Discusses the influence a first language can have on the acquisition of a second language. Includes some tentative proposals on the interaction of prior first-language knowledge and the creative construction process. (EKN)

A case study investigating the effect of grammar instruction on formal accuracy in spontaneous and monitored second language performance indicated that formal instruction appeared to have very little effect on spontaneous production but was very beneficial for controlled performance. (CB)

Argues that the emphasis of writing instruction in ESL classes should be on writing as a creative process, not on syntax, vocabulary, and rhetorical form. (EKN)

Spanish and English versions of an oral proficiency test were administered to Spanish-surnamed pupils at grade levels K, one, three and five in a bilingual education program. The results indicated that achievement in English appears to be unrelated to the maintenance of Spanish for bilingual children. (Author/ND)

Five first-grade English as a Second Language children who had been labelled nonverbal were put in a more loosely structured, tension-free situation and were encouraged by the teacher to talk freely under a variety of circumstances. The new conditions aided teachers in eliciting a great deal of speech from the students. (Author/PJM)

Discusses academic writing as it is learned by Chinese students of English as a second language (ESL), and critiques Kaplan's claim that ESL students writing expository prose in English will show organizational patterns different from those of native speakers. Developmental factors in second language learners' writing are discussed. (SED)

Summarizes the central assumptions of the communicative language teaching model and the potential difficulties that regular classroom teachers may face in implementing it. Seven criteria for use in organizing communicative classrooms are presented, and applications of these criteria to decisions about organizing classroom interaction and the…