This study investigated the acquisition of speaking skills in an online distance education course of 19 first semester Spanish learners. The possibility of oral development in a strictly online course was examined based on students' pronunciation production in two types of recorded speaking activities and in two real-time conversations. Students…

Essays examine development of the English language from Old English to the present, characteristics and use of contemporary varieties, and what the language means to speakers around the world. "English Voices" (Joan Swann) raises issues and questions about variation in English, to be addressed in later chapters. "English Manuscripts: The Emergence…

Classroom exercises designed to help students learn phonetic symbols more effectively are described. The exercises were developed for use in a Hong Kong school. The idea behind their creation was that use of the symbols in communicative situations would emphasize their utility for learning English pronunciation. Each exercise uses contextualized…

This report discusses the teaching of French intonation through computerized instruction. In particular, the development of a computer program for teaching French intonation is described and explained. The first part of the report examines the role of oral language instruction in French, including a history and overview of methodologies. The…

This study investigated changes in the speech patterns of Japanese college students in an intensive English language course when using a microphone, focusing in part on possible links to "karaoke" activities common in Japan, in which participants sing along with music using a microphone. The researcher first observed several karaoke…

A study of distance teaching of modern languages in institutions around the world is reported. An introductory section provides an overview of the status and role of distance education in modern language learning, including an examination of related linguistic and educational theory, the objectives of distance language instruction, the behaviorist…

The intent of this paper is to synthesize portions of the African American dialect literature that have relevance for designing, implementing, and evaluating school-based language programs for African American dialect speakers, and also to suggest guidelines for developing such programs. Because the issues reflect divergency and controversy, it is…

The developer of the two-cone model of second language teaching and learning outlines the original model and its concepts, and presents some further ideas concerning it. The model represents the native and second languages as two cones with pronunciation at the apex, morphology and syntax (grammar) at the center, and vocabulary around grammar and…

This document consists of the final two issues of a newsletter that addresses aspects of adult English-as-a-Second-Language literacy education. Articles on the following topics are included: (1) student-centered literacy materials; (2) a Rhode Island literacy program; (3) professional involvement in adult literacy programs; (4) a modern phonetic…

A discussion of the use of songs to teach French as a second language focuses on the value of songs in teaching aspects of pronunciation. An introductory section describes the benefits of songs as instructional material, particularly to impart cultural information about Quebec to Canadian anglophones. Three sections outline justifications for the…

Classroom activity ideas for Japanese English as a second language students include a Punch and Judy puppet show (script included); a Halloween puppet trick-or-treat game to learn vocabulary and an American custom; a mime game using verbs; hangman; games of prediction, chance, and sorting or grouping; a Japanese card game similar to "slap"; a…

This transcript of and guide to a two-cassette course designed to assist Vietnamese immigrants in erasure of their foreign accents can be used for either individual or group study. Narrative and taped demonstrations of American English that pinpoint typical phonological barriers and pronunciation difficulties are outlined. The author's own system…

This paper reports results of an analysis of pronunciation problems and error patterns in the recorded speech of 38 immigrants to Sweden. The recordings, of both spontaneous and elicited speech in Swedish, were taken from an archival collection. The native-language groups studied include British English, Spanish, Polish, Finnish, Greek, Persian,…

Three dictionaries are compared for their usefulness to teachers of English as a foreign language, teachers in training, students, and other users of English as a foreign language. The issue of monolingual versus bilingual dictionary format is discussed, and a previous analysis of the two bilingual dictionaries is summarized. Pronunciation…

A handbook to the grammar of Mauritanian Arabic (Hassaniya) is intended for Peace Corps volunteers, and is designed to focus attention on proper grammatical forms. Lesson topics include the article, personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, negation of the implied verb "to be," noun gender, adjective gender, number, "there is/are and…