Communication strategies (CSs) have been generally viewed as ways in which learners may circumvent, and ideally overcome, communicative difficulties. However, over 40 years of research in this area has been largely confined to theory and experimental studies, and it is not clear to what extent CS research has filtered into contemporary second…

There is mounting evidence that phonological memory (PM), a sub-component of working memory, is closely related to various aspects of second language (L2) learning in a variety of populations, suggesting that PM may be an essential cognitive mechanism underlying successful L2 acquisition. This article provides a brief critical review of the role…

This article presents a sociolinguistically responsive model of pedagogy situated within existing sociocultural and communicative approaches to language learning and teaching. The specific focus of the discussion is on the French pronouns of address, "tu" and "vous". The article reviews previous research on second-person address in educational and…

This article examines why students participated in British Columbia's first intensive French (IF) program between 2004 and 2008 and what they achieved as a result, with a particular focus on the effect on the French and English language proficiency of English as additional language (EAL) students. Qualitative case studies found that students and…

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.…

Discusses the problems associated with teaching Dutch to Belgian executives, and proposes a philosophy of increasing motivation by stressing communication. (Text is in French.) (AM)

A procedure involving dialogue and an oral paraphrase of a text is suggested as a means of developing communication skills. Student errors in communicative exchange compared with their errors in structural and prepared exercises, recurring sources of errors, and utilization of these sources in productive learning situations are discussed. (AMH)

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)

Discusses various approaches to the successful conversational language course at the advanced level. (AM)

Offers suggestions toward making the conversational language course more valuable, with particular reference to Spanish. (AM)

Discusses the differences in conversational structures and verbal strategies between languages and cultures and the teaching of such differences. The use of literary texts is advocated. (AM)

An experimental "oral survival" French course is described. Role playing, discussions of reading assignments, a taped mystery thriller and educational games were used to force students to speak French and to lose their inhibitions against speaking. Testing showed students' French speaking ability to be much improved. (CHK)

Presents a language teaching method designed to increase communicative competence through an application of speech act theory and the use of dialogs and the source language. (AM)

Discusses the need to use the "communicative approach" to teach French grammar in French immersion classes in Canada. Emphasis is placed on the value of using a "needs-based syllabus" that considers the immediate and long-term employment needs of each individual, as well as the psychological and developmental needs. (18…

Examines how educational, cognitive, and developmental psychology can contribute to the renewal of second-language (L2) teaching and learning. The premises of these fields indicate that teachers of foreign languages cannot rely solely on rote learning of the rules of the language, but must engage their students in active discourse. (37 references)…