The treatment of politeness features is particularly revealing of the complex dynamics that language teachers face given the cultural variety present in schools and colleges. Along with its positive contributions to the learning environment, the growing student diversity poses a significant challenge for both students and educators. This paper…

Responses to the 1990 United States census question concerning languages other than English that are spoken at home are summarized. It was found that in 1990, 14 percent of the population 5 years and older spoke a language other than English at home, as contrasted with 11 percent in 1980. Languages spoken most commonly at home in descending order…

This study investigated the relationship of language learning strategies use and self-efficacy of high school students learning Chinese, German, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish. Through two questionnaires, The Language Learning Strategies Questionnaire and The Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, researchers were able to collect and analyze data on…

Briefly describes 22 reports on language-related research relevant to Southeast Asia, detailing study aims, methodology, researchers, and sponsors for studies conducted in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. (CB)

Reports results of a study conducted with learners of Chinese who were involved in a late immersion program in a graduate school of education in Australia. The aim of the project was to explore the depths of learners' experiences of learning Chinese in an immersion setting. (Author/JL)

The authors review 11 studies published from 1971 through the 1990s on learning and behavioral difficulties among Chinese American children. The focus of the review is on (a) quantity and quality of the studies, (b) topics examined, and (c) research findings. Results showed that limited English proficiency, delinquency and gangs, and emotional and…

Hawaii is often perceived as the "Land of "Aloha," a racial paradise where everyone gets along. But do we? The author explores Hawaii's distinct cultural dynamics with pre-service teachers in a multicultural education course that problematised race and ethnicity. Using an inquiry approach and culturally relevant activities, the…

An evaluation was conducted of the first year of a 3-year program designed in New York City to serve the needs of Chinese-speaking intermediate grade students of limited English proficiency. The focus of the program was on improving their achievement in mathematics and science while also improving students' English language proficiency. The…

Articles contained in this special issue on language usage in Hong Kong, particularly in the context of elementary and secondary education, include: "A Comparison of English Errors Made by Hong Kong Students and Those Made by Non-Native Learners of English Internationally" (David Bunton); "Errors in Guides to English Usage for Hong…

A discussion of the practice of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teaching calls for an instructional strategy integrating traditional methods and the communicative approach. Components of traditional teaching methods (grammar instruction, correction, dictation, dialogue, and native language use) are linked with communicative questioning…

A course in business Chinese offered at Brigham Young University (Utah) is described. In the six semesters the course has been offered to date, enrollment has increased steadily and it has drawn students from business, Chinese, and a variety of other majors. Many students had served religious missions in Chinese-speaking countries. In developing…

A discussion of factors that influence English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learning by native speakers of Chinese focuses on three specific factors (cognitive style, individual differences, and native language interference), and offers classroom solutions. The effect of each of the three factors on ESL comprehension and production is considered,…

An ongoing four-year ethnographic study of two cohorts of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners enrolled in mainstream Canadian primary school classrooms is described. The two cohorts are: (1) a group of six children observed from the beginning of kindergarten through the end of grade 2, and (2) five children observed from early kindergarten…

This bibliography is based on a collection at Manitoba's Multiculture Educational Resource Center and contains materials appropriate for the teaching of a number of languages other than French, English, and Canadian native languages. The focus is on heritage language teaching, but some titles pertain to the history and culture of the various…

A three-year research project investigated the effects of instructional practices and patterns of language use in bilingual and English-only classrooms on general academic development and the development of English language skills by limited-English-proficient students, especially those skills needed to participate fully in the society's schools.…