Presents the findings of an informal poll of teachers over 25 years about their experiences in education school courses and their thoughts on the proper requirements for the education degree in foreign languages. (Three references) (CK)

Examines an alternative to high-powered, high-tech use of laser disk technology in teaching English as a Second Language. Points out that there has not been a rush to install this technology because of cost, scarcity of courseware, incompatibility of the various delivery systems and the time investment/technical expertise required of the teacher.…

Describes the postcourse evaluation of an INSET program for Japanese secondary teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL), which found that the course's communicative approach was not implemented universally. The article suggests that differences between British and Japanese traditions may cause a reluctance to innovate and that INSET courses…

Identifies 10 principles that English-as-a-Second-or-Other-Language teachers need to address in collaboration with content area teachers. For each principle, a concern is described, a response is outlined, and a relevant example is provided. (14 references) (Author/CK)

Contrasts teacher-student interactions in typical teacher-fronted second language classrooms with the organization of talk across a variety of alternate educational participant structures--a teacher-student conference, small group work, the making of a class video, and a problem-solving interaction in a computer lab--that deviate from the…

Based on a two-year ethnographic and discourse analytic study of Oyster Bilingual School in Washington, DC, this article illustrates what educational opportunity means for the linguistically, culturally, and economically diverse student population participating in a successful two-way Spanish-English bilingual program. Presents micro-level…

Describes the use of Daedalus Integrated Writing Environment in the networked computer classroom to teach Spanish grammar and composition. Notes that second language teachers can benefit from advances made in Writing-Across-the-Curriculum programs and that incorporating writing in all disciplines develops critical-thinking skills. (nine…

Presents preliminary research findings on the washback effect of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination in English in Hong Kong secondary schools, using questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations. Findings reveal that washback effect works quickly in effecting changes in teaching materials and slowly with difficulties in…

Presents a longitudinal examination of the effects of certain types of schooling (bilingual, immersion, mixed-language) on the concept development of monolingual, developing bilingual, or competent bilingual children in Wales. Results indicated that immersion programs temporarily retarded concept development of second language beginners.…

Observation of a single high school foreign-language classroom, focusing on the relationships between the foreign-language curriculum and the classroom dynamics, highlighted frequently invisible organizational pressures and the distance between idealistic curricula and policy and teachers' and students' needs. (CB)

Reports on a case study of the role of native-language literacy in the academic achievement of 387 Vietnamese high school students in New Orleans (Louisiana). Finds that literacy in Vietnamese is positively related to identification with the ethnic group and to academic achievement. (CFR)

The evolution and design of a third-year college course in business Italian are described. Course content includes business correspondence, banking, wholesale and retail transactions. Teaching methods and class activities are also discussed. These include use of realia, small group activities, and letter and report writing. (Author/MSE)

Explains how a learner-centered approach works on "Talkbase," an eight-week workshop in language and technology. This article describes how participants coped with a new educational experience in which participants carried out tasks, learned through active investigation, developed concepts and skills and gained confidence to express…

Reviews the literature on educational innovation to inform those interested in undertaking a teacher-initiated innovation in English-as-a-Second-Language programs. Innovation involves a change that can occur at various levels; it is an ongoing process of revision and should constitute improvement. (31 references) (Author/CK)

Assesses the concept of "backwash" in language teaching. The two processes of testing and teaching are considered to be necessary but distinct. A system is described for distinguishing between them which is applied to developing classroom activities for examination preparation classes to help teachers move from testing to teaching…