"Instructional conversations" (ICs) are presented as one way for language minority students to achieve educational goals related to a depth of student understanding and appreciation of issues. ICs are discussion-based lessons geared toward creating opportunities for students' conceptual and linguistic development. They focus on an idea…

This guide is intended to help teachers plan, design, and implement science activities for students learning English as a Second Language (ESL) in grades 4-8, in mainstream science classes, ESL classes, bilingual education programs, and also to help others serving this population. Steps for designing science experiments that integrate language and…

A yearly cross-section of current work in Edinburgh University's Department of Applied Linguistics is offered with the aim of eliciting reactions and criticism. Papers in this compilation are: "Discursive Aspects of Metafiction: A Neo-Oral Aura?"; "The Reaction of Learners to Tape-Based Listening Comprehension Materials in French,…

A survey of 20 university students of English as a Second Language in China revealed lack of understanding of the role of listening in communication. Students believed they had good understanding of English vocabulary but had difficulty understanding a speaker's main ideas. Only a minority agreed that listener feedback affects the speaker's…

The third year of the partial immersion program in grades one through three at Key Elementary School (Arlington, Virginia), where half the day is taught in English and half in Spanish, is reported. The review includes classroom observations, student and teacher interviews, student assessment, and parent and staff interviews. Student assessments…

Prepared for practicing language teachers, this book's aim is to help them make the most of audio, a readily accessible resource. The book shows, with the help of numerous practical examples, how a range of language skills can be developed. Most examples are in French. Chapters cover the following information: (1) making the most of audio (e.g.,…

The purpose of this resource guide is to assist educators of limited English proficient (LEP) migrant students in the primary grades in language and mathematics instruction. The stages of language acquisition are described along with practical suggestions for teaching strategies to be used at each stage. Information about Mexican-American and…

To investigate the influence of student modes of learning, or preferences for modes of learning, researchers at the Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) studied 97 Thai students who were beginners of English. It was hypothesized that: (1) aural and visual modes of listening and reading are related to achievement in English; (2) language aptitude,…

A study undertaken in China investigated the attitudes of 512 students of English as a Second Language, aged 18-52, in 15 colleges and universities. A two-part, semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire, was administered in 1988 and 1989. The first part, the Chinese Values Survey, was designed to examine cultural values from an Eastern rather than…

Clemson University (South Carolina) has developed an undergraduate Language and International Trade program designed to train students to meet the needs of American firms doing business overseas. Program aims are that graduates know one foreign language, be attuned to cultural differences, have a business training foundation, and have experience…

The term "ethno-lingual relativity" is defined as a perspective that is not limited by one's own cultural and linguistic experiences, but rather is open to the contrasting cultural and linguistic patterns of other peoples. It is hypothesized that having an ethno-lingually relative perspective can facilitate one's ability to learn a new language.…

An interactive video project for second language instruction is described. Using television news broadcasts, the educational software package can also be used for area or media studies. Prototypes have been developed for English and German instruction. The program is designed to support learner comprehension of authentic news broadcasts by…

The teaching of literacy, primarily to second language learners, in the Vancouver, British Columbia, Municipal Workplace Language Training Program is examined. The program arose out of reports to the city's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program about language difficulties among workers who couldn't pass tests required for promotion or…

This book is a collection of 11 stories written by adults learning English as a Second Language at the Centre for Spanish Speaking People in Toronto, Canada. It deals with their past experiences, their present situations in Canada, and their future aspirations. Each reading selection is followed by activities and discussion questions. This…

Washington State's model curriculum for competency-based adult education in English as a Second Language prescribes educational and performance objectives for two levels of instruction and offers suggestions for instructional activities and student assessment. The curriculum is based on core competencies in five areas: listening/observing;…