English language learners are often more grammatically accurate in writing than in speaking. As students focus on meaning while speaking, their spoken fluency comes at a cost: their grammatical accuracy decreases. The author wanted to find a way to help her students improve their oral grammar; that is, she wanted them to focus on grammar while…

Discusses the role of language development in educational achievement and the implications of this role for curriculum development. Children's preschool knowledge of language and its development in early school years is discussed. How their language experiences in school might enhance their language development also is outlined. Highlighted are…

Argues that, while teacher and school efforts are important, the conditions outside of schools hold the key to increasing academic achievement substantially. Family socialization practices in American and Asian families are reviewed; and children's early cognitive and social behaviors are linked to later school behavior, including academic…

Describes difficulties encountered by an Intensive English Language Program staff and students in negotiating the transition from a predominantly structure-based syllabus to a communication-based one. Explains how the new syllabus compromises between the two approaches, gradually increasing emphasis on communicative activities as proficiency…