Due to the relevance of the discussions on the use of counterbalance for content-based and form-focused second language instruction, the purpose of this study is to present some pedagogical strategies to teach and reinforce the correct use of articles, gender and number of nouns in Portuguese when teaching Language and Arts (first grade) and…

Providing a comprehensive survey of cutting-edge work on second language learning, this "Handbook," written by a team of leading experts, surveys the nature of second language learning and its implications for teaching. Prominent theories and methods from linguistics, psycholinguistics, processing-based, and cognitive approaches are…

This paper addresses a niche in studies on immersion programmes for English as second language learners. While studies on the impact of the experience of studying abroad are replete with reports about the enhancement of participants' language proficiency or intercultural skills, the present study investigates the types of language and culture…

This article gives the reasons for, and the history of, the conceptualization of intensive French. The major characteristics of core French and French immersion are reviewed, giving the principal advantages and limitations of each program. The findings of empirical research that most directly affect the development of communication skills are…

This paper examines pedagogical and methodological considerations involved in language immersion programs in Kyrgyzstan, discussing bilingual education program goals, how children acquire first languages, how language and content can be taught and learned simultaneously, and steps that have been taken to make immersion programs successful in…

Describes a teacher research project, designed to motivate 8th-grade Spanish students, that involved creating a unit based on a Zapotec story. Only Spanish was spoken in the classroom. The researcher investigated students' reactions to having Spanish-only lessons focusing on the story. Interviews indicated that students found the class more…

A study of elementary school foreign language programs in eight states yielded information about the status and design of language immersion, revitalized foreign language in the elementary schools (FLES), and foreign language experience (FLEX) programs. Immersion programs consist of the usual curriculum content presented entirely in a second…

This paper reports on a questionnaire survey carried out in the first and last classes of a single semester English "conversation" class at a national university in Japan. While the time frame is obviously limited, the project focuses on changes in attitude to using the Learners' Mother Tongue displayed by students with regards to use by…

The paper discusses the major second language teaching methods used to date in contrast with the strategies and techniques all children so successfully employ in first language acquisition. Second language acquisition for adults is not identical to first language acquisition but research seems to support the theory that it is similar. Successful…

The teaching guide for Alberta's elementary school French immersion programs outlines an approach to articulating the program's notional content. It discusses the development of both receptive and productive language skills in this context. Introductory sections examine the principles underlying the skill development method, the aims behind the…