Five papers on bilingualism are presented. "Giving Transfer a Boost--Describing Transfer Variation in Learners' Interlanguage Performance" by Claus Faerch suggests, outlines, and illustrates a heuristic principle for describing the result of positive transfer from one language to another, based on the assumption that learners maximize…

The rationale behind most standard English tests is openly political and economic--to perpetuate and protect the advantages of the white middle class. (JH)

Spanish and English versions of an oral proficiency test were administered to Spanish-surnamed pupils at grade levels K, one, three and five in a bilingual education program. The results indicated that achievement in English appears to be unrelated to the maintenance of Spanish for bilingual children. (Author/ND)

The pervasive notion of communicative competence has all too often been translated in terms of an instructional goal as minimum communicative competence. The second language learner who is actually preparing to function at a relatively high level of sophistication in the target language culture is not benefitted by reliance on paralinguistic…

This is an account of some of the issues raised during 5 years of design, development and operation of the English Language Testing Service (ELTS). The measures in question are made up of five sub-tests: two general tests of reading and listening comprehension, and three modular tests of language study skills in reading, writing, and speaking. The…

The linguistic norm for testing and instructing Students of Limited-English-Proficiency (SLEPs) is that of a monolingual native speaker of English. The claim is made that this norm is not implemented accurately in testing and instruction and that a bilingual norm for testing and instruction would be more appropriate. The failure to implement…

This report presents the results of the evaluation of a bilingual education component implemented through the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA) in the Dallas (Texas) Independent School District. Under the program, multicultural bilingual instruction was provided in 13 schools. Twenty-two percent, as opposed to a projected 60 percent, of the students…

This study investigated the development of language proficiency of 83 foreign students of English as a second language who were living in English-speaking American homes during their 14-week intensive formal language program. Statistical comparison with non-homestay students revealed that homestay students achieved significantly higher course…

A three-year study aimed at measuring the English speaking proficiency of Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) candidates on a direct basis is described. A variety of "semi-direct" testing formats (involving test stimuli delivered by tape recording and accompanying booklet, with examinee speech tape recorded for evaluation) were…

To identify attitudes of the Canadian public toward discrimination, the Canadian Human Rights Commission surveyed a representative sample of 2,000 Canadians. This document describes the survey, presents highlights, and explains how the survey is being used. The specific purpose of the survey was to provide information on public opinion regarding…

An evaluation report of second year accomplishments at the Ann Street Bilingual School is presented. Objectives are established for students, instructional personnel, and parents at the school, the testing programs, standards set, and results for each are explained. Kindergarten students were expected to meet established standards in Spanish and…

This is a descriptive outline of the language situation in the Danish education system. The introductory material discusses the reason for foreign language study. A major reason is that Denmark is a small country with a difficult native language for speakers of other languages to learn. Therefore, the Danish population is exposed to foreign…

The Beijing Foreign Languages Institute is one of about 60 colleges and universities in the People's Republic of China that is directly under the Ministry of Education. Attached to the Institute are a high school and an elementary school where students start learning foreign languages in third grade. Classroom teaching is supplemented by…

Offering a comprehensive review of Australian research directed toward the study of the language use of children from different social backgrounds, this book assesses the validity of Basil Bernstein's thesis that many lower working class children are confined to a restricted code of language use. This evaluation is set in two wider contexts: what…