Focus on Register in the Spanish Language Classroom.

This paper considers the importance of teaching "register" in the Spanish as a second language classroom. Generally speaking, register means "variety according to use." A register is what you are speaking at the time determined by what you are doing (the nature of the social activity being engaged in), and an expression of diversity of social process. Registers are ways of saying different things. This study addresses the following questions: How does register fit in with theorieb of communicative language learning? How do presently available teaching materials deal with register? To answer this last question, 10 Spanish language texts currently in use for second and third year foreign language learners are surveyed. It is concluded that a more overt and systematic approach to dealing with register is needed in order to sensitize students to register variation if students of Spanish are to acquire true proficiency in Spanish. Suggestions are also made for how register variation might be taught. (KFT) Focus on Register in the Spanish Language Classroom Keith Watts, Grand Valley State University