Addressing two recurrent concerns in educational debate--how a discipline can contribute to students' analytical and critical thinking, and how to improve students' ability to express themselves orally and in writing--the Language of Critical Thinking course is designed to strengthen critical thinking skills by using a legal case study approach.…

A discourse technique, re-framing a dispute in terms favorable to the speaker, is discussed as it has implications for lawyering and legal education. Literature on this approach to argument is reviewed, addressing such issues as constructive and destructive forms and avoidance of confrontation; and several discourse models are outlined. The…

This paper argues that to be effective, lawyers in the new global economy will need second language skills, understanding of international law, intercultural competence, and communication skills. Law schools must begin to prepare lawyers with these skills for practice even within the United States. (MSE)

A discussion of the teaching of languages for special purposes (LSP) argues for giving greater attention to the learner's actual language needs. It suggests that conventional English for special purposes (ESP) is inadequate for the unique linguistic context of Papua New Guinea, and that further research be undertaken into implications of such an…

Four ideas for French language classroom activities are described, including an exercise highlighting creative use of language in daily commercial life, a language activity focusing on acquired immune deficiency syndrome; a grammar lesson using a French song about colors; and a game designed to teach French names. (MSE)

An approach to developing college students' critical thinking skills, designed for freshman composition students but adaptable for other disciplines, is outlined. Components include: establishing bounds of analysis; using bibliography to foster scholarship; capitalizing on emotional response; learning the genre to be analyzed by writing in it;…

A study at one Taiwan medical school investigated perceptions of faculty (n=20) and students (n=349) about students' English-language needs. English was perceived as important for students' academic studies and future work. Students wanted a basic freshman-year English course, with listening the most important skill to improve. Students and…

Guidelines are offered for creating content-based, English-language instructional units for a first-year introductory art history course at an international college. The guidelines are meant to help Japanese students at a low level of English proficiency in a course being taught by a native-English-speaking professor. curriculum focused on…

Four forces seem to be at work in society today that have implications for language teaching. First, the interdependence of planet Earth has become a reality that has increased general awareness of the presence of speakers of other languages among us and awareness on the part of government leaders of the need to encourage foreign language studies.…

Ten speaking and listening activities designed to improve the intercultural communication skills of intermediate and advanced learners of English are presented. The activities are based on seven goals of cultural instruction: (1) sense of culturally controlled behavior; (2) interaction of language and social variables such as gender, age, and…

The ways that students can learn about the nature of the English language and develop a sense of excitement about their language are explored in this focused journal issue. The titles of the essays and their authors are as follows: (1) "Language, the Forgotten Content" (R. Small and P. P. Kelly); (2) "What Should English Teachers…