Reports on a two-part study of second-grade African American students' uses of various forms of the /-s/ suffix, replicating J. Torrey's 1972 study on the correlation of language and educational achievement. Findings suggest the need to reflect diversity and flexibility in design and implementation of assessment and instruction materials and the…

One college professor finds that while supplemental instruction (SI) sessions in the humanities resemble those in social, physical, and biological sciences, there are also qualitative differences that derive from discipline-specific expectations. These are rooted in the epistemology and axiology of the humanities, the expansive nature of…

Presents an experiment supporting the thesis that visual languages are well-suited for computer programmers whose native languages are not English, analyzing the particular problems of Arabic speakers in comprehending Pascal program structures. A visual programming environment is presented in which all syntactic and nearly all semantic information…

Compared the discourse of 33 college learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) on topics related to their major field of study and on general topics. Results suggest that text construction is facilitated by learners' expertise and investment in the topic of conversation. (contains 40 references) (MDM)

Discusses controversy over language, clarity, and experience in educational theory, recommending a language theory that recognizes complexity and difference. Linguistic clarity suppresses differences and multiplicity and reproduces a populist elitism that disempowers educators. People need knowledge and skills to be able to govern and shape…

In describing the different types of codeswitching used in Dakar, this paper questions the frequent assumption that the use of two languages within a single conversation violates a norm. In Dakar there is a fluid and unmarked switching between Wolof and French, "Urban Wolof," that has become the most common mode of speech among urban…

Examines how one teacher's way of knowing mathematics was reflected in language used in teaching concepts of rate to one student. The teacher's conceptualizations of rate were encapsulated in the language of numbers and operations which undermined his effort to help the student understand rates conceptually. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/MKR)

An American studying for his master's degree in French in France reflects on the experience of advanced second-language learning. The discussion focuses on the stage at which interaction with others replaces formulation of sentences as the primary task and on understanding the power of word choice. (MSE)

The influence that number naming grammar has on the understandings of two-digit numbers and place value of kindergarten children of European and Asian background was examined. Results indicate that Asian verbal/numerical representation patterns naming tens and units in order may be associated with distinctive place value concepts that support…

On multiple-choice and translation tests, 87 Swedish-speaking learners of English avoided neither phrasal nor figurative verbs, regardless of whether the verbs were similar to, or different from their Swedish translation equivalence. (Author)

Uses narratives of a mother and daughter to illustrate an interpretive model of socialization. Narratives were drawn from interviews and observations of a longitudinal ethnographic study of nine low-income African-American families. Explores the complex language and cultural routines that occurred during the daughter's transition from home to…

A discussion of college alumni surveys considers the kinds of information that are most helpful to the institution in fund raising, including names and preferred forms of address, significant others, demographics, Social Security numbers, occupational information, and income and net worth. (MSE)

In this study, 148 Hispanic Americans with schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders were interviewed in English, Spanish, or both. Hispanic clinicians rated symptoms more severely than did Anglo clinicians, and severity was rated highest in bilingual interviews, followed by Spanish, and lowest in English. Implications for diagnosis and…

Argues that the language currently used at research universities to describe faculty work is constraining, emphasizing quantity as opposed to quality, extrinsic as opposed to intrinsic characteristics, lack of trust of faculty, and emphasis on procurement of resources. An alternative use of language is proposed, suggesting that, if faculty can…

Examines and discusses ways in which both subtle and blatant bigotry toward nonnative speakers of English is present in departments of English. Illustrates how unfounded and inaccurate beliefs about English language proficiency create a hostile climate for a new population of students. Discusses the spoken and written English problems encountered…