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INTRODUCTION Using the Anthology Besides standing on their own as stimulating reading, the anthology's core selections ("lesestykker") may be used to define an arena ofvocabulary, syntax, and discussion ideas to be reworked in various ways: question/answer, role-{,lay, communicative exercises, and composition. Instructors may choose either a receptive approach-favoring maximum exposure to a large number of readings by supplementing the core readings with secondary selections on related themes elsewhere in the anthology-or a communicative approach-emphasizing the students' active language production and extensive use of the structural exercises (Workbook), and proficiency activities (Teacher's Manual) specifically designed to accompany selected core readings. The workbook exercises point out linguistic features of the text and provide opportunities for learners to develop a working knowledge of these items-both in the context of the particular reading and in relation to their own life-experience. By thus relating to a specific context, the exercises and activities assist the learner in developing a feelin~ for natural language usage. For instructors and learners wishing to take the core readmgs in numerical order, they progress in complexity and length, feature vocabulary that often reinforces previous learning, and are accompanied by grammar exercises and proficiency activities (in the workbook and the teacher's manual) that build upon each other and employ current language-pedagogical theory and practice. These activites range from highly structured (in the earlier stages) to more open-ended and communicative. Since individual instructors know their own classes best, it is left to them to determine how much of the vocabulary and grammar is to become part of the students' active knowledge. The vocabulary lists provided facilitate this choice, but are not meant to be prescriptive. Instructors may similarly choose their own chronology of reading selections and freely add items that are their own favorites or reflect local interests. The anthology, in other words, aims to be a resource rather than a "recipe" textbook. This seems a practical approach for several reasons: 1) 2) 3) The field is simultaneously small and multifaceted; it incorporates a wide range of varying learner-motivations, including ethnic interest, academic requirement, research, and comparative linguistic analysis; Many instructors have previously established preferences about the nature of material to be included in an intermediate level course, or have locally compelling reasons to include certain items; Students learn in a variety ofways and come to the course with divergent interests and backgrounds; instructors similarly vary in teaching styles, personal interests, and backgrounds. These considerations make it difficult to prescribe a single approach, set of texts, precise method or specific goals for the intermediate course. Rather, this anthology and Its supporting features distinguish themselves by their flexibility and depth. The user will find a wide variety of appropriate texts along with numerous exercises, actIvities and suggestions among which to choose. I refer the reader to the introductions of the Workbook and Teachers Manual for more information on the structural exercises and proficiency activities, but will here describe some possible approaches to using the materials included in the anthology itself. xi xii Introduction Two types of questions accompany the core readings: information retrieval and discussion. The information retrieval type are designed to assist the student in the initial reading phase, specifically to assist in bridging the gap between language comprehension and production. As a classroom exercise, students may work in pairs, each member of the pair receiving half of the questions, which are not to be shown to the partner. In the "Barnets §rhundre" story, for example, partner A might have the questions: 1. Hva er det som holder gutten v§ken? 2. Hva viI faren at gutten skal gj(ljre? 3. Hadde faren tenkt p§ krig da han var gutt? 4. Hvorfor tror du faren g§r sakte ned trappa etter samtalen? 5. Hva synes du om m§ten faren behandler gutten p§? while partner B might have: 1. Tror du faren lyver for s(ljnnen sin? 2. Hva forteller gutten om den forrige krigen? 3. Sier faren at det kunne bli krig igjen? 4. Tror du det kan bli krig igjen? 5. Fortell om alt faren tenker p§ mens han g§r sakte ned trappa? To encourage student care in listening and speaking, the partners should refrain from showing each other their questions. Rather they should repeat, explain, act out, or (as a last resort) translate individual words until the other partner understands the question. Peer instruction helps both partners learn and should be encouraged. In addition to their...

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