This study is designed to compare "traditional" and "immersion" methods of language instruction to determine whether the latter is a viable alternative in four-year, secondary-school language programs. Both methods are evaluated on the basis of student achievement in comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Spanish. The hypothesis…

In contemporary reading comprehension tests, abilities which may have little to do with reading ability can have a great effect on test scores. Reading tests are not constructed so that they maximize abilities unique to reading. On the other hand, tests on other language skills do not minimize what is unique to reading. Comprehension is the…

Because of the recent Lau vs. Nichols decision by the Supreme Court, school districts will be looking for various instruments to determine language functionality in bilingual students. Nine tests are reviewed: the Leiter International Performance Scale (LIPS), the Michigan Oral Language Productive Tests Structured Response, the Michigan Oral…

This report describes a survey undertaken for the Task Force on English to determine the number of children in Vancouver schools for whom English is a second language. It reports the extent to which these children are handicapped in their use of the English language and identifies their placement needs within the school system. Questionnaires were…

A report on the introduction and use of short wave broadcasts in an intensive spoken French class. The kinds of materials used, class structure, the nature of assignments, student motivation, testing, cultural advantages, student reactions, and suggestions for further application are discussed. A list of useful references is included. (AMH)

Self-regulated learning combines cognitive skill and motivation enabling handicapped students to select challenging tasks, apply effective learning strategies, and measure success against personal standards. Research on the development of specific techniques such as informed strategy training, self-control training, conditional knowledge,…

Study of 11-year-old Swedish-speaking learners of English (N=21) reading two passages from an English fairytale for meaning found that the subjects mainly made use of two knowledge sources (their mother tongue and previous knowledge of the tale) to comprehend the tale. (Author/CB)

Fifty-one adult Spanish speakers at three levels of ESL ability were tested in both their elicited imitation (production) and act-out (comprehension) of complex sentences that were structurally identical. Analysis of variance results indicate that production tests, not comprehension tests, principally evaluate a learner's structural knowledge.…

Summarizes some preliminary findings from research into the nature and effect of various discourse modifications by a native speaker to a language learner. These modifications include (1) idiom avoidance; (2) comprehension checks and pauses; and (3) selection of information. An informal experiment gauging foreign students' impression of…

Describes a strategy to motivate adult basic education students to comprehend text in a manner that draws on their background knowledge and is based on peer interaction. (RS)

Introduces a two-step instructional model that promotes independence in reading comprehension by transferring responsibility for strategy use to the students throughout the course of instruction. Includes extended examples. (NKA)

Reviews research regarding reading strategies used by Hebrew-speaking students to comprehend English for specific purposes texts, focusing on verbal report techniques in: developing a taxonomy for reading strategies; checking the appropriateness of mentalistic measures for different populations; determining similarities between first-language and…

Provides reviews of four educational software packages which deal with problem solving, mathematics, history, and reading comprehension. Includes information about appropriate hardware, grade level, the publisher and purchasing. Contains comments about the strengths and weaknesses of each program. (TW)

A double-blind controlled study of the effect of paired reading was carried out with 33 failing readers and their parents. After an average time of 7.6 hours of paired reading at home spread over six weeks, the experimental group children made gains of 2.43 months for reading accuracy and 4.36 months for comprehension. (JDH)

The results of synthesizing 40 studies regarding the effects of gender characteristics of instructional materials on students indicate that sex-equitable materials can improve both male and female students' learning experiences and assist in developing gender-balanced associations and more flexible sex role attitudes. Effects on preference and…