Describes the structure and emergence of extended argument sequences produced by preschool children. Provides a system for analyzing turns that initiate, elaborate, and terminate argument sequences. Draws conclusions regarding the development of proficiency in producing argument and interaction. (PD)

A University of Paris program for foreign students aspiring to teach French as a foreign language is described. The program included learning about Parisian and student life; discovering France and the French; improving language skills, theory and cultural appreciation; and learning to teach French and create student interest. (MSE)

With the growing realization that language arts are central to virtually all learning, teaching in this area has developed over the years from simple reading and penmanship to include effective speaking, listening, creative writing, and all related linguistic skills. (JD)

The author's philosophy of reading is that if a child is going to learn to read he must want to learn and he must know he is capable of reading. (AM)

The Council of the Great City Schools has prepared this fourth edition of "Beating the Odds" ("Beating the Odds IV") to give the nation another look at how inner-city schools are performing on the academic goals and standards set by the states for our children. This analysis examines student achievement in math and reading through spring 2003. It…

Researchers have discovered that learners' language learning beliefs play a crucial role in influencing learners' choices throughout the learning process. Some researchers suggest that understanding learners' beliefs about language learning can help improve their learning skills. Educators in Taiwan have long been concerned about learners' English…

This article examines the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) on English language learners (ELLs). Title III of NCLB describes specific requirements that states and districts must meet in educating ELLs. In February 2003, the U.S. Department of Education released non-regulatory guidance on the Title III state formula grant…

This monograph focuses on the literacy performance of U.S. adults in comparison to adults in other high-income countries, underscoring the fact that the overall U.S. performance is mediocre at best and that the U.S. is a world leader in the degree of inequality between the best and poorest performers. The monograph describes the National and the…

This compendium is designed to provide a quick overview of assessment instruments that can be used with kindergarten-aged children. It provides a starting point for gathering information on assessment instruments by giving information on approximately 40 instruments published since 1986 that are commercially available. Information on each…

This paper reports on a classroom-based research project that examined the impact of strategy training on listening performance. Participants were 46 students enrolled in the preparatory year of the English Language Education Department of Trakya University, Turkey. Students were divided into an experimental and a control group, and their learning…

This study examined data elicited by the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI), which was administered to first-year, advanced learners of French at the University of the West Indies. The questionnaire looked at students' attitudes regarding the difficulty of language learning, foreign language aptitude, the nature of language…

This paper looks at the nature of second language immersion learning and instruction through the lens of situated learning theory. This theory has strong relevance for language immersion practice and research. An emerging research program is introduced that is focused on the overlap of immersion learning and situated learning theory, and an…

This qualitative study provides a deeper understanding of foreign language learners' attitudes toward authentic input and examines their changes in attitude and proficiency after instruction using authentic input in the foreign language classroom. Twenty-six Korean university students from two groups were randomly selected and interviewed. The…

Many students in the United States who are required to take educational tests are not fully proficient in English. To address this problem, a state-mandated testing program created dual language English-Spanish versions of some of their tests. In this study, the psychometric properties of the English and dual language versions of a fourth-grade…

This article reports an empirical research study into the relationship between second language learners' target language proficiency/task type and their ability to transmit comprehensible messages to their listeners. In order to test the assumption that even low-level English learners can transmit comprehensible messages despite their limited…