Potential changes in education are examined against a background of pluralism in American educational history in comparison to the relative prestige of foreign language learning in the curriculum. Foreign languages suffer today from competition brought about by limited finances, early release programs, and many electives. (SW)

Identifies two types of response to the possibility of teaching English as a lingua franca, where there is a break of the traditional assumption that a language is associated with one or more specific cultures. Taken from the German context, the issues raised are significant to most teachers of English, and for those who educate them. (Author/VWL)

Presents observations from an agro-pastoral village in the Andes, at the periphery of Lima and from an upper class shopping area and discusses attitudes toward the state-driven promotion of English. Results suggest that there is a belief that English competence is needed for technological advancement, employment opportunities, national progress,…

Addresses the issue of English in South America through the investigation of attitudes toward English by a group of MBA students in Argentina. A survey questionnaire was administered and its analysis and the relationship between attitudes and the sociopolitical environment are explored. Concludes with a cal for more conscientious inclusion of…

Examines the shifting role and status of English within social, economic, and political contexts in China from a historical perspective in order to understand state educational policy regarding the language. Argues that since the mid-19th century, the government of China has avoided the potential pitfalls of cultural transfer by adopting a…

An interview with Alan Decaux of the Academie Francaise focuses on his campaign for each European to know two languages in addition to the mother tongue, using early foreign language education to attain this goal. (MSE)

In this study, we test the prediction, derived from the Critical Period Hypothesis, that a native level in L2 grammar cannot be attained by learners who start acquiring a second language after childhood. We selected 43 very advanced late learners of Dutch (native speakers of German, French and Turkish) and compared their performance on a grammar…

This article addresses Spanish for native speakers (SNS) instruction from the perspective of critical pedagogy, including the critical examination of dominant educational paradigms as well as the proposal of alternative models. Emphasizing the inherently political nature of education and the role of language in the production of knowledge,…

Since the cessation of Soviet hegemony the Baltic Republics have endured drastic changes in their political, economic, social and linguistic situation. The official reinstatement of the respective state languages has been a key feature in the establishment of their newly regained national independence. Consequently, large sections of the…

One of the powerful ideologies that govern English language learning and teaching in the Sultanate of Oman is the "colonialist/culturalist" ideology and the various paradigms embodied within it. This ideology is present in the various statements made by the different agents involved in ELT in Oman, in particular "The Philosophy and…

This paper proposes a range of improvements to international science communication. It pictures the contemporary language situation in international scientific communication as well as its recent history with the rise of English as its most notable feature and offers explanations for this development. It discusses in which sciences languages other…

In this article, I argue for an understanding of EAP to be mobilised more around language, its materiality, especially in written form, and the intellectual challenge of learning it. Concomitantly, I argue against the increasing technicisation of language, as it is embodied in the regulatory framework of institutions and its emaciation as an…

This report offers a conceptual model for use with language minority children who are entering a new school when they must acquire the language of the majority student population. The model has four development components or processes: sociocultural, linguistic, academic, and cognitive. These four components are described in detail. Research is…

This videotape showcases how seven young Canadians, all of varied backgrounds and experiences, learned French as a second language and how they use and maintain those language skills in their work, daily life, and further education. All of the subjects learned French in immersion, core French, and two-way bilingual education programs in Canada.…

This book provides a collection of interrelated essays on language for teachers concerned with first and second language acquisition, non-standard English, the teaching of grammar, language change, and the attainment of literacy. A problem-oriented text, the book presents the various controversies surrounding each language area, offering competing…