Discusses the use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in the world of education, focusing on new paradigms, types of CALL environments, and characteristics of technology-rich schools. Several sidebars discuss technology types for CALL, what is needed to create a CALL environment, building a computer lab, and student-project Internet…

English has emerged as an important language in Vietnam, and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education exists at all levels of schooling and in business. This paper explains Vietnam's post-embargo quest for English, the effect of economic hardships on education in Vietnam, incoming ESL instructors, and the past, present, and future of languages…

Interactive research can build English-as-a-Second-Language students' language skills and cultural awareness. This paper describes a research project in which Spanish-speaking students at a San Francisco college advanced their language skills while developing basic computer-literacy skills as they conducted meaningful, relevant research projects…

Presents recommendations for a teachers'-guide evaluation checklist intended for less-experienced English-as-a-Second-Language teachers. The checklist can be used independently to meet various objectives. Notes reasons for evaluating materials, discusses published checklists, and presents a revised compilation of their criteria and a concise…

Considers how research into researchers' theories in English language teaching (ELT) can enhance our understanding of instruction and provide the basis of effective teacher-development work. The nature of teachers' theories is illustrated with examples from classroom research on grammar teaching. Discusses a study conducted with five…

Traces the development of innovations and renovations in the graduate and undergraduate German-studies program at Stanford University. Examines the conceptual framework within which the faculty was operating, discusses the practicalities and specifics of three experimental approaches within the German-studies undergraduate curriculum, and…

Describes the development of a speech-activated multimedia system for foreign-language training. The model allows students to engage native speakers on CD-ROM in lengthy face-to-face dialogs using natural spoken language. (Author/VWL)

Describes a speech-interactive graphics microworld in which learners speak problem-solving directions to an animated agent and in which new scenarios can be authored. A proof-of-concept application is illustrated for sustaining basic speaking skill in Modern Standard Arabic. (Author/VWL)

Describes an English for academic purposes program design that uses a content-based, integrated skills approach to prepare learners for the demands of mainstream instruction. (Author/VWL)

Investigates the cause of avoidance in learning negation in a Korean as a second-language (KSL) situation. Because Korean has two types of negatives--preverbal and postverbal--examination focused on whether students of KSL avoid a certain negative form, and if so, why. (Author/VWL)

Based on a language-needs analysis for students in a German for engineering course, this article argues that teaching languages for special purposes needs to consider the subject-specific needs of specialists in a given field. It proposes that LSP courses need to be skill oriented and learner centered and should emphasize the role of…

Reports on a study of the implementation of a structuralist approach to teaching text in elementary school classrooms in Australia. Examines the pedagogic practice of one teacher, highlighting the impact of a restrictive and reductive approach to text on her teaching methodology. (Author/VWL)

Discusses research conducted to develop Japanese multimedia teaching materials for use on the Internet. The research verified the effects of different types of images used in multimedia teaching materials on the story understanding and reproduction ability of Japanese language learners based on a Japanese fairy tale. (Author/VWL)

Examines aspects of cross-cultural studies, delineates a concept of culture, explores the interplay of culture and ethics, and analyzes the shifting cultural and economic values as issues that either the economists or the humanists will deal with under the banner of the future global village. (Author/VWL)

Introduces a computer-assisted language-learning system called L2tutor that is designed to provide an immersion experience to travelers before they leave on a trip to a country where a different language is spoken. The learner takes part in a fully mixed-initiative dialog with the system to gain fluency and hone vocabulary and grammatical skills.…