This study tested which, if any, of three listening training methods would make a significant difference in the listening ability of high school students. From 17 public and parochial schools in the greater Kansas City, Missouri, area, 615 students were selected and pre- and post-tested with alternate forms of a "cloze" listening test devised by…

An attempt to test students objectively in a five-part, French, speaking proficiency test is described and discussed. Concrete nouns, abstract words, pronunciation, syntax, and fluency are tested with a combination of tape and picture stimuli. Reliability, validity, and practical questions are raised; and previous aural-oral testing procedures are…

Claiming that the actual learning of basic language skills takes place in the language laboratory, the author states four requisites for effective use of the laboratory: (1) a clear statement of specific objectives, (2) instructions for the student, (3) realistic objectives, and (4) student rewards. Testing, learning theory, applied linguistics,…

A theoretical discussion of problems encountered in the measurement and evaluation of speaking skill in a second language is developed in this paper. The primary areas of interest to be evaluated are identified and discussed, including phonology, syntax, morphology, and vocabulary. A delimited and graduated method of evaluation using numerical…

This workbook, designed for use with the Defense Language Institute's "Thai Basic Course," is oriented toward development of aural comprehension. Taped exercises focus on a variety of activities, including comprehension exercises based on dialogue study, paragraph analysis, translation, multiple choice, dictation, and narration. Exercises…

Since foreign language methodology has, in the past fifteen years, included aural-oral skills as well as reading and writing skills, achievement tests for foreign language courses should also include these skills. (Text is in French.) (MLA)

A language teacher urges the use of authentic listening materials that do not conform to the strictest standards of spoken usage, as a way of getting to know the language's norms and variations. (MSE)

Uses of slides in the French language classroom for vocabulary development, enhancement of listening comprehension, stimulation of speech, and grammar review are discussed. (MSE)

Comparison of normal-speaking (N=20) and misarticulating (N=20) four- to six-year-olds and adults (N=16) revealed that adults were significantly more accurate in detecting mispronunciations than either group of children, while performance between the two groups of children was similar. Words that children found most difficult were also those on…

Presents an oral, contextual approach to Spanish subjunctive study (for elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels) and describes sample exercises for: verbs of implied command, impersonal expressions implying command or judgment, verbs of emotions, expressions of wish and desire, expressions of doubt and denial, adjective clauses, and…

Based on a sample of 95 first- and second-grade children with a Spanish language orientation (SPLO), psychometric information is provided for a newly constructed auditory perception test designed for children who are attempting to acquire basic reading, writing, and oral skills in standard American English. (Author/CTM)

Discusses the process of native language learning and explores the relationship between it and second language learning. It is suggested that in a language curriculum, the initial emphasis should be on receptive skills. Accuracy, appropriateness, and fluency in communication are discussed, as well as instructional modes for training in these…

Investigates the effects of morphological boundaries and the voicing characteristics of the following consonant on the duration of stressed vowels produced by hearing impaired adults. They do not vary the duration of stressed vowels in accordance with the durational recording observed in normal speech; however, this deviance is systematic. (PMJ)

This handbook for basic education tutors of mentally handicapped adults offers ideas and examples for developing the skills of speaking, reading, and writing with understanding. Many of the ideas relate particularly to group work, although most can be adapted for use with individual students. The handbook starts by exploring four broad themes--the…

The learning module described is for the use of inservice teachers interested in a study of the process of inquiry. It is designed for a workshop-sized group of teachers at the secondary school level but may be adapted for teachers in the middle school. The topics addressed in this product relate to the process of inquiry and include questioning…