A rationale is presented for describing the communicative competence of language students in terms of proficiency guidelines. Techniques are discussed for helping students develop communicative proficiency in the four skill areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and for evaluating students' proficiency levels in relation to…

Ten "do's" and eight "don'ts" for beginning teachers to use to enhance the classroom atmosphere and forge a bond of confidence between teacher and student are outlined. The suggestions, based on experience, are designed to help the teacher avoid pitfalls and use positive strategies from the first day of class. (MSE)

Kinesics, a form of nonverbal communication, is defined and described; the manner in which visual signals are expressed verbally in contemporary Spanish literature is characterized and exemplified; similarities and differences in exemplary gestures are examined across cultures; and the pedagogical implications are discussed. (MSE)

Four vocabulary instruction problems are addressed on practical and theoretical levels: how to select vocabulary, organize it effectively, convey the meaning of words, and improve retention of new words through meaningful practice. Suggestions are given for using creative activities that are both educationally and linguistically sound. (MSE)

Outlines a variety of suggestions for classroom activities for second language instruction and immersion. Most activities focus on the use of illustrations or illustrated materials. The descriptions of the activities are in French. (MSE)

Three essays on second-language instruction are presented. One describes a letter exchange between teachers as a means of exploring and understanding classroom and instructional issues; another (in French) describes a teacher's reflective examination of the immersion teaching experience; and a third reports on a classroom study of the…

Class activities for French native and second-language immersion classes using the souvenir program of a 1988 Manitoba travel festival are outlined. Activities involve global manipulation of the document and specific uses for information seeking and information manipulation. (MSE)

A class activity in which intermediate-level French second language students create their own comic books is outlined. Objectives, classroom presentation techniques, format, project duration, and evaluation criteria are specified. The project includes groups writing and editing and oral presentations. (MSE)

Three language class activities adapted from outdoor education are described: (1) scavenger hunt; (2) nature/fitness trail; and (3) ecological study. Cognitive, affective, and linguistic objectives and safety considerations are included for each. Activities emphasize cooperation, meeting challenges, and environmental awareness, and introduce new…

A 12-lesson college-level French unit using the same recorded text to teach three aspects of oral language (pronunciation, comprehension, and production) is described and documented. The activity attempts to use the unit vocabulary as much as possible in a variety of exercises to develop communicative competence. (13 references) (MSE)

A series of classroom activities for adult beginning learners of French, designed to improve reading comprehension through newspapers and news magazines, are described. The technique focuses on development of grammar and vocabulary and makes use of photos, text, layout features, and headlines. (MSE)

Presents a number of suggestions for using reading circles in elementary school French second-language instruction, including reading text selection, grouping, organizing discussions, knowing when to intervene, and student assessment techniques such as reading logs, passports, critical presentations, and negotiated evaluations. (MSE)

Presents an approach to language and culture instruction for North American students of Spanish that centers on student-led investigations of cultural identity in the Americas, designed to allow students to overcome possible stereotypes and generalizations concerning the target culture(s), and to examine their own cultural identities at the same…

Mnemonic techniques for teaching French verbs and their corresponding prepositions to native English speakers are presented. The devices are outlined by category of verb and preposition. Then specific techniques for presentation, memorization, and further uses are described. (Contains six references.) (MSE)