Reports on an attempt to compare two data-collecting instruments, Think-aloud Protocols and strategies questionnaires, applied to capture reading/writing strategies. Subjects were immigrant speakers of linguistically different heritage languages, Russian and Amharic first languages, and thus represented two ethnic groups, who went through the…

Offers a detailed text analysis of written feedback given by two teachers of English-as-a-Second-Language students. Considers this feedback in terms of it functions as praise, criticism, and suggestions. Explores the motivations for these through teacher interviews and think-aloud protocols and examines cases where students failed to understand…

This article presents a framework to guide special education services for English language learners. Policies and procedures that can minimize disproportionate representation are suggested, as are recommendations for appropriate referral, assessment, and instructional practices. Multidisciplinary teams are discussed and placement options for…

Provides longitudinal insights into a pattern of drop-out that had previously been identified by tracking educational outcomes among English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) youth in a single, urban school. A comparison of two cohorts suggests that accelerated integration into academic mainstream courses has had a detrimental impact on the educational…

Japanese university students had the choice of pair taping--a fluency practice in which learners record themselves speaking freely in pairs--for an equivalent amount of time as their once a week English class. Results from self reports showed that learners who chose pair taping (73) over remaining in class (n=28) reported increases in ease of…

The bilingual education debate often focuses solely on quick mastery of English versus native language maintenance, ignoring the more important issue of overall academic success for English language learners. Research suggests that the effectiveness of late-exit bilingual programs may be related to their provision of long-term academic support and…

Introduces a collection of articles that address the following issues: authority and morality in classroom discourse; becoming experienced in teaching and learning; first-year teaching success; teachers' roles in preservice education; student teacher cohorts; theories of language learning and teaching; and metaphors as blueprints of thinking about…

Reviews 32 studies regarding writing in a foreign language in the United States. Focuses on research that investigates relationships between various pedagogical practices or task types assigned and the texts produced by foreign language writers. Topics addressed include exploiting grammar instruction, computer use, task type, strategy training,…

A needs analysis was conducted to determine why many English-as-a-Second-Language students enrolled in the nursing program were not succeeding academically. Interviews, observations, and questionnaires were used to gather information about the needs of students, all of whom were immigrants. In response, a course was developed to address students'…

Investigates the effects of reading mystery novels on Hong Kong adult learners studying English for the purposes of pleasure or career development. Results show that novel readers made substantial proficiency gains, and that there were important motivational benefits as well. (Author/VWL)

Provides data on the computer literacy of university-level Spanish students with respect to word processing, CD-ROMs, E-mail, and the World Wide Web. The training method used integrated technical training into activities focuses on learning language and culture and resulted in gains in students' computer literacy for a small investment of class…

Examines the role self- and other-initiations play in providing opportunities for modified output (MO), considered important for successful second language acquisition. Native- and nonnative-speakers of English performed three tasks: picture description, opinion exchange, and decision making. Results showed both self- and other-initiations…

This study examined patterns of change in beliefs and practices as elementary teachers learned to establish instructional congruence, a process of mediating academic disciplines with linguistic and cultural experiences of diverse student groups. The study focused on six bilingual Hispanic teachers working with fourth-grade, mostly Hispanic…

A differentiated model of acculturation was used to assess the relationship of acculturative styles to school adaptation among a group of 110 refugee adolescents from the former Soviet Union. Acculturation was assessed with respect to both American and Russian cultures and, within each culture, distinguished among language competence, behavior,…

The unique magic of music in the English language learning classroom is explored, with emphasis on research, learning objectives, and rewards that come from using music regularly.