This tutorial offers speech-language pathologists (SLPs) an opportunity to consider the theoretical constructs of language acquisition theory and the multifactorial determinants that can impinge on the language acquisition process for children with complex communication needs. The system of constraints observed through the lens of optimality…

Research confirms that critical thinking plays a fundamental role in decision making and problem solving, skills that are essential to function as successful adults in a complex world. Consequently, it has been a focus of educational research for decades. Faculty meetings and teacher training sessions repeatedly run sessions on ways that teachers…

This article describes a curricular program for use in middle school social studies classrooms that supports the development of emergent bilinguals' language, literacy skills, and acquisition of content knowledge. The program leverages four supports found to be impactful for emergent bilinguals: (1) foregrounding content to increase students'…

The Turkish students who study at Russian universities continue learning Russian at the main departments. The main difficulty which foreign students face while learning Russian is scientific style. Those who teach Russian as a foreign language admit that foreign students are often unprepared to learn specific vocabulary. The article covers a…

This paper presents Academic Language Proficiency and how to use general and content-specific vocabulary, specialized or complex grammatical structures-all for the purpose of acquiring new knowledge and skills. English for Academic Purposes (EAP) has emerged out of the broader field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). EAP teachers often…

This article describes a curricular program for use in middle school social studies classrooms that supports the development of emergent bilinguals' language, literacy skills, and acquisition of content knowledge. The program leverages four supports found to be impactful for emergent bilinguals: 1) foregrounding content to increase students'…

It is said that children are amazing at acquiring their first language (L1); by the time they reach school age, they are using complex grammar and demonstrating a wide vocabulary. Even more impressive, these young learners might show up at school with two languages in their toolbox or add a second language (L2) with far less effort than older…

Many of the foreign language teachers and professors I have encountered throughout my EFL teaching career say that speaking is the most difficult skill to teach in a foreign language class. Classes usually focus on teaching points (e.g. grammar or listening related lessons) that can satisfy larger classroom situations. Speaking requires adequate…

The authors recommend ways to engage learners in interactions in the classroom to promote second language development and boost learners' self-confidence in using English in real-life situations.

The development of effective oral communication skills is a high priority for beginner-level, adult English language learners, and clear pronunciation is an essential part of this development. The perception and production of English vowel sounds can be a particularly challenging area of pronunciation for beginner-level learners. If adult learners…

As with all learners, English learners (ELs) require more than basic reading and writing skills to successfully engage with rigorous academic content, progress through school, and be fully prepared for postsecondary education and careers. ELs must be able to access grade-level content while simultaneously developing proficiency and autonomy in…

Most second-language learners lack exposure to academic language and have few opportunities to use it; thus, the onus is on educators to create appropriate learning environments for these students. Oral language proficiency is critical for advancing second-language learners' academic success; vocabulary is a particularly critical aspect of oral…

Teaching English as a foreign language in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) context requires certain particular skills from teachers. The usual group comprises students with different proficiency levels, learning experiences, and diverse course expectations. Thus, ESP teachers need to achieve broad goals because they need to both develop…

Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) is a global phenomenon that represents one of the greatest advances for autonomous language learning outside the classroom in the past few decades. The power of IDLE lies in its capacity to compensate for inherent problems in language learning in classrooms, due to the "authenticity" of input…

School districts that have adopted the 3Ls™ approach to provide rigorous instruction for English learners (ELs) have, invariably, had to make a case for what this approach offers, how it reflects best practices in English language development (ELD) instruction, and how it meets the needs of English learners. They have also had to make explicit…