A major goal of ESL education is to teach students how to speak English well enough to converse spontaneously and naturally with native speakers. Discourse analysis provides an understanding of those skills second language learners need to acquire to converse with native speakers and an understanding of how these skills may most beneficially be…

"Life Situations," a program designed for adult ESL (English as a second language) students, expands the curriculum through the use of community resources: trips, speakers, films, and related materials. These are incorporated into topical units of two to four weeks duration, along with dialogues and role playing using structures and vocabulary…

Discussion about and reflection upon observations which produce cognitive conflict have frequently been promoted as a strategy to enhance conceptual development in science classrooms. As part of the Practical Mechanics in Primary Mathematics project, teachers were urged to elicit children's views and attempt to establish what is now called…

Articles on communication and language disorder are presented. All but one are in French; the other is in German. They include: "Specificity of Developmental Dysphasia: Implications for Intervention" (Marc Montfort, Adoracion Juarez Sanchez); "Difficulties with Language Development and Discursive Capacity" (Genevieve de Weck); "Language Production…

Electronic Networks for Interaction (ENFI), an instructional tool for teaching reading and writing using computer technology, improves the English reading and writing of deaf students at all educational levels. Chapters address these topics: (1) the origins of the technique; (2) how ENFI works in the classroom and laboratory (software, lab…

This manual for Malagasy is designed for the specific language instruction needs of Peace Corps personnel working in Madagascar. It is written primarily in English and Malagasy, with introductory sections in French. It consists of 29 topical lessons, each geared to a specific domain and competency and containing information on needed materials,…

The process of transforming the mind of a man who speaks and thinks in one language so that an entirely different language can be used easily and naturally, is a difficult one. Only within the past few years has this process been given the general study it deserves. Recently a number of colleges and universities have been making investigations of…

Information Technology and Indigenous People provides theoretical and empirical information related to the planning and execution of IT projects aimed at serving indigenous people. It explores many cultural concerns with IT implementation, including language issues and questions of cultural appropriateness, and brings together cutting-edge…

The textbook for Mongolian is designed for the language training of Peace Corps volunteers serving in Mongolia, and intended for use with an instructor. Each lesson is based on a specific language use competency, and lessons are organized according to ten themes. Lessons contain a dialogue, vocabulary, grammar notes, supplementary vocabulary in…

This guide is designed for Russian language training of Peace Corps workers in Russia, and reflects daily communication needs in that context. It consists of seven instructional units. An introductory section gives an overview of the Russian language, Cyrillic alphabet, phonology, and morphology. The first instructional unit is intended as a…

The language manual for Kyrgyz was designed for the specific language instruction needs of Peace Corps personnel in Kyrgyzstan. It begins with a brief introduction to the Kyrgyz language, stressing the points at which the Kyrgyz system differs from English, and outlining the Kyrgyz sound system. It then presents 15 topical lessons, each containing…

The growing practice of beginning instruction in a modern foreign language in the elementary school has created a need for many classroom teachers to become oriented to a whole new field of foreign-language teaching methodology and materials. Since teachers tend to think of language instruction in terms of the English-language arts, the language…

Focuses on autobiographical composition and storytelling to promote critical thinking and feminist inquiry in women's studies and composition courses. Analyzes the personal discovery of the author's own voice as a woman writer. Presents three activities designed to initiate dialogue and elicit stories. Outlines assignment in which students produce…

The instructional materials for Armenian are designed for the language training of Peace Corps volunteers in Armenia. They use a competency-based approach focusing on content, cultural context, and communication purpose simultaneously. Some are closely tied to work tasks, others to daily communication needs. A brief introductory section gives an…

This guide is designed for Swahili language training of Peace Corps workers in Kenya, and reflects daily communication needs in that context. It consists of a series of topical lessons that contain simple dialogues, a vocabulary list, explanatory grammar notes, several exercises, and cultural notes. Lesson topics include greetings and…