This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the literature on home literacy environment and its association with literacy skills in different languages and contexts. Home literacy environment (HLE), an umbrella term that encompasses various activities parents engage in with their children, has been studied extensively by…

This paper examines learners' fluency development in L2 silent reading rate and comprehension. In both L1 and L2 readings, a positive relationship between readers' silent reading rate and comprehension has not been as firmly established as theories might propose. Based on Wallot et al. (2014), the paper indicates the need to look at readers'…

This book presents a set of compelling essays collectively making a persuasive case for why a usage-based perspective on language is fast becoming a leading theoretical framework for investigating second language (L2) learning and the foundation for effective, innovative, engaging pedagogy. Drawing on 20 years of research in psychology,…

This article illustrates how an ethnographic perspective can provide a descriptive methodological approach to parent-research as a process of inquiry within the field of education. By juxtaposing data and illuminating reflexive accounts from a longitudinal parent-research study, I suggest that such a perspective provides critical insights into the…

The primary purpose of this study was to provide preliminary validity evidence for a 140-item form of the Vocabulary Size Test, which is designed to measure written receptive knowledge of the first 14,000 words of English. Nineteen native speakers of English and 178 native speakers of Japanese participated in the study. Analyses based on the Rasch…

The growth of intercultural interactions increases the need for nonverbal communication competency to help obviate potential cross cultural communication difficulties. Foreign language studies too often concentrate on vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, and forgo the role and methods of nonverbal communication. Japanese culture and modes of…

Discusses the Japanese American relocation program during World War II. Maintains that one option to the camps was to move to Seabrook Farms, a vegetable and food processing facility in New Jersey. Presents oral historical accounts and photographs of Seabrook. (CFR)

A classification of propositions (consisting of a verb and its arguments) is presented with a stipulation of the properties of each type, and clarification is given for how the classfication and the properties function in the interaction between propositions and Japanese aspectual auxiliary verbs. The different types of verbs include: (1) state…

In this article the phenomenon of bullying is discussed, using a model for detecting and monitoring cases of bullying used by Japanese teachers. Bullying is viewed as symptomatic of a deeper problem, lack of respect for the dignity and integrity of others. Such respect is a central value in a culture of peace. Bullying is a major threat to…

English- and Japanese-speaking children aged four and five were asked to say the opposite of statements. Statements varied in truth value and unmarked/marked membership of antonym pairs. Findings did not support a universality hypothesis; differences were found between the two groups in the use of semantic and syntactic denial. (Author/CB)

Asian-Americans are educational overachievers, and have been for many decades. There are various explanations for the high educational achievement of Asian-Americans. The most frequently cited theory is that their native culture places a premium on ambition, persistence, and deferred gratification. Other theories attribute this success to…

The document first provides a review of recent literature on sex differences in mathematics achievement. From national and international studies, achievement trends across the grades, how achievement varies according to the skills or knowledge assessed, and the mathematical ability of high-ability students are each summarized. Then studies…

Examining the overseas experience of language learners in diverse contexts through a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches, studies in this volume look at the acquisition of language use, socialization processes, learner motivation, identity and learning strategies. In this way, the volume offers a privileged window into learner…

This paper notes the proliferation of literature about the characteristics of Japanese education and culture. Generalizations ranging from reports of remarkable progress in subject disciplines to praise of Japanese technology, social and individual behavior, and systematic accomplishments have been cited. It is contended in this study that some of…

Compares the cognitive representation of number of 24 American, 25 Chinese, 24 Japanese, and 40 Korean first-graders, and 20 Korean kindergartners. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean children preferred to use a construction of tens and ones to show numbers, whereas English-speaking children preferred to use a collection of units. (RJC)