Articles focus on the following: reading comprehension and writing; an approach to argumentative discourse writing; a didactic experiment on the construction of two academic texts; Denzil Romero's work; communication and its implication--a vision from the teaching of the mother tongue; orthography/spelling in the Real Academia Espanola (RAE)…

This teacher's guide, written in French, intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language (immersion), provides a host of strategies for teaching writing skills in the classroom (grades 1 through 7). Section 1 is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure, discussing the…

This digest outlines the reasons for and challenges of developing the language skills of heritage language speakers and describes one effort to carry this out, the Heritage Languages Initiative. Specific sections address the following: developing language skills of U.S. residents; the range of language proficiencies of heritage language speakers;…

The increasing number of students who enter U.S. schools from homes where languages other than English are spoken, and the recognition that proficiency in non-English languages is a valuable national resource, have generated interest in the field of heritage language instruction. A heritage language student is a language student who is raised in a…

This publication, launched by the French Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association and prepared under the Millennium Partnership Program in Canada, presents a collection of essays written by French language immersion students in the elementary and secondary grades. Essay topics touch on the following themes: remembering, dreaming, celebrating,…

This book, in English and French, explores the concepts of assimilation and community vitality, as well as statistical evidence regarding the vitality of Francophone communities outside Quebec. It highlights trends and seeks to clarify certain issues related to the current demographic reality of Francophone communities outside Quebec. The two…

Discusses the procedure and objectives of studies on adult instruction in Creole and the use of Creole in the primary grades. The complexity of the sociolinguistic situation, the extent of illiteracy, the state of the educational system, and implications of change in attitudes to both Creole and French are discussed. (AMH)

Analyzes the impact and shortcomings of a nationwide training program for elementary school teachers initiated by the French Government in the early 70s. Questions the general policy and some aspects of these programs on the basis of the history of the Montpellier Teachers' Institute. (MES)

Examines the contributions of linguistic research and linguistic theory to the teaching of languages proposinq a reevaluation of pedagogic concepts and models. Argues that so far theorists have ignored some important aspects of language, such as the esthetic and expressive elements of discourse, the situational constraints and the semantic…

Highlights the potential demands for the services of the speech therapist. In a linguistic assessment, the therapist needs to differentiate between first and second language learning problems. An assessment procedure must allow a child to respond in either of his/her two languages and be given credit for such responses. (Author/PJM)

Claims that incorporating children's native language into school curriculum can make these languages integral to the learning process. Suggests that a responsive, language-rich curriculum encourages creative and effective communication and learning. Emphasizes that language learning and sharing are the essence of the additive model as opposed to…

For teachers of English as a Second Language, there are two tools that must be kept honed to maintain professionalism: (1) the quality of skills in the language being taught, even for native speakers, and (2) willingness to learn or improve skills in other languages. Both can be important in providing a high-quality learning experience for others.…

Preservice teachers in Spain showed clear support for the theoretical principles of bilingual education, but less support for its practical implementation. (Author/VWL)

Explores to what extent a mother-tongue educational program can reinvigorate Taiwan's ethnic cultural identity. Content of mother-tongue materials used in Taipei county for Taiwanese, Hakka, and Ataylic students is analyzed, and interviews with members from each ethnic group are also conducted as a supplement. (JL)

A teacher of deaf children responds to a treatise recommending expanded use of American Sign Language (ASL) in deaf education by addressing the immediate problems that parents, teachers, school authorities, and linguists will need to carefully consider in implementing an ASL-based bilingual approach to educating young children. (CB)