Investigated was the effect of presenting arithmetic word problems in the students' native language or in English on Nigerian students mathematics skills and strategies. Findings indicated that both private and public school students performed better when the word problems were presented in their native language. (CW)

Reviews critical factors in successful language transmission and acquisition, factors responsible for language maintenance and renewal. Considers theoretical issues underlying communities' maintenance and renewal efforts and the reflection of those issues in practical goal-setting plans that outline desired plans that outline language maintenance…

Studies the effect of the use of the male generic on imagery. Finds that male bias is higher in the masculine generic condition than in the unbiased condition, and that male subjects are more male-biased than female subjects. Discusses findings in terms of linguistic relativity, prototypicality, and activation of multiple meanings. (FMW)

Examines an 1847 report that reveals that sign communication training with mentally retarded children was used successfully during the last century. These children acquired signs and demonstrated improvement in their personal and social behavior. These findings are similar to those reported in recent research. (34 references) (Author/CK)

A sociolinguistic research project conducted in two adjacent Belgian villages with a Low Frankish-speaking population is reported. Questionnaire surveys measured the impact of the fixation of the linguistic frontier between the two villages on the local population's French/Dutch language behavior and attitudes. (Contains seven references.)…

In second-language learning, personal goals, political and economic relations, and sociocultural circumstances will largely determine the outcome of contact and the language strategies available. This article suggests how the outcome of language and culture contact can be predicted once an understanding of the context is achieved. (Contains 22…

Examined the ability of Grade 8 intermediate and advanced learners of French to collaboratively complete a text reconstruction task, focusing on the students' discussion of the form of the message they were constructing. Results indicated that students gained awareness of gaps in their existing knowledge and links between the form, function, and…

Systemic functional linguistics, particularly ideas about the relationship of language to its context, is used to examine the selections and functions of different sets of genres found in science and history textbooks in junior secondary education. Genre selection was found to point students in different directions, either from action to…

Addresses the question of how constraints are established by which Hispanicity is determined vis-a-vis language. It argues that, if Spanish-English bilingualism comes to prevail among American Hispanics, they will lose the Spanish language as a mother tongue and their distinct culture, becoming an Anglophone subculture similar to Irish or Italian…

This article reviews basic issues of theory and method in qualitative research approaches to applied linguistics research, focusing on the ways in which qualitative research can contribute to an understanding of second-language acquisition and use. (83 references) (MDM)

Discusses problems commonly encountered by new foreign language teachers, as well as suggested solutions. Particular focus is on problems of classroom management, difficulties arising from use of the target language, shortcomings at the level of planning, and failure to relate to pupils appropriately and engage with their learning. (MDM)

Compares the use of terms from natural and social science titles and abstracts from the perspective of sublanguages and their specialized dictionaries. Different notions of sublanguage distinctiveness are explained, and objective methods for separating hard and soft sciences are suggested based on measures of sublanguage use, dictionary…

A study investigated gender-related patterns of student talk in teacher-directed and student-directed peer response groups in college writing classrooms. Females in both groups asked more questions, made more suggestions, and more often used gender-typical language. Although females and males in teacher-directed groups responded equally, females…

Social implications of phonological and morphological variation in Classical Latin is examined. Arguments for the social factor are instances of hypercorrection, private and domestic instances of certain datives and Augustus' use of rural "domos" for "domus." It is understood in terms of the model of urbanization. (35…

Two types of main hall discussions at an ecology conference were studied: plenary lecture discussion as an accepted, established spoken research process genre with its own conventions; and poster session discussion as a fragile, embryonic research process genre struggling for definition. (14 references) (Author/LB)