Discusses the importance of genre approaches to teaching second language writing and how they complement process views by emphasizing the role of language in written communication. (Author/VWL)

Describes the English vocabulary learning strategies of two successful language learners in the "input-poor" environment of the Chinese classroom, where the majority of language learning comes from intensive reading of English texts. Results show that, contrary to popular ideas about vocabulary learning in the West, Chinese learners…

Recent research in second language acquisition found that learners reached higher levels of achievement when grammar practice included the processing and negotiation of meaning. Explored the degree to which certain textbook activities reflected earlier findings. Activities for two grammar points from Italian texts still rely heavily on…

Examines an important potential constraint on the adoption of communicative language teaching (CLT) in the Chinese classroom--the Chinese culture of learning. Argues CLT and the Chinese culture of learning are in conflict in several ways, including philosophy on the nature of teaching and learning, perceptions on respective roles and…

Investigates the effectiveness of an interactive, computer-mediated instructional segment designed to educate students about ethnicity in German-speaking countries. Fifty-two intermediate German students worked with computer-mediated segments and rated the segments' effectiveness on a Likert-scale questionnaire. (AS)

Studied operationalization of sociocultural competence for classroom learners and explored the benefit to learners of explicit training in strategies for coping with social and cultural situations. Includes a taxonomy of sociocultural strategies, description of explicit strategy training developed for a Russian English-as-a-Foreign-Language…

Investigates the impact of the World Wide Web instructional medium on second language comprehension during independent reading. Results of the study suggest that when teaching content through self-directed reading, the web medium can evoke better reading comprehension than the traditional print medium. (Author/VWL)

In response to an article that proposes principles for teaching extensive reading, this article suggests that those principles rely heavily on learners being responsible for their own learning, a concept that is put forth in U.S. educational contexts. Discusses why these principles would need to be altered for use in an Asian context. (Author/VWL)

Explores the nature of examination questions in literature in teaching English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL). Three examples of questioning that are said to be more language based and that are suggested as supplements to conventional tests are discussed. These include general comprehension, textual focus, and personal response. (GLR)

Explains how functional language instruction can be made useful for persons with moderate to severe handicaps who are also culturally and linguistically different. Explains how vocabulary and cultural information of the Spanish-speaking student can be included in functional language instruction. (RS)

Major issues concerning vocabulary learning and instruction are discussed, and different ways that vocabulary is taught in the classroom are reviewed. It is argued that helping students develop strategies and knowledge to use internal and external contexts to infer meanings is a major step toward helping them become independent learners. (Contains…

Some views on and implications of "the output hypothesis," which proposes that the process of producing written or spoken language results in language acquisition/learning, for immersion pedagogy and second-language learning are discussed. The role of collaborative learning is considered. (Contains 14 references.) (LB)

Current brain research indicates a need for "bimodal" foreign-language instruction. This paper evaluates the bimodality of the theoretical model accepted by advocates of proficiency-oriented instruction and recommends that further research be conducted to ascertain the effects on student proficiency of a bimodal approach. (Contains 32…

The nature of grammar instruction is examined, and traditional instruction as explanation plus "output" practice is questioned. It is suggested that an input-oriented approach would be more effective. A type of input-based instruction called "processing instruction" is outlined. (Contains 30 references.) (Author/LB)

Describes a seven-day vocabulary building unit for language deficient high school students that revolved around ice cream, fat content of foods, and heart disease. (RS)