The 1987-89 survey represents the Modern Language Association's first effort to collect information from the stratified random sample of foreign language programs established in 1988. Topics include requirements, faculty characteristics, language coordinator functions, faculty role in governance, curricula, course offerings, enrollment, numbers of…

Students at the U.S. Air Force Academy participated in a study of Chinese language skill acquisition. Findings included more rapid and accurate character recognition was associated with higher proficiency; printed frequency had the greatest effect upon accuracy of naming; character density correlated with recognition accuracy; and denser…

Describes the environment and cultural at Columbia Academy, a private international high school in Kobe, Japan. Emphasizes the role of language and how second-language skills represent learned cultural competencies. Considers the influence of language use on group behaviors. Addresses the issue of transnationalism or transculturalism. (DMM)

Illustrates the comprehension-monitoring process used by first (L1) and second (L2) language readers of English as they read expository prose and compares the comprehension-monitoring strategies of L1 and L2 readers with respect to two problems: locating a referent and defining a vocabulary item. (59 references) (GLR)

In a study of whether second-language (L2) acquisition is the mirror image of L2 attrition, 2 Turkish girls aged 7 and 9 were observed for 15-20 months to determine their language attrition upon returning to Turkey after living in Germany. Findings were compared with those of a Turkish boy whose L2 acquisition had previously been studied in…

Varied linguistic and sociopragmatic skills required for effective international research reporting are discussed based on a survey of journal editors in North America and the United Kingdom. Emphasis is on language-related criteria that influence publication decisions, and suggestions are offered for teaching research writing. (17 references)…

Examines attitudes of first-year Michigan State University students about the importance of foreign language (FL) study, focusing on possible differences according to measured abilities to use the English language, amount of success in previous high school FL study, sex, racial/ethnic heritage, major, and anticipated college-level FL study. (LB)

Examines the sociocultural-linguistic processes involved in writing stories in English and French for 2 bilingual children, aged 10 and 11, in Quebec. Points out differences between the children in their views of play, schooling, and story creation. Proposes a unity of process across both languages that is mirrored in the writing of first- and…

Francophone learners of English as a foreign language performed metalingual and preference tasks requiring them to utilize second-language knowledge brought to mind under an aural priming activity or a written task. Results indicate important differences between recall with awareness and recall without awareness, which strongly suggests a positive…

Classroom communication in the second-language class is examined from an ethnographic perspective, highlighting the role of students in helping each other learn. Turn-taking, patterns of addressing teacher and peers, and different kinds of interaction that promote learning: cooperative; didactic; competitive; theatrical; personalized. (MSE)

The influence on interlocutors' relative content knowledge on conversational participation in interactions between native speakers (NSs) and nonnative speakers (NNSs) with limited oral skills is investigated. Results indicate that both NSs and NNSs appeared conversationally active, but there were different patterns of participation that could to…

Examined the discourse patterns used by a native speaker of English while explaining the rules and playing the board game Monopoly with three college students of varying levels of English proficiency (low nonnative, good nonnative, and native). It found that the "teacher" must modify her speech to enable the nonnative speakers to…

Reviews research on the social interaction and negotiation of second language (L2) learners and their interlocutors. This research illustrates ways in which negotiation contributes to conditions, processes, and outcomes of L2 learning by facilitating learners' comprehension and structural segmentation of L2 input, access to lexical form and…

Attributes comparative policy inattention to linguistically and culturally diverse preschoolers to several causes including widely held personal beliefs, political ideologies, misperceptions about demographics, and academic disciplinary fragmentation. Explores the current state of today's practice and suggests four fundamental issues that must be…

Presents a study of Irish primary and secondary schoolchildren learning Irish as a second language. Discusses intelligence abilities, attainment in Irish, personality traits, and attitude toward learning foreign languages. Concludes personality measures were not strongly related to cognitive measures, but attitude may play a role. Reports no…