Describes LEARN, a software system for computer assisted foreign language vocabulary acquisition. Notes that the system processes English unrestricted text by translating selected English words in it into foreign words before presenting the text to the student. Points out that the natural path for the system's future is to add more languages. (23…

Focuses on student modeling within an Intelligent Tutoring System. Describes three domain-independent properties that the formalism representing student knowledge and the processes synthesizing this knowledge must possess to build accurate student models for second-language learning. Notes when, how, and where hypothetical reasoning mechanisms…

Presents a short guide to library resources in second-language pedagogy in Canada. Identifies sources of information primarily used in professional development and research. (Author/CK)

Analyzed spellings that were produced by children in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade to determine whether children's own names influence their spellings of other words. Results support the view that children's own names play a special role in the acquisition of literacy. (Author/VWL)

Compares stereotypes with realities of the effect of Chinese culture on learning styles. Reviews literature on effective adult learning. Discusses learning style preferences of Hong Kong Chinese adults, teacher expectations, and new approaches to adult learning. (Contains 68 references.) (SK)

Explores the role of phonological and syntactic awareness of 9- to 11-year-old Spanish-speaking learners of French in four components of second-language reading. Finds (1) phonological tasks in L2 better explain decoding; (2) word recognition through the visual route is best explained by corresponding ability in L1; (3) sentence comprehension is…

Presents the view that the minority differential in United States literacy is parallel to the literacy problems of many countries where the home language of children differs markedly from the first language of reading instruction. Notes that this is the situation that prevails in many developing countries, in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Finds…

Discussion of computer-assisted learning (CAL) and the instructional functions of audio highlights the development of an interactional audio-CAL system used for second-language learning. Levels of interactivity in media are discussed, hardware that would add audio to a CAL system is described, and future research is suggested. (10 references) (LRW)

A perceptual fading technique was used to teach unilingual adult Canadian francophones to identify the voiceless and voiced linguadental fricatives of English. After just 90 minutes of training, subjects were better able to identify both the training stimuli and an untrained set of natural consonant-vowel exemplars produced by 4 different…

Results of a two-year project (L'Italiano interattivo) conducted in collaboration with the Norwegian Computing Centre for the Humanities to produce learner-directed Italian courseware are reported. The SuperCard-developed program allows students to work with video, exercises, grammar, dictionary, or transcripts. (Author/LB)

Most currently available computer-assisted language learning offerings fall into three categories: instructional, collaborative, and facilitative. Each is described and cost-effective approaches to using them are noted. (Contains two references.) (LB)

A detailed, nonimpressionistic assessment checklist is presented for teach-yourself language packages. Two example research applications are given: a survey of a range of course packages, and an analysis of the patterns of materials used by an individual learner of Hungarian. (39 references) (Author/LB)

Overviews three computer software programs. "Triple Play" allows its user to practice listening and speaking skills without having to type letters. "In the French Body" and "In the German Body" are designed to heighten students' awareness of nonverbal communicative behaviors by French and German native speakers and to help students develop skills…

Characteristics and types of role-play for the language classroom are discussed. Sample activities for grades K-3 and for grades 4-6 are offered. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/LB)

The adoption of a process writing approach in elementary French immersion (FI) is discussed, including favorable arguments from the research and concerns related to creative writing in second-language contexts. Ways to address the special needs of FI students are outlined. (45 references) (Author/LB)