Materials for acquiring minimal communicative competence have to serve a double purpose: learning of comprehension on the one hand and of expression on the other. Because there is so little available data on the exact nature of the communicative function of language, it is difficult to construct authentic communications. CINAO (a beginning course…

The study described here sought to identify and define "learning behaviors" characteristic of those adult students who were highly successful in acquiring listening and speaking fluency in French in an intensive language training program. Data were collected from behavioral observation of students in the classroom, in-depth interviews with them,…

Teaching functional French is discussed with instructors of groups of foreign workers in mind. It takes as its starting point two "modules" for teaching French ("the highway code at driving school" and "starting and keeping small talk going") and uses them to exemplify some of the difficulties involved in the development and classroom use of…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 21 titles deal with the following topics: the language, communicative styles, and speech patterns of blacks and non-blacks; the prereading concept acquisition of Spanish-dominant kindergarten children; the self-concept and…

This paper, presented in English and in Spanish, isolates one area of English for Academic Purposes, listening comprehension, and makes some preliminary suggestions as to factors that might be relevant in course planning and, particularly, in the design of materials. In preparing a language program, a highly instrumental approach should be…

This fifth booklet included in the second of a two-volume cross-national study of educational attainment is a compilation of cognitive tests prepared for four fundamental student groupings in the areas of French as a foreign language, English as a foreign language, and civic education. Test booklets, pertinent scripts of taped material, test…

The effect of processing information in standard and nonstandard English was investigated using an equivalent standard and nonstandard English passage as the stimulus. Eight literal and eight inferential questions derived from the passage were used as the index of comprehension. Two hundred Black students were randomly assigned by class to one of…

The purpose of this text is to teach the beginning student to use the Oriya writing system, used principally by some 14 million Indians who live along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The 16 lessons are designed to enable the student to progress at his own speed and to keep a constant check on his control of the material covered. It is suggested…

The guide presents the newly-developed curriculum of the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana at Iztapalapa (Mexico) for its program in English as a foreign language. An introductory section provides background information on the initiative to design a new curriculum. The second section presents the principles on which the curriculum and its methods…

This paper describes the use of folktales in the classroom, noting the instructional benefits, challenges and potential problems, and techniques for presenting and expanding on the stories. Of nine folktales told during the school year, five are told in English and four in Spanish, and most are closely tied to the social studies curriculum. Four…

This document describes a certificate given for English for Speakers of Other Languages in Australia. The course leading to the certificate has four levels, grouped into two stages. Each Stage represents one semester's full time study. The certificate has four core modules: oral skills covering listening and speaking, written skills covering…

Compares the preferences of university and middle school students for non-western music as communicated through a Likert-type scale, manipulation of one dial on a Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI) during music listening, and manipulation of two dials on a CRDI during music listening. (MJP)

This article describes the Oral and Written Language Scales, an assessment of receptive and expressive language for children and young adults aged 3 to 21. The test assesses overall language skills and specific performance in oral expression, listening comprehension, and written expression. Its administration, standardization, reliability, and…

This article describes the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, a comprehensive measure of achievement for individuals in grades K-12. Eight subtests assess mathematics reasoning, spelling, reading comprehension, numerical operations, listening comprehension, oral expression, and written expression. Its administration, standardization,…

Efforts to improve the educational achievement of children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are at the heart of current government policies in the United Kingdom. The Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) is an intervention that, since 1995, has worked directly with parents and caregivers of children from infancy to 5 years of…