Paul Toth, Linguistics, is director of Visuals for Developing Communication Skills in Foreign Language Classes, a project that will computerize an ongoing materials development project for less-commonly-taught languages.       Toth, who directs the Language Learning Resource Center, said the grant will be used to create a digital database of more than 200 visual aids for language teaching and testing. The drawings are designed to support instructional tasks where communicative language functions are practiced, such as making requests, describing people and situations, and narrating events.   Instructors will be able to select drawings by clicking on keywords for grammatical structure, vocabulary field, conversational function, and activity type.

Paul Toth

      The visual aids can be used for classroom activities or placement/proficiency testing in any language learning program, or for second language acquisition research.  The drawings are designed to facilitate activities that use language for communication rather than teaching language structure without developing speaking skills.  “This is important for instruction in less-commonly-taught languages, where most texts offer grammar explanations but few communicative activities,” Toth said.

      The database will be stored on CD-rom and made available to all University faculty and students in the Language Laboratory. The database can be expanded as feedback is received from language teachers.  Later, it will be made accessible via the World Wide Web.

      Toth has been on the Pitt faculty since 1997.  He is especially interested in second language acquisition, foreign language instructional methods and materials development.  

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