The proverbial language of Spanish provides a resource for teaching and testing various aspects of phonetics, syntax, vocabulary, and cultural features of the language. Incorporation of these features into the Spanish curriculum can enrich the classroom experience. Specific suggestions for their use are provided. (Author/MSE)

Supports and give examples of adding visual aids to problem-solving activities in language classroom through which teacher will inject a recreational element into learning process, foster verbal learning, and stimulate communicative interaction. (Author/BK)

Discusses the use of visual materials in second language instruction to produce verbal utterances. (AM)

Presents a typology of comic strips and suggests some ways of using the comics in the second language classroom. (AM)

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)

Intended as a practical reference for teachers and curriculum developers, the guide reviews options in student evaluation and considers the relevance of these for monitoring student learning in the context of a multidimensional curriculum for core French programs. Three categories of evaluation methods are examined: language tests; observation and…

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)