Academic collaboration among students takes place not only inside the classrooms but outside of class as well. This study investigated such out-of-class academic collaboration among Singaporean polytechnic students as they worked on assignments in which their instructors had made collaboration mandatory. Data were collected via questionnaires…

Describes distinctions among three strands of communication in the second-language classroom: cooperative learning, i.e., a particular set of classroom techniques fostering learner interdependence as a route to cognitive and social development; collaborative learning, which views learning as a construction of knowledge within a social context; and…

Overviews the traditional grammar-based language lesson and the communicative approach to teaching languages. The article maintains that adopting a less prescriptive approach to the formal system of the language and gradually training students to see the printed text as another form of interaction will contribute to developing a sensitivity for…

Offers eight teaching suggestions from teachers, regarding an effective strategy for teaching inferential comprehension, how to chose a good book, book celebrations, annotation writing for developmental readers, an assignment to promote reading for pleasure, a discussion group program for adult new readers, memo writing as an information network,…

Describes a study that attempted to quantify and model how teachers' perceptions of educational policy influenced their classroom practice. Investigated the interrelationships among theorized factors--such as perceptions of preservice education, class size, and university entrance exams--believed to influence teachers' approval of communicative…

Four short articles provide teaching tips for the English-as-a-Second/Foreign-Language classroom, including the use of Moos, a video jigsaw, practicing oral language skills with interviews and student-read dictations, an ask the expert activity which builds learner confidence in speaking in front of groups of people. (Author/VWL)

This article about issues and strategies looks at the need for teachers to recognize prejudice among students in Canadian ESL classrooms. The author notes the lack of information on this topic in TESL courses and publications. A sampling of responses from ESL teachers interviewed about the issues is included and serves to highlight the need for…

The guide, designed for regular classroom teachers, outlines principles and strategies for teaching limited-English-proficient children. The first chapter addresses the task of building a trusting relationship with students and establishing a comfortable learning environment. Topics include sensitivity to cultural and linguistic differences,…

A practical guide for language teachers to make the best use of television is presented. The focus is on the establishment of a "portfolio of good practice" with concrete ideas for using the medium, illustrated with examples from British programs. Also included are a chapter to set the scene, some thoughts on organizational alternatives, and a…

Miniaturized computer technology can raise both language and education beyond the current capacity to understand. Children's learning is more complex, powerful, and subtle than it is usually given credit for, and language is more elaborate and intricate than is generally realized. Computers must be used carefully, but they offer many…

Besides lack of motivation and insufficient time allowed for foreign language study, one reason for the failure to develop communicative competence in second language students lies in the methodology. Until recently, most second language pedagogy has centered on linguistic competence, or knowledge of how to communicate in a language. Research in…

Project P.I.A.G.E.T. (Promoting Intellectual Adaptation Given Experiential Transforming) is a demonstration program to train five year old Hispanic children in the English language while maintaining their Spanish language skills. The instructional program is based on Piagetian principles which recognizes thought and language development as a…

When working with limited English proficient (LEP) children who have been mainstreamed into regular elementary school classrooms, teachers must keep in mind that the first order of business is to help the students build a store of knowledge about English--how it sounds, what it looks like in print, and what it means. Teachers will discover that it…

ALTHOUGH EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE, THE PRIMARY AIM OF THIS BOOK IS TO SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR TEACHERS OF ANY FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. LINGUISTIC PRINCIPLES AS THEY RELATE TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ARE REVIEWED, AS WELL AS THE TYPES OF LEARNING WHICH RELATE TO FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION. THE…

This paper discusses the use of the teaching unit as a means for organization in English-as-a-foreign-language classes. It lists the essential elements in the construction of such a unit: cultural topic, linguistic elements, time period, main objectives, instructional materials, focus, specific activities, intended results, evaluation techniques,…