Ensuring classroom reading materials align with learners' lexical knowledge is crucial, often requiring teachers to infer vocabulary knowledge from vocabulary test performance. However, the best approach to match learners with lexically appropriate texts based on vocabulary test scores remains unclear. This study compared two methods:…

Evaluating students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (i.e., emergent bilinguals) presents challenges to evaluation teams, as distinguishing between a language disorder and typical second language development is more complex. The skills and knowledge required to do this task often exceed the level of training that evaluators…

Analyzes answers to a questionnaire given to British secondary school children who had opted out of foreign language study. Identifies reasons why the students chose not to continue language study. Concludes that enjoyment of the subject and opportunities for contact with the country of the target language are factors motivating students to…

Two issues relevant to the effectiveness of media used in second language literacy instruction were addressed in this study: learner-selected versus teacher-assigned media, and media that appeal to learners' preferred perceptual modes compared with media that do not match preferred modes. A group of 47 preliterate Hmong refugees between the ages…

Reading comprehension experiments suggest that cultural content means little to Arab students reading in a second language (English). The students did just as well or better reading stories with no Arabic content. The study also found significant differences in the learning strategies of male and female Arab students. (MJP)

Explores the effects of the attitudes and culture of Israeli-Jewish English-language students on their reading comprehension. Eighth-grade students read stories in Hebrew and English and answered questions both about the stories and their own attitudes. Reveals that culturally familiar texts boost reading comprehension scores. (MJP)