This volume consists of the following articles: (1) "Introduction: Language Is the Link," by June K. Phillips; (2) "Foreign Language Study for a World in Transition," by Harold G. Shane and David L. Silvernail; (3) "Our Language Heritage: A Historical Perspective," by Shirley Brice Heath; (4) "Communication and Beyond," by Diane W. Birckbichler;…

In a world in the throes of rapid and irreversible transitions--a world in which the common experiences of its peoples are converging--teachers of foreign languages have new needs and responsibilities. First, language teachers need an insightful world view characterized by empathy with others. Second, teachers need to have an even more intimate…

This profile in outline form of the English language teaching situation in Canada discusses the role of English within Canadian society and within the educational systems in the provinces. The discussion takes place within the context of the Official Languages Act of 1969, which declared English and French official languages for all government…

Certain proposed theories on second language acquisition, their justifications, and their predictions about English are examined in this paper. The first section discusses the process of second language acquisition; the stages and strategies learners use and progress through on their way to mastery are described. The second section discusses the…

This paper discusses the theory and practice of the notional syllabus, three specific problems arising from it, and an experimental course proposed as one way of implementing it. Basically, a notional syllabus aims to organize language teaching in terms of the purposes of communication. Its foundation is a system of notional categories and the…

Unit four of the Spanish as a Second Language Strand for grade two offers learning and assessment activities designed to provide the English-dominant child with structures and vocabulary for effective communication in a bilingual environment. The neighborhood is the basic theme for activities in kits 13-16 to help build concepts in a new language…

The supplement and ditto packet to the Spanish as a Second Language strand of unit six for second graders contains activities for both seatwork and group participation. Unit six is oriented toward the basic theme of the neighborhood as a community; Kits 21-24 reflect the spiraling questions of what the elements are, how wants and needs are…

Theme of this Spanish as a Second Language unit for grade three is the communities of the nation. Learning and assessment activities in kits 29-32, each designed for two to three weeks of teaching, are intended to provide the English-dominant child with structures and vocabulary for effective communication in a bilingual environment. Activities…

The basic classroom reading program and the English as a Second Language Program (ESL) in the elementary school are related, yet a gap exists between them. It is suggested that the gap can be bridged in several ways: by bilingual education, through an individualized language experience approach, and by a process called "Bridge English." Bridge…

The interlanguage hypothesis stresses that errors are a normal part of the language learning process. At the same time, in the view of many, the teacher has a responsibility to provide short cuts for the learner through appropriate corrective feedback. Conventionally, this has been taken to imply correction of expression by requiring repetition of…

In accordance with the growing trend in language teaching philosophy towards assessing learner needs before choosing methods and materials, this study concentrates on the attitudes of final year bachelor degree program students towards learning and using English. These 821 students from Thailand, India, and Singapore were majoring in the fields…

This study challenges the Toukamaa and Skutnabb-Kangas theory of semilingualism and suggests that an integrated set of sociological and sociolinguistic factors can predict the performance of minority bilinguals in school. Semilingualism is described as a low level of competence in the minority language, a linguistic handicap that prevents the…

It is possible to communicate effectively in a second language in spite of highly deviant pronunciation and grammar as long as messages are semantically coherent and message forms are reasonably appropriate. Until now, research in second language acquisition has focused principally on the processes through which non-native speakers move towards…

This issue contains five articles on teaching English as a second language. "Predictive Validity of the CELT" by R. T. Moran and J. G. Erion discusses use of the Comprehensive English Language Test for Speakers of English as a Second Language to predict later success in a setting where nearly all students speak English as their second…

Through cooperation between language teachers and guidance counselors, the totality of student needs for present purposes and future directions can be served. This article reviews the relationship among counselors, students, and language instructors, describes their common goals, with emphasis on career guidance in its broadest definition, and…