This paper examines the question of language loyalty in the United States and explores the implications that the institutional teaching of modern languages may have for ethnic language maintenance. The education of United States ethnics has always resulted in the loss of the ethnic tongue as a resource. However, although negative attitudes toward…

Classroom activities in language arts designed to make students aware of sex stereotyping are presented. Ninety-two learning games that encompass a wide array of language-arts skills are described. Topics covered in the various games and exercises are organized into four sections: (1) "Sexist Language: Watch What You Say!" introduces students to…

This article argues that courses in linguistics should be included in all teacher training programs, whether the students are training to be general teachers or language teachers specializing in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) or Foreign Languages in the Elementary School (FLES). Details of lectures and assignments for two topics,…

Children from the German minority in Denmark were studied as part of a longitudinal sociolinguistic research project. Most spoke the Jutland (a Danish) dialect and picked up German as a second language when they started preschool, resulting in code-switching and interference in some cases, which appear to be manifestations of linguistic creativity…

The treatment of politeness features is particularly revealing of the complex dynamics that language teachers face given the cultural variety present in schools and colleges. Along with its positive contributions to the learning environment, the growing student diversity poses a significant challenge for both students and educators. This paper…

What is language proficiency? How does it interact with culture, human development, learning, and schooling? How can teachers best support English language learners (ELLs) and speakers of different English dialects? What are the current views of literacy acquisition and best approaches to literacy instruction? And how can assessments eliminate…

The indigenous peoples of Latin America live in conditions of extreme poverty. This book uses empirical data from national survey sources to determine the extent of poverty among Latin American indigenous populations; to compare indigenous and nonindigenous populations with regard to socioeconomic status, living conditions, educational attainment,…

Responses to the 1990 United States census question concerning languages other than English that are spoken at home are summarized. It was found that in 1990, 14 percent of the population 5 years and older spoke a language other than English at home, as contrasted with 11 percent in 1980. Languages spoken most commonly at home in descending order…

This publication reviews research findings on selected aspects of home and school language usage in the Pacific region, which is a multilingual context with English as the common language. Patterns of indigenous and English language vary considerably across geographical areas. Traditional cultures and languages are changing rapidly. The wide…

The current study investigated whether the change toward more gender-inclusive English that is taking place in Inner Circle countries is also gaining acceptance for English usage in an Outer Circle country: Singapore. Data for the study came principally from a questionnaire completed by students at a Singapore junior college and from writing…

Part 1 of this study investigated possible causes of the observed decline in correlations between SAT scores and freshman grade-point average (FGPA). Working with a database of 38 colleges, the study found that the comparability of course grades received by entering freshmen declined in the 1980s. Three new measures of grade comparability-variety…

A study at one Taiwan medical school investigated perceptions of faculty (n=20) and students (n=349) about students' English-language needs. English was perceived as important for students' academic studies and future work. Students wanted a basic freshman-year English course, with listening the most important skill to improve. Students and…

Surveys 320 Japanese families residing temporarily in the United Kingdom about their language use and language needs and the priorities they attach to their children's learning of English and Japanese. Examines English and Japanese in the children's linguistic environment, including language used with parents, siblings, and care givers;…

Interviews with 103 limited-English-proficient middle school students in California examined student and parent attitudes toward learning English, student use of English with family and friends, homework and study assistance, participation in extracurricular activities, and the influence of frequent absences and years of English instruction on…

For scholars of literacy and educational linguistics, the years 2004 and beyond have given them cause to not only revisit racial issues 50 years after "Brown v. Board of Education," but also to revisit 25 years of language and racial politics since "the Martin Luther King Black English case." This chapter discusses what needs…