensive English language program begun in 1970 and held at a Polish resort for teachers from Cracow colleges who have little or no knowledge of English and wish to learn it for professional and personal use. (SC)

This paper examines the relationship between linguistic and communicative competence in terms of the student's acquisition of French as a foreign language and the interface of testing for each competence in the context of achievement testing. Reaching an acceptable level of communicative competence requires practice and guidance in understanding…

The following papers on research in foreign language are presented: (1) "Research and Design," by Thomas C. Cooper; (2) "Action Research versus Needed Research for the 1980s," by Gilbert A. Jarvis; and (3) "Second Language Acquisition Research: Needs and Priorities," by Stephen D. Krashen. The first paper discusses three research procedures…