This paper examines a specific aspect of systematic variability, which is taken to be a result of influence of linguistic context on interlanguage (IL) performance. While it is important to describe how or under what circumstances a linguistic context exerts an influence on IL development, one also needs to explain why it occurs. On the basis of a…

A study explored the relationship between the second language (L2) production of the Spanish stop consonants /p/ and /b/. Subjects were native English-speaking students enrolled in an undergraduate Spanish phonetics course. Data were collected on their production of Spanish /p,b/ in sentence context, and on their perceptual boundary between the…

In an examination of effective presentation and practice of English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) instruction, this paper focuses on the ways that teachers can use examples as instructional techniques. The purpose of the paper is to clarify both the process of exemplification and its agent, examples, as they are used in ESL teaching and especially as…

A study investigated the usefulness of indirect complaints (ICs)--i.e., expressions of dissatisfaction about someone or something not present--as a strategy for negotiating interaction for second language acquisition. In contrast to a direct complaint, an IC can be used to attempt to establish solidarity with an interlocutor. The language corpus…

The development of readability formulas for the evaluation of foreign language texts began with research in the United States on reading materials used in second language learning and has extended to many other countries first by adaptation of formulas intended for English language texts and then by original investigation. There exist now many…

The purpose of second (or foreign) language classroom research is to answer important questions about the learning and teaching of foreign languages. This kind of research collects data from genuine language classrooms or from experimental settings sometimes established to replicate what takes place in the classroom. Classroom research can focus…

Large gaps exist in our knowledge of the process of communication, and the second language teaching profession should focus on closing the gaps in understanding that are significant for the second-language user. Major issues requiring further empirical or other investigation include: the current levels of communicative skills among second- and…

While verbal language has traditionally determined our view of intelligence, this limited view ignores other systems for expressing intelligent thought. An expanded concept of language considers verbal language as one part of a mental modeling system, or internal representation, for any kind of sensory information available to us, visual or…

A study investigated the effect of pausing, a component of speech speed, on the listening comprehension of second language learners. Groups of subjects at two ability levels listened to taped versions of two brief lectures recorded with four different combinations of speed and pausing conditions. Comprehension was measured by means of cloze tests…

Correlational studies establishing the validity of language skill tests have traditionally described how well the tests have converged, that is, yielded equivalent results. Convergent and discriminant validation is a logical extension of these traditional procedures. However, since it requires evidence of discriminant as well as convergent…

This article examines a variety of options for conducting investigations of the effects of interventionist form-focused instruction (FFI). Constructs related to three key areas of form-focussed instruction are presented; (1) the type of instruction, (2) the target of the instruction, and (3) the definition and measurement of "language…

AN EXPERIMENT INVOLVING 50 YOUNG MALE U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL UNDERGOING INTENSIVE TRAINING IN RUSSIAN WAS CONDUCTED TO MEASURE THEIR ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATIONS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING. THE TESTS GIVEN THEM WERE STRUCTURED IN TERMS OF SUCH ATTITUDES AS THEIR GENERAL INTEREST, PRAGMATISM (CAREER OR MATERIAL ADVANTAGE), XENOPHILIA (IDENTIFICATION WITH…

A GROUP OF 136 STUDENTS IN GERMAN ONE, TWO, AND THREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY PARTICIPATED IN AN EXPERIMENT IN WHICH TESTS WERE MADE OF THEIR PRONUNCIATION OF INITIAL GERMAN "S" CLUSTERS (THOSE WHICH ARE SPELLED "S--" AND THOSE SPELLED "SCH--"). THIS PARTICULAR PRONUNCIATION PROBLEM WAS SELECTED BECAUSE THE GERMAN AND ENGLISH…

An experiment is reported which was designed to determine whether the beginning student's ability to discriminate the sounds of Spanish can be increased by specific training which supplements the current texts. Training to improve discrimination included analytical material from the text and lectures, as well as listening exercises. (Author/RM)