Four activities for the French language classroom are described, including exploration of the relationships between the perfect, imperfect, and pluperfect tenses; an introductory French geography activity; vocabulary development through creation of new words; and exercises to enhance comprehension of the titles and subtitles of newspaper articles.…

A questionnaire used to elicit from university students their uses for, attitudes about, and problem areas in French vocabulary learning is presented and discussed. In the questionnaire, a series of brief lexical exercises tests understanding of word similarities and commonalities, lexical functions, registers, antonyms, paraphrasing,…

Teaching grammar for its own sake is largely counterproductive when the goal of instruction is to have students communicate spontaneously, fluently, and accurately in the target language. The ideal foreign language program is one providing the best possible environment for language acquisition to take place. Explicit teaching about the language…

Describes the use of silent film classics as a way to teach reading, vocabulary, and grammar and to stimulate interest in reading books related to the movies shown. (TJ)

A classroom technique designed for developing German second language vocabulary is expanded on for additional classroom functions and activities. The method uses a bag containing a variety of objects. The objects are drawn out of the bag and discussed in class. The contents of the bag should be unpredictable and unusual, and they should be changed…

Describes a method of using index cards to teach both vocabulary and grammar. The cards have a question on one side and an answer on the other, providing the student with immediate reinforcement. Such a method provides an inexpensive alternative to computer assisted instruction. Sample exercises and index cards are given. (PJM)

The instructional materials in French are designed for use by language trainers of Peace Corps volunteers serving in francophone Tunisia, to supplement situational language and grammar instruction. A brief introductory section offers strategies for teaching verb tenses. The diverse materials that follow include lists of situational questions in…

This workbook is designed to help students expand their spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension skills through the study of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Noting that roots, prefixes, and suffixes are the building blocks upon which all words are formed, the introduction contends that a thorough knowledge of these elements will greatly enhance…

This workbook is designed to help secondary-school students expand their spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension skills through the study of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Noting that roots, prefixes, and suffixes are the building blocks upon which all words are formed, the introduction contends that a thorough knowledge of these elements will…

Describes methods for creating a database for computer-assisted teaching of Russian by outlining an approach to one general problem, that of entering vocabulary. It is done in such a way that the same entry is available for a wide range of grammar drills. The program's key feature is its flexibility. (PJM)

This guide is designed for language teachers training Peace Corps volunteers in Nyanja for service in Zambia, and focuses on daily communication skills in that context. It consists of a language "survival kit" of useful phrases and vocabulary, conjugation of the verb "to be," the Zambia national anthem, extensive notes on verb…

The adoption of proficiency-based principles in second language teaching does not mean using a new method of instruction, but rather providing maximum opportunities for students to perform communicative linguistic tasks in a variety of contexts and with a given degree of accuracy. This definition has implications for the learning and teaching…

Proposes a system of classifying and forming words in French based on several major word "families" grouped according to their grammatical bases and the types of derivations emerging from them as an effective approach to vocabulary development. (MSE)

The proverbial language of Spanish provides a resource for teaching and testing various aspects of phonetics, syntax, vocabulary, and cultural features of the language. Incorporation of these features into the Spanish curriculum can enrich the classroom experience. Specific suggestions for their use are provided. (Author/MSE)

Four classroom activities are described: (1) one for stimulating beginning students' interest in finding evidence of French language and culture in their own environment; (2) a card game for learning grammar; (3) a letter-writing exercise; and (4) a game using lipograms in the creation of a fictional community. (MSE)