The speech habits of the most oppressed --and the largest-- segment of the black population in the United States did not spring solely from an inability to handle acceptable forms of spoken English, nor mainly from the limitations caused by the particular stock of words known to the speaker. Black slang stems from a somewhat disseminated rejection…

There is a large and growing demand for English language teaching to be provided specifically for the needs of a particular subject, profession, or occupation beyond the approach to English as a general educational and cultural subject. It is possible to isolate and define technical, technological, and scientific English, all with common features…

The notion of language dependency presupposes that there is a hierarchy of languages in a multilingual society, and that each language is assigned a functional role in a multilingual individual's restricted or extended spheres of linguistic interaction. In South Asia, language dependency has resulted in linguistic convergence of two types: (1)…

The national re-emergence of Scotland is accompanied by the desire for cultural and linguistic autonomy and identity. Issues at hand include language standardization, bilingual education, the language problems of immigrants, the role of Gaelic as compared to the continuum of linguistic varieties that go from Standard English to Scots, the adoption…

The conditions of the development and the present status of the mother tongue in the Finland-Swedish compulsory school are discussed from an investigation under progress. The aims, contents, and methods are examined from both cognitive and affective points of view in the curricula that have governed teaching in the compulsory school. (Author/CB)

Considers two aspects of knowing language, besides grammar and vocabulary, that are often understressed: 1) perspective taking (through rhythm and intonation) and 2) manipulation of language variation. This observation is discussed in relation to the contrast between incidental and intentional learning, and an argument is made for an intimate…

Considers the cultural background and language patterns of Indian children and the difficulties they are likely to encounter in the urban classroom. Emphasizes that teacher attitudes are important in helping Indian children achieve in school. (JHZ)

This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "quality" practices and the extent to which they are appropriate for all families and children. Misunderstandings and conflicts in the areas of motor skills evaluation and intervention can occur between those providing services and those receiving…

A survey investigated how language management strategies used by bilingual families could create family communication problems. The study was inspired by experience with bilingual families in which rigid adherence to a language policy appeared to impede communication. Respondents were 83 members of a special interest group on bilingualism within a…

This study, replicating an earlier experimental study, examined language attitudes in New Mexican Hispanic bilinguals aged 10-20, drawing on a socio-educational model of attitude formation and focusing on the relationship between language attitudes and five other variables: age; gender; youth culture; language ability; and language and cultural…

It is proposed that a process of "chiquitafication" has diminished the complexity of the languages and cultures of over 22 million Latinos living in the United States, and that this process has repercussions for their linguistic security, language maintenance, and ultimately, their hopes for a good life. Focus is on three aspects of this…

This collection of essays exemplifies the universal theme that competence in language is key to success in learning and in life. The research studies reported in the collection offer insights into the challenges of literacy learning in Asia: social, cultural, and linguistic factors that sometimes constrain the teacher's approach to instruction.…

This study considered the sociocultural nature of learning for students in a multicultural classroom setting, specifically investigating student-student and student-teacher relationships in a junior high classroom using a "community of practice" perspective. This framework was chosen to determine what contribution a community of practice…

The paper examines California's Proposition 227, a voter-imposed statutory amendment that substantially altered the method by which non-English-speaking children learn English in California's public schools, looking at the forces behind the legislation and the challenges to its implementation. The context for bilingual education in California is…

This book analyzes the evolution of the language situation in Canada over the last 45 years, drawing heavily from census data taken between 1951 and 1996. Chapters discuss: the evolution of the English language in Canada, including the size and distribution of the English native-language population, use of English as a home language, knowledge of…