A survey of 434 students of beginning Spanish at the University of Pittsburgh revealed "indifferent" attitudes toward second language courses (required at the school) and a lack of high school training in culture, literature, and conversation among those who studied Spanish at the high school level. (CB)

Compares the reading processing strategies of native and proficient nonnative speakers of Chinese. At the word level natives show a phonological strategy, while nonnatives mix phonological and visual processing. At the sentence level natives mix visual and semantic strategies, and nonnatives prefer visual processing. (LMO)

This study investigated a causal model of second language learning, in particular, three situation-specific constructs: language class discomfort, language class risktaking, and language class sociability. Findings indicate that discomfort negatively predicted risktaking and sociability, risktaking positively predicted participation, and…

Outlines a fourth-grade geography and social studies unit adopted by the London, Ontario, Canada, school system to help Ontario schoolchildren develop positive views of the people of Quebec and their environment. The unit stresses the inherent beauty of human heterogeneity and the advantage of learning more than one language. (RM)

A study of dictionary usage strategies used by 89 college students of Spanish indicated that beginning and intermediate students favored a search strategy based on lexical form, while advanced students used a more successful semantic-based strategy. The data are analyzed against the Vygotskyan theory of human development and self-actualization.…

This report presents the preliminary development and field-testing of an observational system designed specifically to describe teacher-student dyadic interaction in second language instructional settings. (Author)

This digest presents an overview of accommodations for students of limited English proficiency (LEP) and an overview of inclusion practices on statewide assessments, with emphasis on the accommodation known as linguistic simplification. The inclusion of LEP students in statewide testing programs over the last decade has been uneven. In the…

This paper revolves around a pilot project, funded by the DfEE (Department for Education and Employment) in the United Kingdom, which explores ways in which ICT (Information and Communications Technology) can be integrated into the classroom. The Cambridge Online Latin Project aims to promote the teaching of Latin at Key Stage 3 (students of 12-13…

Presents the theory that to understand himself/herself in humanity, the college student must encounter cultural diversity on the campus through language, sharing of sub-cultures and the presence of diverse cultures. The college degree is not the end goal but establishes the need for life-long learning and growth. (RC)

Occidental College offers international programs and foreign affairs courses. The emphasis on international studies extends to the core curriculum with three major areas that deal with the history, politics, and culture of other countries. Undergraduates are required to take almost two years of a foreign language. (MLW)

Reviews the history of educational reform in Quebec, at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. The areas of curriculum design, parent involvement, human resources, and administration are addressed. (AM)

Attempts to identify a specific learning effect attributed to the use of concordance software by language learners. In a series of tests involving transfer of word knowledge to novel context, a small, consistent gain was found for words introduced through concordances.(25 references) (Author/CK)