A study is reported that examined whether Japanese students of English could learn vocabulary incidentally while reading silently for entertainment in the classroom. The findings demonstrated that such incidental vocabulary learning did occur for both high school and university students. (Author/LB)

The predicament of foreign languages in a liberal arts setting is addressed. It is suggested that bilingual language competency cannot be realized without an extraordinary increase in foreign language instruction and second-culture instruction: an extra year of undergraduate study combined with study abroad. (32 references) (LB)

An investigation of native language influence on second-language (English) reading processed indicated that, when essential phonological information was inaccessible, Arabic and Spanish phonographic readers were seriously impaired, although Japanese morphographic readers were not affected. (83 references) (Author/CB)

Examines evidence for the presence or absence of one Universal Grammar principle, subjacency, in the grammars of groups of proficient nonnative (Korean, Chinese, Indonesian, Dutch) speakers of English. Results found that, although all subjects were able to correctly judge grammatical sentences, only the Dutch subjects were able to correctly judge…

Reports the results of research conducted to evaluate the combined effect of cooperative learning and computer-assisted language learning/interactive videodisc (CALL/IVD) (i.e., individuals alone, monads, versus pairs of learners, dyads, studying at CALL/IVD workstations) and its relative impact on achievement in beginning Spanish. (28 references)…

Reports on a four-month study of deaf education programs conducted in Sweden and Denmark in March of 1990, and discusses three aspects of language learning involving deaf children's learning sign language as a first language, Swedish as a second language, and hearing parents' and teachers' learning of Swedish Sign Language. (14 references)

Comparison of university students' scores on the University of Illinois' English Placement Test revealed that English-as-a-Second-Language students scored much higher on the dictation section and English-as-a-Foreign-Language students scored much higher on the structure (grammar) section, suggesting a need for cautious interpretation of such…

The relationship between writing and translating is described, as well as the interrelationships among second-language "free" writing, content-based writing, and content-limited writing. Examples showing similarities between English-as-a-Second-Language content-based writing and first-to-second language translation are also discussed. (13…

Discusses the importance of foreign language teaching in Europe, noting creation of a communicative competence that enhances cultural awareness, open-mindedness, transcultural interaction, and European unification; recommends that Europeans take language courses emphasizing cultural aspects of foreign languages and the development of pragmatic,…

Two questions are examined: the relationship between prior to formal experience (high school instruction) and success on university foreign language proficiency tests, and the similarity of prior experience to pass rates for students of varying languages. (LB)

An innovative use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is described. A university-based computer network used for real-time, synchronous discussion in intermediate Portuguese and elementary French classes provides a unique environment for student-student and student-teacher interaction. (11 references) (Author/LB)

Discusses the course content, methodology, architecture, role of the student, and development process of a unique videodisc self-study program to teach Russian speaking, reading, and listening skills to adults. Equivalent to a 120-hour, teacher-delivered course, the course is designed to produce speaking proficiency at the Foreign Service…

This study investigated complimenting behavior in three language varieties, British English, Finnish, and the interlanguage of Finish Learners of English. It found that compliments in Finnish tended to be longer and more syntactic than in English and that Finnish learners of English demonstrated appropriate complimenting behavior in English,…

Describes a qualitative study of affective variables in the second-language experience. The study used as its data, graduate students' self-report papers about their Community Language Learning experience, which revealed three affective variables--anxiety, motivation, and attitude. (41 references) (JL)

Investigates relationships among measures of second-language proficiency (SLP), foreign-language aptitude, verbal intelligence and reasoning in 160 Japanese college students studying English. The factor analysis of several different SLP test scores was examined, and the relationship between a general SLP factor and a hypothetical general cognitive…