This digest focuses on the application of discourse analysis to second language teaching and learning. It provides examples of how teachers can improve their teaching practices by investigating actual language use both in and out of the classroom, and how students can learn language through exposure to different types of discourse. (VWL)

Initiating an effective and well organized plan for parent involvement in the elementary language arts classroom takes plenty of work--work to achieve it, work and commitment to maintain it. One such program encourages parent participation in the classroom for parents who are able to volunteer their time, but also emphasizes parent participation…

This digest discusses various types of communication disorders, their incidence, the learning difficulties associated with them, the special case of English language learners, and the educational significance of communication disorders. Communication disorders may result from many different conditions such as oral-motor difficulties or…

Children from different backgrounds come to school speaking a wide variety of dialects. Questions concerning the use of dialects in schools have become increasingly complex and controversial in recent years. A central issue is the requirement of a standard dialect in school. Some find it discriminatory, others find it necessary to broaden student…

This Digest details how one professor of public relations has developed and put into practice a class in "cyberspace." The Digest first provides background on online communication techniques and the explosion of online teaching at the university level, and then tells how a professor, with the help of a summer grant from her university,…

Students must have uninterrupted periods of time to process information, to reflect on what has been said, observed, or done, and to consider what their personal responses will be. After at least three seconds of uninterrupted silence, a significant number of positive outcomes occur for students and teachers. Students are more effective in…

Noting that language minority and culturally different students are the fastest growing group of students in the public schools, this Digest offers practical strategies for language arts teachers to use when working with language-diverse students in the classroom and discusses some recent research on the subject. The Digest points out that…

This digest reviews behaviors and instructional strategies that enable teachers to build stronger teaching/learning relationships with students from culturally diverse backgrounds. Strategies include: (1) appreciate and accommodate the similarities and differences among the students' cultures; (2) build relationships with students; (3) focus on…

This digest focuses on verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors in the college classroom. The digest reviews research on the kinds of behaviors instructors, many of whom are graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), exhibit, and students' reactions to and attitudes about those behaviors. The digest also reviews research on teacher immediacy…

Of the 22 million children currently enrolled in U.S. schools, more than 2 million have limited English proficiency. Preschoolers and elementary-age children make up the greatest proportion of the immigrant student population, and many teachers need support in educating these young, linguistically diverse students. This digest reviews proven…

This ERIC Digest delineates problems posed by the increasing number of language-minority children in schools and offers suggestions for teaching children from different cultures. It is maintained that a group's language reflects its culture, and the uses to which that language is put are culturally determined. When children and adults do not share…

This digest provides an overview of considerations for teaching students with autism. General considerations for providing effective instruction for students with autism include: (1) ensure that the student is in good health, free from pain and irritation, and in a safe, stimulating, and pleasurable setting; (2) provide structure in the…

Innovative programs of school reform and research for diverse student populations have tended to focus on specific cultural, linguistic, or ethnic populations and on specific local communities. Findings from this body of research over the years have resulted in a core of principles for designing and implementing programs for at-risk students. Five…

Development of theories concerning social identity and language learning is explored, and ways in which English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers can support students in this process are discussed. During the 1980s and 1990s, emphasis in research on language learning shifted to its social context. Theorists have begun to find the focus on…