Explores the emotive, social aspects of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learning in small group settings, with special attention to the classroom experiences of an adult Japanese woman. It is argued that the opportunity to consciously reflect about her negative feelings concerning her abilities had a positive effect on her ESL learning. (24…

Discusses the importance of linguistic accuracy in proficiency-orientated foreign language programs, focusing on the experiences of college students in a summer intensive Chinese program. Linguistic inaccuracy is often the result of teachers focusing on form and meaning at the same time, fossilization, overuse of communicative strategies, lack of…

Presents a vision for change in foreign language education. Topics include U.S. national interest, views of prominent politicians, role of the intellectual community, curriculum content, global outlook, cooperation among universities and elementary and secondary schools, and changing technology. A response to this overview is presented. (12…

Identifies the ideas influencing the rise of autonomy and self-direction in educational milieus. Also discussed are the background of minority rights movements, shifts in educational philosophy, reactions against behaviorism, and wider access to education. Research into learning strategies has contributed directly to these changes. (73 references)…

Provides fully developed library media activities that are designed to be used in connection with specific curriculum units, including foreign language (Spanish); reading and language arts (expository writing and use of a thesaurus); science and social studies (land biomes, state birds, and country's flags). (LRW)

Reports on a 3-year study of approximately 100 students through grades 4, 5, and 6 on the impact of a variety of second-language learning options among English-speaking children in francophone Canada. Finds that those options that use early, French-only environments were most effective. (CFR)

Reports on the relationship between the seating patterns of students and their observed attitudes toward class activities in an English-as-a-Second-Language class. Discusses issues of physical territoriality, psycholinguistic territoriality, and active participation by students. (CFR)

An established preintern language program, the interdisciplinary Master's in International Business Studies at the University of South Carolina, is described. Graduate survey results suggest the importance of the internships but also some need to link culture studies more closely with language studies. The questionnaire is appended. (25…

A set of functional-analytic materials, entailing the study and practice of sociostylistic variation, was implemented in three eighth-grade French immersion (FI) classrooms by their respective teachers during French language arts classes over a five-week period. Pre- and posttests indicate that functional-analytic teaching improved FI students'…

A teacher's interviews with 20 former English-as-a-Second-Language (ESOL) students illustrates ways in which they have adapted to life in the United States and how they have improved, or failed to improve, their English. The subjects' stories are material for the teacher's current classes. (SLD)

Measurement of quality of phonological input of 20 Saudi Arabian teachers of English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) indicated teachers trained in English-as-a-Second-Language environment showed far fewer incidences and types of phonological error than those trained in EFL environment. Little difference was found among teachers who taught in…

Defines the notion of literacy scaffold and explains why literacy scaffolding applies to both first- and second-language learners. Offers criteria for teachers to apply in developing scaffolds. Illustrates the model with scaffolding activities used with elementary children, emphasizing the kinds of social contexts that optimize learning. (MG)

Presents the results of the second year of a four-year longitudinal evaluation of a partial French immersion program in Cincinnati, Ohio, that includes children from lower socioeconomic group and ethnic minority group (Black) backgrounds in addition to majority (White) and middle-class students. (17 references) (GLR)

Analysis of the use of a cloze-procedure test to measure the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) proficiency of Japanese college students revealed that the cloze test correlated significantly with an essay test and improved prediction of ESL proficiency, suggesting that carefully constructed cloze tests could be useful in integrative language…

Identifies potential conflicts in cultures of instruction between language teachers and learners because of different expectations in how languages ought to be taught. The article discusses data from a study of Chinese language instruction at the University of Oregon, noting what teachers and students considered most and least important features.…