Finds that college freshmen's opinions on vocabulary acquisition agree with the results of recent research, which states that free reading is the most efficient and effective means of acquiring vocabulary in a first language. Results contrast with a study of university foreign language students, most of whom did not value reading as a means of…

Ten- to thirteen-year-old children selected either the objectively more effective keyword method or the naturalistic context method for learning vocabulary meanings. Concludes that, even in the absence of explicit performance feedback, children can be induced to reflect on their use of strategies and their outcomes on subsequent cognitive actions.…

Reports that although the traditional domain of developmental lag models has been dyslexia, this type of model is actually more helpful as an aid to understanding the normal achievement variations found among nondyslexic children. (FL)

Reviews several German computer assisted instruction (CAI) programs and describes an experiment in CAI to discover if immediate reinforcement in self-pacing would enable the students to perform better on the final examination. The experiment was carried out with two homogeneous sections of second-semester students of German in high school.…

Describes the main components of a structured program of word attack for students who have difficulty recognizing long words, noting that the most essential component of the program is a set of rules for predicting pronunciation. (HOD)

Describes the instructional activities involved in Student Activated Vocabulary Instruction--a method of instruction involving three phases: conceptual assimilation, lexical refinement, and expression. (HOD)

The Carpinteria Preschool Spanish Immersion Project was developed to bring Spanish speaking children to a level in school readiness skills that matched English dominant children upon entrance to kindergarten. A description of the program and its effectiveness is offered. (DF)

Describes a six-step technique that capitalizes on children's experiences and interests while providing structure and redundancy within a creative framework to maximize sight word acquisition. (FL)

Concludes that it is time for teachers to be more critical of the commercial materials and classroom practices commonly used to sensitize children to different semantic cues and morphological units. Argues that without a firm knowledge of context clues and morphemes on the part of teachers, the teaching of these skills will remain incidental. (FL)

Stresses importance of student input in field of computer-assisted language instruction. Provides an overview of student input, its recognition, and some uses of its recognition. By understanding the potential of student-computer interaction, those who are considering the computer for use in their foreign language curriculum may be able to…

Reports an investigation into possibilities of using word processors and text analysis software with English as second language (ESL) students to determine (1) if foreign students can learn to use computer equipment, (2) if students feel time invested is worthwhile, and (3) if ESL students' problems with writing American academic prose can be…

If Anglophone students are to read French at an adult level, they must not only acquire a selected small vocabulary but also be trained to interpret words creatively within a context in order to use their vocabulary. Instruction should include exercises to foster this creativity. (MSE)

Reports on research which analyzes writers' lexical familiarization devices, as well as the teaching of specialist vocabulary recognition and recognition strategies. Argues that current views of foreign language teaching do not take sufficient account of the development/recognition distinction in the field of specialist terminology. (SL)

In December 2004, Congress reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and in doing so, established the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). On July 1, 2005, NCSER began its operation and held its first set of research grant competitions, which included the…

Rita is a Pacific island grade 2 teacher in a local village school. She has established a 90-minute daily literacy block in which she focuses on literacy-related activities. As she sits with her students during the literacy block, she realizes some of them are having difficulty comprehending text, and many are unable to retell the stories…