Examines the language processing and acquisition abilities of the right hemisphere. Discusses functions performed by the right hemisphere that could play an important role in second language acquisition. (EKN)

Examines what is known about writing in both a first and a second language. Describes a study in which unskilled English as a second language writers in a "developmental" college writing course wrote an essay in class, compares the study's findings with the findings of some major studies of the writing process. (SED)

Discusses experimental evidence which suggests that there may be greater right hemisphere involvement in language processing in bilinguals who acquire their second language late relative to their first language and in bilinguals who learn their second language in informal contexts. (EKN)

Reports results of a study of the effects of rhetorical organization of different types of expository prose on intermediate English as a second language readers of different native languages. Certain English rhetorical patterns were easier to recall for nonnative readers in general but there were differences among the various native language…

American and EFL students' comprehension difficulties in reading scientific discourse containing implicit and explicit definitions were tested. Though both found implicit information more difficult to comprehend, the differences in scores on the implicit and explicit definitions remained the same even where English proficiency increased. (PMJ)

The study reported here assessed the contribution of short-term memory to differences in standardized listening scores for each of five types of auditory input. Memory for syntactically arranged words proved to be the best predictor of listening skill in this battery of tests. (SED)

Discusses the influence a first language can have on the acquisition of a second language. Includes some tentative proposals on the interaction of prior first-language knowledge and the creative construction process. (EKN)

A five-point analysis of lecture notes and a postlecture recognition test were used to determine the effectiveness of notetaking of sixty-six native and sixty-three nonnative speakers of English who took notes on a videotaped presentation. Those students able to condense lecture material into propositional information units performed best on the…

Explores the requirements for a general theory of second language learning that accounts both for the fact that people can learn more than one language and for the generalizable individual differences that occur in such learning, and considers the formalization and testing of such a theoretical model. (Author/CB)

Reviews the theoretical foundations of current-second language acquisition models. Draws upon this research as well as upon various studies of memory and verbal-input processing to present a theoretical model of adult second language comprehension. Discusses the implications of comprehension theory for second-language teaching. (Author/SED)

Delineates five developmental listening comprehension stages second language learners pass through: (1) streams of sound, with no comprehension; (2) word recognition within the stream; (3) phrase/formula recognition; (4) clause/sentence recognition; and (5) extended speech recognition, or general comprehension. The discussion illustrates the…

Distinguishes two approaches to teaching speaking skills: (1) a "direct approach" in which new linguistic information is practiced explicitly; (2) and an "indirect approach", involving creating situations that lead learners to acquire communicative skills. Argues that a significant shift is occurring in the second approach and raises questions…

Investigated the online processing strategies used by a sample of nonnative speakers of English who were asked to give the meanings of selected common idioms presented in a written context. Data were gathered using a think-aloud procedure; participants were asked to verbalize their thoughts as they arrived at the meaning of the idioms. (Author/VWL)

A study shows that advanced ESL students explore and clarify ideas and attend to language-related concerns primarily after their ideas have been delineated. These results call into question the prescriptive approach to writing instruction that is overly concerned with correctness. (MSE)

Argues that the emphasis of writing instruction in ESL classes should be on writing as a creative process, not on syntax, vocabulary, and rhetorical form. (EKN)