Forms:
We use these sometimes to basically warm up/warm down a bit.
Plus they increase your strength, flexability, agility, etc.
Weapons:
Well we don't train much in "chinese ma" weapons as such. We focus more on the street weapons your likely to find like knives and such. Plus we do also have a bit of staffs and similar stuff, mainly because these are the kind of things that would be available out in the real world, ie. Chair legs, pool cues, sticks, etc. But then if you train with weapons and you enjoy it, good for you, that's all that matters.
Although our teacher was telling how when he was once working as a bouncer, there was this one guy who came in one night who had something hidden under his trenchcoat. When he approached him, he screamed and pulled out a several foot long japanese katana. He never got to use it though, another bouncer hit him over the back of the head with a bar stool.
Breaking boards:
We don't do it. And i don't really see the need myself, as hitting everything else works out fine. Although my other friend who does TKD did (which i have to admit impressed me, cause she's a very small very light girl), although i got to inspect the board, and i know that i could break them after all. I don't know about this "baking" boards either. I know that when they had to break them, they had to go down to the hardware store and actually buy some timber off of the shelf.
Sparring:
Works great. Period.
-I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am.
-The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do