This article explores what happens when humans, objects, and digital technology collaborate in creating a short stop-motion film. It investigates how animation making as a hugely repetitive mechanical process interlinks with language, communication, and learning, and how it can affect our responsiveness and readiness to communicate. The article…

This article explores one teacher/researcher's development of a drama-language unit and the learners' responses to it. The work is underpinned by a model of intercultural language learning which also acknowledges the pluricultural and plurilingual contexts in which foreign languages are taught in Australia. As part of a…

Recent literature in second language (L2) perceived fluency has focused on English as a second language, with a primary reliance on impressions from native-speaker judges, leaving learners' self-perceptions of speech production unexplored. This study investigates the relationship between learners' and judges' perceptions of French fluency under…

There is mounting evidence that phonological memory (PM), a sub-component of working memory, is closely related to various aspects of second language (L2) learning in a variety of populations, suggesting that PM may be an essential cognitive mechanism underlying successful L2 acquisition. This article provides a brief critical review of the role…

Examines how educational, cognitive, and developmental psychology can contribute to the renewal of second-language (L2) teaching and learning. The premises of these fields indicate that teachers of foreign languages cannot rely solely on rote learning of the rules of the language, but must engage their students in active discourse. (37 references)…

Explores the phenomenon of second language speech fluency and how it may be facilitated through instruction. An overview of research on fluency in second language speech is presented; empirical research is discussed in light of psycholinguistic knowledge about mental processes underlying second language production, and a model is posited that…

Audio-visual methods which are successful in immersion and FLES programs are not successful with adults. It is suggested that a cognitive approach to learning the sound system, which is usually systematic, would be more effective. It would also satisfy the students' intellectual curiosity. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Discusses the superiority of information processing (IP) theory to stimulus-response theory, specifically in terms of language comprehension, language production, and the role of memory. (KM)

Some of the cognitive and affective factors influencing second language reading comprehension are reviewed, and an instructional technique designed to both guide the reading process and develop comprehension at several levels is described. Teachers are urged to develop process-oriented reading comprehension activities in collaboration with…

This study explored the effect on vocabulary retention of vocalizations involving three cognitive processing depths ("repetition," "manipulation," and "generation"). Eight participants in an English for academic purposes (EAP) context encountered five unknown words when working alone and five different words when working in pairs. In each…

This article discusses the question of the optimal age for second language learning by providing some background and by comparing relevant British and Canadian language teaching programs. (CLK)

Argues that English-speaking learners of French as a second language start with a major asset in that these two languages share a sizeable vocabulary. The article describes a seven-lesson program designed to exploit the lexical similarities between the two languages with beginning university-level learners of French. (21 references) (Author/CK)

Recent research is reviewed demonstrating positive effects of bilingualism on cognitive development, some explanation of this research are given, and an interpretation is offered bearing on the variability of memory codes in bilinguals. Results of a study dealing with memory codes are presented and discussed. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Reports the results of an experiment designed to identify and define learning behaviors characteristic of successful adult students in an intensive language program. Findings are interpreted in terms of an information processing model. (AM)

This article deals with the role of attitudes in second language acquisition suggested by a social psychological interpretation of the processes involved, and examines several extracurricular programs designed to improve student attitudes and motivation. (CLK)