An American Jewish woman learning Japanese in Japan examines the relationship between language, language learning, and personal identity. Autobiographical reflections are combined with entries from a diary and scholarly observations about the interrelationship of gender, race, culture, social class, historical experiences, and language learning.…

This volume of resource listings is intended to assist state and local administrators of vocational special needs programs, special needs educators, counselors, researchers, policymakers, and others in locating resources for developing or improving programs and services for youth and adults with limited English proficiency. Materials listed in…

A project to improve the literacy skills of workers in a clothing manufacturing company is reported. The goal of the project was to teach practical workplace reading and writing skills using materials and requirements of the employees, the employer, and their union. The project integrated a skills approach with a creative writing approach. The…

Reasons for the increased demand for second language education and implications for language education are discussed. After an introduction that focuses on the changing world of work, including global competition and telecommunication advances, it is noted that foreign language skills are becoming essential career skills. Six factors are offered…

In a discussion of the needs of English-as-a-Second-Language learners, it is suggested that the best approach to identifying needs is at the local level. Specific suggestions are made for classroom teachers, drawing on research techniques in second language learning and English for special purposes. Teachers are told to: (1) expect some mismatch…

During the 1989-90 school year 14 local migrant education projects, conducted by 5 Colorado school districts and 9 Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), served 1,500 migrant students in 579 schools. In the summer of 1990, of 13 migrant education projects, 4 were conducted by Colorado school districts and 9 by BOCES. Summer programs…

This paper examines bilingual early childhood programs in Aotearoa, New Zealand, in Wales, and among the indigenous people of the United States. The first section of the paper describes bicultural programs as programs that promote an acknowledgement of the ways people of each culture live, communicate with one another, and understand their world.…

This document contains papers (with abstracts) from two conferences on second language learning and language academies held at the University of Kentucky (Lexington) in April of 1985 and 1986 respectively. Papers and authors are as follows: "Language Planning and the International Vocabulary" (J. Lihani); "Merriam-Webster and the…

A study is reported that aimed to: (1) assess perceived needs of Japanese language by students and business faculty; (2) assess Japanese language needs of business professionals who work with Japan; (3) determine what language abilities and levels of proficiency are desired; and (4) identify perceived problem areas and ways that they are handled…

A course in Commercial Spanish at West Chester University in Pennsylvania is described that incorporates computer networking and a writing emphasis. Students use word processing and electronic mail to facilitate writing assignments, with the E-Mail function managed through the university's computing center. The 20 students in the class included…

This paper recounts how two university colleagues, a business faculty member and a foreign language faculty member, benefited from their interdisciplinary contact as student and as teacher. Mutual anxieties, new language learning techniques using computers, and culture are discussed in a stylized dialogue between the two faculty members. From the…

A study investigated one major aspect of the process of writing in a second language (L2), surface error correction, and two related issues. The main research questions included: whether (1) L2 writers were preoccupied with surface error correction during the generation of text; and (2) whether this regular interruption of the composing process…

This digest provides a brief overview of a research project carried out by the National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning on integrating language and culture in the social studies. It is suggested that there is a need to understand the academic language competencies necessary for students to function…

This work is one in a series that focuses on nine languages representing the bulk of the second language learning effort in Australian education (Arabic, Modern Standard Chinese, French, German, Modern Greek, Indonesian/Malay, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish). These languages were categorized as the Languages of Wider Teaching. Key areas addressed…

The ways in which second language learners and teachers together can develop learners' ability to carry on conversation in the target language are examined. The discussion is based on the idea that practicing language skills, therefore creating opportunities to gain additional knowledge, is essential to continued learning, whereas using such…