Examines the early experiences of a Peace Corps teacher of English as a foreign language in Botswana, Africa, followed by his time as a teacher trainer and early graduate-school experiences. The case study offers personal and professional insights about new teachers, teacher preparation, language learning, and multiculturalism. (Author/MSE)

Identifies dominant meanings of literacy within contemporary proposals for educational reform in North America, Britain, and Australasia, examining the meanings and noting the serious imbalance within current reform visions for literacy education. The paper examines four types of literacy constructions (lingering basics, new basics, elite…

Investigated whether information and memory processing associated with emotional topics would create distinct processing behaviors in English-as-a-Second-Language students. Participants reviewed several topics, described their levels of emotional impact, and wrote about them. Emotional topics motivated students to emphasize the lower,…

Examines the evolution of Spanish textbooks qualitatively using computerized pedagogical data. Results show distinct generational text style trends from 1860 to 1998 which chronicle a common engine of change and conflict in standardization movements and the production of generational text styles. Summarizes 20th-century textbook generations and…

Describes how to use literature based instruction to develop literacy skills and to prepare secondary-level second-language learners for mainstream classrooms, focusing on advantages to a literature-based approach (it promotes literacy development, provides language models, and integrates language skills); discussing why content-based instruction…

Investigated the number of times a word must be encountered in order to be learned and the types of contexts that are conducive to learning in a vocabulary acquisition study with Quebec school-aged English-as-a-Second-Language learners at five levels of proficiency. Learners read text and were tested on new vocabulary and learned and unlearned…

Reports on a study of grammar checker usage that surveys the steps taken to successfully integrate it into the curriculum of an advanced level French course. Identifies the pedagogical limits of computer-based grammar checking, explores practical applications, measures short- and long-term effectiveness, and considers the role of self monitoring…

Presents three related experiments on the acquisition of two classes of causative verbs: physical change of state verbs with agentive subjects and psychological change of state verbs with experiencer objects in English, Spanish, and Turkish as second languages by speakers whose native languages are English, Spanish, Turkish, and Japanese.…

Discusses the variety of language centers on college and university campuses, ranging from the rationale for the center to questions and objections about its existence on campus. Discusses relation of the center to the foreign language department, the parameters of the position of center director, the role of the less commonly taught languages,…

Singles out three interrelated areas in the exposition of faculty evaluation and assessment: (1) the nature of the procedure; (2) the rhythms of professional life; and (3) mutual rights and responsibilities, particularly in the process of posttenure review. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that robust foreign language departments, such as Spanish, must support other languages or end up as the only language offered on campus other than English. (Author/VWL)

Makes a case for studying the truly foreign languages--the less commonly taught languages. Discusses the needs and ramifications of supervising the teaching of less commonly taught languages, covering the nature of the curriculum, the state of the field, and available resources. (Author/VWL)

Provides an extensive review of the potential of the World Wide Web, CD-Roms, and computer-mediated-communication (CMC), which offer exposure to authentic language and culture and many opportunities for language practice and interactivity. (Author/VWL)

Follows the approach developed in Dendrinos (1992) for English-as-a-foreign-language textbook analysis and presents a content analysis of 11 Indian "Common Errors in English" (CEIE) guidebooks to illustrate how access to English is institutionally withheld from large parts of the Indian population. (Author/VWL)

Describes one elementary teacher's use of the Book Browse literacy activity, which allows Spanish-speaking students to examine books informally in pairs or small groups. Book Browse provides a highly social situation where multiple conversations can occur among these children who need exposure to expressive language as they develop skills in both…