Language-in-education research can contribute to transformative progress toward educational equity and excellence. Although this assertion is likely uncontroversial within the field of language in education, agreeing on which types of research lead to which transformative progress is much less straightforward. The thought-provoking commentaries on…

The impact of neoliberalism on language education has recently attracted scholars' attention. Linguistic entrepreneurship is a conceptual lens through which neoliberal implications for language learning and use can be investigated. This commentary offers comments on common threads of themes running through the four articles in this special issue.…

Dr. Zakir Husain is known as a self-less nationalist leader and also as an educationist "par excellence." Taking a cue from his educational ideas like the "Nai Talim," this article brings into focus his views on the medium-conundrum. Dr. Husain was very clear about the role of Indian languages and the relevance of mother…

This reflective-narrative essay ponders and explains effective strategies employed by the author in his own second language classroom. He cultivated the skills, talents, and ideas of his own students by blending various strategies and methods that clearly define the standards and meet the demands of modern literature education. All situations and…

Macroeconomic forces, globalization, transnational capital flight, and massive migration have global and local reverberations that affect our classrooms, teachers, communities, and students. In particular, teaching and learning mathematics in multiple language contexts is affected by these broader dynamics. Thus, politicizing the discussion around…

Discusses the debate over whether to teach French in French or in English. The use of nonverbal methods, prereading vocabulary presentation, development of a set of signals and rituals, negotiating meaning, videotape use, and language modification to the learners' abilities in teaching French are highlighted. (Contains 16 references.) (CNP)

So much has been made over the crisis in English literature as field, as corpus, and as canon in recent years, that some of it undoubtedly has spilled over into English education. This has been the case in predominantly English-speaking Anglo-American and Commonwealth nations, as well as in those postcolonial states where English remains the…

Posits that a child's success in acquiring English may depend to a large degree on his or her proficiency in the heritage language. (CB)

Analyzes linguists' interpretation and application of a theory suggesting that a learner's perceived appropriateness of linguistic data was related to its use and evaluation by exploring the presence and use of English in African nations. The multidialect nature of the world necessitates a multidialect teaching of any language. (CB)

The components of language rights for social development are enumerated and discussed, listed under such rubrics as national language development, languages of instruction, access to a Language of Wider Communication, bilingual schooling, and the cultivation of the national languages. Examples from various countries are cited. (Contains 26…

Laments the lack of institutional commitment to language learning in most colleges and universities. To improve the situation, suggests the introduction, in selected departments, of substantive courses where students are encouraged or required to use their language skills, and evaluation of performance in the course replaces proficiency exams.…

The notion of national unity through a single official language is defended by policy makers, who point out the practical and financial drawbacks involved in teaching in the vernacular in multilingual nations. Findings from grassroots-level case studies in Senegal, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka attest to the…

This briefing paper focuses on the choices of instructional language in Pacific classrooms, as mandated by national or state policies, and discusses consequences of such choices on students' academic achievement and career preparation in the changing Pacific region. The paper first notes that in most South Pacific secondary schools, English is the…

Traces the history of the advances and setbacks experienced by proponents of sign language in France and in the United States from the 18th century to the present. (AM)

Arguments for students' use of their first language as well as English in the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom are reexamined. Pedagogical and political aspects of ESL instruction are noted. (LB)