This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 18 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) an alternative high school English curriculum and its relationship to student alienation and pupil control ideology; (2) an oral language program for fifth…

During the 1979-1980 school year Project Primary Reading Objectives for Bilingual Education (P.R.O.B.E.) was involved in improving the rate of reading growth and cognitive development of four and five year olds from the Bronx, New York. In bilingual classes that were conducted primarily in Spanish, the 153 program participants received instruction…

Foreign language teachers who study abroad need language instruction that will increase language proficiency and develop fluency and refinement in language use. Cultural learning can be part of study abroad through community assignments. Literature and other courses must be preceded by courses which establish a certain level of proficiency in…

This collection of diverse research papers in linguistics includes: "La notion de tour de parole dans une perspective syntaxique" ("The Notion of Turn Taking from a Syntactic Perspective") (Jean-Marc Luscher, Sandrine Piaget, Christian Rubattel); "'Si tu me fais honneur d'un p'tit telephone demain matin ben je suis…

The guide outlines a curriculum for developing essential oral language skills in adult learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). It is divided into four topic-based sections, each providing a variety of activities for developing communication skills, including grammatical knowledge and vocabulary. Topics include: personal information (giving…

This guide presents advice on how to choose a videotape and then adapt it to a variety of language learning situations and curriculum needs. It outlines strategies that will help to create a successful learning experience by providing a wide range of suggested activities to develop listening, speaking, and writing skills. Advice on how to use a…

One of the ways in which language testing interfaces with applied linguistics is in the definition and validation of the constructs that underlie language tests. When language testers and score users interpret scores on a test, they do so by implicit and explicit reference to the construct on which the test is based. Equally, when applied to new…

The Aboriginal Language Standardisation (ALS) Project's task is to develop quality literacy materials in order to help preserve aboriginal languages of Canada. The Canadian Assembly of First Nations, a group of tribal leaders, recently called for the establishment of standards for written and oral languages by approving terminology, developing…

"Malik Goes to School: Examining the Language Skills of African American Students From Preschool-5th Grade" synthesizes a decade of research by the authors, Holly Craig and Julie Washington, on the oral language and literacy skills of African American children from preschool to fifth grade. Their research has characterized significant influences…

Provides a detailed analysis of techniques used for second language vocabulary assessment and the implied assumptions about the underlying construct of vocabulary knowledge. The article notes that existing measures of vocabulary size are uninformative as to the depth of knowledge that learners have about particular words. (56 references)…

Addresses the issue of collocations as an important and neglected variable in English-as-a-Foreign-Language classes. Two questionnaires, in English and Arabic, involving common collocations relating to food, color, and weather were administered to English majors and English language teachers. Results show both groups deficient in collocations. (36…

Addresses two questions concerning whole language teaching to young children: (1) What is whole language? (2) What experiences are appropriate for whole language teaching? (BB)

Studies native speakers of Korean to determine the role of universals in their acquisition of English obstruent voicing contrasts. Data were collected from a passage and a word list containing voiced and voiceless obstruents in initial, medial, and final word positions. Results reflected principles of markedness, universals of L1 acquisition, and…

Research described oral texts produced by second- and third- generation bilingual Chicano Spanish speakers when required to carry out a set of functions in only one of their available codes. Analysis focuses on characteristics of planned, noninteractive spoken language produced in Spanish by university students in a classroom setting, compared…

"Lessons in Character" is designed to promote elementary and middle school students' knowledge about core character education values and, through that knowledge, shape children's positive behaviors and support academic success. It consists of 24 lessons organized around weekly themes, taught through stories, writing activities, and class…