Translanguaging practices come into play in social interactions between bilinguals when they are making use of all their shared linguistic resources and blending their languages in natural ways. Stemming from these practices is translanguaging pedagogy, which is designed so that students in school-based additive bilingual programs can benefit from…

This article capitalizes on the notion of linguistic risk-taking by focusing on a new pedagogical initiative at the University of Ottawa, an institution where courses, programs, and services in both English and French are available. In this bilingual context, we define linguistic risks as authentic communicative acts in learners' second official…

This paper reports research findings relating to a recent initiative to build capacity and support professional learning among educators to meet the needs of English language learners in Ontario schools. Drawing on data from case studies of educator teams in 16 school districts, the paper explores whether and how collaborative inquiry promoted…

Drawing from a larger ethnography of skilled Chinese immigrants' language learning during settlement in Toronto, this article explores the role of informal interactions in facilitating immigrants learning English as a second language and settlement. Examining various activities and networks available at an English-medium multicultural church, this…

Recently there has been considerable interest in the role of first language use in second/foreign language learning, especially where students share a common first language. However, most research has focused on in-class interaction between teachers and learners. Much less attention has been given to students' out-of-class practices, for example,…

The present study investigates the functions that language learners attribute to the first language (L1) within a teaching context that maximizes the target language (TL). Beginners of French in an Australian university (N = 52) completed a questionnaire consisting of 21 closed questions on their views on L1/TL use and two open questions on the…

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)

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)

An ethnographic study documented the attitudes, activities, behaviors, and beliefs of teacher and students in a college French class in a weekly computer-equipped language laboratory class. Despite the teacher's enthusiasm, his beliefs, linguistic difficulties, and technical problems made it difficult to sustain lessons in the target language.…