The article reports on aspects of a recent study of classroom practices in the teaching of ESL reading to Spanish children in bilingual programs. A major finding of the study was that ESL pupils were dropped from ESL reading instruction at a very low reading level (second book, second level), regardless of age. (Author/NQ)

The preposing of subject pronouns in questions containing an interrogative word has become common in several Caribbean countries. Use of preposing with "tu,""usted" and "ustedes" is discussed, including its relation to final "s" aspirated or dropped, preservation of morphological oppositions, and increased use of subject pronouns. (CHK)

Discusses pedagogical descriptions in high school textbooks covering Spanish reflexive verb constructions. Points out that these textbooks rarely contain the full reflexive construction displayed with all the grammatical persons and complete English glosses. (17 references) (Author/CK)

Examines the different spoken conditional verb forms used with reference to future time as manifested in the speech habits of those Mexican Americans living in Houston. The frequency with which certain variant forms appear indicates a definite trend in the evolution of linguistic change. Within this linguistic context, the imperfect subjunctive…

This study was designed to analyze the use of communication strategies, particularly circumlocution, by speakers at the intermediate high and advanced levels of oral proficiency in Spanish. Analysis of learner discourse found that advanced speakers, more than intermediate high speakers, rely on a range of second-language-based strategies that…

Responds to concerns put forth about an investigation conducted by the author that raised concerns about the validity and generalizability of the author's study on the efficacy of processing instruction--an input-oriented psycholinguistic approach to grammar instruction. (Author/VWL)

Collentine's (1998) treatment materials are discussed in light of Van Patten's (1996) definition of processing instruction (PI) and the four processing problems outlined in Van Patten (1997). Collentine's understanding of communicative value is contrasted with VanPatten's (1995) original definition of the term and Collentine's comments concerning…

Provides a list of recently published books in Spanish for children and adolescents. A tentative grade level is indicated for each book, but it is suggested that the individual child's Spanish-reading ability, interest, taste, and purpose should be the main criteria for determining the true level of each book. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that Spanish teachers consider a new role as researchers of their own professional environment through a number of successful research techniques and strategies. The process of teacher-initiated research begins with the description of realistic teaching and learning situations in which a teacher could conduct research in the Spanish…

Investigates the acquisition of Spanish word order by native speakers of English. Specifically considers the development of sensitivity to the distinct interpretations of subject-verb vs. verb-subject order as determined by lexical verb class and discourse structure. (Author/VWL)

Using the translation of Isabel Allende's novel "The House of the Spirits," this essay demonstrates that the mastery of a foreign language does not guarantee a translation true to the original. The Spanish of the Latin American countries exhibits numerous differences and does not always share a uniform vocabulary. Concrete measures are…

Investigated whether crosslinguistic interference occurs in the domain of subject realization in Spanish in a bilingual (Spanish-English) acquisition context. Also explored whether the source of the interference is due to child-internal crosslanguage contact between English and Spanish or due to the nature of the language input in a bilingual…

Assessed the provision and use of implicit negative feedback in the interactional context of adult beginning learners of Spanish working in dyads in the foreign language classroom. Relationships among error types, feedback types, and immediate learner repair were also examined. Findings indicate learners did not provide explicit negative feedback…

Describes the results of a study conducted with 28 adult third-year learners of Spanish to investigate the degree to which idiom type affects the speed and ease of idiom comprehension and interpretation, and the effect that context exerts on idiom understanding. Findings are discussed. (VWL)

Discusses a content-integration program in which Spanish is introduced while mathematics and other subjects are reinforced, creating a winning combination for students, teachers, and preservice teachers alike. (Author/NB)