The author is responsible for teaching reading classes and overseeing the reading curriculum at an intensive English program in the United States. The institution strives to make reading fluency a priority in the classroom, but after conducting a basic overview of the literature on the topic, the author realized that the approach could be improved…

This book is unique in bringing together studies on instructed second language acquisition that focus on a common question: "What renders this research particularly relevant to classroom applications, and what are the advantages, challenges, and potential pitfalls of the methodology adopted?" The empirical studies feature experimental,…

Several scholars have investigated the strengths and weaknesses of native-English-speaking (NES) and nonnative-English-speaking (NNES) teachers of English as a second language (ESL), but few researchers have explored intensive English program (IEP) administrators' and ESL teachers' perspectives on teacher training and the strengths and weaknesses…

A discussion of computer software evaluation for second-language instruction concludes that it is important to match the purpose of the software with the teacher's goals, have good instructions, receive clear and appropriate feedback, and promote productive interaction with the student. (11 references) (MSE)

Research on Arizona State University's intensive English program indicates that the majority of students learned about it through family, relatives, or friends in the local community, not through its extensive overseas recruiting techniques or electronic technology. Local recruiting strategies include local English media features and advertising,…

One university professor's use of French comic strips as the focus of an advanced, intensive language course is described. The approach addresses the visual and iconic in the comics as much as the linguistic element. (27 references) (MSE)

A study of the role of audiotape dialogue journals (ADJ) in the second-language classroom examined patterns in form and nature of the conversations and in relationships between participants. Results are reported for two teachers and two students, one Japanese and one Latin American. Structuring such taped conversations is recommended. (MSE)

Although intensive English programs (IEPs) in the United States have mushroomed in recent years, this trend may be slowing, an indirect result of changes in government policy toward immigration, reduced foreign student enrollment growth, and increasing competition from other English-speaking countries. In addition, evidence suggests some IEP…

Curriculum innovations succeed or fail according to the extent to which teachers, and to some extent students, feel that they are meaningfully involved in the process of change. For change to be effective, it cannot be simply imposed from above; rather it depends absolutely on the people who implement it. The innovations described in this book…

The role of participant attitudes in the effectiveness of two teacher education program types, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and intensive English programs (IEPs), are discussed. Three factors are viewed as influencing participant attitudes: professional separation of ESL and IEP instruction as fields of study; physical separation of ESL and…

An overview of how reading has been used in the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing classroom is offered, example of changes in reading and writing models are examined, current views of the connections between reading and writing are discussed, and application of these connections in one advanced ESL writing class is reported. (85…

Situational leadership can be used in the English-as-a-Second-Language classroom to help students accept and adapt to instructional innovation. Leadership style is determined by the leader's task (directive) and relationship (supportive) behavior and by the classroom environment. Follower readiness is both job-related and psychological. Case…

This paper describes how comic books are used as instructional materials in an intensive English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) course and discusses the rationale for using them. The students in the course have low-intermediate English language skills with limited discourse and interactive competence. Comic books are used because they are authentic,…

An entrance and exit interview procedure designed to evaluate student progress in an intensive English program (IEP) is discussed. The program offers six terms of 7 weeks each per year. Students are interviewed within the first 10 days after classes have started, always by the same individual. Both personal and placement information are gathered,…

A study investigated the importance of reading in developing writing competence in an intensive Business Spanish course at the University of Toledo (Ohio). In class projects, two groups of students wrote business reports in which they advised a company on whether or not to market a product in a Spanish-speaking country. The projects each included…