In Canada there exists a need to prepare the teaching force, which is primarily monocultural and monolingual, to work with an increasingly ethnoculturally diverse student population. This paper defines the term "ethnocultural," and presents three dimensions of ethnocultural knowledge that are essential to the ongoing professional and…

Two reports concerning the evaluation of language minority and limited-English-proficient students are presented. The Task D170 report provides conclusions of a written focus group on the issues involved in defining appropriate outcome variables, outcome variables to be used, and the relative importance of LEP student outcome variables for school…

A McGill University (Quebec, Canada) continuing education program of French language instruction for specific professions currently under development is described. The program is designed for non-native-speaking Canadians and international students, and emphasizes complete functional control of language skills rather than acquisition of conceptual…

A multi-year study examined whether elementary school students can engage in historical thinking in a meaningful way, and what kind of writing activities best serve this purpose. Subjects were 17 students of varying language proficiency levels selected as the focus of research from the entire class of 31 primarily Hispanic and African-American…

A study looked at the patterns of clarification questions and responses occurring in academic advisement interviews between graduate students (26 non-native English-speaking (NNS) and 7 native English-speaking (NS)) and native-speaker advisors. Tape-recorded interviews between students and a male graduate studies director, generally concerning…

When faced with having to assign a grade to a student's oral proficiency in a small group discussion, how can teachers consistently evaluate each student? Because a student's adeptness at a foreign language can vary from one ability to another, it is unfair to evaluate his or her performance solely by grammatical and lexical accuracy or by any…

This paper addresses the potential value of language-related criteria for use in identifying ethnic minorities in the Netherlands. A description of the way the Dutch government defines ethnic minority groups is followed by a comparative outline of the use of language-related criteria in countries with a longer tradition of immigration (Australia,…

In this pilot project, nine pairs of Danish teenagers with different levels of English proficiency were observed and of these three pairs were studied in greater detail, as they worked on English writing assignments on a word processor. The approach used in gathering data was based on video recordings using a split-screen technique. Half the…

A pilot study of a larger project on second language comprehension under two input conditions is reported. The first condition is characterized by the availability of samples of target input that have been modified a priori toward greater semantic redundancy and transparency and less complex syntax. The second condition is characterized by the…

A review of research is inconclusive concerning the relationship between intelligence and language proficiency. A study of 10th grade students (n=35) examined scores on a high school entrance exam and achievement in foreign language after 1 year of study. Both math and reading showed a significant correlation with foreign language achievement; the…

This study examined listening comprehension in 82 university students who participated in an American Council of Teachers of Russian language program. Questionnaire data reveal that specific listening activities are not common in college Russian courses, and that students have little confidence in their ability to comprehend what they hear in a…

It is noted that while language proficiency tests are not an ideal method for predicting student performance, they are commonly used as admission criteria. A methodology for comparing college tests of English as a Second Language (ESL) that are used for program admission is offered. The procedure imposes certain constraints on data collection,…

This document consists of 6 figures and 67 tables that together present national, regional, and state profiles of those individuals aged 16 years and older who have not attained a high school diploma or equivalent and are not currently enrolled in school. Included in the tables are the following target population characteristics: number of years…

This study analyzed English language tests administered in Brazil as part of a university entrance examination, focusing on the authenticity of its tests of second language reading comprehension, the concept of reading as an interactive process between reader and text, a proficiency-based view of language instruction, and the psychometric…

In 1970 the Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that the Los Angeles (California) Unified School District (LAUSD) operated segregated schools and it rendered the original order to integrate the district's schools. The School Readiness Language Development Program (SRDLP) is one of several programs developed in response to the original court order.…