This is a summary in outline form of the English literature teaching situation in Pakistan. As a legacy of British rule, officially all instruction is in English, but a great deal is carried on in Urdu or provincial languages. Attachment to English language and literature is still strong among the educated elite. This contrasts with the attitudes…

In this report, shifts underway in early intervention (EI) from a professional-centered to a more family-centered model of service delivery are documented. The demographic changes in the past decade of young children and families receiving EI services (e.g., teen parents, children with more complex developmental and medical needs), in addition to…

This report provides a theoretical framework for understanding different approaches to interaction intervention and uses this framework as background for considering how various cultural factors might influence families' (and providers') views of these approaches. Most research in interaction intervention has been conducted without explicit…

A study examined how government administrators in New Zealand construct their professional identities and power relationships, and how this identity is reflected in patterns of discourse and strategies of interaction. Three levels of discourse analysis (speech functions; discourse strategies; and linguistic forms) and their components and…

A comparison of the linguistic contexts of Scotland and Taiwan focuses on three aspects: (1) existence of two linguistic codes belonging to the same language family; (2) the status of one of those languages as the standard set by a larger, more powerful neighbor from whose perspective any other variety is likely to look like a dialect; and (3) the…

Puerto Ricans in the United States are often assumed to be bilingual, and most are to some degree. Among Puerto Ricans, frequent returns home are common, allowing for immersion in both cultures and communication in both Spanish and English. Despite availability of bilingual education, programs are too short for participants to attain even a…

Describes a college sociology course on the relationship of language and ethnicity, whose topics include intergroup communication and miscommunication; representation of ethnicity in cultural texts; and the role of ethnicity in socialization, values, religion, and social institutions. Development of the course, choice of instructional materials,…

Suggests that the variety of English spoken in Brunei (BNE), sometimes called nonstandard, is still at an early stage of development and there is little awareness among its speakers of some differences from standard English (STE). Results of a grammaticality judgment test administered to 106 university students, designed to find nonstandard verb…

Study investigated effectiveness of two techniques in second-language vocabulary development: spacing of first-language (FL) and second-language (SL) words and reversal of the conventional FL/SL order in paired associate learning. Subjects were 16 English-speaking grade-seven students of French. Results showed superior performance in both spacing…

The Section of Education for Peace and Human Rights of the Division for the Promotion of Quality Education held an expert meeting on Intercultural Education from March 20-22, 2006 at UNESCO Headquarters, bringing together international experts from Australia, Bolivia, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa and the…

This paper suggests that the whole language approach, widely used for first-language reading instruction, is the most appropriate means for teaching reading to learners of English as a second language (ESL). Drawing on research evidence, seven basic tenets of whole language instruction are explained and applied to ESL reading instruction. These…

A study investigated the factors that affect language choices and uses within Luxembourg, a multilingual country. Patterns of language use within and across communities are viewed in terms of the interrelationships among language policy intent, implementation, and experience. The study involved classroom observation in elementary, secondary, and…

The emerging field of literacy education for speakers of English as a Second Language (ESL) is examined. First, four general goals of ESL literacy education are outlined: practical reading/writing skills; reading skills for building further learning; second language training when needed; and orientation to print as a source of meaning. Four kinds…

An alternative approach used in a third semester French course at the University of Colorado at Denver is described. The approach was adopted to improve student motivation. The course focuses on the learning of practical French for everyday situations, while traveling abroad for business or pleasure. Emphasis is on conversational, communicative…

Trends in the planning and teaching of ethnic and foreign languages in the United States are examined, and the Language and Cultural Perspectives program of the University of Pennsylvania's Lauder Institute, a graduate program in management and international studies, is presented as illustration of a successful program of foreign language…