This paper presents empirical data concerning the use of a cloze test as a measure of second language proficiency. Grade four students in their fifth year of a French immersion program were tested using both English and French cloze tests. Correlations between the cloze test and other language achievement measures were calculated for both…

This is an annotated bibliography of basic tools of access for the study of the uncommonly taught languages of Eastern Asia. It is one of eight fascicles which constitute a revision of "A Provisional Survey of Materials for the Study of the Neglected Languages" (CAL 1969). The emphasis is on materials for the adult learner whose native…

Most students of English as a Foreign Language at University level find it confusing to read professional material in their field of study. Their confusion stems not only from their lack of training in reading comprehension but also from their inability to recognize or to distinguish between certain grammatical constructions. It is suggested that…

This report is an evaluation of an exploratory program in foreign languages called "Foreign Language Appreciation" (F.L.A.), which has been implemented in several schools in Baltimore County, Maryland. Questionnaires designed to evaluate the program in general were sent to F.L.A. teachers; questions concentrated on the areas of…

The paper discusses the major second language teaching methods used to date in contrast with the strategies and techniques all children so successfully employ in first language acquisition. Second language acquisition for adults is not identical to first language acquisition but research seems to support the theory that it is similar. Successful…

This teaching grammar is designed to be used with adult students. Although primarily conceived for classroom use, it could be used by students learning on their own. A section on reading and writing Mohawk precedes the twenty lessons, each of which has basically the same format: (1) conversation, (2) introduction to the systematic variations of…

This is a summary in outline form of the English literature teaching situation in Pakistan. As a legacy of British rule, officially all instruction is in English, but a great deal is carried on in Urdu or provincial languages. Attachment to English language and literature is still strong among the educated elite. This contrasts with the attitudes…

Discusses strategies designed to cope with problems encountered at the college level that are caused by students' diversity in background and levels of competency. Alternatives to the lock-step method of instruction, with applicability at both the college and high school level, are described. (EJS)

Compares the Paris Chamber of Commerce Exams (both certificate and diploma levels) and the ACTFL Guidelines for language proficiency for the benefit of language teachers. Teaching strategies are suggested for preparing students for the Chamber of Commerce exams. (LMO)

Writing for the BBC World Service "Short Story" Program provides English as a second language students with the necessary conditions for "authentic writing," namely authentic and communicative writing practice, encouragement of language acquisition, and improvement of the teacher student relationship. (CB)

The creative writing of English poetry by English as a second language college students helps them to: overcome initial psychological inhibitions to language learning; stimulate interest and involvement in study; develop a means of self-expression; and prepare for study in other areas. (Author/CB)

Measures of retention of a Hawaiian lesson given to fourth, seventh, eighth, and eleventh-graders (N=182) indicated that fourth-graders had poorer retention than the other students, while seventh and eighth-graders exceeded eleventh-graders on some tasks, suggesting that second language learning capacity cannot be defined in terms of age alone.…

This report describes instructional strategies to decrease anxiety and frustration in the Spanish classroom. Participants were five 7th grade Spanish classes in two suburban middle schools. Student interventions included a study skills guide; partner and group presentations, skits, and activities; and group oral reading. Teacher interventions…

An adult immersion program in the Mohawk language took place in an Iroquois community in southern Ontario. The class was limited to 12 students who had taken a readiness course that introduced them to basic grammar and vocabulary. The class met daily in the relaxed setting of a house. The preparation and sharing of meals, the presence of fluent…

If literacy is defined as the ability to read and write, in the context of Hong Kong, literacy is more commonly known as language proficiency. The introduction of the Hong Kong Extensive Reading Scheme in English (HKERS) in 1991 aimed to motivate the students to read and thus enhance their English proficiency. Yet, as of 2001, after a decade since…