Based on "Touch of ... class!" articles that appeared in the Canadian modern language review, 1995-2002.

Includes bibliographical references.

Preface / Préface

Introduction

Getting Started: A conceptual framework for second language classroom activities / Miles Turnbull, Jill Sinclair Bell, Sharon Lapkin

Pour commencer : un cadre théorique pour les activités d'apprentissage des langues secondes en salle de classe / Miles Turnbull, Jill Sinclair Bell, Sharon Lapkin

Activities and Adaptations

The use of e-mail as a tool to enhance second language education programs: An example from a core French classroom /
Geoff Lawrence
Adaptation One: Strengthening content of e-messages
Adaptation Two: Electronic Flat Stanley

Un gars, une fille : plaidoyer pour la culture avec un 'petit c' dans un cours de français langue étrangère / Catherine Black
Adaptation One: Comparing French and English sitcoms
Adaptation Two: Student-created sitcoms

Portfolio langagier en français /
Bernard Laplante et Helen Christiansen
Adaptation One: Portfolios for language learners
Adaptation Two: Portfolios in non-academic programs

Exploring reading-writing connections through a pedagogical focus on 'coherence' /
Icy Lee
Adaptation One: Cohesion markers in academic texts
Adaptation Two: Discovering coherence in genre writing

Écouter/visionner des messages publicitaires: démarche et propositions pédagogiques / François Lentz, Robert Campbell, Annick Carstens, Henri Péloquin et Hélène Roy
Adaptation One: Looking critically at commercials
Adaptation Two: A critical comparison of print advertisements

Writing to think: Activities for teaching literature in a second or foreign language / Elizabeth M. Knutson

Adaptation One: In-class publications
Adaptation Two: Dialogue journals for beginners

Le journal littéraire : une découverte /
Christine Pelletier
Adaptation One: Book floods
Adaptation Two: Reading circles

Dramatisation et gestuelle : découvrir la culture-cible /
Catherine Black
Adaptation One: Sound off, sound on
Adaptation Two: body language and listening skills

Creative skit activity in the Japanese language classroom / Yasuko Makita-Discekici
Adaptation One: Creating and recording a drama
Adaptation Two: Using drama to illustrate a variety of themes

Student investigations of cultural identity in the foreign language classroom / David J. Shook
Adaptation One: Stereotypes
Adaptation Two: Identifying cultural patterns

Error correction in the L2 classroom / Maria Mantello
Adaptation One: Before and after compositions
Adaptation Two: Practising second language pronunciation

Handcrafted books: Check this out! / Beatrice Dupuy and Jeff McQuillan
Adaptation One: Creating books for younger readers
Adaptation Two: Re-telling familiar stories

Cooperative learning in second language classes: Two techniques to consider / Miles Turnbull
Adaptation One: A round-table writing activity
Adaptation Two: A get acquainted activity

Love, sex, and union: A multidimensional module / Miles Turnbull
Adaptation One: An e-mail survey
Adaptation Two: An invited guest

The language management system / J. Clarence Leblanc
Adaptation One: Social chit chat
Adaptation Two: What's in the box

Stratégies d'écoute des nouvelles radiodiffusées sur Radio-Canada / Christine Besnard
Adaptation One: Current events in the classroom

Adaptation Two: Media literacy

The dresser, the lamp, and the oven: An activity for learning and practising house-related vocabulary / Diane Chaffee-Sorace and Baiba Abrams
Adaptation One: Target language catalogues
Adaptation Two: Second-hand furniture

"From the Classroom: Grounded Activities for Language Learning is a resource book of activities for a wide range of language programs. Core and immersion French, English as a Second Language (ESL) for children and adults, heritage and international languages, academic, workplace, and vocational programs, are just some of the situations that teachers in Canada face daily. No language activity can cross such boundaries without adaptation at some level and a careful consideration of context. For these reasons, we believe that it is important for the theoretical rationale behind classroom ideas to be explicitly presented to enable teachers to decide whether an activity is suitable for a particular teaching situation.

Nous avons donc tenté d'aider les enseignants à identifier les activités appropriées à leurs programmes et à en adapter d'autres. Dans ce but, nous avons identifié les objectifs principaux pour chacune des activités suggérées, et offert des adaptations afin que ces activités puissent servir pour une large variété de programmes. Nous espérons que les enseignants en exercice trouveront que ces suggestions élargissent leur répertoire d'activités utiles. » (Preface / Préface, p. vi-vii)

Text in English and French.