This paper describes unique opportunities offered by the Internet for Japanese college students learning to write in English. It focuses on tasks that students were assigned using discussion forums on the Internet. It begins by describing the Web site, which is <http://www.esljapan.com>, looking at software considerations, privacy issues,…

This review of research considers how best to teach English-language learners. A realistic appraisal of the empirical database indicates that research findings have failed to provide answers to questions about the importance of native language instruction and the best age and best methods for introducing academic instruction in English. The review…

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI) broadens the traditional view of intelligence as solely composed of verbal/linguistic and logical/mathematical abilities. MI theory maintains that all humans have at least eight different intelligences that represent a variety of ways to learn and demonstrate understanding. This digest underlines the basic…

This very brief paper discusses whether and how to use the learners' native language in the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom in the event that the instructor and all the students share the same language (Spanish in this case). The pedagogic disadvantages for ESL learners of being allowed to fall back on the native language are…

This paper gives an overview of 10 directions language teachers might take in the future. After providing background on the history of language teaching, language teaching methodology is defined and a distinction is made between methodologies and approaches. Next, the 10 scenarios are briefly described. They include the following: teacher/learner…

This paper focuses on the preparation of graduate students for teaching within graduate foreign language departments. Despite big changes and much effort that has gone into reforming the training and teaching of language education professional in recent years, teaching assistant education within the intellectual-academic work of graduate programs…

This article reports a study examining the use of group activities in English language coursebooks published since 1990. Ten coursebooks were randomly selected for examination. The number and percentage of group activities and of group activities rated as fostering cooperation were calculated. The results are discussed in light of theory and…

Paper Presented at the TESOL Convention, March 1, 1972, in Washington, D.C. (VM)

Six foreign students were taught Latin by the direct method at Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, in an experiment to improve rapid reading mastery. (DS)