This edited volume covers the language situation in Malawi, Mozambique, and the Philippines, explaining the linguistic diversity, the historical and political contexts, and language-in-education planning, the role of the media, the role of religion, and the roles of non-indigenous languages. The book is divided into four chapters: "The…

Very little research has been done on first or second language acquisition in the Philippines. Most second language learning studies cited in the literature concern acquisition of English in English-speaking communities, and most American studies of Filipino language acquisition are superficial, consisting primarily of morpheme analysis. The…

In the Philippines, school children must contend with the use of English and Pilipino as media of instruction. Since they are taught by teachers who have not mastered English, either, the result is predictable: rote learning. In this process, pupils also learn the hierarchical authority structure of the school system, that is, the rules governing…

This paper discusses the use of English as the main language of instruction in higher education in many developing nations, and reports on a pilot study of learning and teaching strategies used in Filipino- and English-language classrooms at De La Salle University in Manila, The Philippines. The study examined the "teacher talk" and…

This issue of "Cross Currents" includes the following articles: "More About Drama for the Classroom" by Richard A. Via; "Student-Created Media: One Approach to ESL Instruction" by Kathy Campbell; "Some Advice for Japanese Students Learning English" by Yoshi-Mitsu Shimazu; "Patterns of Oral Communication…

This paper discusses a series of oral proficiency tests in six languages developed under the auspices of the Center for Applied Linguistics and the Seattle Public Schools District. The prototype is an English test, totally oral, for use in grades K-4, designed to: (a) determine the child's ability to (1) understand and produce the distinctive…

This paper considers how multilingualism is approached in both Japan and the United States by considering the position and roles of the government, schools, and public. There exists the perception in countries where monolingualism is considered the norm that bilingualism, and certainly multilingualism, are problematic. Multilingualism in a…

This short book argues that the idea that there is one best English--or standard English--is wrong, and that nonstandard dialects are not bastardizations of standard English but alternate variations upon the basic plan of English, of which the standard one. With a general focus on classroom applications, this book makes accessible to teachers,…

This paper focuses on the mechanism by which the successful learner acquires a second language. The author postulates a core language, the common core of the speaker's native and target languages, and states that the second language becomes an extension of this common core. Whatever language-specific features are added while acquiring the second…

The purpose the Native Language Literacy Screening Device (NLLSD) is to give English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) practitioners a sense of the native language literacy levels of learners coming into their programs. This is worth knowing because when learners have had limited schooling in their first language instructional strategies used…

This guide is designed for Tagalog language training of Peace Corps workers in the Philippines, and reflects daily communication needs in that context. It consists of: a quick reference to common expressions and phrases; a series of topical vocabulary and phrase lists; targeted core language competencies, at three proficiency levels; a…

This is the first in a series of papers on research, development, and training for bilingual/multicultural education. The first two sections of the paper describe Task Force findings specifying remedies available for eliminating past educational practices ruled unlawful under Lau v Nichols, particularly the section dealing with identification of…

Papers on language processing, culture, and language learning and teaching include: "A Theory of Intelligence as Semiosis: With a Couple of Comments on Interlanguage Development" (John W. Oller, Jr.); "Along the Way: Interlanguage Systems in Second Language Acquisition" (Larry Selinker); "Strategy and Tactics in Second Language Acquisition"…

This guide is designed for tutors and teachers of literacy in rural locations in Australia, and their trainers, to help them respond appropriately to the language and literacy needs of adults of non-English-speaking background. It is divided into five sections. The first is an introduction. The second addresses the general topics of language…