This guide highlights problems Vietnamese speakers are likely to have in learning English because of differences between the two languages and suggests ways of helping Vietnamese students of English over difficulties caused by these differences. The first section of the guide provides an overview of the Vietnamese language: the alphabet, word…

The following papers on acquisition of reading skills are included: (1) "Miscue Analysis and Future Research Directions" (Goodman); (2) "Reading in Spanish: Insights from Children's Miscues" (Barrera); (3) "An Investigation of the Oral Reading Behaviors of Native Spanish Speakers Reading in Spanish" (Hudelson); (4) "A Study of Oral Reading in…

This study presents a synthesis of major dimensions of the second language teaching-learning process. The first four chapters survey some factors which are considered important in this process and examine what is known and unknown about each one. Subsequent chapters deal with the following problems: (1) language learners' errors, (2)…

A knowledge of areas of difficulty as well as their underlying causes is necessary before instructional materials, teaching techniques, and evaluation methods in foreign language instruction can be organized. This research describes three methods of analyzing the problems in foreign language learning and suggests their complementary role in…

A study of two groups of students at Sacramento City College (California) was undertaken in Fall, 1978, to determine whether the holistic approach to the teaching of basic writing (involving the techniques of free writing, writing from stimulus words, and controlled composition) could result in more significant gains in fluency and reduction of…

This study explores the role of the language learning situation by comparing the speech of children in an immersion program, children learning a second language in a natural setting, and native French children. Three groups of children participated in the study: (1) 39 children (Grades K, 1, 3, 5) in a French immersion program in the U.S.; (2) 13…

The communication strategies of eight Spanish-speaking children enrolled in an elementary English as a second language (ESL) program in Austin, Texas were observed and analyzed. Strategies were found to be divisible into three categories: kinesic, paralinguistic, and linguistic. The linguistic strategies resulted in errors, but these are deemed…

A new program developed during 1975-76 as part of the English as a second language curriculum at the University of California, Davis, is designed to enable students to listen to their oral English for pronunciation and grammatical self-correction. Students are aided in identifying and correcting their errors through tape-recorded sessions with a…

This selective bibliography cites about 50 publications ranging in date from 1955 to 1975 with the majority published since 1965. The first part deals with contrastive studies of Indic languages and English and is divided into the following sections: (1) bibliography, (2) books and sections of books, and (3) articles. The second part is dedicated…

This paper reports on the development of an error-coding instrument and a computerized continuous feedback system for the diagnostic evaluation and remedial treatment of unstructured second-language performances and the use of such a system in an instructional setting. The system does the following: it allows quick, objective, accurate, and…

This book contains eight papers. (1) "The Uses of Error Analysis and Contrastive Analysis." Use of error linguistics may illuminate normal language processes. This paper outlines procedures and applications of error and contrastive analysis. (2) "The Identification and Evaluation of Errors in Foreign Languages: A Functional Approach." The concern…

This paper reports results of a preliminary analysis of the errors made by Russian exchange students learning English at S.U.N.Y. in Albany. Error samples are taken from a taped panel discussion containing prepared and spontaneous speech, from a TOEFL test, and from a quiz. Errors are divided into intralingual, or those reflecting general…

A large number of factors are considered in their role in second language learning. Individual factors include language aptitude, personality, attitudes and motivation, and the role of the speaker's native language. Teacher factors involve the method of instruction, the sex of the teacher, and a teacher's training and competence, while…

Analyzes the results of a 1975 study of a 12-year-old Spanish speaker with regard to his acquisition of negation in English. The hypothesis of formulating/testing second language learning is reaffirmed with an alternate explanation of variation in syntactic forms. Results show that free variation is functionally determined. (LMO)

A longitudinal study was conducted using 18 mildly/moderately retarded 14- and 15-year-olds to investigate word knowledge acquisition and subcategorization features of the words. Retarded children's errors were highly correlated with word frequency. Two interpretations (gradual acquisition of word knowledge and a reorganization theory) are…