Discusses the advantages of using video materials in teaching Spanish at an intermediate level, where there are typically several levels of language knowledge and ability. Such materials improve students' ability to understand language context, listening comprehension, discussion skills, and awareness of different uses of language. (CB)

IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE SPEAKING ABILITY OF THE STUDENT, TO HELP HIM DEVELOP READING AND WRITING SKILLS, AND TO AID HIM IN ACQUIRING BETTER TECHNIQUES IN SPANISH, SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE TO THE TEACHER REGARDING THE USE OF THIS VOLUME. SUCH SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE CHORAL AND DOUBLE REPETITION, A READING OF MATERIAL PREVIOUSLY MEMORIZED, AND A VARIED…

Discusses the educational relevance of using authentic texts in second language instruction, explores their limitations as a means to cultural competence, and describes their relation to the quest for cultural understanding and communicative competence. An explanation is provided for why such materials should be used to achieve these goals. (CB)

Language Enrichment Therapy (LET), a program of language stimulation for aphasia developed in Finland, was tested by five British speech therapists with 13 adult stroke victims and their relatives. Results suggested the usefulness of a refined English version of LET as a cooperative tool for speech therapists and volunteer helpers. (JW)

Describes the origins and characteristics of six southern dialects: (1) South Midland; (2) Florida Cracker; (3) Gullah; (4) Southern Black Dialect; (5) Acadian French; and (6) Cajun English. Suggests books representative of each that can be used to introduce these dialects to elementary children. (NH)

Describes the inventory technique, a reading tool which helps second language students to use their background knowledge and experience in overcoming the gap between native and foreign cultural perspectives. The cultural inventory worksheet helps students collect and organize cultural information in written foreign language material. (Author/CB)

Children arrive in classrooms with varied background knowledge, which means that teachers must select instructional methods, materials, and techniques to meet multiple needs. A carefully planned approach that includes direct and explicit instruction--as well as extensive opportunities for reading, writing, speaking, and listening--can help…

The responses of 938 first year Spanish students at 2 major midwestern universities to a survey regarding their motivation and strategies for learning Spanish identified several affective factors that were associated with students' reactions to the use of authentic instructional materials. (28 references) (CB)

Novice second-language learners can understand and benefit from authentic reading and listening language texts that are not typically introduced until students have intermediate or advanced language skills. Early exposure to such texts can help learners develop useful listening strategies for more complex tasks. (Author/CB)

Kanji City, a hypermedia program for teaching Japanese through trial-and-error exploration of a simulated real-life environment, is described. The possibilities for designing materials in hypermedia format, and the advantages of Hypercard's potential for integrating text with synthesized sound, interactive graphics, and animation are explored.…

Describes several techniques for using authentic materials to improve foreign language (French) listening skills, particularly through enhancement of "skimming" and "scanning" listening techniques. (CB)

This is the third in a series of four reading books written in Spanish and designed for use in elementary bilingual education programs. The reader contains nine stories, most of which deal with some aspect of nature study, such as plants or insects. Each story is followed by a list of new vocabulary and enrichment exercises and activities in the…

This catalogue of curriculum units for French, Spanish and German is presented in the hope that foreign language learning can be made exciting and that foreign languages can become functional languages for students. The curriculum units are context-oriented and are intended as models for teacher-developed materials. They are listed by language,…

A language teacher's Japanese-language learning experiences in educational and immersion environments lead to assertions about the ineffectiveness of exclusive use of traditional instructional methodologies; exclusive dependence on osmosis for developing fluency; instructional materials that students perceive as beneath them; and assumptions that…

American comic strips and cartoons can be useful in English-as-a-second-language classes. They introduce variety and provide an inside look into American life and thought. Many current popular comic strips have cultural, social, and political significance and discuss the American way of life, society, and the individual. The…