One university's business college implemented a program, in the context of a business-related curriculum, to help international graduate students acquire academic writing skills necessary to fulfill their writing requirements. They formed a partnership with the linguistics program and developed a course, professional writing for business…

Discusses the importance of appropriate proficiency-oriented testing for students studying foreign languages, explaining that grammatical accuracy is of no value if it cannot be used to carry out real-life tasks as an inherent and natural activity. Presents guidelines for designing and administering tests and provides an example of a…

Discusses educational concerns of Roma, or Gypsy, children in Canada. Provides background information on this minority group and discusses Roma attitudes toward education and Romani children's experiences in Eastern European schools. Provides suggestions for welcoming Romani children into new schools, including developing children's first and…

This guide offers a comprehensive outline of computer assisted language learning (CALL) resources, tools, consultants, and graduate programs. Resources include companies, organizations, products, and support services for CALL; tools are the curriculum materials, both commercially and noncommercially available. Consultants listed are Computer…

This handbook provides useful information on using the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit (ALBSU) standards with English-as-a-Second-or-Other-Language (ESOL) students. The ALBSU standards were developed as the result of the Basic Skills Accreditation Initiative funded by the British Department of Education and Science and the Employment…

Taking into account the British government's decision to include foreign language learning as a foundation subject in the National Curriculum for all school pupils ages 11-16, this guide examines approaches to second language learning for adults. Chapters include the following: (1) The Adult Language Learner (learning as an adult, recognizing…

A system of different types of tasks can be used to help language learners achieve their learning goals, which may include learning of: discrete language items (sounds, vocabulary, grammatical constructions); content or ideas of the subject studied (geography, literature, mathematics, cultural understanding); language skills (listening, writing,…

This article proposes two general instructional strategies that a course designer or materials writer may use to create a second language course that makes new demands on learners, yet contains feasible learning tasks. First, course designers can manipulate task components believed to determine task difficulty, components such as input text, the…

The usefulness of various forms of folk literature as grammatical, literary, historical, and cultural sources in foreign language teaching is discussed and guidelines are suggested for classroom implementation. Although the focus is on folk or fairy tales, folk literature is defined to encompass myths, local legends, saints' legends, children's…

This report on model learner outcomes for world languages education is divided into five sections. The first describes the values, philosophy, mission, and goals of the Minnesota State Board of Education. The second section provides an introduction to and information on the goals of world languages education. Section three presents a range of…

This document provides the Arlington Education and Employment Program's (REEP) favorite techniques for teaching English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) grammar. The focus, levels, and materials needed are presented for each of the techniques as well as the steps to follow. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (Author/VWL)

This book provides teachers with an overview of what English language learners require to become successful language and curriculum content learners, focusing on primary and junior grades. It helps teachers distinguish between students who need English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) tutoring and those who may have cognitive deficiencies. The book…

Approaches to the assessment of literacy skills in bilingual learners, particularly learners of English as a Second Language, are discussed. Literature is reviewed and an assessment technique that attempts to identify both strengths and needs of bilingual learners is outlined. It is argued that current assessment of bilingual readers is based…

This guide is intended to support teachers and practitioners implementing Australia's new beginner English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) curriculum Certificates in English Language Literacies in the adult community education sector. The guide is part of a professional development project that includes a series of metropolitan and rural workshops for…

This booklet presents a clear and succinct description of the educational needs of francophone students, families, and communities, and how this all fits into the constitutional requirements of Canada as directed by the 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and all subsequent amendments and Canadian Supreme Court rulings. It identifies the…