This paper is based on findings of two recent surveys on the language(s) used as the primary medium for the teaching and assessment of cultural modules. They were conducted between March 1999 and March 2000 in language departments in UK universities: the first among staff (146 replies), the second among language students (704 replies). Comparing…

The year-long study that was the context for this article explored the complicated relationship among the shaping of ESOL as a school construct, the historical legacy of colonialism, and the contemporary influence of globalizing forces on the teaching of English worldwide and the lives of multilingual students enrolled in ESOL. In the context of a…

The handbook of classroom techniques and activities is designed for teachers in postsecondary institutions who have adult students for whom English is a second language. The underlying philosophy is that the learning experience of these students is not extremely different from those of native English-speaking students, and that their needs and…

Recent developments making more urgent the need for second language skills among the United States' population are examined. Specifically, a meeting of representatives of service professions and U.S. trade representatives concerning the ramifications of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade…

This study examined the stereotypes held by American native English-speaking students at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS) about gender and language. Captions from 14 cartoons in 1993 issues of "The New Yorker" magazine were used to elicit subjects' stereotypes. The issue of whether there would be a difference…

The role of language and intercultural communication in technical assistance projects in developing nations is discussed. An introductory section offers background on the emergence of the communication issue in technical aid projects. Two subsequent sections look separately at the issues of meeting information needs and of meeting language needs.…

Current and innovative instructional materials and techniques for developing intercultural understanding in international business administration students are discussed, drawing on a seminar on French business language instruction. A group of classroom activities concerning the adoption of English words into the French language, which can be…

Four issues of this journal contain articles, dissertation abstracts, reviews, remarks and rejoinders, conference reports, and announcements of publications and professional matters relating to linguistics and language research. The substantive articles contained in these issues include: "FIESTA--A Linguistics Text Tool" (E. Clay Johnston);…

A study conducted in the English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) class of 11 Southeast Asian refugee parents of several nationalities and language groups investigated changes in the parents' relationships with their children through four months of the acculturation process, focusing on the strategies the parents used to guide and assist their children…

Materials presented here include a variety of resources for teachers of Esperanto: a brief guide to Esperanto teaching, including suggested teacher qualifications, a listing of instructional materials and resources, including serials, with details of publication, activities in preparation for teaching, grade-level class activities, notes on…

This paper explores what is meant by "thinking" in a target language. Factors that determine both unplanned and planned use of more than one language for thinking are discussed, and empirical data from a mini-survey and from personal language learning and language using experiences are presented. The role of target-language thinking in improving…

At the University of Miami, the Bilingual Study Group has been evaluating linguistic and academic performance of children from a broad spectrum of socioeconomic status who appear to be well-matched across bilingual and monolingual groups. Because the studies vary in the degree of exposure to English and Spanish among bilingual subjects who are…

A study used the Preschool Teacher Verbal Behavior Index (PTVBI) to measure the extent to which classrooms were learner-directed or teacher-directed. The instrument can be used to help teachers learn the appropriate degree of control for different classroom situations and individual learner needs. Verbatim teachers statements are categorized as…

Written for the layperson, this books presents perspectives in support of cultural diversity in America and against language restrictionism and establishment of English as the single official language. In a series of topical discussions, the book brings what linguists have learned about language acquisition to the issue of how the United States…

A survey investigated the attitudes of one community college's English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers concerning the use of native language in the classroom, particularly by the teacher. Twenty-one ESL teachers, both part- and full-time, responded. Most were Hispanic, many were bilingual, and they represented a range of experience and…