The effectiveness of the mnemonic keyword method was examined in four experiments with college students learning lists of pairs of Spanish nouns and their English equivalents. Implications for the further study and application of the keyword method are discussed. (Author/GK)

The objectives of the National Council on Foreign Language and International Studies, established as a result of the President's Commission, are described. It promotes increased language instruction and international understanding in the schools and universities, and support for international exchanges and advanced study and research. (MLW)

Describes a one-year experiment in self-directed learning for intermediate English students at the School of Mining Engineering of Nancy (France). Analyzes students' responses to a questionnaire and teachers' observations in an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach as compared to traditional second language courses. (MES)

Discusses methods for encouraging advanced language students to learn on their own. Successful learning results from the high stimulation and continuous activity of conscious and unconscious observation. If the learner is enabled to observe consciously outside the classroom, he will do it unconsciously and learning will be constant. (PJM)

Motivation is probably the most important single factor in successful language learning. Provided the student feels he can use the knowledge gained in the course, his motivation will probably sustain him. Thus, student course evaluations are important. A questionnaire that was distributed to students to gain such an evaluation is described.…

Reports the results of a study into the effect of language study in high school on college entrance examination scores. Tentative conclusions indicate language study is beneficial in proportion to the number of years studied, especially for English scores. (AM)

This study examined bilingual children's performance in reading Persian and English at grades one, three, and six. Indications are that the bilingual children performed not quite as well as their monolingual counterparts in either of the languages despite the high degree of variation among the subjects. (Author/POP)

Discusses e-mail programs to view and write in Japanese and Chinese script in a Windows setting. Notes that the big issue is not so much displaying the text but inputting it, a formidable task considering the thousands of characters to learn. (Author/CK)

In 1993, "Applied Linguistics" published an issue on theory construction in second-language acquisition, including papers by Beretta and Crookes, Gregg, and Long. The article argues that these papers and the rationalist understanding of scientific research exemplified in them, have become the object of misguided critiques, including Block (1996).…

Presents a collection of pictures presenting a visual array of the geographic features, customs, art, dress, and traditions of the Spanish culture on the European continent that are intended for classroom use. (Author/CK)

Considers the interplay between source and target language in relation to two points made by Klein and Perdue: (1) the argument that the analysis of the target language should not be used as the model for analyzing interlanguage data; and (2) the theoretical claim that under the technical assumptions of minimalism, the Basic Variety is a "perfect"…

Discussion of multimedia courseware development focuses on a framework of ways of thinking, modeling, working, and controlling the development process to derive criteria for a comprehensive method. Separate quality assurance of both product and process is proposed, and a case study involving second-language learning is presented. (Author/LRW)

Examines the components constituting autonomy in second language learning. The article focuses on helping students make and execute choices in the domains of communication, learning, and their personal life. These components form the basis of a conceptual framework for coordinating strategies to help learners develop autonomy. (24 references)…

Reviews a computer software program, "Mastering German Grammar," for teaching and reinforcing a comprehensive range of grammar topics. It is noted that the program is a no-frills, user-friendly personal tutor with easy to locate and call up grammar topics. (CK)

Evaluates arguments advanced in favor of special nativism in second-language acquisition (SLA). The article considers the following claims: Universal Grammar (UG) is the null hypothesis; any theory of SLA needs a theory of grammar; and showing that interlanguage grammars are underdetermined by the available input implies that UG must be accessible…