Investigated the effects of three aural-advance organizers on student comprehension of second-language (L2) videotaped materials. Subjects were 160 low-intermediate Chinese students of English in Taiwan. Suggests that in preparing advance organizers for English-as-a-Foreign-Language students, teachers should focus on new words rather than on video…

Conducted a pilot study with learners of Spanish who had completed a 25-week basic language training at the Defense Language Institute's Foreign Language Center. Compared the listening and reading proficiency of 10 officers with 44 enlisted personnel, using t-tests and analysis of variance (with the Defense Language Proficiency Test as a…

Discusses multimedia software and describes the production and the learning rationale of a series of six multimedia CD-ROMs that develop the listening skills of learners of Business English. Describes problems of cost, time, and quality in producing multiple courseware and explains the programming solution which gives control to subject experts.…

Studied the impact of exposure to authentic video--a Spanish-language telenovela--on the second-language acquisition process of students studying Spanish at the university level. Measured the increase in listening comprehension that exposure to the soap opera would afford and tested the validity of the hypothesis that an increase in the quality…

This article explains dyslexia and characteristics of students with dyslexia and discusses types of instruction that are most appropriate for students with dyslexia, including multisensory instruction, explicit instruction, and phonemic awareness. It provides techniques for enabling students with dyslexia to succeed in reading, writing, listening,…

Analyzes the production and perception of illocutionary forms. Using a semantic neutralization procedure, the performance of children (5, 7, and 9 years old) and adults was compared in two experiments focusing on prosodic representations in production and perception tasks. (Author/JL)

A study involving three children who are deaf (grades 7-8) investigated the ways in which American Sign Language (ASL) and English-based sign allow for comprehension of text content. Retelling, proposition, and feature analysis scores indicate students understood the fable texts whether they were presented in ASL or English-based sign. (Contains…

Describes the design and implementation of a CD-ROM-based German exercise package for commercial distribution and a listening and culture package using interactive multimedia based on authentic German television programs. The project demonstrates how a set of specialized authoring tools can be brought to bear upon the real-world needs and…

Argues that mastery of modal particles is important for interpersonal aspects of language development. The article outlines the difficulty of learning and teaching German modal particles with regard to the theoretical explication. The study shows how a teaching program improved initially poor comprehension and production skills in the area of…

Defends the emphasis on aural, oral, and writing skills in the teaching of Latin in today's high schools as a means of helping students make a connection between the past and present and gain the knowledge needed to function in the next century. The article emphasizes that teachers who pursue new ways to teach Latin are reanimating interest in the…

Investigates college/university professors' views on English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students' difficulties with listening/speaking tasks. Findings show that respondents felt that their ESL students have great difficulty with class participation, asking and responding to questions, and general listening comprehension. (55 references) (Author/CK)

Describes three types of conflict: (1) conflict over resources; (2) conflict of needs; and (3) conflict of values. Discusses strategies for conflict resolution appropriate for K-4 students. Addresses ways for combating conflict, such as developing active listening techniques, decision-making skills, self-assessments, and using children's…

This article explores evidence related to the idea that children with language impairments present co-occurring limitations in data-driven and conceptually driven processing. It concludes that together, these limitations contribute to a heightened sensitivity to increasing task demands in children with language impairments. Assessment and…

A study involving 17 individuals (ages 17-55) who were blind examined the use of a prototype testing system that employs synthesized speech to deliver questions on reading and listening comprehension tests. In general, the usability of the system was evaluated positively. The most serious problem was synthesized speech quality. (Contains 2…

A study compared three procedures for teaching social skills with 13 intermediate-age students with learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, or visual impairments who also participated in cooperative-learning groups. Students who received teacher-directed instruction improved in listening, problem solving, and negotiating skills during…