A creative reading comprehension activity developed for multi-grade (6-8) English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) social studies classes is described. The activity was developed as part of a project integrating language and culture in social studies instruction. Researchers worked with an ESL teacher and a social studies teacher to create a series of…

Discusses culture shock and the need for a secure learning environment for ESL students in which they can test their observations about English and U.S. culture. Examines the use of role play for teaching the subtleties of appropriate social behavior and outlines an eight-step procedure for role play implementation. (EKN)

Three brief scenarios introduce a discussion of how foreign language department chairs can handle difficult faculty situations. External influences on higher education are noted, and strategies are outlined, including listening, defining the problem, mentoring, and keeping written records. (LB)

Essays on cross-cultural elements in college and university programs in English as a Second Language (ESL) include the following: "Barriers to Cross-Cultural Communication in English-as-a-Second-Language Programs in the United States"; "Acculturation or Enculturation: Foreign Students in the United States"; "A Framework…

Foreign language department chairs are faced with leadership challenges that require them to mediate between new forces and old practices and between youthful enthusiasm and proven experience. While some changes demanded by current circumstances must be opposed, leaders must choose their battles carefully. Several real examples are explored. (MSE)

A review of literature shows that culture shock is a complex phenomenon characterized by discomfort and anxiety resulting from difficulty in interacting in an unfamiliar social and communicative context. Difficulty arises not from unfamiliar "rules" of behavior but from the intangibility of differences in cultural values, expectations, and roles.…

Observations of the contrasts between Puerto Rican and Anglo nonverbal communication patterns, and their relevance in the classroom, are outlined and discussed. A general observation is that what is acceptable and permissible in one culture is usually not in the other, and teachers are urged to develop ways of making Anglo and Latin American…

This document consists of five issues of a newsletter of an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and refugee acculturation program operating in Tacoma and Seattle, Washington. Articles include: a bibliography of textbooks recommended to ESL teachers and tutors; professional news and announcements; a discussion of lesson planning; an explanation of…

A college course used an explicit intercultural approach and collective research activities to compare French and American cultures and to examine the reasons for cultural attitudes and culture conflict. Class assignments dealt with contrastive analyses of American and French institutions like advertising, cinema, feminism, etc. (MSE)

This study was conducted to identify problems teachers face in using English as the language of instruction in the early grades of Zambian primary school, and to investigate the difficulties young pupils meet because of learning through English rather than through their mother tongue. The first chapter sets forth the historical background of the…

Teaching a second language and culture means teaching culturally different patterns of perception, communication, and effect. When teachers of English as a second language develop sensitivity to what students bring to the classroom and understand the students' reasons for their actions, their teaching can aid and not hinder students' full…

This handbook is designed both as a general introduction to teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in the People's Republic of China and as a guide for individuals who may be contemplating, or are already committed to, working in a Chinese educational institution. Information and suggestions contained in the handbook are compiled from survey…

Numbers 1 through 5 of the 1984 TECFORS newsletter include these articles: "The Skills that Cannot Wait: Improving the Academic Performance of Underprepared Students through Integrated Curriculum" (Laurel Corona); "Meeting Culture Shock Head On," part 2 (Michele Molinaire); "Directing First Language Reading Research toward…

A study investigated the adjustments made in classroom behavior and teaching techniques by western-trained English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers in Japanese universities. Subjects were 16 instructors at three institutions, all with native or native-like English fluency and all trained in Canadian or United States graduate programs for ESL…

A program and curriculum guide intended for teachers, counselors, and administrators concerned with English-as-a-second-language (ESL) instruction in Prince George's County public secondary schools is presented. The guide describes the intensive language program; academic and cultural problems often found within the school and related to the…