This study examined the methods used to improve and increase the efficiency of early childhood foreign language education through movements and speech in play situations. The goals of the study were (1) to devise an adaptable model for variable situations in early childhood foreign language education through playing motoric games, and (2) to…

After tests are administered, they are scored and the scores are given back to the students. If the real purpose of the test is to improve student learning, simply returning the scores is not sufficient. The first step in evaluating test results is to be sure that the test has tested the intended concepts and content. Calculating the mean and the…

This study tested a refined version of the discourse domain hypothesis, which defines the discourse domain as a topic area in which second language learners demonstrate extensive, current, and important knowledge, including both cognitive and affective dimensions. The study tested the results of previous studies, which showed that learners show…

A study examined beliefs about language learning held by students of Arabic and Swahili in six African studies programs. A survey administered to 134 students gathered demographic information and student attitudes about 47 statements concerning language learning strategies, ability, usefulness, and skill difficulty, multilingualism, and reasons…

This pilot study examined the psychological and emotional stresses faced by new Chinese immigrant teenagers upon entering a new cultural environment. Interviews with teenagers (n=22) from three different political and economic areas of China and some of their parents (n=10) and school guidance counselors (n=2) indicate that these youth, because of…

A language education specialist who has studied elementary school second language programs, primarily in France but also in other European countries, outlines the factors he has found contributing to program success and makes recommendations for further development of second language education in Europe. Seven conditions for effective programs of…

This study examined the ways in which adult, Korean, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners performed the "request" speech act, with particular attention to deviations caused by negative transfer. An oral discourse completion test with six request situations was given to three groups of learners; situations varied in terms of the…

The study focused on problems that Finnish learners of English (NNS) encounter with epistemic modality in conversational interaction with native speakers of English (NS). Epistemic modality refers to modal expressions that convey the speaker's commitment to the truth of the propositions he is expressing (e.g., "surely he…

This report, based upon studies carried out from 1994-96 by a task force of international educators, focuses on efforts to identify a language and a strategy for improving U.S.-Japan "international education." Several conclusions are reached and discussed in the text: (1) international education can be stimulated by a new transnational…

A discussion of dictionaries and their use for second language (L2) learning suggests that lack of computerized modern language corpora can adversely affect bilingual dictionaries, commonly used by L2 learners, and shows how use of such corpora has benefitted two contemporary monolingual L2 learner dictionaries (1995 editions of the Longman…

The report discusses the first- and second-language development, oral and written, of native English-speakers and native Spanish-speakers in the two-way immersion (TWI) program at Key Elementary School (Arlington, Virginia). Data were drawn from classroom observation from 1994-96, student performance measures, and student work samples. Three…

This study attempted to test the concept of international competence as a construct and to estimate the extent to which college experience predicts variance on student intentions toward international competence. Relying on Lambert's model of global competence, the study tested five components of international competence for validity and…

A study investigated the English language acquisition of three native Spanish-speaking children in a bilingual preschool, focusing on the spontaneous use of English when play-acting at being superhero figures from popular children's culture. The occurrence of this voice is contrasted with the children's use of Spanish for other types of play and…

This study explored the international business programs of small-to-moderately sized private colleges and universities. The study had three phases: identification and curricular analysis of a small core group of Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) institutions with representative international business curricula; a broader survey of a larger…

This paper discusses the role of input as one of the universals in second language acquisition theory. Considerations include how language instructors can best organize and present input and when certain kinds of input are more important. A self-administered program evaluation exercise using relevant theoretical and methodological contributions…