Examines Hong Kong's new English language policy in education. Aims to show that the problems that have confronted English language policymakers in the past two decades owe their origins to the unique historical forces that have shaped the development of education and society in Hong Kong since the mid-nineteenth century. (Author/VWL)

Analyzes the evolution of a language plan in Brunei Darussalam. It shows a conscious effort to influence the choice of language used in the country is a fairly recent phenomenon, determined mainly be commercial considerations. The article examines definitions, variables, and universals of language planning introduced by Tollefson and Phillipson.…

Discusses problems encountered when identifying, assessing, and deciding the language of instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse preschool children with disabilities and suggests some directions for practice in the context of the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986. (SLD)

Analyzes pupil-teacher dialogue in a mixture of English and Cantonese from a segment of a Form 2 (Grade 8, 13-14 years) English reading lesson. Analysis shows how these Cantonese children, with limited English, succeeded in subverting the reading lesson, which was based entirely on information extraction tasks. (Author/VWL)

Discusses the necessity and importance of learning and teaching foreign languages, providing general education through the medium of the foreign language, and perspectives on English-as-a-Second/Foreign-Language teaching and learning and goals for the end of junior high school. (Author/VWL)

Describes some of the inequities and obstacles faced by speakers of creoles termed "nonstandard" or minority dialects in formal education. Outlines proposals for dealing with these problems and describes initiatives that have already been taken--such as developing resources for teachers, running public awareness campaigns and using the students'…

Investigates the implications of language in education policy in post apartheid South Africa, for both schools and universities, examining recommendations of the Language Task Action Group (LANGTAG), which was delegated to establish South Africa's language-related needs and policies across different societal domains. The paper supports a proposed…

This paper reports the results of a study of primary school mathematics teaching in northern Botswana in order to highlight the strategies teachers use in bi/multilingual classrooms. Questionnaire and interview data collection procedures were used. The findings, which are based on responses of randomly selected primary school teachers, confirmed…

After providing a brief general framework for language policy and planning, this article examines the case of language policy and planning in Australia with a particular focus on how one of the elements in that framework, prestige planning, might contribute to successful planning implementation, thereby adding to our more general understanding of…

Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD) has been fruitfully applied in L2 research that examines second and foreign language learning. This paper considers the applicability of the ZPD to interlanguage pragmatics instruction and research. First, the ZPD is defined [Vygotsky, L.S., 1978. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher…

The relation of language of instruction and vocabulary to the English spelling of bilingual first graders receiving either English or Spanish literacy instruction and of monolinguals in English literacy instruction was explored. Only bilingual students in Spanish literacy instruction (SLI) exhibited Spanish-influenced spelling, indicating a…

Keeping in mind the Chinese character-combination "yuyan," with its multiple meanings of language, parts of language, the processes of language, and the products of those processes, the author depicts English as kept alive by many people and by many different ways of using it in a wide range of personal, social, and historical contexts.…

The state of public education debate, which to a great extent only reflects policies and practices ab road, is examined. The process of learning from others should replace the process of borrowing (of usually inappropriate policies/practices) from others. Two examples of the issues involved in the debate on public education, namely, Outcomes-Based…

The purpose of this study was to determine which model of instruction is better for English Language Learners (ELL), English immersion or bilingual education. Two research articles were selected, compared, and analyzed. One was for English immersion and the other for bilingual education. Results are inconclusive, but it is important for educators…

In light of a major study on educational outcomes, this paper explores how Aboriginal language dominance and virtually exclusive use of oral communications in one Aboriginal group has been affected by its interaction with Western institutions. For several years negotiations have been undertaken among the Innu Nation of Labrador, the province of…