The central research question of this study is whether first-time scores for repeat limited-English-proficient (LEP) test-takers of Basic Standards Tests (BSTs), also known as "graduation exams," predict a passing score on the test the second time around. Three points are cautiously asserted: (1) 20% or fewer of LEP students who retook…

The main purpose of this study is to determine whether a class addressing language learner passivity in conversations with native speakers will lead students to take a more active role. The thesis aims to determine if earlier research by Long and Holmen showing that language learners are passive in conversation with native speakers of English. It…

This study compared the writing evaluations performed by native English speakers and native Japanese speakers who teach writing in English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japan. Subjects were 32 Japanese and 32 native English-speaking EFL instructors, divided into 2 mixed groups of equal size and proportion. One group evaluated an authentic…

This paper examines the importance of political and sociocultural factors in foreign language education, focusing on English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learning in Lebanon. It begins with a historical review of foreign language education in Lebanon, then discusses the current role and status of English in the Lebanese context, which reveals…

This guide describes step-by-step the decisions necessary for designing a curriculum for learning world languages. There are eight chapters in four parts. Part 1, "Creating Curriculum," includes: (1) "Introduction to Wisconsin's Standards for Learning World Languages" (e.g., the vision of Wisconsin's standards); (2)…

This study explored bilingual education in California, analyzing California law on instruction for English Learners before and after Proposition 227. Proposition 227 required that all English Learners (EL) participate in a sheltered English immersion program in which most instruction was in English with curriculum and presentation designed for…

This presentation describes how to use reading to improve second language acquisition. Part 1, "Building Awareness of Reading Habits and Attitudes," has students report their habits and attitudes about reading in English and their native language and recognize the importance of reading for improving English skills. Part 2, "Choosing a Book," has…

The wealth of information available on the Web affords teachers and learners access to language learning resources like never before. Online journals, listservs, newspapers, and magazines provide authentic material for language learners, while teachers can find lesson plans and ideas, exercises, assessment tools, and other materials for use in…

This paper examines classroom interaction between native and non-native instructors and heritage language (HL) students in regular university foreign language (FL) courses, ranging from beginning to advanced levels. After an overview of FL teaching and HL students in U.S. universities, the paper deals with three areas within classroom interaction:…

This brief discusses the challenge of learning English as a second language and the social interaction patterns these children exhibit, along with limited communication abilities, that are similar to those exhibited by children identified with specific language impairments or with speech impairments. It is not uncommon for many of these children…

This paper describes an elective course at Taiwan's Wen Tzao Ursuline College of Modern Languages, "Concise English Poetry Appreciation and Recitation." The course is based on the reader response approach and targets third year students, leading them into the world of poetry through various stages (traditional nursery rhymes and simple,…

This study explored the relationship between discourse topics and interlanguage variation, describing the following: relationships between discourse topics and a second language learner's participation in native speaker/non-native speaker (NS-NNS) conversation; relationships between discourse topics and the grammatical complexity, accuracy, and…

This book, written in English and Zulu, presents stories written by older people from the Muthande Society for the Aged Literacy Programme in South Africa. It is suitable for people learning to read for the first time or for people learning to read in a second language. In the Muthande Society for the Aged Literacy Programme, both teachers and…

The Council of the Great City Schools conducted a survey to study the numbers and characteristics of English language learners (ELLs) in member school districts. Bilingual education directors in the organization's 58 cities were asked to use data for the 2001-2002 school year to provide information about ELLs in their districts. Responses were…

This paper discusses how to motivate unsuccessful English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners in Japanese high schools. The first section examines the current status of teaching ESL to Japanese high school students. The second section focuses on how to motivate unsuccessful ESL learners (employing motivational strategies, creating a comfortable…