Background: After the failure of several important methods comparison studies in the 1960s, the influence of interaction analysis stimulated interest in foreign language classroom processes. More careful observational studies gradually revealed which process variables were of interest. Also, there has been much research on teacher talk, with a…

It is proposed that in an effort to promote awareness, positive self-concept, and healthy attitudes, and to reduce stereotyping, sexual identity issues should be incorporated into English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teaching. Open discussion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual issues may help to reduce the isolation of lesbians and gays,…

The report describes a federally-funded project at Hunter College (New York) to develop an Internet and electronic mail-based resource for teachers of English as a Second Language (TESL). The program has three major components: (1) the TESL-L Electronic Discussion Forum, a list service operating on a simple e-mail program and offering teachers a…

Use of poetry in advanced college-level classes of English as a second language is discussed, focusing on the oral (acoustic) texture of poems as contrasted with their syntactic, lexical, or figurative qualities. Discussion begins with the characteristics and objectives of the learners in question and the basis in both literary and linguistic…

This paper outlines trends and activities in Central and Eastern European language research and language-related software development (language engineering) and briefly describes some specific projects. The language engineering segment of the European Union's Fourth Framework Programme, intended to facilitate use of telematics applications and…

A thematic unit on folk literature designed for middle school English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) instruction, for students with beginner to intermediate level skills, is presented. The intention in introducing literature at these levels is to provide positive experiences with literature in the target language, and to introduce the target culture.…

Teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) are encouraged to conduct classroom research to (1) discover what happens when they teach and students try to learn, assess and improve teaching practices; monitor innovations in teaching, syllabus, or materials; and investigate problems in the classroom. Simple steps are outlined: developing a plan…

A study analyzed actual use of one type of utterance, the request, at service counters at Southern Illinois University and compared the findings to the request forms found in four commercially available English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) textbooks that emphasize communicative competence. It also compared the requests of native and non-native…

A study tested the English vocabulary and reading comprehension of about 1,500 Japanese college and university students and compared three different media formats for teaching vocabulary in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) in a number of Japanese college classes: commercially available and teacher-adapted computer software; traditional…

This theme issue focuses on instructional practices, evaluation, and the state of bilingual education. "Effective Implementation of Bilingual Programs: Reflections from the Field" (Abelardo Villarreal, Adela Solis) describes the key characteristics of successful bilingual programs: vision and goals; program leadership; linkage to central…

The resource materials in this package are designed for use by English language and job training instructors attempting to make their instruction more urgently and comprehensively employment-focused. They are arranged in topical sections, each with an introduction and brief description of how they may be used. Sections address these topics:…

A middle school teacher of writing to learners of English as a Second Language describes two techniques used to improve student participation and guide the writing process. The first is to select a writing topic to which all students can relate. In this case, the teacher asked students, in a class discussion, to give their own definitions of…

The contributions and limitations of computer technology in the presentation of grammar drills, particularly in a second language, are examined by comparing and contrasting the new technology with traditional textbook instruction. It is noted that, in many ways, computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is a derivative form of traditional…

Tasks have become an essential feature of second language (L2) learning in recent years. Tasks range from getting learners to repeat linguistic elements satisfactorily to having them perform in "free" production. Along this task-based continuum, task-based scenario interaction lies at the point midway between controlled and…

This five-chapter booklet is a report on Lifelong Learning Week (LLW) 2000 in Slovenia, which included a celebration of the fifth anniversary of LLW and the first International Week--Festival of Learning. Chapter 1 contains one report, "LLW Has a Special Mission" (Olga Drofenik), and Chapter 2 contains these three speeches from the LLW…