Keywords
modismos
ser y estar
acercamientos pedagógicos
español como segunda lengua.
idiomatic expressions
idioms
ser and estar
pedagogic approaches
Spanish as a second language
How to Cite
Abstract
This article describes a study on the teaching of idiomatic expressions, idioms, or figures of speech such as ser un cero a la izquierda in an intermediate-level Spanish foreign language class. Using as a point of departure the recommendations of various authors (Irujo, 1986b; Liontas, 2003; Tran, 2012) to incorporate idiomatic expressions into foreign language classes, this study investigates a pedagogic approach which until now has not received much attention: the use of idioms as a mnemonic resource in learning grammar. With this in mind, didactic materials were prepared following those used by Zyzik (2010) and Zyzik & Marqués-Pascual (in press) for the explicit teaching of the semantic distinction between ser and estar. Two pedagogic approaches were compared using these materials: one that presented the semantic distinction and was followed by input/output activities and the other via teaching idiomatic expressions. The results indicated that the instruction of idioms is not necessarily better than other teaching methods, but it certainly is a viable way to practice grammar while simultaneously exposing students to idiomatic language.
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