Investigates the effects of formal instruction on second language acquisition, or more specifically whether explicit instruction results in specific features being acquired. A structure can be said to be acquired if the learner is able to use ii in spontaneous utterances, without having to stop and consciously apply the appropriate rules.…

Describes a course on Japanese Buddhist art taught in English to second-year university students in Japan. The course was team taught by an English-as-a-Foreign-language teacher and a teacher who is a specialist in Japanese art. Suggests that learning about the art of a country by listening, reading, talking, and writing is effective for improving…

Examined the discourse patterns of teachers from intensive English programs in the United States. Through examining the verbal interaction among teachers and students and focusing on teacher talk specifically, patterns and features were observed that helped facilitate productive interaction and contributed to moving students and teachers closer to…

Focuses on how teaching experience at a newly implemented second language writing center contributed towards personal theory development of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing for three teachers. Combined the literature on teacher knowledge with ESL writing to study teachers' changing beliefs about ESL writers, readers, texts, and contexts.…

Reports an empirical investigation into the influence of purpose for reading on performance in reading in English as a Second Language for academic purposes. High intermediate and advanced level university students of ESL read an academic procedural text for one of two purposes. Results showed a significant interaction between purpose and task, as…

Describes the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) instrument, which is intended to measure adolescent and adult ESL students' metacognitive awareness and perceived use of reading strategies while reading academic materials such as textbooks. Discusses the development of SORS and offers guidance for using it as a means of raising learner awareness…

A study examined language transfer among low-intermediate English-as-second language students in an academic English development course at a California community college. Thirteen adult immigrant students who had higher first-language proficiency made better progress in academic English than did nine students who immigrated at a younger age and…

Reports on the efficacy of interventions made to improve the attrition rates of students of Japanese as a foreign language at the University of Sydney, Australia. Specifically, the study sought to evaluate differences in outcomes between students with a background in a morphographic writing system and those without such a background. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that an intensive language-oriented English poetry class conducted for one semester for university students in Korea demonstrates that English poetry can be properly integrated in language classes with positive results, not only by heightening students' motivation and interest in English but also by improving their language performance.…

Explores the amount of talk used by girls as opposed to boys in a Grade 2 English-as-a-Second-Language classroom located in British Columbia. Focus was on the amount of language used by the girls in teacher-led lessons. (Author/VWL)

Presents key questions reflecting research in first/second language acquisition and whole language principles: is curriculum organized around "big" questions?; are students involved in authentic reading and writing?; are students given choices?; is content meaningful?; do students work collaboratively?; do students read, write, speak, and listen…

Investigates the relationship between metalinguistic awareness and second language (L2) proficiency of university-level learners of French. Learners' performances on two grammaticality judgment tests and on a test of L2 proficiency were examined in the context of demands made upon these two components according to whether the learners had been…

Looks at learner initiative in teacher-fronted activities, and how this can influence classroom interaction. Extracts from lesson transcripts of adult evening classes in Italy are used to give precise definition of what is meant by learner initiative and to illustrate how it can change interaction patterns. (Author/VWL)

Investigates how and to what degree English is used in specific elite domains in Sweden through analysis of language requirements needed to participate in undergraduate and graduate programs at competitive institutions and language qualifications and language use patterns in elite professions. (Author/VWL)

Explores social interactive features of synchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC)--commonly known as "chat"--as such features unfolded in real time and developed over a 9-week period in two college Spanish courses. Invoked a Vygotskian sociocultural theoretical framework and employed discourse analysis as a research tool to…