The design, implementation, and evaluation of a self-paced course in first-year college French are described, focusing on student choice in deciding which of four language skills (listening/speaking, writing, reading, or culture) they would concentrate on. Considered are course organization, use of assistants and student tutors, and course…

A tutorial program in English as a Second Language, in which the tutors were prospective teachers, is described and evaluated for general procedure, scheduling, teacher-student contact, use of instructional materials, oral practice, error correction strategy, and student attitudes and performance. (MSE)

Discussion of FLES (foreign languages in elementary schools) programs in the United States looks at their history, current status within and outside the United States, important FLES issues (long-range planning, teacher qualifications and recruitment, delivery models, mandated programs, research needs, teaching methods) and importance to the…

Asserts that research into the effects of word processing on student writing is dependent on established writing skills, keyboarding techniques, human intervention, and the established criteria for good writing. Concludes that nonnative writers may benefit in significant ways from the attributes of word processing. (CFR)

Using data from a nationally representative survey of college faculty teaching introductory courses, a study compared the course planning procedures of faculty (n=2,311) in eight disciplines: English composition, history, sociology, psychology, mathematics, fine arts, languages, and business. No key differences were found between full- and…

Asserts that the government of Papua New Guinea has developed a successful program of improved primary school teacher education since 1990. Outlines the origins and development of teacher education in that nation from missionary-directed centers in 1960 to a government-supported program of nine preservice centers at present. (CFR)

Examines the interactive potential for teaching four language skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) in the context of what is available across a range of multimedia technologies, from CD-ROMs to the World Wide Web. Identifies three levels of interactivity in the multimedia environment and notes the advantages that multimedia…

Analysis of 34 European-Union research-grant proposals written mainly by Finnish-led teams used genre analysis and a social constructionist theory of genre to investigate characteristic features of grant proposals, especially those not covered in academic writing courses. Ten recurrent moves were identified, reflecting the generic affinity of…

Four approaches to the teaching of second language (L2) reading are described (grammar-translation, comprehension questions/exercises, skills and strategies, and extensive reading) and their status in the reading classroom is examined, and important issues in L2 reading are then discussed, including word recognition, affective and sociocultural…

Proposes that courses in English for Special/Academic Purposes use instructional materials reflecting the needs, communicative purposes, and standards of effective discourse as perceived by the targeted discourse community, make the linguistic structures explicit, help learners self-evaluate and become independent learners in the workplace, and be…

A survey of 188 graduate students in 28 German programs investigated students' perceptions of their own professional development for teaching or work in business or government. It examined career goals, the importance of and participation in professional development activities, relationship with advisor/mentor on professional development issues,…

Chronicles English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) tutorial between a woman from Niger, whose first languages are French and Fulani, and her teacher, a native speaker of English. Highlights teaching issues, including identifying most useful focus for ESL instruction, gap between what teachers mean and students apprehend, and cross-cultural differences…

Reviews literature on English as a Second Language teaching in China, examining stereotypes of Chinese learners to highlight mismatches between Chinese students' learning dispositions and expatriates' teaching dispositions. A sociological analysis describes the construction of students as obedient at one Shanghai secondary school in the 1990s.…

The authors state that one key to successfully working with English language learners (ELLs) is to view them as a resource in the classroom since these students can offer information and perspectives about other countries and cultures. Additionally, many researchers support the use of scaffolding strategies to help ELLs organize their thoughts in…

There is sufficient evidence that linguistic, social and psychological system variables are important in second language acquisition. This study examined the contribution of a selection of these components and characteristics to second language acquisition, specifically, the linkages between social structure (particularly the degree of…