Communicative motivation is necessary for exercises leading to conversational ability; therefore "micro-conversation" is offered (and explained) as a replacement for traditional exercises for stimulating students to communicative response. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Discusses the introduction of English FL teaching into the primary school, including creating motivation for speaking, for the individual, group and class: use of songs and games, dialogue, combining speaking and acting, and the place of the textbook in primary school English teaching. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Associative speaking as a method of making oral communication the central activity in foreign language classes as early as the second semester is described. (Author/RM)

Special issue devoted to foreign language instruction in adult education. (WB)

Interpreting as an exercise of language skill is presented as a necessity for communication, limited (in the instructional process) to everyday situations. Interpreting offers something different, and is therefore a source of motivation at the intermediate level. Basic characteristics of the skill, teaching hints, and types of exercises are…

Language instructors at one college devised a program to increase oral proficiency in language students. An oral proficiency test was developed to measure student performance. Results show that since the proficiency test has been required, students make more efforts to increase these skills through study, conversation and language laboratory use.…

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.…

A variety of educational word games for students of foreign languages of all age levels is described in this handbook. A rationale for the use of games in the classroom emphasizes the importance of promoting enthusiasm for learning through direct participation. Sections include: Oral Games, Pronunciation Games, Reading and Writing Games, Spelling…

The desirability of early foreign language (FL) pronunciation is discussed from organizational, psychological and social points of view. Gaining early mastery of the FL sound inventory (starting with the "dramatic items") allows beginning students to quickly enjoy significant initial successes of a very personal nature which also enable the…

Language students at the intermediate level can often read and write but cannot speak the target language. This hinders the student from developing what is usually the most sought-after skill: the ability to speak a foreign language. Students in the third and fourth years of language study are capable of speaking as well as they read and write.…

This article discusses methods of teaching poetry and composition to German speaking elementary-school students in Switzerland. One effective device for treating poetry is enactment; children practice acting, declamation, pantomime, and narration while learning the poem. Another device is choral speaking with individually assigned roles, which…

This issue contains the following articles: "A Portfolio Program for Teaching English Composition," by Charles J. Fox and Robert Tippetts: "TESL Curriculum: The Foundation Is What Counts," by William D. Conway: "English Oral Language," by Allan D. Patterson: "Using a Telephone Directory to Teach English as a Second Language," by Jason B. Alter;…

This document describes two third- and ninth-grade experimental centers which were established to develop language competence and academic motivation in disadvantaged students in Hartford. Evaluation of the ninth-grade "Higher Horizons 100" center is presented. Composed of six staff members, the center provided intensive small-group…

The author ranks speaking as the first priority and major educational objective in the study of Russian. It is felt that inadequate training in the oral skills in high school leads to an increased mortality rate in college programs. To combat this, general remarks on teaching techniques which would encourage students to continue their study of the…