Socio-drama can be used to develop communication skills for English as a second language students. Students produce new sentences by participating in several enactments, and language use must be restructured according to the social context. Social interaction, a prerequisite for communication, is also promoted. (SW)

"Directed conversation," involving a functional approach and role playing, is recommended for English as a second language classes instead of unstructured conversation groups. The student practices not only syntax and vocabulary but the specific sociolinguistic rules appropriate to the speech situation. (SW)

Russian word order is varied to suit the communicative requirements of the speaker. The present study tests the hypothesis that American students of Russian use word order differently from native speakers, using the same order for different communicative tasks. Study results support the hypothesis. (CHK)

A proposal to use the language of technology as the principal tool in teaching French to adult beginners. A sample module using technical language familiar to all consumers is given in detail. Such a course is designed for technicians, scientists and other interested adults. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

The hypothesis that beginners in a foreign language can learn to read specialized texts before they are able to express themselves adequately is explored. Examples of texts such as ads and news articles dealing with various specialties are given. Pedagogical procedures accompany each text. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

A description of scientific language using three approaches: text, textualization, and discourse. Scientific discourse is analogous to universal deep structure; text, to surface variations in diverse languages; and textualization, to transformational processes. The relationship of the primary and secondary (scientific) cultures and their languages…

This article discusses the notion of acquiring a basic threshold of communicative competence in a second language as it applies to the instruction of French as a second language. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

A Spanish course is described in which reading ability was gained as a preliminary to a conventional first-year language course. Through passive learning, recognition of vocabulary and grammatical structure was achieved, and correct pronunciation and writing drills reinforced learning. Good results were obtained in the subsequent conventional…

A description of units, including materials and techniques, used in secondary school French classes in Norway. The basis for selection of materials was student interest and motivation. The units appealed to the students' intelligence, imagination, sense of play and of group. Several samples are given. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Among the comments on the "Normbook for English" are: it is admirably flexible; its limiting of learning goals to "basic skills" is too undifferentiated; for the graduate exam, it rightly prefers a text assignment to a theme assignment; goal-oriented auditory understanding exercises should be added. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

The Vancouver Community College offers a summer language program for Japanese visitors participating in educational travel-study tours. An instructor's manual for this program was recently developed. Curriculum development ideas, which can be adapted to any language training situation, are shared. (SW)

A description of a study which tried to establish the sequence of language development in a language other than English (Farsi) and to measure the syntactic complexity of the first language against that of the second. Results indicate a direction toward the construction of better course materials and tests. (AMH)

A discussion of the use of films in foreign language teaching. A particular problem is the lack of readily available foreign language films without subtitles. A procedure for modification of the sixteen millimeter projector in order to obscure subtitles is described in detail. (AMH)

An overview is provided of modern language instruction in British schools and the teaching of less able learners. French is taught most frequently, followed by German. The question of academic standards, demand from employers for speakers of foreign languages, views of university teachers, and the training of language teachers are discussed. (SW)

The injection of conversation/discussion sessions into English language laboratory exercises could help to achieve the major objective of teaching English as a foreign language--helping the learner to express himself in English. Steps in developing the method are outlined. (SW)