Discusses issues related to psycholinguistics since second-language acquisition (SLA) research has emerged as a scientific discipline. These issues include the debate about the place of an innate universal grammar in language acquisition, basic cognitive mechanisms underlying SLA, and pedagogical implications of recent developments in the…

Discusses the use of drama to engage students to become more interested and involved in French-as-a-Second-Language courses. Draws from practical experience with the use of drama in the classroom to formulate theoretical and practical uses of this approach to increase motivation and achievement. Uses examples to illustrate the arguments. (DSK)

Examines four issues that have arisen as a result of the spread of English: (1) the use of English in connected communities; (2) the function of English in Outer Circle countries; (3) the growth of English-knowing bilinguals in Outer Circle countries; and (4) the pedagogical implications of English-knowing bilingualism. (Author/VWL)

Compared effects of a reciprocal model and a transmission model on 6-year olds' learning of English as a second language. Found that older 6-year olds performed significantly better than younger 6-year olds on receptive vocabulary and language and on reading accuracy and comprehension. The reciprocal model of teaching and learning had positive…

Argues that bimodal video is an effective way of enhancing second-language (L2) learners' understanding of authentic texts and their learning of content and vocabulary in the L2. Bimodal video is subtitled in the L2 and provides simultaneous exposure to spoken language, printed text, and visual information, all conveying the same message.…

Proposes an instructional progression that goes from writing to speaking in learning English as a Second Language. Specific focus is on writing to improve speaking, games for writing to speaking, free writes from personal experiences, creating a scene, autobiographies, and argumentation. (Author/VWL)

Varying methodological conditions changed the emphasis of Spanish instruction for 212 English-speaking university students. Evaluation of the cognitive style preferences of first semester students via the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory, Learning Styles Inventory, and a specially-designed questionnaire produced a single cognitive preference score.…

ITELS is an intelligent system for foreign language terminology learning aimed at enhancing learners' conceptual knowledge as well as in understanding specific terminology. Three agents--each of them characterized by specific roles with respect to the system functioning--take part in the instructional process supported by ITELS: the human teacher,…

Describes the InterCultura Montessori School language immersion program in Oak Park, Illinois. Profiles the work of several children to illustrate important language learning strategies. Recommends that language immersion programs include: survival vocabulary skills; repetition of key grammatical forms; use of objects, pictures, and dramatization;…

Describes how to use literature based instruction to develop literacy skills and to prepare secondary-level second-language learners for mainstream classrooms, focusing on advantages to a literature-based approach (it promotes literacy development, provides language models, and integrates language skills); discussing why content-based instruction…

Describes the central issues confronting Teaching English as a Second or Other Language (TESOL) in China today. Examines overall trends and identifies challenges. Particular emphasis is on teacher education; instructional materials, and assessment. (Author/VWL)

Examined the differential role of comprehension and production practice in second language learning. Discusses the results of a study of 82 first-year students of Spanish as a second language that indicated that relative effectiveness of production versus comprehension practice depended on the morphosyntactic complexity of the structure in…

Investigated whether the methodologies of explicit and implicit language instruction account for differences in the identification of grammatically well-formed sentences for college students of Spanish. Results showed that students receiving implicit instruction scored significantly higher in a grammaticality judgment test than those receiving…

Describes a teaching effort to make second-language learning more attractive to students by placing them at the center of the learning experience. This approach generates exchange of information among students, between students and professors, and between students and the computer. The approach also allows students to work at their own speed. (14…

Discusses how understanding translation in new ways can enrich language programs and serve today's students' more practical needs, noting that learning to be fluent is not the same as learning to be a translator. The article offers suggestions for preparing students to understand what translation entails and shows how translation can stimulate…