Some general principles of teaching reading in the second language classroom are reviewed. To illustrate the connection between theory and practice, examples are provided of teaching practices used with adult learners of English as a Second language (ESL) who have Chinese and Vietnamese-language backgrounds. A discussion follows of how instruction…

A discussion of the evaluation of writing, particularly in English as a Second Language, argues for a communicative approach reflecting the current approach to language teaching and learning. The movement toward more communication-oriented and more valid language testing is examined briefly, and direct assessment is chosen as the preferred format…

The guide is one section of a resource kit designed to assist Peace Corps language instruction coordinators in countries around the world in understanding the principles underlying second language learning and teaching and in organizing instructional programs. This section covers development of instructional materials. An introductory chapter…

The guide is one section of a resource kit designed to assist Peace Corps language instruction coordinators in countries around the world in understanding the principles underlying second language learning and teaching and in organizing instructional programs. This section is concerned with in-service and independent language training at the…

This study investigated ways in which regular group discussion might promote reflective teaching. Subjects were three experienced teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Korea who came together in weekly meetings to reflect on their work. Two were college teachers, and one taught in a private company. The study examined what the…

This source book provides information on school, college, and community programs that teach American Indian languages in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. These programs were identified through leads provided by a nine-member regional task force of Native educators and language activists; consultation with federal and state…

As indigenous communities begin to develop language revitalization programs, they inevitably must face the decision of whether to incorporate written forms of their historically oral languages into their efforts. This paper argues that as indigenous people go about the decision-making process, they must be aware of the implications of relying on a…

This curriculum guide provides an instructional plan for combining language and content instruction in a French language program at the elementary school level. The program combines common themes in the foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) program (e.g., numbers, animals, weather, family) with related content-area topics in…

A study investigated what conscious listening strategies second language learners use when listening to authentic texts. Subjects were six college students of intermediate Spanish. They listened to three authentic audio and three authentic video texts. The introspective commentaries of the subjects on one of the video texts are discussed here.…

Foreign language teachers must do some career counseling if their students are to be informed about the choice of profession and application of foreign language skills and knowledge. Because most teachers do not have time or resources to do full-scale counseling, Macon College (Georgia) has instituted an internship program for foreign language…

The French immersion experience in Montreal, since its inception in 1965, is considered highly successful. Despite critics who note that its results fall short of perfect bilingualism, French immersion has achieved what it set out to accomplish: functional bilingual competencies. In doing so, French immersion has challenged many assumptions about…

Little data are available concerning the native languages of Scandinavian residents, other than the official languages, despite the linguistic diversity of the region. Foreign language teaching starts early in schooling, but there has been little study of actual language needs. Three basic program designs are available for teaching foreign…

This paper discusses non-native speakers' use of interactional strategies to elicit responses from or negotiate meaning with their interlocutors in an attempt to solve their problems in conversational listening. It is concerned with the question of whether these interactional listening strategies can be taught as a means to improve learners'…

A review of literature addresses two main issues: (1) how the acquisition of English by deaf signing children has been understood as an instance of second language learning; and (2) how deaf children learn to read English, given this understanding. The first chapter chronicles the history of language use in deaf education and reviews research on…

El Arco Iris is a supplementary pre-school program for Hispanic 4- and 5-year-old children and their parents. The Brownsville (Texas) Independent School District operates the program. Ninety-five percent of the kindergarten children in this district begin school speaking little or no English and median family incomes are among the lowest in the…