A variety of ideas for classroom second language learning activities are presented. Most are for the intermediate level, but some beginning and advanced level activities are included. Two elements are common to all of them: regard for the cultural element in the language and maintenance of a low-risk, non-intimidating classroom atmosphere. The…

The study of nonverbal communication continues to grow across the spectrum of research in many fields of study. Good textbooks and research studies are available to the scholar and the student, and courses about nonverbal behavior and communication are found in modern curricula. This book focuses on the complex, often hidden, processes that…

A textbook designed to give speech and writing practice to intermediate and advanced students of Portuguese as a second language includes 14 units intended to cover two semesters' work with approximately five hours per week of instruction. The units typically include: a text forming the basis for free conversation and practice of language…

Printed advertisements from magazines and billboards, stored on slides, are recommended as fertile sources of cultural information for French language instruction. They create a simultaneous visual impact on all students, are easily stored and used, can be kept current, and promote communicative activities in the classroom. (11 references) (MSE)

Art reflects the ideas, experiences, spirit, and hopes of those who create it. It is through art works that students can see a visual record of how men and women lived and thought throughout history and across cultures. This instructional resource includes 52 transparencies, accompanying teaching strategies, and student worksheets which are…

This book, intended to be used in the middle and high school classroom, provides teachers with unique ideas and lesson plans for exploring culture and adding a multicultural perspective to diverse subjects. "Hidden messages" are the messages of culture that are entwined in everyday lives, but which are seldom recognized or appreciated…

German second language instructional materials contain a short text in German on mountain climbing in the Alps, a vocabulary list with translation, a simple German climbing song, a recipe for goulash soup in English, and a short text in English on mountain climbing. (MSE)

Discusses characteristics of materials that are effective in teaching English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) adult immigrants, considering cultural barriers in North American classrooms. Some basic features ESL literacy teaching are discussed to emphasize needs that ESL literacy materials must meet. (16 references) (Author/LB)

The background, research, development, and recommended use of a set of instructional materials for teaching listening comprehension to adult learners of English as a second language are outlined in detail. The materials were developed in response to a need for real-life language samples for use in teaching listening comprehension of English. A…

A series of short texts focus on German eating habits and types of eating establishments. Vocabulary is glossed in the margin and each text is followed by comprehension questions. Menus from a restaurant, an inn, and a fast-food restaurant; vocabulary exercises; a word search puzzle and its solution; and directions in English for conversational…

A bibliography on aspects of culture and education contains several hundred citations of books, papers, articles, and monographs. The list was compiled primarily for second language teachers, but may be of interest to others interested in the relationship between culture and education, including teaching culture in the classroom, problems of…

It is proposed that video materials for French language instruction help illustrate two closely related aspects of the foreign language, linguistic and cultural. Guidelines for video materials selection are offered, common pitfalls are noted, and principles used by a French applied linguistics group to develop a series of materials are outlined.…

Seven German-American cross-cultural social situations are presented in English, each followed by a multiple-choice question concerning the etiquette or cultural implications of the actions. An answer key provides comments to stimulate class discussion. These everyday situations occur in Germany or the United States, and include eating at a…

Presents an instructional unit containing five activities centered around paintings by Leon Golub. Helps students understand the processes of art criticism and the social context in which art works are analyzed and criticized. Provides guidelines and questions for a comparative analysis of three contemporary art critics. (CFR)

This teacher resource packet includes a 20-minute video, a poster for classroom display, and a teacher's guide for introducing historic and cultural information about Israel. The guide, designed for middle and high school students but adaptable for use with younger students, encourages students to place Israel in the context of U.S. and world…