The components of British Columbia's new curriculum for secondary level Asian language programs, which are designed around communicative acts rather than grammar, are described and the implications for material development, evaluation, methodology, and teacher education are discussed. (MSE)

Suggested classroom activities for French language instruction include: exercises focusing on problems of language transfer, interference, and overgeneralization; a lesson in problems of literal translation; an activity to develop guessing skills; situation-specific communication exercises; practice in asking questions; activities to develop…

Contrasts classroom questioning with questioning functions used in normal discourse and suggests ways in which teachers can promote more normal questioning exchanges in the second language classroom. (Author/MSE)

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…

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' Provisional Proficiency Guidelines are criticized for their narrow view of language use and the inadequacy of their construct of "proficiency." The appropriateness of the guidelines as a basis for developing a syllabus or designing a curriculum is questioned. (MSE)

The matching model of education, in which instructional activities are matched to the conceptual level (abstract to concrete) of the students, is recommended for second language instruction. Suggestions are made for varying the amount of structure in communication-centered activities. (MSE)

The influence of the communicative approach in determining the direction of curriculum in English as a second language is examined at three levels (theory, materials, and implementation), revealing that the dominance of the communicative approach may be only apparent. (MSE)

The relationship between the teaching of grammar and the acquisition of communicative competence is examined, and it is concluded that, contrary to some arguments, there is a definite correlation between grammatical accuracy and efficient communication. (MSE)

The use of a calendar of memorable cultural and world events to stimulate daily classroom discussion is illustrated in sample activities based on notable November events. (MSE)

Reports on evaluation studies of the French proficiency of graduates of early- and late-entry immersion programs in Ottawa and Carleton, describes the tests used, and interprets results. The report also examines the students' perceptions of their ability to participate effectively in out-of-school situations using all four language skills. (MSE)

It is proposed that language acquisition improves if beginning students are allowed to experience three stages of acquisition: comprehension (preproduction), early speech production, and speech emergence. Each stage requires a different kind of activity building on the previous stage's development. (MSE)

While there are many problems to be resolved concerning the substance of instruction within a communicative approach the manner of teaching must also be considered, including methodology, the linguistic aspect (vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation), norms, and the use of computers. (MSE)

In an effort to help teachers implement the communicative approach in the classroom, the approach is defined; its implications are outlined; and some strategies for rendering classroom practice more communicative are presented. A university course-planning model is used to help teachers plan activities within a communicative framework. (MSE)

Elements of communicative language instruction theories that can be realized with computers are identified; limitations are discussed; and the place and acceptability of computerized exercises within a communicative language learning environment are examined. (MSE)

Three approaches to language curriculum design are outlined: structural, functional, and experiential. A three-level model is proposed for a second language curriculum that integrates the three approaches and their goals into an adaptable curriculum meeting varied needs with consistent methodology and theory. Both linear and cyclical applications…