As a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine, two million children have been forced to flee their homes in order to seek safety in other countries. In addition to having a safe place to live, every child must be able to access education in order to gain the knowledge they need to meet their full potential. This is the belief at the "Let's Shake…

This article contains an autobiographical literacy journey from primary school to college, focusing on the author's affection for reading, her dislike of writing, and the development of other literacy skills. Early childhood reading and writing practices are often regarded as merely a bloom rather than a development of writing abilities, which…

There is no shortage of studies that have reported the beneficial effects of extensive reading (ER) on various aspects of second/foreign language acquisition, including reading comprehension, reading speed, and vocabulary development. Anecdote after anecdote shows the effectiveness of ER, and no one seems to repudiate the power of reading in large…

Young modern language (ML) learners' heightened, yet temporary, phonological sensitivity suggests an aptitude for spoken communication with peer native target language (TL) speakers. Opportunities for this can be achieved through videoconferencing (VC). As researcher and specialist teacher at a primary school in England, I undertook a study of VC…

This comprehensive exploration of theoretical and practical aspects of out-of-class teaching and learning, from a variety of perspectives and in various settings around the world, includes a theoretical overview of the field, 11 data-based case studies, and practical advice on materials development for independent learning. Contents of this book…

Following an extensive and federally funded analysis of literature related to boys learning French as a second language (FSL) in Canada, the authors propose a series of research questions to guide future research related to males in FSL classrooms. To better understand the need for this research agenda, the researchers provide an overview of the…

Studied why native-born American students are less motivated and less successful at learning French than non-native-born students. Findings indicate that native-born American students' lack of exposure to foreign languages and cultures via the media affected their motivation. Strategies are outlined for increasing motivation through greater…

Investigates reasons for the success of cooperative learning (CL) from a psychological perspective, focusing on group dynamics and the motivational system generated by peer cooperation. Argues that the affective domain of CL plays a crucial role in the learning process. The paper summarizes the factors contributing to the promotion of learning…

This study presents direct observation of a 7-year-old, native Spanish-speaking female learning English in a mainstreamed first and second split classroom. Subject is described in the school setting, and it is shown how she worked, what she did during the mornings, how she responded to commands and directions, and how and with whom she…

Second-language teachers dealing with teenagers face a task of imparting communicative language skills to learners who think and speak in terms of a language of their own making. It is important that these teachers familiarize themselves with teen language in order to make their teaching relevant by making their classrooms more responsive to their…

Discusses the Queensland Languages and Cultures Initial Teacher Education Program (LACITEP), in which 50% to 80% of the subjects taken are delivered through Japanese immersion. Notes that the promotion of second-language learning is a common aim of all immersion classrooms and provides insight into how the LACITEP Health and Physical Education…

This paper reports on a pilot study of prewriting group discussions, and language of the discussion group, with 22 university students in a freshman English class in Taipei. Students were assigned to groups of Chinese discussion or English discussion on writing assignments. The quality of each group's first and second drafts was compared, and…

Highlights the importance of the dynamics of the learner group in shaping the second language (L2) learning process, and overviews the most relevant aspects of classroom dynamics. Argues that group characteristics and processes affect any success or failure in the L2 classroom and that teachers could benefit from an awareness of the principles of…

Early childhood classrooms characterized by a predominance of second-language learners have emerged in unprecedented numbers. This article examines a model of peer collaboration to take into account how children's evolving social relationships served as an impetus for talk in English. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (Author)

The report describes the Center for Education, Diversity, & Excellence (CREDE), a national research and development center operated cooperatively by the University of California, Santa Cruz and the Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students. CREDE's…