This article discusses the now established" fact that one aspect of language development in native English speakers is the increasing ability to embed larger and larger numbers of sentence consituents and considers its implications for second language acquisition. (FB)

A common problem in adult second-language learning, the disparity between child and adult second-language learning referred to as the Adult Language Learning Paradox, is examined within the Parallel Distributed Processing model framework. (24 references) (JL)

All forms of English-as-a-Second-Language are ideological, whether or not educators are conscious of the political implications of their instructional choices. Ideology is unavoidable, a position supported by various L1 and L2 scholars whose work is surveyed. Accommodationist politics of apparently neutral pragmatism in English for academic…

Offers a glimpse into the personal life of a mother who is not a native speakers of her children's primary language. Reveals issues faced by many non-proficient speakers of English who are raising children in English-speaking environments. (Author/VWL)

This study attempts to determine whether the syntactic errors children make while learning a second language are due to native language interference or to developmental cognitive strategies, as has been found in first language acquisition. (Author)

Examines the relationship between language universals and language acquisition, comparing data from studies on first and second language acquisition and universals of relative clause formation. It is concluded that second language acquisition data provide a clearer window for the investigation and verification of language universals than first…

Presents Hilder's view of Bell's article on the relationship between first and second language literacy and follows up with Bell's response. Hilder examines the implications of Bell's article for classes in English for academic purposes and draws on other literature for pedagogical direction. The author elaborates on Hilder's comments on the…

Reviews research on appropriate methodologies to use in studying native or second language acquisition and points out that both quantitative and qualitative research methods are used in different ways of study in the field. (CB)

Presents study of Japanese- and German-speaking children who were tested on the Sentence Comprehension Test to investigate understanding of various English grammatical structures. Concludes that learning of English as a second language in a natural milieu seems to pass through stages similar to those exhibited by monolingual English children.…

A story is told of how inner-city youth organizations use dramas that young people write, cast, and direct to enable them to retain their first language or dialect while gaining standard English and preparing for job entry. The story ends with implications for the language classroom. (seven references) (Author/LB)

Reviews the results of research in language acquisition, interactional analysis, pragmatics, repair, error, and social and affective factors. Extracts four language teaching principles relating to acquisition activities in the classroom, the importance of affective factors, the communicative capacity of learners, and the nature and treatment of…

Presents three interrelated theses on the mechanisms underlying developmental and transfer errors, and exemplifies these with reference to a number of English L2 developmental structures. Proposes a framework where linguistic factors play a major role in protracting the restructuring of the preverbal negation rule by Spanish learners. (Author/MES)

This paper explores ways in which the wholesale transfer of assumptions from first-language (L1) literacy can sometimes complicate the process of acquiring second-language (L2) literacy. Using methods of narrative inquiry, the article describes attempts to reach a better understanding of L2 literacy through an autobiographical study of Chinese…