Reports on a large-scale longitudinal study into the development of language proficiency of Dutch primary school children aged 7-10. Data on language proficiency and a range of background variables were analyzed. Results suggest that while immigrant children develop their language skill in Dutch considerably over 2 years, they are nonetheless…

Discusses an attempt to establish a Dakota-language immersion preschool on an Indian reservation in Minnesota. Outlines the historical experience of the Dakota and contrasts the educational success of the preschool program. Describes the final crisis that led to the resignation of the director and to the program's demise. (Author/VWL)

Explores theoretical issues concerning instructional technology for African language instruction, gives a brief description of WebCT (a web-based instruction framework), and describes its practicality in the instruction of African languages with special focus on Swahili and Yoruba. (Author/VWL)

This autobiographical analysis compares the learning of Mandarin Chinese over 15 years and Samoan over 20 years using an auto-communal model of learning--self instruction within a local community were creating encounters and making up conversations for the sake of language practice are the central learning method. (Author/VWL)

Reports the results of a descriptive study on sex differences in the use of a second language. A questionnaire was administered to 581 Spanish-speaking students learning Basque and English as second language to answer the following question: Do male and female second language learners differ in the number and the range of vocabulary strategies…

Discusses a goal-based approach to African language instruction, which seeks to integrate the overall interests and specific goals of the learner with the language learning and teaching objectives. Shows why content based and language across the curriculum programs may not adequately account for students' needs and interests. (Author/VWL)

Investigates the possible effects of stimulated recall when used as a tool for reflection on text progression in first language and English-as-a-Foreign-Language writing. Particular focus is on revisions induced by the stimulated recall session and whether they are affected by writing language or genre. (Author/VWL)

Presents the findings of a survey among teachers of Spanish and Portuguese ( K-16) on the role and value of new technology and media for teaching and learning and on the identification of strategies for the development, selection, and use of technology. The results are discussed, along with comments from respondents. (AS)

This contrastive analysis of English and Thai illustrates how language teachers can become more aware of the mother tongue of their foreign language learners and how this can be helpful in seeing and addressing the difficulties they have in learning English as a Second or Foreign Language. (Author/VWL)

Provides a description of the characteristics of intrasentential language mixing produced by a group of Korean-English bilingual children, with a special focus on the distinction between code switching and borrowing. Data suggest that intrasentential language mixing is determined by the bilingual abilities and preferences of the speaker as well as…

An overview of literacy education in West Africa between 1800-1959 precedes an exploration of developments occurring since its independence, focusing on such factors affecting the lack of progress in the battle against literacy as disarticulation between educational development objectives and educational systems, language policies, teaching…

A study of 220 communication strategies used by 12 Chinese English-as-a-Foreign-Language learners indicated that the frequency, type, and effectiveness of strategies employed by learners varied according to their proficiency level and the language distance between the learners' native and second languages. (28 references) (Author/CB)

Describes the development and validation of the Portuguese Speaking Test, a simulated oral proficiency interview that uses a semidirect approach to examine proficiency in personal conversation, direction-giving, description, narration, topical discourse, and real-life situations. (CB)

Comparison of advanced and intermediate Saudi Arabian students of English-as-a-Foreign-Language comprehension of humor indicated that both cultural and linguistic awareness were important to understanding humorous materials. (CB)

Analysis of Sesotho-speaking children's spontaneous language showed that the acquisition of passives was closely linked to the fact that Sesotho subjects must be discourse topics. It is suggested that a detailed analysis of how passive constructions interact with other components of a given linguistic system is critical for developing coherent and…