A study attempts to refine the discourse domain hypothesis of second language learning, which holds that a second language is acquired with reference to speaker-specific topic areas rather than as a general, context-independent competence, by examining the discourse domains developed by one non-native speaker of English in conversations with two…

A study investigated requests as speech acts in "Zulu English," the English of Zulu first-language speakers, seeking to explain miscommunication in interactions between Zulu- and English-speakers by pointing to pragmatic transfer as one possible cause. Data were collected by means of a series of discourse completion tests in Zulu, Zulu…

This study was undertaken to develop guidelines for making interpretive inferences from scores on the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), a norm-referenced test of English-language listening comprehension (LC) and reading (R) skills, about level of ability to use English in face-to-face conversation, indexed by performance in…

A study investigated college student attitudes toward different classroom techniques for error correction in second language instruction. Subjects were 162 students of Japanese as a second language in seven universities. In the first phase of the study, a smaller group of students at a liberal arts college were observed in class, interviewed, and…

This paper discusses the increasing use of computers and multimedia since 1989 in the foreign language classroom in the Czech Republic. Three categories of questions are discussed: (1) questions about computer use in classrooms that were common in Germany 10 years ago; (2) questions about computer use in relation to new foreign language…

Research on the role of age in second language (L2) learning, particularly at the level of primary education, is reviewed and discussed. It is concluded that evidence suggests early L2 exposure increases chances of ultimately attaining a high proficiency level in that language, but that in formal educational situations any long-term advantage will…

This guide is designed for the Swahili language training of Peace Corps volunteers and focuses on daily communication needs in that context. It consists of a series of 76 lessons, each containing vocabulary and phrase lists, dialogue, grammar notes, and exercises. Lesson topics include: greetings and introductions; numbers; commands; questions;…

Factors influencing the educational experiences of immigrants to the United States are outlined and discussed. The factors are categorized as relevant to the individual (personal strengths, age at arrival, quantity and quality of educational background, native language English proficiency, reasons for immigrating, race/ethnicity, immigration…

This paper describes the basic features of a collaborative writing exercise used to help 40 English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) students write reader-based prose. It presents an actual study that examined the use of collaborative writing to help students draft reader-based prose in intermediate and advanced EFL composition classes at the…

The South Asia Panel of the National Council on Foreign Languages and International Studies reports on the need for specialists in the languages and cultures of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Two categories of specialists are discussed: (1) individuals in government, mission, etc., in…

A study investigated the effectiveness of music and use of story illustrations on the English vocabulary acquisition of children. Subjects were 48 second-graders of limited English proficiency, divided into four groups. One group heard a story in its sung version, and another heard the oral version only. A third group heard the music and…

The unitary competence theory claims the existence of a general language proficiency that makes the global evaluation of language skills possible and accounts for the high correlations between language tests of whatever form and modality. This study aims to test the theory by investigating the correlation between reading and listening…

The literacy club described is a model cross-aged, paired reading program that is being successfully used in an elementary school in Redwood City, California to teach literacy skills to non-native speakers of English. The literacy club pairs older students--"rapid readers"--with younger students--"little readers"--in a yearlong reading experience…

Fifty modules are presented for increasing the cultural and linguistic fluency of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students by integrating cultural awareness activities with language practice. The modules are intended for international students at an intermediate language level; they can, however, be used or adapted for beginning or advanced…

This book is addressed to those about to embark on the teaching of second language writing as well as to those already engaged in the field. Teachers are dedicated to postering growth in writing; researchers want to investigate the questions that shed the greatest light on the problem in the field. The concerns of both these groups are addressed…