THE MAJOR PART OF THIS CONFERENCE REPORT DEVELOPS THE CONFERENCE THEME, "INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING," AS PRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SPEAKER, JOHN B. CARROLL. HIS PAPER TREATS RATE OF LEARNING, SPECIALIZED TRAITS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE APTITUDE (PHONETIC CODING ABILITY, GRAMMATICAL SENSITIVITY, ROTE LEARNING ABILITY,…

This paper describes a preliminary study which focuses on the syllable structure of interlanguage and begins to identify some of the processes which shape that interlanguage. Adults learning English as a second language in a formal classroom situation were recorded as they described a series of pictures in English. Two subjects were native…

This paper presents a model for learning a second language developed on the basis of existing models for taxonomies of learning objectives. Three interrelated domains of language learning are examined: (1) the affective domain (willing), (2) the cognitive domain (thinking), and (3) the psychomotor domain (doing). An attempt is made to develop a…

A test was administered to 200 children (ages 6-15) who were learning ESL to study the relationship between age and the rate of learning. The results indicated that while the rate of learning English as a second language changes with age, the order of acquisition remains constant. (MS)

Associating a clear function with verb forms will minimize difficulties for ESL learners. One important function in most learning situations is description. An area of "core description" pivoting on the stem and stem plus "s" verb forms can be established and learners can express most concepts in core terms. (CHK)

Considers the question of how much psycholinguistics can contribute to foreign language teaching. Transformational grammar as well as behaviorist, psychobiological and development-psychological approaches are considered. These various psycholinguistic directions are sketched and examined for their applicability to foreign language teaching. (Text…

The longitudinal case study reported here provides some information about early stages of learning ESL and factors affecting language development. Comparison reveals striking similarities to first language acquisition sequences, and therefore a similarity in adult and child learning. (CHK)

Proposes a framework for integrating sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, and linguistic aspects of research on second language acquisition, encompassing five levels in a learner's conversion of input to output: apperceived input, comprehended input, intake, integration, and output. (Author/CB)

Presents and assesses recent studies on the silent period, that is, the period at the beginning of second language instruction when language learners do not speak the target language. Describes a survey of the silent period of primary school children and its consequences for acquisition theory and for language teaching. (SED)

Presents an abbreviated version of a large scale investigation of second language attrition covering 50 years. Results yield benefits to teachers and students of foreign languages by leading to an understanding of how various procedures of acquisition affect the rate of loss and ultimately minimize the potential for later attrition. (SL)

A review of recent research and language acquisition theories indicates a need for new teaching principles for second language instruction. The importance of matching language instruction with developmental processes of language acquisition, and considering the effect of social context, emotional climate, and the nature of the language learning…

Errors made by the foreign language learner are classified and discussed. (RM)

Pattern practice is recognized as one among several methods in the drill-and-integration phase of the learning process. Contradicting many opinions, the article argues that it can be very useful in acquiring communicative competence. But along with it the learner must use real cognitive strategies. (IFS/WGA)

This paper demonstrates how attention to developmental skills at every stage of language instruction enhances mastery of specific structural targets. A college German course in which a high degree of reading comprehension is the objective is used; Modified-Adjective Construction is the specific structural target. (CHK)

Some of the problems encountered by elementary grade second language pupils when they do uncontextualized written exercises in numbered lists from a course book are discussed. Ways to partially overcome such problems are suggested. (RM)