Achievement test scores for 417 fifth graders in both school settings indicated superior language achievement by the 164 immersion centre students. Questionnaire data from 94 teachers and administrators provided reasons for these differences. Implied that programs should focus on maximum use of French and meeting teachers' materials and resources…

Discusses the situational-structural syllabus with emphasis on more clearly defining objectives in both scope and content. Four directions for these syllabi are suggested: (1) priority of semantic and functional notions; (2) subordination of grammatical features; (3) introduction of spoken language discourse; and (4) reduction of grammatical…

Evaluates a bilingual/bicultural education pilot program in which native speakers of Vietnamese, Korean, Spanish, and English participated. Language classes were integrated within the overall curriculum. School attendance, motivation, language proficiency, and academic grades all improved. (PMJ)

Discusses two surveys conducted at the University of Hong Kong that measured students' willingness to adopt active speech roles in second-language classrooms. Findings reveal that students expressed a liking for communicative work at school and a preference for classes permitting students to do most of the talking, but that they had a low…

Rather than try and shield themselves from organizational change, language departments should turn current administrative attempts to streamline the campus to their advantage, particularly in the trend toward internationalization of the curriculum. Areas for expansion include languages across the curriculum, area studies, study abroad, comparative…

Discusses the reasons for the differences in second language proficiency across Australia, including composite classes at primary and secondary levels and classes of mixed proficiency levels at secondary level. Reviews strategies for dealing with this problem, including effecting a smooth transition between primary and secondary schooling and the…

Presents a proposal for training pre- and inservice teachers in the use of group work based on the principles of action research. Outlines some issues in the design and implementation of these activities and presents suggestions for the post-observation remodeling of activities within a task- and content-based framework for foreign language…

Presents a problem-posing curriculum integrating a class-generated theme with pronunciation acquisition. The curriculum outlines six steps needed to generate, develop, and critically analyze a problem relevant to the group. Notes that student reaction to the curriculum suggests the effectiveness of this approach. (17 references) (Author/CK)

Discusses the lack of clarity in which proficiency in written English was taken into account in the assessment of the academic writing of second-language students at a South African university. Argues that, if universities are to be accountable to their students, the criteria used in the assessment of assignments and examinations should be made…

This study looked at articulation between high school and college Japanese instruction. The two-year study compared the attrition and performance of students who had had high school instruction in Japanese with students who first began their study after entering Indiana University . (Author/JL)

Examines the morpho-syntax of task-based interaction and reports some possible grammatical consequences of interaction in split and shared information tasks undertaken by adult second language learners of English. Results indicate that communication tasks for language learning can be designed to influence the use of particular linguistic…

Examines factors contributing to the Puerto Rican conflict between Spanish and English. These include American heavy-handedness, party politics, socioeconomic tensions and the educational bureaucracy. The article notes how language planning could defuse the conflict and specifies concrete planning roles for English language professionals. (25…

Discusses the notion of a language proficiency threshold that short circuits the transfer of reading ability from the native language (L1) to a second language (L2). This study, in which cognitive complexity of tasks and students' L2 proficiency levels vary, focuses on university students in France reading preprofessional English texts. (39…

Compares the effects of an enriched syllabus including extensive reading and frequent writing assignments on English descriptive writing performance at four form levels for Cantonese-speaking students participating in three English programs: (1) regular plus unrelated (mathematics) enrichment; (2) regular plus extensive reading; and (3) regular…

Immigrant deaf students face multiple challenges in school as they frequently learn two new languages simultaneously: English and American Sign Language. Some have limited or no formal schooling experience. Describes units of study--one for Spanish-literate middle school students and one for elementary students with limited literacy skills--that…