Study of the conversational interaction of elementary school children, about one-third of whom were limited-English-proficient, found that proficient classmates used little "caretaker speech" or "foreigner talk" and that the amount of social talk did not markedly affect second-language proficiency or the ability to use it in academic activities.…

Describes two studies that were conducted to investigate the relationship between confidence in the language of instruction and approaches to learning: one with university students in Hong Kong, and one with high school students in Nepal. The use of English as a Second Language both in and out of the classroom is examined. (13 references) (LRW)

Discussion of reading by successful and less-than-successful readers in an English-as-a-foreign-language context considers bottom-up versus top-down strategies; syntactic, semantic, and discourse constraints; and transfer of skills from first to second language. (10 References) (CNP)

Discussion of media education focuses on a study conducted in Western Australian schools that assessed the level of understanding of the media among 15 year olds who had studied a formal media education syllabus. Highlights include gender differences, language differences, and correlation between television viewing hours and academic performance.…

Administered tests of cognition, language, and metaphor interpretation to 3 groups of 15 students: native English speakers (NESs) and 2 groups of students in an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) course. ESL students performed less well than NESs on decontextualized measures of vocabulary and verbal analogies but equally well on measures derived…

A study using spectrographic analysis investigated whether six university professors would modify the temporal organization of their speech when delivering identical lectures to low-proficiency and high-proficiency nonnative and native speaker groups. Results showed no significant modifications of speech rate; articulation differences were between…

Two studies measured the effects of overall and genre-specific extensive reading habits on performance on tests of school-based writing. Results suggest that, at most, extensive exposure to written texts may have little impact on nonnative writing proficiency. Further research is recommended. (13 references) (LB)

Discusses the use of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Oral Proficiency Interview for assessing the effect of study abroad on foreign language learning, and provides a detailed account of the use of the Portuguese Speaking Test as a means of assessing participants of a summer program in Brazil. (15 references) (JL)

Reviews research conducted on adult populations dealing with correlates or predictors of proficiency in a second language. Four classes of individual difference variables are considered, including (1) attitudes and motivation; (2) language aptitude and intelligence; (3) language learning strategies; and (4) personality variables. (83 references)…

Those attempting to more clearly articulate proficiency-based foreign-language instructional programs should ensure the following: (1) language learning is seen as a developmental rather than incremental process; (2) achievement and proficiency are clearly distinguished; (3) content is seen as broad and varied; and (4) proficiency is not a method.…

Reviews the second-language research on age-related differences, drawing conclusions regarding learning-age influence on initial acquisition rate and ultimate attainment level; sensitive periods of language development; cumulative age-related loss in ability; and the adequacy of affective, input, and current cognitive explanations for reduced…

Discusses the need for language-specific versions of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines, including speaking tests based on the simulated oral proficiency interview; listening/reading comprehension tests with items linked to the ACTFL guidelines and Interagency Language Roundtable skill level descriptions;…

Examined the effectiveness of a nonbiased computerized language screening test, the Kidtalk Interactive Diagnostic Test of Aptitude for Language Knowledge (KIDTALK), in differentiating children on basis of diagnostic category but not ethnic/linguistic background. Found a significant difference between scores of the language learning disabled and…

A survey of 78 adults and adolescents of Cree ancestry in Fisher River, Manitoba, examined language proficiency, language use, and attitudes about language use in various public and private contexts. Generational differences on several measures suggest that adults were more favorable than teenagers toward Cree language maintenance and vitality.…

Explores the role that language plays in determining why, what, and how Latino youth learn in their communities. It highlights the fundamental, and often overlooked, resource that Latino English-Spanish bilingualism represents for building bridges between communities, homes, and schools. Strengthening bilingualism is a way to link homes,…