A study based on two hypotheses: (1) The cognitive and academic effects of bilingualism are mediated by the levels of competence attained in the first and second languages, and (2) the development of skills in a second language is a function of skills already developed in the first language. (AMH)

Research at Queens College involving 116 English as a second language students revealed that proficiency in English, measured by a variety of tests, is more closely related to amount of formal instruction than to years spent in an English-speaking country, although a significant relationship exists between proficiency and each factor. (CFM)

Theorizes that most or all varieties of the Tubatulabal language are currently undergoing enough grammatical degeneration to conclude that it is a dying language. The article states that de-acquisition research has been neglected and will have great relevance in future studies of degenerating grammars. (NCR)

It would be beneficial for ESL instructors to know the U.S. grade equivalent English ability of their students for placement purposes, especially if their instructional materials are keyed for U.S. classrooms. For this purpose, the Stanford Intermediate Level I Reading Comprehension Test was compared with the CELT-Structure Test. (Author/RM)

A description is provided of the English Language Assessment Test, a proficiency test administered weekly at the Vancouver Community College to determine the level of English language proficiency of non-native speakers who are applying for college preparatory or college courses and vocational training programs. (SW)

A college-level Spanish language teacher developed a textbook for fourth-graders that supported the audiolingual approach and was based on American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages Oral Proficiency Guidelines. Subject and vocabulary areas covered in the textbook included: salutations, the alphabet, numbers, colors, days of the week,…

A survey exploring important aspects of language learning as perceived by university students (N=1,135) enrolled in required foreign language courses revealed that, while students most highly valued oral proficiency, teachers appeared to value testing and evaluation practices most highly. (CB)

Some aspects of second language referential communication are analyzed in an experimental setting. The experimental task required subjects, who were visually separated but allowed to converse freely, to reach agreement on the ordering of a set of abstract shapes over a number of trials. (Author/LMO)

Study of the relationship between attitudes of native speakers and improved nonnative performance in Spanish and the relationship between increased degree of bilingualism and positive evaluations of nonnative speech suggested that language background has some influence on the perception of others' level of fluency. (CB)

Considers current research on reading in a second language from five points of view: (1) the reader's role in light of new models of language and textual meaning; (2) revised definitions of textual meaning and reader processing; (3) reader processing of schemata; (4) relationship between second-language competency and reader strategies; and (5)…

Discusses the issue of oral communication tests through an account of an oral test administered to nearly 1,000 students at Yarmouk University Language Center. The ways in which the institution attempted to overcome problems in the oral test's feasibility, validity, and reliability are presented. (Author/CB)

256 undergraduate students of Spanish responded to questionnaire concerning their: (1) experiences with Spanish and other languages in and out of the classroom; (2) comfort level in various aspects of using Spanish; and (3) motivation for taking Spanish courses. A significant relationship was drawn between student's outside experience and his or…

Analysis of the length of time required for limited English proficient students (N=1,548) to become proficient in English for academic purposes while receiving instruction in English in all subject areas indicated that at least four to eight years may be required for subjects to reach national grade-level norms of native speakers. (Author/CB)

The meta-analysis by A. C. Willig of bilingual education evaluation literature was not successful in comparison with and did not replicate the Baker and de Kanter narrative review. Willig's conclusion that bilingual education is effective is not supported by the analysis. (SLD)

Speech samples of Chinese scientists studying in an intensive English-for-science-and-technology program were evaluated by native English-speaking professional peers. Such evaluation techniques could be used by other languages for specific purposes programs. (Author/LMO)